■>{*■  . 

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# 


LIBRA  RY 

OF   THE 

UN  IVERS  ITY 

Of    ILLINOIS 

977  356 

^op  3 


ILL.  HIST.  SURVEY 


^    "^    ,■*"' 


'"-^ 


tc 


PAST  AND  PRESENT 


OF  THE 


City  of  Decatur  and  Macon  County 


ILLINOIS 


ILLUSTRATED 


A   people   that   take   no   pride   in   the   noble  achievements    of    remote    ancestors    will    never 
achieve    anything   worthy   to   be    remembered    with    pride    by 
remote    generations.  " — Macaulay. 


CHICAGO 
THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  CO. 

1903 


Historical  and  Biographical 


^?         s^ 


,.<L. 


f 


-3 


preface:. 


HE  publishers  take  great  pleasure  in  presenting  this  volume  to  the  public.  For 
the  general  history  of  the  county  we  are  indebted  to  Hon.  J.  G.  Keller  and  for 
the  history  of  the  public  schools  of  Decatur  to  Prof.  E.  A.  Gastman,  both  being 
well  qualified  for  the  work.  The  greatest  of  English  historians,  Macaulay,  and 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  writers  of  the  age,  has  said:  "The  history  of  a  country  is  best 
told  in  a  record  of  the  lives  of  its  people."  In  conformity  with  this  idea,  the  biographical 
department  of  this  work  has  been  prepared,  our  corps  of  writers  going  to  the  people,  the 
men  and  women  who  have,  by  their  enterprise  and  industry,  brought  the  county  to  a  rank 
second  to  none  among  those  comprising  this  great  and  noble  State,  and  frbm  their  lips  have 
the  story  of  their  life  struggles.  No  more  interesting  or  instructive  matter  could  be  pre- 
sented to  an  intelligent  public.  In  this  volume  will  be  found  a  record  of  many  whose  lives 
are  worthy  the  imitation  of  coming  generations.  It  tells-  how  some,  commencing  life  in 
poverty,  by  industry  and  economy  have  accumulated  wealth.  It  tells  how  others,  with  lim- 
-  ited  advantages  for  securing  an  education,  have  become  learned  men  and  women,  with  an 
influence  extending  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  It  tells  of  men  who 
have  risen  from  the  lower  walks  of  life  to  eminence  as  statesmen,  and  whose  names  have 
become  famous.  It  tells  of  those  in  every  walk  in  life  who  have  striven  to  succeed, 
and  records  how  that  success  has  usually  crov/ned  their  efforts.  It  tells  also  of  many,  very 
many,  who,  not  seeking  the  applause  of  the  world,  have  pursued  the  "  even  tenor  of  their 
way,"  content  to  have  it  said  of  them,  as  Christ  said  of  the  woman  performing  a  deed  of 
mercy — "  They  have  done  what  they  could."  It  tells  how  many,  in  the  pride  and  strength 
of  young  manhood,  left  the  plow  and  the  anvil,  the  lawyer's  office  and  the  counting-room, 
left  every  trade  and  profession,  and  at  their  country's  call  went  forth  valiantly  "  to  do  or 
die,"  and  how  through  their  efforts  the  Union  was  restored  and  peace  once  more  reigned 
in  the  land.  In  the  life  of  every  man  and  of  every  woman  is  a  lesson  that  should  not  be 
lost  upon  those  who  follow  after. 

Coming  generations   will   appreciate   this  volume   and   preserve   it   as   a   sacred   treasure, 

from  the  fact  that  it  contains  so  much  that  would   never   find    its    way   into   public    records, 

and   which   would  otherwise  be   inaccessible.     Great  care  has  been  taken  in  the  compilation 

of  the   work,  and  every  opportunity  possible  given   to   those   represented   to   insure   correct- 

^  ness   in   what  has  been  written ;    and  the  publishers  flatter  themselves  that  they  give  to  their 

?  readers  a  work  with  few  errors  of  consequence.     In  addition  to  biographical  sketches,  por- 

^'traits  of  a  number  of  representative  citizens  are  given. 

The  faces  of  some,  and  biographical  sketches  of  many,  will  be  missed  in  this  volume. 
?  For  this  the  publishers  are  not  to  blame.  Not  having  a  proper  conception  of  the  work,  some 
^34"efused  to  give  the  information  necessary  to  compile  a  sketch,  while  others  were  indifferent. 
-^Occasionally  some  member  of  the  family  would  oppose  the  enterprise,  and  on  account  of 
'\  such  opposition  the  support  of  the  interested  one  would  be  withheld.  In  a  few  instances 
I'men  never  could  be  found,  though  repeated  calls  were  made  at  their  residence  or  place  of 
^  business. 
■J  December,   1903.  The  S.  J.  Clarke  Publishing  Co. 


1 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


HISTORICA.L 


Geographical     •> 

Early    Settlement 1-t 

The    White    Settler 15 

County    Government ~0 

County     Officers ~7 

Agriculture     28 

Railroads 39 

lilack    Hawk    War '. 31 

Mexican     War 31 

Civil     War 33 

Villages    68 

Schools   7-2 

School    Lands 75 

Parochial    Schools 76 


The    James   Millikin    University 77 

llie     Church 78 

City  of  Decatur 83 

The  Free  Public  Library S3 

The  Woman's  Club 83 

Powers'    Grand   Opera    House 84 

The  Anna  R.  Millikin  Home 84 

St.    Mary's   Hospital 84 

The    Wabash    Hospital 85 

Goodman's    Band 85 

The   Decatur  Club 85 

The  Country  Club  of  Decatur 85 

Parks    86 

I'olice  Department 87 


b'ire     Department 87 

Water    Works 87 

Greenwood    Cemetery 87 

Things  for  which  Decatur  is  noted..   88 

Societies 88 

Banks    90 

Decatur    Traction    &     Electric    Com- 
pany         01 

^lanufactorics   and   Corporations....    91 

Bench    and    Bar 109 

Our    Honored    Dead 118 

Christmas    Reminiscences 121 

Public    Schools    of    Decatur 123 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


Abbott,     Mrum 810 

.\dams,    Charles 802 

.\dams.   O.   C 833 

Albert,    G.     F 818 

Alexander,  James  H 769 

Allen,    D.    S 822 

.\llman,    Edward 386 

Allsup,    Miner    R 310 

Archer,   H.    L 876 

Armstrong,   J.   H 548 

Armstrong,    William 453 

Armstrong,    W.    C 868 

Arnold,    Hiram 676 

Baker,    H.    S 815 

Baker,   N.   M 770 

Baker,     R.    N 429 

Baldwin,    James    S 236 

Banton,    H.    J 806 

Barbey,   L.    D 379 

Barnes,   Dr.   Ira  N 273 

Barnes,  Dr.  W.  A 225 

Barron,     John 013 

Barth,   Jacob   W 442 

Bassey,    Edward    C 383 

I'.atchelder,    David    B 831 

Batcheldcr,  John  C 663 

Batchelder,  J.   J.., 471 

Batchelder,    Moses    E 439 

Bauer,   C.    R 284 

Baum,    William 601 

Beall,    Hillory 826 

■Bean,  C.  H .534 

Berkler,    Henry 506 

Betzer,  George  W 834 

Bctzer,     Peter 433 


Betzer,    Reuben 190 

Bi.xby,    J.    G 552 

Black,   John   H 733 

Blank.    William 487 

Boggs,  Dr.  William  R 193 

Bommersbach,    Nicholas 546 

Bottrell,  J.   n 549 

Boyce,  J.  C 395 

Boyd,    James    P 561 

Boyer,   Melvin    F 575 

Bramble,   W.   H 618 

Brett,    David    E 441 

Brewer,   A.    D 710 

Brookshier,  William  F 655 

Brown,  Charles  H 670 

Brown,    Henry    H 668 

Brown,   James   E 624 

Brown,    Dr.    Josiah 673 

Brown,    J.    V/ ...427 

Brown,    Travis 830 

Huflmeyer,   J.    S 684 

Bundy,    W.    M 347 

Burgess,     Sullivan 869 

Busber,   W.    F 303 

Butzien,    Frederick 377 

Ci  -mean,    W.    H 726 

Carr,    Dr.    E.    D 386 

Carter,    J.    W 185 

Chamberlain,    W.    D 257 

Chenowt.*h,    Dr.    W.   J 735 

Childs.    J.    S 390 

Clark,  J.   B 746 

Clark,    William 268 

Clipston.   Joseph    K 850 

Combs,    labei    T 435 


Connaghan,  Charles 777 

Connard,    Charles    E 228 

Connard,   Martin    E 229 

Conover,    George 582 

Cooper,    W.    T 456 

Cowen,    Charles   C.    H 433 

Crahb,  Frank  A 875 

Crane,  J.   W 203 

Crary,  John  M - 309 

Crawford,   W.    M 342 

Crocker,    John 184 

Crocker,  John   H 189 

Crow,   E.  W 833 

Crow,   O.    T 374 

Culver,   J.   H 339 

Cussins,    Dr.   J.    S.    C 263 

1  >aggctt,    Albion 555 

Dammeier,    Christian 791 

Danzeisen,  George  J 345 

Davidson,  A.  H 556 

Davis,   Byrd   L 862 

Davis,   Jerome    B 607 

Davis,    Thomas 281 

Davis,    Rev.    W.    H 359 

Dectz,    Charles    H .837 

Dclahunty,    Walter 498 

I  >cmpsey,    Michael 690 

Denipsey,    P.    J 644 

Denise,    D.    E 276 

Dennis,    Andrew 525 

Dewein,    Victor 499 

Dickey,   H.  E 223 

Dickson,    Adam 599 

Dinneen,  Daniel 565 

Do.'ike,  Thomas    B 545 


TAI'.l.I'.  Ol'"  CONTENTS. 


Downey,  Charles  U S53 

Downing,    T.    E "*' 

Downing,    VV.    T 846 

Drake,  J.   I '^" 

Drury,   Dr.   G.   W 180 

Uukcr,  C.    K '!■' 

Dunston,   .\.    J •■*•*" 

Isberly.    U.    L 8=8 

lihrharl,  Joscpli    li 819 

Klwood,   Casper   C '^^ 

Kwing,  Charles  A 1^9 

Kwing.    F.    X ■^S* 

Kwing,  Mrs.   Sarah   .\nn 784 

Kyman.    J.    A 380 

I'aith,    Charles   II '-^'^ 

Faith,    George ^^"^ 

Karies,     Robert 1*' 

Fitzgerald,    J.    K j<" 

Fletcher,   J.    W S*-! 

I'oulke,    Edward •• '^^'^ 

FonlUe,    W.    L 603 

Frank,  John 2^** 

l''rceman,   James 8.8 

I'Veeman,   Mrs.    Margaret   .\ 416 

Cage,  Wilson    S ''■'^ 

Carver,    William    S *-- 

Gastman,  E.  A ^87 

Gepford,    S.   R J*^ 

Oerber,    Samuel -*' 

Gilman,   G.    Fred 756 

Given,    J.    F :....807 

Glore,   Capt.    J.    11 ?82 

Gogcrty,    John ^''7 

Goodc,   1^   R *" 

Gorin,  Jerome   R 173 

Gorin.   O.    B 207 

Graves,  J.   W 249 

Gray,  Dr.  James  L 803 

Green,   Joslma 713 

Greene,   O.   Z 311 

Griffith,  James  G 591 

Grimm,    Samuel 6»^ 

Gushard,    William 827 

Guthridge,    C.    K SIO 

Iladwin,    James 84i 

Hagan,   Henry 850 

Haines,    Frank   W 88" 

Hamman,    John    W 592 

Hamnian,    IMiilip   1* 741 

Hammer,   W.    1 871 

Uamshcr,    William 396 

Hankins.  Charles  S 849 

Hardy,   J.   K 643 

Harpstrite,    Augustus 875 

Harpstrite,    Edward 650 

Hartley,   C.  J 694 

Hays,  Charles 402 

Heckler,    Anthony 856 

Hcnard,  J.    R 579 

Hendricks,   Jacob    C 792 

Henshic,     David 841 

Highly.   H.    1 820 

IliKlit.  John   R 533 


Hight,    Robert    W 306 

Hilbrant,    S.    0 109 

llildebrandt,   Theodore 503 

Hill,    Douglas    D 867 

Hill,   H.   W 255 

Hilvety,   W.    F 836 

Hobbs,   Rev.   James 505 

Hodge,  II.   D.    M 635 

Holiday,   Harry   L 434 

Hollinger,    James 805 

Holmail,    Carey    L 648 

Hooper,   W.   J 811 

Hosteller,   George    F 244 

Housley,    Mrs.   N.   J 789 

Hoy,    Simon   P 703 

Hunter,   W.    li 269 

Hurst,    C.    M 821 

Imboden,    C.    M 626 

Imboden,   J.    G 739 

Jacobsen,     Henning 813 

Jimison,    G.    A...., 641 

Johns,   Dr.   H.   C 700 

Johnson,    Milton 1 219 

Johnston,     William 842 

Jones,    Charles 840 

Jones,  Thomas  B 707 

Jones,    William   O 649 

Jones,  Yong  P 825 

Jostes,    Henry 667 

Joynt,   J.   J 566 

Kaylor,    G.    W S54 

Keck,    John    A 351 

Keister,  John  F 631 

Keller,    John    G 623 

Kemmerly,    J.    F 857 

Kepler,  ilrs.  Fannie 745 

Kile,    Isaac    W 662 

Kincaid,    Robert    F 283 

Knouff,    A.    S 447 

Koehler,    Louis .790 

Kohr,   Jacob   W 691 

Kraschel,   Frederick 661 

Kreher,   Adam 724 

Kreidler,    Henry 860 

Kretzer,    David 512 

Krone,    N.    L 459 

Kuhns,  Henry  B 494 

Lanham,  Benjamin  F 400 

l.aux,  Charles 765 

Leavitt,    T.    N 724 

Leffingwell,   L.   B.  C 614 

I.el'"orgee,   C.    C S3S 

Lehman,   Frank  P 713 

Lehn,    F.   W 294 

Lehn,    George    W 367 

Lehn,  John  P ."26 

Lewis,    Charles 409 

I^ewis,  Dwight  F 41.') 

Lonergnn,   Dr.   M.   V 403 

Love,    Joseph 354 

Lowe,  G.   F 335 

Lowry,    Francis    M 334 

Lowry,  John   M 491 

Ludwig,    Charles 845 


Lunn,    Henry 858 

Lyon,    George    S 241 

Lytic,   K.    P 327 

McCune,    George 564 

McDonald,  E.   S 357 

Mc  Evoy,    John 593 

McLean,  Dr.   C.  A 300 

McLean,    Dr.    W.   T 515 

Magce,   William  J 767 

Major,  Jacob 454 

Malone,    Jones 708 

Matthew,   Dr.  John   B 479 

Matthew,   John    L 528 

.Ma.xon,     May  wood 782 

-May,  Dr.   S.   R. 48T> 

Melton,    Dr.    W.    .\ 210 

.Melvin,   L.   A 462 

-Meridith,    F.    M 386 

.Merris,   E.   M 365 

.\Iettlen,   Alexander    T 465 

Meyers,    Mrs.    Lovina 170 

-Miller,   John    R 718 

-Vlillikin,   James 637 

MilU,   A.    H 221 

Mills,     Joseph 397 

Mills,  L.  A 275 

Mittan,   Dr.   F.  J 761 

Moffctt,    W.    T 729 

Montgomery,   A.    R 371 

Montgomery,    James    H 533 

Moore,   Josiah   A 798 

Alowry,   H.    C 197 

Mueller,    Hieronymus 799 

Murphey,    Martin    P 717 

Myers,    Dr.    N.    D 270 

Nelson,    William    E 11)5 

Nesbitt,   A.   S 839 

Newell,    William   B 843 

Nicholls,   R.   A 816 

Nichols,   J.    E 709 

Nottclmann,    J.    H 392 

Uren,   John    H 081 

Osborne,    T.    E 877 

Outten,   G.    C 573 

Owen,  H.   M 527 

Packard,     Silas liiT 

Parker,     Benjamin 368 

Parker,  James  H 264 

Parker,  J.  P 421 

Parker,  Dr.  O.  V 401 

Patterson,   David 329 

Pedicord,    J.    J 864 

I'ersinger,  J.   M ■ 410 

Pfister,   Charles   C 734 

Pharo,    Isaac    F 771 

Phclan,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    Michael. ..  .778 

Pickle,   Newton    F 089 

Pitner,   Thomas   W 570 

Pollock,    Dr.    M.    D 697 

Pope,    Walter 440 

Porter.    Dr.   D.  W 389 

Powers,    Orlando 165 

Powers,    Samuel 201 


TAIU.I".  OF  t  OX  HINTS. 


IViwcr:t,  'I'lioma*... 
I 'rail,  I'rank  M.  ■  .  . 
I'ricc.  lacob  R.... 
I'rilclicll,  Waller.., 
I'rttvo^i.    I-    R 

Uucrry.    Iiaiali 

(Ju«T>.    Titus 


.'1.1 

.'tin 

H.'U 

..SOS 


Race.  Jamc.   W  .  .  "'• 

Katulolpli,   I'    I  . .  '"'•■ 

Katololph,   «;iiy    .\  ■'■'•'• 

K«ora,   J.    II '"» 

Kiichic,    Mr..   C.    M....  ••'» 

KiIitIkc.    Samuel '"'" 

Kobcri.t.    Kdwin   J  '•'•"' 

K..»M:ri..  T.   T :<>" 

Kot.>.    K.    II •>•» 

Kogcr».    I..    K "*•'' 

KollifuM,    Andrew.  •'•& 

Kuchl.    CharlM    I'  -'"^ 

Kilhriiull.     ILirry  -5S 

SamftMin,   Jamc   N "'* 

Schcnck.    Will "• 

Schrrrr,     Nichola* **'-' 

Sclirocdcr.    Irol    K    .  -'•" 

Schr..cdcr.    Rudolpli     II SS4 

Sclir.Kdcr.    \V.    R 7*0 

Scnlt.    Owen 785 

Scrugip..    \V.    R »« 

Shanklin.  }.  G 780 

Micllabarncr.    D.    S a03 

Shctlcl.   II.  A 1«1 

Shoemaker.    Andrew 029 

Short.    (korBc    D 2»' 

Sibley.   Or.   B.   F asS 

Siminon,     Butler ■>*<> 

Singleton,    Iliiiton ""S 

Smith,   Mrv    Mary   E 550 

Smith.   S.    K «7» 

Smith,    Will    L »5* 

Smilh.     W      S tSS 


S|iani;li-r.    Ju-*e|ili.  .  .  . 
Spence.    Uanicl    f.  .  . 

Silencer.     Read 

Spiiler.   lienrgc    U. . . 
S|»ttlcr.     Fred. 
S|MK»ner,    I'.    I  > . 

Springer.    T.    T 

St.    I'»trick\    Chureli 

Stare,    tieorisc 

Stare.    William    II. . . 

Starr,    W.    II 

Stein.  Mckliar<lt  l'   .  . 

Slerretl.   U.   I 

Stewart.     Franc  i- 
Stolier.   John   ( '. 
Stoiier.  I)r.   .\.  .1 
Sloncr.    T.   C.  . 

Sti>okey,     Daniel 

StunlenlMjrotiKlt.    G,    S 

Stuntenliorough,    J.     B 

Stoiitenboroitgh.    ,1.    II 
SloulenlMirough.    J.     I. 

Stoutenlmrough,  J.    I' 

Stuart,  J.    T 


.711 
.504 
.  .571 
.US 
.  .N4:i 
..511 
.  .  «U3 
..00!) 

.  .515 


..  .MO 
.  .  .  705 

,  .  .:i,-io 

...Mil 

. , .074 
...348 


Stuart.   Oliver   L «4S 

Swain.    Dr.    S.    II 481 


raKgart,     Robert ..:i:il 

Tail.   F.   B 781 

Thalchcr,  Charles  P S»4 

Thomas.   l)r.    E.    II 24.1 

Thompson.    A.    J 010 

Thompson.  Capt  Oorge  W S86 

Tomlin*on,    Thomas   W 832 

Torrcncc.  Frank  I) 748 

lowne.  F.  P 242 

Trimmer.     .Xbrah.im 202 

Trimmer,   .\ndrcw   J 201 

Trimmer.    Daniel    \V 280 

Trimmer.   John    F 204 

Trimmer,    Joseph    F 2*3 

Troutman.,  Jacob 703 

Tucker.    Cyrus  J 502 


Tucker.   Joseph    I '•^« 

Tupi>er,  Col.   An*el 475 

Tupper.   Col.   N.    W 445 

Tyler.    Barton    S SIO 


I'lery.    E.    S 
Underwood.  James   It 


\*an   Deventer.  C.  J. 

\'all    C.nlltlv.    T.    0.  .  . 


W.vlr.     I..l«.ird 

Walker.    J.    W 

WiiUacc.    William    A.. 

Uiillcr.     Koliert 

\\  alters,    Clement    C. . 


.^11 

;(0S 


.824 
.883 


MO 

llOH 
-HI 
:I85 
.■JV9 


W  arburion.    Joseph 531 

Ward.  J.   T 844 

Washburn.    S.    G 

Weaver.     Samuel 

Webb,    S.    T 

Welge.    Henry 

Wells.    F.    P 

Whitmer,    F.    II. . 
Wilkinson,    Mrs.    I.jimir:i 

X\.llard.    J,    G 

Williams.    A.    J 

Williams,    J.    C 


SOO 
ir.'O 
s7ll 

.■.5a 

.81.1 
.333 
.700 
.700 
.053 
,851 


WillKims.    J.    W 874 

Williams,    Robert    T 002 

Willi.ims.    W.    H 461 

W  illianisun,    Solomon 480 

Willougbby.  W.    H 482 

Wilson,    James    A 700 

Wilson.    R.    1) 175 

Wise.    H.    H 0.12 

Woo<lcock.    Harold    R 202 

Woodcock.   R.   H 201 

Womls.     Robert 60(1 


Yohc.  J.   E. 


Past  and  Present  of  Macon  County 


By  John  G.  Keller. 


In  llu'  geographical  center  of  the  state, 
midway  between  Chicago  and  St.  Louis, 
the  leading  cities  in  the  Northern  Missis- 
sippi X'alley,  lies  Macon  county.  It  is  one 
of  the  banner  counties  in  the  famous  corn 
belt  of  Illinois;  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Dc\\'itt.  on  the  east  by  Piatt  and  Moultrie, 
on  the  south  by  Moultrie,  Shelby  and 
Christian,  on  the  west  by  Christian  and 
.Sangamon   counties. 

Its  extreme  length  is  twenty-seven  miles 
and  its  width  is  twenty-five  miles,  contain- 
ing an  area  of  five  hundred  and  se\'enty- 
seven  sections  or  three  hundred  sixty-nine 
tliousand  two  hundred  eighty  acres  which 
is  divided  into  seventeen  townships  as  fol- 
lows :  .\ustin  36  sections.  Friends  Creek 
4S,  Hickory  Point  36,  Xiantic  Jij.  lilue 
.Mounil  32.  Mt.  Zion  39,  Pleasant  \ie\v  30, 
Oakley  Jji.  .Milam  24,  Maroa,  42,  \\'liit- 
more  3f),  Ulini  3').  llarristown  3(^1,  .South 
Wheatland  30,  .South  Macon  36.  Decatur 
29.  Long  Creek  38i. 

iUn  a  few^  years  ago,  nuich  (if  the  ])rairie 
land  was  used  for  grazing  purposes  only ; 
at  present  no  wild  lands  are  to  be  found. 
Its  physical  geography  differs  but  little 
from  that  of  its  immediate  neighbors.  The 
surface,  generally,  is  undulating  containing 
more  prairie  than  timbered  lands. 

Originally  much  of  the  prairie  was  verj' 
low  and  level,  making  it  unfit  for  cultiva- 
tion. This  land,  which  lies  in  the  south, 
east  and  north  parts  of  the  county,  was 
known  as  swamp  land,  and  sold  by  the 
United  States  Government  at  twenty-five 
cents  per  acre.     These  localities  now   pro- 


duce more  corn  than  any  other  in  the  coun- 
ty, and  command  a  very  high  price. 

No  locality  has  better  drainage.  "The 
Ridge,"  as  it  is  familiarly  called,  extends 
from  Maroa  west  to  the  low  lands  of  Aus- 
tin township  and  culminates  in  a  round- 
top  in  section  seven,  known  as  the  ]3avid 
Davis  farm;  this  point  has  an  altitude  of 
over  seven  hundred  feet  above  that  of  the 
.^angamon  river  where  it  leaves  the  county. 
.\  ridge  extending  almost  due  south  from 
this  ])oint  forms  a  mound  of  about  the  same 
altitude  as  that  of  the  Davis  ridge,  tw'O 
miles  northeast  of  Warrensburg  on  the 
Powers'  farm;  extending  south  to  the  ex- 
tremes of  the  county  another  mound  of  sim- 
ilar altitude  is  left  as  its  ])arting  farewelJ. 
This  ridge  extending  the  entire  length  of 
the  county  north  and  south  forms  the  water 
shed  of  the  county,  the  Sangamon  river  be- 
ing the  only  stream  large  enough  to  break 
through.  The  ridge  affords  an  enchanting 
vieW'  of  the  surrounding  country ;  for  this 
reason  and  from  the  fact  that  this  land 
could  be  cultivated  witiiout  artificial  drain- 
age, the  early  settlers,  who  ventured  away 
from  the  timber's  edge  located  along  this 
elevation. 

The  Sangamon  river  with  Priends  creek 
and  Stephens  creek  as  tributaries  from  the 
north,  Findley  creek  and  Sand  creek  from 
the  south,  enters  the  county  on  the  east 
within  seven  miles  of  its  northern  boundary, 
trends  toward  the  southwest  passing  be- 
tween Whitmore  'and  Oakley  townships, 
through  Decatur,  llarristown  and  Blue 
Mound  townships,  leaves  the  county  within 


10 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


eleven  miles  of  its  southern  boundary ;  its 
exit  being  the  southern  boundary  of  Niantic 
township ;  the  drainage  of  the  entire  county 
is  eventually  eiTected  by  the  Sangamon 
river.  Comparatively  few  springs  remain 
since  the  advent  of  underground  tile  drain- 
age, which  has  almost  entirely  eliminated 
the  surface  water,  the  source  of  the  spring 
and  the  shallow  well.  Some  of  the  old  land 
marks  as  the  Imboden  Springs  in  the  south 
part  of  Decatur,  those  in  Fairview  Park, 
the  Boiling  Springs  near  Bearsdale,  the  Sul- 
phur Springs  near  Mt.  Zion,  and  the  Dan- 
town  Springs  remain.  The  Sangamon 
river,  including  its  tributaries,  is  bordered 
by  rugged  timber  lands,  among  whose  bluffs 
are  found  the  only  remaining  springs  of 
the  early  settler.  The  supply  of  water  on 
the  farms  comes  from  deep  wells,  averaging 
at  least  a  hundred  feet  in  depth. 

The  village  dwellers  generally  depend 
upon  private  wells,  with  the  exception  of 
ilaroa,  Macon  and  Blue  3iIound,  which 
have  water  works,  the  supply  coming  from 
deep  wells.  Decatur's  water  supply  is  taken 
from  the  Sangamon  river. 

Some  peculiar  conditions  have  been  dis- 
covered in  sinking  wells.  In  the  Westfield 
schoolyard,  located  about  three  and  a  half 
miles  southeast  of  Niantic,  at  a  depth  of 
twelve  feet,  a  stratum  of  well  preserved 
drift  wood  was  encountered.  In  the  Major 
schoolyard,  two  niiles  south  of  Warrens- 
burg,  a  similar  stratum  was  encountered  at 
about  the  same  depth. 

The  soil  is  of  diluvial  origin,  the  whole 
county  at  some  remote  period  having  been 
covered  with  a  rich  alluvial  deposit.  The 
prairie  soils  are  extremely  productive,  very 
deep  and  free  from  rocks.  They  produce 
abundantly,  year  after  year,  without  arti- 
ficial fertilizing,  luxuriant  crops  of  corn, 
hay  and  oats.  The  soil  in  the  timbered  por- 
tion is  lighter  in  color  and  not  so  deep,  but 
it   is   better   adapted   to   the   production    of 


tame  grasses  and  wheat ;  here,  too,  is  the 
native  heath  of  the  far-famed  blue  grass. 

In  the  bluff's  along  the  streams,  and  espe- 
cially the  Sangamon  near  Decatur,  are 
scores  of  seemingly  inexhaustible  banks 
of  sand  and  gravel.  Not  only  the  entire 
supply  for  building  in  the  county,  including 
street  paving,  street  car  tracks,  and  about 
seventy-five  miles  of  graveled  roads  has 
been  taken  from  these,  but  hundreds  of  car 
loads  have  been  shipped  to  outside  points. 
It  is  said  that  section  eleven  in  Austin  town- 
ship contains  enough  gravel,  at  a  depth  of 
six  or  seven  feet,  to  gravel  all  the  roads  in 
the  township. 

A  superior  quality  of  brick  and  tile  clay 
is  found  here,  which  has  resulted  in  large 
investments  in  equipments  for  the  manu- 
facture of  the  same.  Coal,  at  a  depth  rang- 
ing from  three  to  seven  hundred  feet  under- 
lies the  county ;  four  mines  are  in  operation, 
three  of  which  are  in  Decatur  and  one  in 
Xiantic ;  while  a  shaft  is  being  sunk  in  Blue 
Mound. 

Discussing  the  coal  deposit  leads  us  back 
to  a  history  of  Macon  county  beyond  even 
the  time  of  the  pioneer,  the  Indian  or  the 
Mound  Builder.  This  history  is  held  sacred 
by  those  who  can,  in  reality,  claim  priority 
by  right  of  possession ;  these  are  the  rocks. 
Xo  traces  of  the  early  geological  revolu- 
tions that  are  so  remarkable  in  the  moun- 
tainous localities  have  here  been  noticed. 
While  the  Rockies  and  Alleghanies  and  the 
heights  of  land  were  standing  as  the  nuclei 
of  the  North  American  continent,  this  coun- 
ty with  the  rest  of  central  Illinois  was, 
probably,  the  bed  of  a  seething,  rushing  tor- 
rent. 

The  work  of  the  drift  or  glacial  period  is 
more  in  evidence ;  that  being  the  time  when 
the  entire  North  American  continent  north 
of  thirty-nine  degrees  seems  to  have  been 
overburdened  with  accumulations  of  snow 
and  ice,  which  in  its  movement  southward 
carried  with  it  soil  and  surface  material  de- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


11 


positing  it  as  the  temperature  of  the  cHmate 
melted  the  ice.  In  this  way  we  account  for 
the  large  boulders  as  well  as  the  clay,  sand 
and  pebbles  in  this  region. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  plants  growing 
spontaneously  in  this  county.  Plants  are 
an  index  to  the  producing  quality  of  a  lo- 
cality. Prairie,  timber,  low  lands  and  high 
each  has  its  peculiarity  of  productions.  We 
give  the  family  and  one  example  of  each : 


Family. 

Crowfoot 

Custard-apple 

Moonseed 

Barberry 

Water-lily 

Poppy 

Fumitory 

Mustard 

Violet 

Pink 

Purslane 

Mallow 

Linden 

Flax 

Geranium 

Rue 

Cashew 

\'ine 

Buckthorn 

StafT-tree 

Soap-berry  ' 

Pulse 

Rose 

Saxifrage 

Evening  primrose 

Parsley 

Gcnseng 

Dogwood 

Honeysuckle 

Madder 

Composite 

Lobelia 

Campanula 

Primrose 


Example. 

larkspur. 

paw  paw 

moonsced. 

May-apple. 

pond-lily. 

bloodroot. 

Dutchman's  breeches. 

black  mustard. 

blue   violet. 

catch  fly. 

common  purslane. 

rose-mallow. 

bass-wood. 

common  flax. 

touch-me-not. 

prickly  ash. 

poison  ivy. 

grape. 

buckthorn. 

burning-bush. 

buckey. 

clover. 

black-berry. 

goose-berry. 

enchanters  nightshade 

carrot. 

spikenard. 

silky  cornel. 

black-haw. 

butter-bush. 

sunflower. 

Indian  tobacco. 

Venus  looking  glass. 

cowslip. 


Begonia 

Ebony 

Plantain 

Figvvort 

\"prvian 

Mint 

Polemonium 

Convolvulus 

Night  shade 

Dogbane 

Milkweed 

Olive 

Birthwort 

Goose  foot 

Buckwheat 

Laurel 

Nettle 

Spurge 

Plane  tree 

W'alnut 

Oak 

Willow 

Pine 

Arum 

Cat-tail 

Water-plantain 

Orchis 

Amaryllis 

Iris 

^'am 

Smilax 

Lily 

Spiderwort 

Sedge 

Grass 

Fern 


trumpet  creeper. 

persimmon. 

common  plantain. 

mullein. 

nettle-leaved  vervian. 

catnip. 

wild  sweet-William. 

morning-glory. 

common  night  shade. 

Indian  hemp. 

common  milkweed. 

white  ash. 

wild  ginger. 

lambs  quarter. 

water  smartweed. 

sassafras. 

the  elm. 

three-seeded  mercury. 

sycamore. 

black  walnut. 

white  oak. 

weeping  willow. 

cedar. 

Jack-in-the-pulpit. 

cat-tail. 

arrow-head. 

showy-orchis. 

star-grass. 

blue  flag. 

wild  yam-root. 

greenbrier. 

tiger  lily. 

spiderwort. 

bulrush. 

timothy. 

fern. 


It  is  to  be  regretted  that  not  more  of  our 
people  incline  toward  a  knowledge  of  ani- 
mal life.  Many  look  upon  the  study  of  in- 
sects and  animal  life  in  general  as  mere 
pastime;  the  sooner,  however,  that  we  ac- 
cjuaint  ourselves  with  nature  the  better  will 
we  be  prepared  to  utilize  her  donations  and 
r.eccive  the  benefits  derived  from  meeting 
difficulties  with  nature's  means. 


12 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Some  years  ago  the  potato  bug  became 
such  a  pest  that,  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  grow  a  crop  of  potatoes.  But  just  at  this 
juncture  a  small  insect  made  its  appearance 
and  attacked  the  ranks  of  the  potato  bug 
with  such  energy  that  the  bug  is  now  al- 
most extinct  in  tliis  locality. 

The  lady-bug  and  squash-bug  destroy  in 
riumerable  eggs  and  young  beetles,  it  migiit 
be  possible  to  aid  these  insects  in  the  de- 
struction of  their  more  predatory  neighbors 
ii  we  thoroughly  understood  their  habits. 
Ihe  State  Agricultural  Department  has  dis- 
covered a  method  of  causing  a  fungus 
growth  to  attack  the  chinch  bug,  which  in . 
a  very  short  time  destroys  it.  The  quail, 
the  swallow,  and  many  other  kinds  of  birds 
are  instrumental  in  the  destruction  of  mill- 
ions of  destructive  insects. 

The  snake,  the  most  despicable  of  all  liv- 
ing things,  is  constantly  waging  war  upon 
the  mice,  grub-worms  and  many  kinds  of  in- 
sects that  persist  in  injuring  the  growing 
crops.  The  rattle-snake  is  really  the  only 
poison  snake  in  the  county ;  the  viper  cop- 
per-head and  adder,  sometimes  so  consid- 
ered, are  not  capable  of  inserting  poison 
into  a  wound. 

When  the  Indian  claimed  this  country  as 
his  undisputed  hunting  ground,  the  buf- 
falo, the  black  bear,  the  \'irginia  deer,  the 
badger,  the  Canada  lynx  and  the  wild  boar 
were  found  in  abundance,  but  at  present 
are  not  in  evidence.  The  following  are 
some  of  the  leading  animals  found :  the 
wolf,  fox,  weasel,  mink,  otter,  skunk,  rac- 
coon, bat,  mole,  squirrel,  chipmunk,  gopher, 
woodchuck,  rat,  mouse,  rabbit,  opossum. 

There  are  so  many  kinds  of  birds  that  it 
will  require  too  much  space  for  their  enu- 
meration. Some  of  these  pass  through  to 
the  north  or  south  in  their  migrations, 
stopping  but  a  few  days  for  food,  others 
rear  their  young,  later  departing  for  the 
south  to  spend  the  winter.  While  some  are 
with  us  all  the  year.    The  following  are  the 


names  of  some  of  our  most  common  birds : 
the  robin,  thrush,  mocking-bird,  cat  bird,  tit- 
mouse, nut-hatch,  house-wren,  lark,  scarlet 
tanager,  swallow,  martin,  wax-wing,  shrike, 
wild  canar}',  gold  finch,  snow  bird,  bunting, 
indigo  bird,  bobolink,  cow-bird,  black  bird, 
meadow  lark,  oriole,  crow,  blue-jay,  king 
bird,  pewee,  fly-catcher,  whippoorwill,  night 
hawk,  swift,  humming  bird,  king  fisher,  tur- 
key buzzard,  pigeon,  dove,  grouse,  wood- 
pecker, owl,  hawk,  prairie  hen,  quail,  plover, 
woodcock,  snipe,  sandpiper,  heron,  bittern, 
crane,  brant,  goose,  duck  and  grebe. 

A  few  only  of  the  lower  class  of  animals 
have  been  identified.  There  are  three  tur- 
tles :  the  snapping  turtle,  the  soft-shelled 
turtle  and  the  mud-turtle.  We  have  no 
lizards ;  the  salamander  is,  however,  usually 
called  a  lizard.  The  glass  or  joint  snake  is 
a  nearer  approach  to  the  lizard.  The  snakes 
are:  the  black,  blue  racer,  fox,  milk,  garter, 
rattle  and  moccasin.  The  Batrachia  are:  the 
salamander,  frog,  toad,  and  mud-puppy.  In 
fish  the  following  are  noted:  catfish,  buffalo, 
sun-fish,  bass,  pike,  gar-pike,  perch  and 
carp.  Many  other  species  exist,  but  little 
in  the  way  of  investigation  of  fishes  has 
been  done. 

Among  the  destructive  insects  is  the  Col- 
orado potato  bug,  propagated  in  the  wild 
potato  region  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
which  made  its  appearance  about  1854.  The 
wild  potato  bug  comes  occasionally,  doing 
but  little  harm.  The  cabbage  butter  fly  is 
a  great  pest  to  cabbage  growers.  The  cut 
worm  is  the  larva  of  a  little  gray  moth  ;  an- 
other is  the  larva  of  a  beetle  called  the  June 
bug  or  Ala}'  beetle.  The  army  worm  is  the 
larva  of  a  small  gray  moth,  which  appeared 
about  1844.  The  chinch  bug,  which  came 
about  1845,  's  the  most  destructive  of  any 
that  has  yet  made  its  appearance.  It  not 
only  destroys  the  wheat  fields  but  also  the 
acljoining  oat,  timothy  and  corn  fields. 

Alacon  county  is  part  of  the  territorj'  ex- 
plored   and    taken    possession    of    by    Mar- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


13 


c|iiettc,  Juliet  and  LaSallc  about  1678.  Pre- 
vious to  that  it  was  included  in  a  grant  by 
King  James  I,  known  as  the  Virginia  Com- 
pany, which  evolved  the  settlement  of  the 
Virginia  colony,  of  which  Macon  county 
was,  for  the  time,  a  part.  The  treaty  of 
1763  at  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian 
war  decided  that  it  really  was  English  ter- 
ritory and  part  of  the  \'irginia  colony. 

]>y  the  ordinance  of  1787  it  became, de- 
tached from  N'irginia.  and  formed  part  of 
the  Northwest  Territory.  In  1800  it  became 
part  of  Indiana  territory- ;  in  1809  it  became 
part  of  Illinois  territory  and  in  1818  it  be- 
came part  of  the  state  of  Illinois. 

Previous  to  the  meeting  of  the  state  legis- 
lature, in  1829,  Benjamin  R.  Austin,  Andrew 
^V.  Smith  and  John  Ward  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  go  to  \'andalia,  the  state 
capital,  and  secure  the  passage  of  a  bill 
providing  for  the  formation  of  a  new  county 
from  the  north  part  of  Shelby  county.  The 
bill  passed  and  the  result  was  a  new  county, 
which  took  the  name  of  the  Honorable  Na- 
thaniel ;\Iacon. 

Originally  Macon  county  included  all  of 
DeWitt  county,  except  its  north  tier  of 
townships ;  all  of  Piatt  county,  except  Blue 
Ridge  township,  and  all  of  that  part  of 
Moultrie  county  lying  north  of  the  exten- 
sion of  the  southern  line  of  Macon  county. 

On  the  first  day  of  March,  1839,  DeWitt 
county  was  formed;  next  day  a  bill  passed 
adding  Niantic  township  to  Macon  on  the 
west.  At  this  time  what  is  now  known  as 
Maroa,  Austin  and  Friends  Creek  townships 
was  offered  to  DeW'itt  county,  but  she  re- 
fused the  land,  on  the  score  that  the  terri- 
tory was  worthless  except  for  grazing,  and 
but  a  small  portion  of  that  was  accessible  at 
a  late  season  after  the  drying  up  of  the 
spring  and  summer  rains. 

After  the  detachment  of  DeWitt  county, 
Niantic  township  was  added  on  the  west 
in  order  to  place  Decatur  as  near  the  center 
of  the  territor\'  as  possible.     This  was  done 


to  defeat  Mnrphreysboro,  platted  in  l-'riends 
Creek  township  on  section  seven,  township 
seventeen,  range  four  east,  and  championed 
as  the  county  seat  by  James  A.  Piatt,  from 
the  territory  now  Piatt  countw  who  served 
as  conunissioner  from  1834  to  1839.  Mnr- 
phreysboro was  platted  on  land  now  known 
as  the  Volgamot  farm  a  few  miles  south 
of  Newburg. 

After  the  defeat  of  Mnrphreysboro,  the 
people  of  the  locality  represented  by  Mr. 
Piatt  went  before  the  legislature  with  a 
petition  praying  for  its  detachment  from 
;Macon  county,  which  was  granted  in  Janu- 
ary, 1841  ;  the  countv  assumed  the  name  of 
its  champion. 

In  ]'"cbruary,  1843.  Moultrie  county  was 
formed,  leaving  Macon  as  it  now  appears. 

According  to  the  provisions  of  the  bill 
Ijroviding  for  the  organization  of  Macon 
county,  a  committee,  consisting  of  John 
Fleming,  Jesse  Rhodes  and  Eaton  Whitton 
was  appointed  April  10,  1829,  to  locate  De- 
catur as  the  county  seat.  This  committee 
reported  January  19,  1829,  the  location  of 
said  county  seat  on  the  southeast  quarter 
of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  fifteen, 
township  sixteen,  range  two  east. 

The  town  of  Decatur  was  laid  ofT  in  lots, 
after  the  form  of  Shelbyville  as  ordered  by 
the  court,  by  Benjamin  R.  Austin,  county 
surveyor  of  Macon  county.  The  old  town 
of  Decatur  consisted  of  twenty  acres,  bound- 
ed by  Prairie  street  on  the  north,  Water 
street  on  the  east,  Wood  street  on  the  south 
and  Church  street  on  the  west.  It  was  di- 
vided by  a  main  street  extending  east  and 
w-est,  known  as  East  and  West  Main,  and 
a  main  street  extending  north  and  south, 
known  as  North  and  South  Main.  The  land 
upon  which  the  commissioners  located  the 
seat  of  justice  was,  by  the  act  creating  the 
county,  donated  to  the  county. 

The  same  act  ordered,  "That  a  sale  of 
lots  take  place  in  the  town  of  Decatur,  in 
this  county,  on  the   loth  day  of  July,  1829, 


14 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


on  the  following-  terms:  A  credit  of  twelve 
months  will  be  given,  and  note  with  ap- 
proved security  will  be  required,  and  that 
the  clerk  of  this  court  will  be  required  to 
advertise  the  sale  in  the  paper  printed  in 
Vandalia,  until  the  day  of  the  sale." 

At  this  sale  the  first  lot  sold  was  lot  No. 
2,  in  block  No.  3,  where  the  new  Decatur 
Hotel  now  stands,  being  a  corner  lot,  was 
bought  by  Jolm  Alanley  for  $53.50.  The 
second  lot  sold  was  lot  No.  6  in  block  No.  i, 
where  Quinn  &  Seeforth  are,  the  price  was 
$12. 

The  first  house  in  town  was  built  by  Reu- 
ben Miller  on  lot  No.  3,  block  No.  3,  the  next 
lot  north  of  the  Arcade  building.  This  was 
sold  to  James  Renshaw  and  was  the  first 
store  room  in  Decatur..  The  second  house 
was  built  by  Philip  D.  Williams  on  lot  No. 
4,  block  No.  I,  the  present  site  of  the  old 
Griswold  hardware  store. 

The  purchasers  of  these  lots  were  given 
a  bond  for  a  deed,  since  the  land  had,  at 
this  time,  not  been  entered  from  the  gov- 
ernment. Later,  Parmen,ius  Smallwood, 
Eaton  Whitton  and  Charles  Prentice  en- 
tered it  and  made  a  deed  to  the  county  com- 
missioners on  the  8th  day  of  October,  1831. 

The  following  orders  will  be  interesting 
relics  of  taxation :  "Ordered,  that  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  a  revenue  to  defray  ex- 
penses of  the  county  for  the  year  1829,  that 
a  tax  of  one-half  per  cent  be  levied  upon  the 
following  personal  property,  to-wit :  On 
slaves  and  indentured  or  registered  negro  or 
mulatto  servants  ;  on  pleasure  carriages ;  on 
distilleries ;  on  stock  in  trade ;  on  all  horses, 
mules,  and  meat  cattle  over  three  years  old ; 
and  on  watches,  with  their  appendages; 
and  on  all  other  personal  property  except 
the  lawful  fire-arms  of  each  individual." 
This  tax  when  collected  amounted  to 
$109.32^. 

At  the  same  term  of  court,  the  tavern 
rates  were  fixed  as  follows :  "Ordered  that 
tl'.e  tavern  rates  of  this  county  shall  here- 


after be  as  follows,  to-wit:  For  breakfast 
and  horse  fed,  37^  cents ;  keeping  man  and 
horse  each,  night,  the  man  to  have  supper 
and  lodging,  62^  cents ;  dinner  and  horse 
f^d  37^  cents ;  brandy,  rum,  gin,  wine  or 
cordial,  25  cents  per  half  pint ;  whisky  or 
cider  brandy,   12^  cents  per  half  pint." 

Under  the  act  passed  February  17,  1851, 
authorizing  counties  to  adopt  the  system  of 
township  organization,  upon  the  petition 
and  vote  of  the  citizens  of  the  county,  the 
court  appointed  in  December,  1859,  David 
Carver,  James'  Dingman  and  William  Can- 
trell  as  commissioners  to  divide  the  county 
into  townships. 

The  county  was  divided,  as  the  report 
made  to  the  court  January  14,  i860,  shows, 
into  the  following  fourteen  townships : 
Friends  Creek,  Maroa,  Montgomery,  now 
Austin,  Bull  Point,  since  then  changed  to 
Hickory  and  later  to  Hickory  Point,  De- 
catur, Long  Creek,  Whitmore,  Oakley,  Har- 
ris, since  changed  to  Harristown,  Wilson, 
changed  to  Mt.  Zion,  South  Wheatland, 
South  Macon,  ]\ladison,  changed  to  Blue 
Mound,  Niantic ;  Illini,  Milam  and  Pleas- 
ant View  were  formed  later  from  parts  of 
other  townships. 

Early  Settlement. 

When  'in  1492  Columbus  discovered  this 
continent,  the  country  was  populated  with 
roaming  tribes  of  Indians,  who  lived  off 
the  game  of  their  immediate  localities;  they 
were  not  cultivators  of  the  soil  in  the  strict 
sense  of  agriculturists,  yet,  the  women  did 
raise  some  corn,  potatoes  and  tobacco, 
which  were  all  new  products  to  the  white 
people.  All  of  these  are  now  considered 
staples  in  this  country,  and  there  is  not  a 
civilized  country  in  the  world  that  does 
not  consume  large  quantities  of  them. 

The  Algonquins  were  the  earliest  inhabi- 
tants of  Macon  county,  of  which  we  have 
any  knowledge ;  next  in  succession,  the  Illi- 
nois Confederacy,  descendants  of  the  for- 
mer; they  were  known  as  the  Illini,  from 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


15 


which  our  state  takes  it  name.  The  term 
signifies  "Superior  Men,"'  which  seems  to 
have  been  verified  by  tlicir  rugged  i)hys- 
iquo. 

About  the  close  of  the  sevcnleenlh  cen- 
tury, the  Illinois,  composed  of  the  Tama- 
roas,  Michagamies,  Kaskaskies,  Cahokies 
and  Peorias.  were  driven  out, by  the  Potto- 
watamies,  who  in  turn,  were  succeeded  by 
the  Kickapoos.  These  Indians  were  fierct 
warriors,  but  they  were  more  civilized  than 
any  of  the  preceding  tribes,  and  they  were 
the  immediate  predecessors  of  the  white  set- 
tlers. 

The  White  Settler. 

"The  youthful  eye  of  the  pioneer  saw 
bluer  skies  and  greener  trees  than  the  aged 
eye  now  sees ;  the  luxuriant  grasses  waved 
to  gentler  breezes ;  cooler,  clearer  water 
from  rippling  brook  or  refreshing  spring 
laved  his  heated  brow,  or  quenched  his  ar- 
dent thirst ;  his  quickened  ear  caught  sweet- 
er strains  in  the  nesting-songs  of  the  feath- 
ered tribe,  and  when  twilight  closed  tlie 
busy  day  he  was  lulled  into  pleasant  dreams 
by  happy  toil.  Such  is  some  of  the  glamour 
which  jouth  sheds  over  the  good  old  times." 

But  when  we  look  into  the  early  history 
of  the  county  we  see  that  those  by-gone 
times  were  not  all  poetry.  The  pioneer  was 
comjH'lled  to  face  the  stern  and  practical 
side,  rather  than  the  poetic  side  of  life ; 
hardships  and  trials  fell  to  the  lot  of  each 
home. 

"P>ut  interwoven  with  this  life  of  simple 
pleasures,  primitive  joys,  of  alternate  smiler 
and  tears,  of  undiminished  labor,  there  are 
many  life  lessons  which  we,  of  later  days 
should  enshrine  in  our  hearts.  Lured  on 
by  whispered  tales  of  abundant  resources 
and  future  greatness  of  the  new  states,  the 
first  settlers  of  this  country  left  their  forest 
homes  in  the  east  and  drifted  with  the  tide 
of  immigration  into  the  great  Prairie  Sea." 

Reared  under  the  whispering  forest 
boughs  of  their  native  states,  they  were,  as 


by  instinct,  guided  to  the  timbered  land 
for  their  new  homes.  It  was  thought  for  a 
long  lime,  after  the  first  settlers  came,  that 
the  ])rairie  soil  was  unfit  for  successful  cul- 
lixation.  W'e  find  b'nited  States  surveyors 
making  such  notes  as  these :  "Level  or  un- 
dulating prairie  ;  may  be  useful  at  some  time 
in  the  future  for  grazing  purposes." 

In  1S33  Peter  Cartwright,  then  a  member 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  state 
of  Illinois,  was  appointed  chairman  of  a 
committee,  whose  duty  it  was  to  investigate 
and  bring  about  some  plan  or  method  by 
which  the  prairie  lands  of  the  state  might 
be  used  for  agricultural  purposes. 

When  we  consider  the  sacrifice  of  home 
comforts  that  obtained  in  the  eastern 
states,  we  need  not  wonder  at  the  persistent 
energy  and  the  indomitable  will  of  the 
pioneer,  because  none  but  those  imbued 
with  unlimited  energ}^  dared  to  make  the 
sacrifice  of  the  parental  home  for  the  cabin 
in  the  wilderness. 

When  the  prospective  settler  reached  the 
desired  spot,  a  tent  was  pitched,  and  the 
necessary  logs  were  cut  for  the  construction 
of  a  cabin.  Everybody  within  reasonable 
distance  was  present  at  the  raising  of  this 
cabin  ;  this  occasion  marked  an  epoch  in  the 
staid  mein  of  pioneer  times.  In  fact  this 
was  the  only  event  that  afforded  an  oppor- 
tunity for  the  assembling  of  the  neighbors, 
whereby  they  might  become  more  closely 
bound  together  for  the  general  good  and 
protection  of  the  settlements. 

The  size  of  these  cabins  was  from  four- 
teen to  twenty  feet.  They  were  usually 
built  in  the  following  manner :  First  large 
logs  were  laid  in  position  as  sills ;  on  these 
were  placed  strong  sleepers,  and  on  the 
sleepers  were  laid  the  rough-hewed  punch- 
eons whicli  were  to  serve  as  floors.  The 
logs  were  then  built  up  until  the  proper 
height  for  the  eaves  was  reached;  then  on 
the  ends  of  the  building  were  placed  poles, 
longer  than   the  end  logs,  which   projected 


16 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


some  ciglitcen  inches  over  the  sides,  and 
were  called  the  butting-pole  sleepers ;  on 
the  projecting  ends  of  these  were  placed  the 
butting-poles,  which  served  to  give  the  lines 
to  the  first  row  of  clapboards.  These  were, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  split,  and  as  the 
gables  of  the  cabin  were  built  up,  were  so 
laid  as  to  lap  a  third  of  their  length.  They 
were  often  kept  in  place  by  the  weight  of 
a  heavy  pole  which  was  laid  across  the  roof 
parallel  to  the  ridge  pole.  The  house  was 
then  chinked  and  daubed  with  coarse  mor- 
tar. In  the  first  cabins  of  the  county  huge 
fire-places,  occupying  nearly  the  entire 
room,  were  built. 

"At  these  fire-places  our  mothers  cooked, 
and  our  fathers  say  that  the  bread  from  the 
Dutcli-oven,  the  corn  bread  from  the  Pone- 
board,  the  venison  from  above  the  coals, 
and  the  potatoes  from  out  the  ashes,  were 
sweeter  by  far  and  formed  more  delicious 
food  than  any  of  the  dishes  of  modern  de- 
vice." 

But  one  door  and  one  window  served  the 
inmates  of  these  primitive  homes ;  the  win- 
dow pane  was,  usually,  a  sheet  of  greased 
paper.  The  furniture  was  home-made;  a 
single  puncheon  board,  with  four  legs  on  the 
under  side,  served  as  a  table;  blocks  of 
wood  on  three  legs  were  the  chairs.  The 
bedstead  consisted  of  two  poles  joined  at 
right  angles,  and  projecting  into  the  side  and 
end  of  the  room,-  boards  placed  upon  this 
frame  completed  the  bed. 

In  these  times  of  simple  wants,  true, 
genuine  hospitality  was  developed  to  a  re- 
markable degree.  This  was  due  largely  to 
the  fact  that,  the  requirements  of  want  and 
deprivation  are  each  calculated  to  make  one 
feel  kind  to  all.  While  the  wants  of  pio- 
neer life  are  simple,  j^et  their  gratification 
is,  nevertheless  exacting.  The  pioneer  of 
this  country  was  governed  by  the  same  law 
and  cherished  the  same  generosity  that 
prompts  the  human  heart  under  similar  con- 
ditions, everywhere. 


In  passing  from  the  pioneer  times  to  the 
present  regime,  many  of  the  customs,  then 
prevalent  were  lost ;  much  of  the  hospital- 
ity, them  so  generously  bestowed,  is  lost 
sight  of.  Less  of  the  neighborly  feeling  now 
exists. 

There  was  such  simplicity  of  demeanor 
and  moral  integrity  in  the  character  of  the 
pioneer,  that  but  few  disputes  arose  which 
could  not  be  settled  by  his  good-natured 
judgment.  No  distance,  be  it  ever  so  far, 
would  shut  out  help  in  time  of  sickness, 
neither  rain  nor  cold  dampened  their  neigh- 
borly ardor.  Each  mans  implements  were 
every  man's  implements.  The  refusal,  either 
to  lend  or  to  borrow,  was  considered  a 
breach  of  neighborly  etiqviette. 

Oxen  served,  as  the  reindeer  of  Russia, 
for  beasts  of  burden,  doing  all  the  field  and 
road  work,  besides  supplying  the  settler 
with  meat,  to  supplement  the  wild  game. 
The  plows  used  by  the  eastern  farmer,  and 
brought  here  by  the  early  settler  were  not 
adapted  to  breaking  the  prairie  soil.  Even 
after  it  was  satisfactorily  demonstrated  that 
the  prairie  soil  was  as  well  adapted  to  the 
production  of  corn  as  the  timber  soil  the 
matter  of  an  efficient  plow  retarded  the 
rapid  development  of  the  prairie  land  for 
quite  a  number  of  years. 

The  settlers  secured  their  lumber  from  the 
saw  mills  along  the  Wabash  river.  On  the 
banks  of  this  river  and  in  Sangamon  county 
were  the  nearest  stores  and  grist  mills  for 
a  number  of  years.  What  grain  was  not  fed 
w^as  hauled  to  Chicago  and  Beardstown  and 
exchanged  for  goods.  The  people,  coming 
to  make  a  new  settlement,  brought  supplies 
of  groceries  and  breadstuft's  to  last  until  a 
crop  was  grown. 

Johnny-cake  and  pone,  made  of  corn  meal, 
which  was  the  staple  article  of  food,  were 
relished  for  breakfast  and  dinner,  while 
mush-and-milk  or  hasty  pudding  was  the 
supper  dish.  All  kinds  of  wild  fruits  grew 
in  great  abundance.     \\'ild  honey  was  very 


PAST  AN'n  iMvM->^i-\T  ni-  M  \(^n\  rnrvTV 


r 


l)lcntiliil  ami  mai)lc  siijjar  \va>  i.\uiim\c1} 
luailc  by  ihc  settler.  \\  iUl  turkey,  rabbit, 
squirrel  and  deer  supplied  them  very  gen- 
erously with  meat. 

The  days  of  ready  made  cioliiiuy  and 
medium  priced  cloth  had  not  yet  been  ush- 
ered in  ;  thus  necessitatinjj  tlie  home  manu- 
facture of  "  IJndsey-woolsey  "  and  "  Jeans  " 
in  order  to  sujiply  wearing  apparel  for  the 
family.  I5ed  clothing  was  also  a  production 
of  home  manufacture.  Liradually.  the  set- 
tlers pushed  out  from  the  timber,  opening 
ditches  and  draining  the  land  which  was 
originally  so  swampy  that  it  was  absolutely 
dangerous  to  attempt  to  ride  over  it  on 
horse-back.  Thousands  of  acres  of  this 
swamp  land  have  recently  been  ilrcdgc 
ditched  and  tiletl.  which  has  so  enhanced 
their  value  that  nothing  less  than  $100  per 
acre  will  be  considered  as  a  fair  selling 
price. 

The  law  compelling  the  people  to  fence 
stock  out  instead  of  in,  proved  detrimental 
to  many  would-be  settlers,  since  the  cost 
of  fencing  freiiuently  exceeded  the  cost  of 
the  land,  .\nother  detriment  was  the  hold- 
ings of  non-residents,  who  retarded  the  gen- 
eral development  by  refusing  to  improve 
the  lands.  One  large  body,  in  the  hands  of 
a  person  so  disposed  could,  in  a  wet  district, 
keep  hunilreds  of  acres  from  becoming  val- 
uable in  an  agricultural  sense,  by  simply  re- 
fusing to  ))ermit  ditches  to  be  run  nn  his 
holdings. 

The  government  ]inci'  ol  laiui,  m  the 
earlier  <lays  was  fixed  at  $i.-;5  per  acre.  .\s 
soon  as  the  moneyed  men  of  the  east  began 
to  suspect  that  these  lands  had  any  real 
value,  the  country  was  frequented  by  specu- 
lators who  bought  the  land  for  speculative 
purposes  only,  never  intending  to  become 
settlers.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  men 
who  ha<l  exhausted  their  means  in  reaching 
the  country,  and  who  liad  worked  hard,  and 
mulergone  untold  privations  in  i>reparing  a 
comfortable  home  and  other  essential  im- 


piiiv  ciiuiit.s.  and  liatl.  po.-N.sildy,  a  lew  acres 
under  cultivation,  when  they  had  e\  entually, 
secured,  by  rigid  economy,  or  perhaps,  by 
borrowing  enough  to  buy  from  the  go\ern- 
ment.  their  small  farm,  foimd  that  some 
speculator  had  preceded  them  and  entered 
the  land.  It  seems  that  in  many  instances 
of  this  kind  the  hard  earned  improvements 
were,  in  some  mysterious  way  capable  of 
transferring  themselves  to  another  farm  near 
by. 

The  first  lanil  ever  enteretl  in  .Macon 
county  was  the  west  half  of  the  northeast 
(|uarter  of  section  thirty-one  in  township 
sixteen  north,  range  two  east  of  the  3rd  1'. 
M.  This  was  entered  by  Lewis  B.  W'arrl, 
November  9th,  1827.  owned  by  him  until 
the  fall  of  iS/t),  at  which  time  it  was  sold 
to  Hartley  G.  Henry.  During  the  year  1827 
about  eight  humlred  acres  of  land  was  en- 
tered in  the  county.  The  first  house  built 
in  the  limits  of  the  county  was  at  a  trading 
post,  about  eight  miles  northeast  of  Decatur, 
on  land  owned  by  W.  C.  Johns;  it  was  a 
log  house,  built  by  the  Lortons  in  1816. 

The  second  house  was  built  by  William 
Downing,  in  1820.  near  the  present  site  of 
the  Capt.  D.  L.  .\llen"s  residence  on  the  hill, 
just  south  of  the  county  bridge.  This  was 
really  the  first  permanent  residence,  since 
the  house  at  the  trailing  post  remained,  only 
while  the  Indian  traffic  lasted.  In  the  fall  of 
1824,  .Mr.  Downing  sold  his  improvements 
to  John  \\ ard. 

The  third  house  was  built  by  I'luel 
.Stephens,  in  1822.  near  Stephens'  creek, 
about  three  miles  northeast  of  Decatur. 
This  locality  was  soon  kn<3wn  as  the 
Stephens'  creek  settlement,  and  that  south 
of  the  .Sangamon  as  the  Ward  settlement, 
these  being  the  only  settlements  in  the  coun- 
ty until  1828,  after  which  they  began  to  lo- 
cate both  up  and  down  the  river. 

The  first  mill  was  built  on  .Stephens' 
creek,    by    William    King   in    1826;    it    was 


IS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


sold  to  James  Reiisliaw  and  known  as  the 
Renshaw  mill. 

As  long  as  our  cattle  were  driven  to  the 
eastern  markets  and  onr  hogs  to  Chicago 
and  St.  Louis,  there  was  but  little  encour- 
agement to  engage  very  extensively  in  farm- 
ing and  general  stock-raising. 

The  real  progress  of  Macon  county  dates 
from  the  completion  in  1854,  of  the  Illinois 
Central  and  Wabash  railroads.  This  marks 
the  beginning  of  immigration ;  of  manufac- 
turing ;   and  of  the  city  of  Decatur. 

There  are  but  four  men  now  living  who 
came  to  the  county  previous  to  1842,  they 
are:  Silas  Packard,  M.  L.  Krone,  Henry 
B.  Cassell  and  William  Evans.  These  men 
well  remember  when  business  was  practical- 
ly all  dpne  by  barter,  there  being  no  money ; 
the  man  who  came  in  possession  of  the  large 
aggregate  of  $20  was  almost  a  local  money 
king.  No  local  markets  existed  for  anything 
but  corn,  which  was  sold  in  the  shock  to 
cattle  feeders  or  fed  by  the  grower;  cattle 
were  marketed  by  some  leading  man  in  the 
neighborhood  who  drove  them  to  market 
and  brought  back  the  money  for  his  neigh- 
bors. No  matches  w^ere  in  use  at  this  time, 
the  above  named  gentlemen  well  remember 
when  borrowing  fire  from  your  neighbors 
was  the  common  mode  of  procedure. 

In  order  to  give  you  a  faint  idea  of  the 
rapid  strides  made  by  the  county  we  append 
the  following  data:  In  1830  the  population 
was  1,112;  in  1850  it  was  3,998;  in  1870  it 
was  26,481.  In  1876  there  was  yet  over 
111,000  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  the 
county ;  to-day  every  acre  of  prairie  land  is 
under  cultivation  and,  is  excelled  in  pro- 
duction bv  no  other  location  in  the  United 
States. 

Every  one  abhorred  debts  and  as  a  result 
as  few  as  possible  were  made.  When  it 
became  necessary  to  make  a  debt  a  man's 
word  was  as  good  as  his  note,  and  it  is  true 
that  men  would  sacrifice  every  animal  on 
the  farm  in  order  to  meet  these  promises. 


Merchants,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of 
money  were  compelled  to  do  a  large  credit 
business ;  they  bought  on  long  time  and 
sold  on  a  margin  that  justified  them  in  do- 
ing a  credit  business. 

These  early  settlers  had,  not  only  the 
financial  and  social  problems  to  solve,  but 
the  miasmic  and  climatic  conditions  as  well. 
In  the  spring  and  fall  of  each  year  the  great 
majority  of  them  shook  with  chills  or  burned 
with  fever,  alternating  at  regular  intervals, 
during  at  least  six  months  in  the  year.  Very 
often  there  were  not  a  sufficient  number  free 
from  the  ague  to  care  for  those  who  were 
afflicted  with  it.  The  country,  at  that  time 
was  subject  to  more  radical  climatic 
changes,  as  evidenced  by  the  deep  snow  of 
1830  and  '31.  Early  in  the  season,  the  snow 
began  to  fall  and  continued  at  intervals 
through  the  entire  winter.  Occasional  sleet 
alternating  in  layers  with  the  snow  formed 
a  bed  of  snow  and  ice  from  three  to  four 
feet  deep.  The  weather  continuing  ex- 
tremely cold  the  snow  remained  until 
spring.  It  was  drifted  and  packed  so  that 
heavily  loaded  wagons  were  driven  over 
the  top  of  stake  and  rider  fences.  Wild 
game  was  so  tame  from  want  of  food  that 
all'kinds  was  very  easily  caught.  The  deer, 
wild  turkey,  prairie  chicken  and  squirrel 
were  very  scarce  for  some  years  after  the 
snow.  This  was  the  deepest  snow  within 
the  last  hundred  and  fifty  years.  According 
to  Indian  traditions  from  fifty  to  seventy- 
five  years  before  the  white  man  came,  a 
snow  swept  away  the  vast  herds  of  deer,  elk 
and  buffalo,  which  then  roamed  the  prairie 
of  Illinois.  This  tradition  seems  to  be  veri- 
fied by  the  large  quantities  of  bones  found 
on  our  prairies  by  the  early  explorers. 

Abraham  Lincoln  lived,  at  this  time  about 
a  mile  east  of  the  Bend  school  house,  or 
about  three  miles  south  and  one  and  a  half 
mile  west  of  Harristown.  The  farm  on 
which  he  lived  is  now  owned  by  Hostetler 
and  Pegram.     Late  in  the  winter  Mr.  Lin- 


PAST  AND  TRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ly 


colli  and  John  Hanks,  his  consin,  went 
across  tlie  river  lo  a  horse  mill  owned  by 
Robert  Smith,  five  miles  southwest  of  De- 
catur. When  they  arrived  Mr.  Smith  was 
gathering  corn  in  this  manner:  After  open- 
ing a  road  lo  the  field,  the  oxen,  attached 
to  a  sleil  were  driven  along  the  side  of  the 
field  ami  the  corn  that  was  exposed  above 
the  snow  was  gathered  in  baskets  and  car- 
ried to  the  sled.  When  Mr.  Lincoln  was 
asked  whether  he  labored  under  liie  same 
disadvantage  on  his  side  of  the  river,  he 
replied :  "  Yes,  wc  have  to  do  worse  than 
that,  for  we  have  used  up  all  of  our  corn, 
and  now  have  to  go  to  our  neighbors  for 
assistance." 

When  spring  came  and  melted  this  glacier 
of  snow  and  ice,  the  country  was  almost  in- 
undated, and  for  weeks  the  streams  were 
swollen  and  the  prairies  a  vast  sea  of  water, 
retarding  travel  as  much  or  more  than  the 
snow  had  done. 

The  Sudden  Freeze,  which  was  accom- 
panied by  great  loss  of  life  to  both  man  and 
beast,  occurred  in  January,  1836.  Just  be- 
fore the  storm  a  fall  of  snow  had  been  con- 
verted into  slush  by  terminating  in  rain. 
The  storm  came  from  the  northwest,  its 
general  aspect  approaching  that  of  the  pres- 
ent blizzard.  The  air  seemed  filled  with  par- 
ticles of  frozen  mist  and  the  moment  it 
struck  the  unsheltered  person  he  was  in- 
stantly chilled  through  and  through ;  the 
particles  of  ice  froze  to  the  eye-lashes  so 
that  in  a  remarkably  short  time  he  was 
blinded  and  unable  to  keep  his  bearing.  In 
a  very  short  time  the  slush  was  frozen  so 
as  to  bear  up  a  horse.  Cattle  that  were 
not  under  shelter,  were  frozen  fast  in  the 
slush  and  had  to  be  cut  out.  Ducks  and 
geese  were  caught  in  the  same  manner. 

The  life  of  a  pioneer  was  interspersed 
with  but  few  diversions  from  the  constant 
struggle  for  subsistence,  so  that  whenever 
anything  out  of  the  ordinary  routine  took 
place  every  one,  within  rcastmable  distance, 


attended.  The  annual  court,  the  arrival  of 
the  mails,  and  the  approach  of  the  stage- 
coach, each  in  succession,  marked  an  epoch. 
Court  answered  the  purpose  of  the  circus 
where  old  friends  could  meet,  at  least  once 
a  year,  to  be  entertaiiiod  and  for  renewal 
of  acquaintanceship. 

After  court  had  aiijinimcd  for  the  day, 
the  judge,  lawyers  and  citizens  betook  them- 
selves to  the  bar  rooms  of  the  taverns, 
where  the  evenings  were  spent  in  general 
conversation  and  story  telling.  That  some 
good  resulted  from  these  gatherings  can  not 
be  doubted  when  we  consider  the  social 
status  given  by  such  men  as  Lincoln,  Logan, 
Douglas,  Emerson,  Davis  and  others  who 
have  since  beco)iic  leaders  in  uiir  national 
alTairs. 

it  was  tluii,  customary  for  lawyers  to 
follow  the  judge  on  his  circuit,  travel  being 
on  horse-back,  with  saddle-bags  thrown 
across  the  saddle,  containing  all  the  neces- 
sary adjuncts  of  a  journey.  This  migratory 
life  of  the  lawyer  is  said  to  have  been  the 
means  by  which  Lincoln  collected  his  al- 
most unlimited  fund  of  stories,  which  in 
after  life  made  him   famous. 

The  arrival  of  the  mails  was  akvays 
cagerl)-  anticipated,  but  immediately  follow- 
ing a  state  or  national  election  or  some 
other  important  event  new  zest  was  added 
to  the  expectancy.  The  mails  consisted 
principally  of  letters,  which  were  more  ex- 
])ensive,  however,  than  the  present  day  2- 
cent  ones,  the  postage  being  twenty-five 
cents;  sometimes  the  letters  would  lie  in 
the  postoffice  quite  a  while  awaiting  the 
funds  to  meet  the  government  requirements. 
The  postal  laws  permitted  the  postage  to  be 
paid  at  cither  end ;  as  a  rule  the  writer  con- 
sidered that  his  contribution  was  sufficient 
to  balance  the  quarter  at  the  other  end, 
thus  giving  the  pleasure  of  the  postage  to 
the  recipient.  A  letter  was  often  weeks 
and  even  months  in  transit.  The  mails 
were  carried  on  horse-back,  subject  to  many 


20 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


dcla_vs,  making  iheni  very  irregular  and  un- 
certain. They  came  once  a  week,  from  one 
direction,  and  from  Shelbyville  only.  That 
place  was  our  point  of  distribution.  Later 
the  mails  were  carried  by  stage,  an  improve- 
ment both  in  regularity  and  in  frequency. 
In  1851,  \\e  were  receiving  mail  as  follows: 
From  Springfield  on  Monday,  Wednesday 
and  Friday ;  from  Covington,  Indiana,  on 
Wednesday.  Friday  and  Sunday;  from 
Bloomington  on  Friday;  from  Charleston 
on  Thursday ;  from  Paris  on  Thursday ; 
from  Edwarclsville  on  Wednesday. 

The  arri\al  of  the  stage  with  its  passen- 
gers and  mail  was  a  greater  attraction  than' 
the  arrival  of  the  mail  carrier.  The  tavern 
was  the  stage  depot,  and  considerable  local 
interest  attached  to  it.  The  stage  driver  was 
considerably  looked  up  to  and  accorded  priv- 
ileges not  allowed  others.  He  had  a  pecu- 
liar swagger  and  handling  of  lines  and  whip 
that  was  the  env)-  of  the  small  boy.  When 
you  met  him  on  the  road  you  turned  out 
and  he  drove  on  oblivious  of  your  presence. 
The  arrival  of  the  stage  created  more  cur- 
iosity than  the  President's  chartered  train 
of  to-day. 

The  stage  was  so  constructed  that  it  kept 
up  a  continual  rocking  motion,  which  is 
likened  unto  the  movement  of  the  camel  or 
the  motion  of  a  ship  in  a  storm.  A  boot, 
almost  as  large  as  the  stage  itself,  extended 
back  from  the  stage  body  for  the  storage  of 
baggage. 

The  advent  of  railroads  has  relegated  the 
stage  to  the  mountains  or  to  sparsely  settled 
districts  and  given  us  instead  means  of 
transportation  that  will  convey  us  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  in  less  time  than  the  journey 
from  Ohio  to  Illinois  formerly  consumed. 

County  Government. 

In    the    early   history    of    the   county   its 

affairs    were    administered    by    the    county 

commissioner's    court,    composed    of   three 

men  ;    usually  selected  with  regard  for  their 


inherent  qualifications  for  the  place.  This 
court  assumed  jurisdiction  upon  all  manner 
of  subjects,  except  the  judicial.  This  court 
was  established  under  an  act  passed  March 
22,  1819.  The  following  is  a  complete  list 
of  the  Commissioners : 

1829-30 — Benjamin  Wilson,  Elisha  Free- 
man, James  Miller;  1830-31 — Elisha  Free- 
man, James  Miller,  I.  C.  Pugh ;  1831-32 — 
James  Miller,  I.  C.  Pugh,  David  Davis; 
1832-33 — James  Miller,  1.  C.  Pugh,  David 
Davis;  1833-34 — Elisha  Freeman,  Hugh 
Bolls,  Philip  D.  Williams;  1834-35 — James 
A.  Piatt,  William  I\Iuirhead,  Benjamin  Wil- 
son;  1835-36 — James  A.  Piatt,  William 
Aluirhead,  Benjamin  Wilson;  1836-37 — 
James  A.  Piatt,  William  Aluirhead,  Benja- 
min Wilson;  1837-38 — James  A.  Piatt,  W'il- 
liam  Muirhead,  Josiah  Clifton;  1838-39 — 
\\'illiam  Muirhead,  James  A.  Piatt,  Abram 
Chapin. 

Under  an  act  passed  by  the  legislature 
]\Iarch  1st,  the  term  of  the  County  Com- 
missioner was  fixed  at  three  years,  one  to  be 
elected  each  year. 

The  terms  of  the  three  following  mem- 
bers were  fixed  by  the  county  clerk. 

1839-40 — Elisha  Freeman,  3  yrs.,  Benja- 
min Wilson,  2  yrs.,  Hiram  Chapin,  i  yr. ; 
1840-41 — Elisha  Freeman,  Benjamin  "Wil- 
son, John  Rucker;  1841-42 — -Elisha  Free- 
man, John  Rucker,  Abraham  H.  Keller; 
1842-43 — John  Rucker,  Abraham  H.  Keller, 
Leonard  Ashton;  1843-44 — ^John  Rucker, 
Leonard  Ashton,  Andrew  W.  Smith ;  1844- 
45 — Jolin  Rucker,  Andrew  W.  Smith,  James 
D.  Tait;  1845-46— Andrew  W.  Smith, 
James  D.  Tait,  Elisha  Freeman;  1846-47— 
Elisha  Freeman,  Samuel  Rea,  James  D. 
Campbell ;  1847-48 — Elisha  Freeman,  Sam- 
uel Rea,  Jaines  D.  Campbell ;  1848-49 — 
Elisha  Freeman,  Samuel  Rea,  James  D. 
Campbell. 

By  the  approval  of  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature, February  12,  1849,  the  county  court 
was  established  in  -lieu  of  the  commission- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


21 


er's  court.  The  provisions  of  this  act  re- 
quired the  election  of  a  county  judge  and 
two  associate  justices  of  the  peace,  who  were 
to  sit  with  the  count)'  judge  as  members 
of  the  court,  in  the  transaction  of  all  county 
business. 

William  Prather,  county  judge;  Jacob 
ilostetlor,  as.sociate  justice  and  John 
Ruckcr,  associate  justice,  served  in  their 
respective  capacities  as  follows :  The  for- 
mer until  1857,  the  latter  two  until  1858. 
John  Ricketts  succeeded  ^^'illiam  Prather 
as  county  judge  and  served  to  i860,  Jacob 
Spangler  and  M.  G.  Cameron  served  as  as- 
sociate justices  from  1858  to  i860. 

The  county  being  divided  into  townships 
in  i860  in  obedience  to  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature passed  February  17,  1851  ;  it  imme- 
diately went  into  "  Townsliip  Organiza- 
tion," which  required  a  representative  from 
each  township,  who  was  known  as  super- 
visor. The  following  is  the  first  I'lOard  of 
Supervisors  of  ]\lacon  county : 

Hickory  Point,  J.  Y.  Braden :  Austin, 
James  Parker;  Maroa.  William  Crawford; 
Friends  Creek,  D.  K.  Wilson ;  Decatur, 
H.  B.  Durfee;  Niantic,  J.  H.  Hughes;  S. 
Wheatland,  I.  S.  Boardman ;  Blue  Mound, 
J.  C.  Armstrong ;  Oakley,  J.  W.  Forest ; 
Long  Creek,  John  Rucker ;  Whitmore,  Jas. 
Lichtcnberger ;  Harristown,  Abraham  E}'- 
man ;  Decatur,  John  W^.  Koehler,  Asst. ; 
Mt.  Zion,  W.  C.  Meyer;  S.  i\racon,  W.  D. 
Hamilton.  The  above  Board  was  elected 
in  i860. 

1861. 

Decatur,  H.  B.  Durfee;  Friends  Creek, 
D.  K.  Wilson;  Maroa,  W.  F.  Crawford; 
Hickory  Point,  J.  Y.  Braden ;  Niantic,  J. 
H.  Hughes ;  Oakley,  G.  W.  Forest ;  Long 
Creek.  J-  C.  Rucker ;  Decatur.  John  W. 
Koehler,  Asst.  ^  Blue  Mound,  W.  T.  Mof- 
fett;  Mt.  Zion,  W.  C.  Meyers;  S.  Wheat- 
land, I.  S.  Boardman ;  Harristown,  J.  IL 
Pickerell;  S.  Macon,  L.  M.  Clement;  Whit- 
more, Henry  Rhodes;   Austin,  J.  .'^.  Parker. 


1862. 
Harristown,  J.  B-  Hanks,  Whitmore,  Jas. 
Lichtcnberger;  Long  Creek,  J.  C.  Ruckcr; 
Niantic,  J.  A.  Pritchett;  S.  Wheatland,  L 
S.  Boardman;  S.  -Macon,  ^\.  H.  Martin; 
Decatur,  John  \\  .  Koehler;  Hickory  Point, 
J.  Y.  Braden  ;  .Maroa,  W.  F.  Crawford;  Mt, 
Zion,  B.  W.  Davidson ;  Friends  Creek, 
Comely  Lukins ;  Blue  Mound,  F.  A.  Brown  ; 
Decatur,  FL  B.  Durfee;  Austin,  A.  Emery; 
Oaklev,  Laban  Cli;imbers. 

1863. 
iiarrisiovvn,  M.  G.  Cameron;  Whitmore, 
John  Gill:  Long  Creek,  John  S.  Kiser; 
Nianlic.  J.  W.  Corbett ;  S.  Wheatland,  L  S, 
Boardman;  S.  Macon,  W.  W'.  Bean;  De- 
catur, li.  F.  Dillehunt;  Hickory  Point,  J. 
Y.  Braden;  Maroa,  W.  F.  Crawford;  Mt. 
Zion,  B.  W.  Davidson  ;  Friends  Creek,  An- 
drew Dickey;  I'.lue  .Mound,  F.  A.  Brown; 
Decatur,  11.  P>.  Durfee;  .\uslin,  J.  S.  Par- 
ker;   <  )akley.  J.  H.  McCoy. 

1864. 
Hickory  Point,  J.  Y.  Braden  ;  Whitmore, 
Charles  Wooster;  Niantic,  J.  W.  Corbett; 
Decatur,  J.  E.  Roberts;  S.  Macon,  l""rank 
Babcock;  Maroa,  W.  V.  Crawford;  Mt. 
Zion,  John  Scott;  Pdue  .Mound,  W.  T.  Mof- 
fett;  mini.  J.  H.  Pickerell;  Austin,  J.  S. 
Parker;  S.  Wheatland,  1.  S.  Boardman; 
Decatur,  David  Morgan  ;  Oakley,  J.  H.  Mc- 
Co)- ;  Friends  Creek,  Comely  Lukins  ;  Long 
Creek,  John  W.  Tyler;  1  larristown,  M.  G. 
Cameron. 

1865. 
Hickory  Point,  J.  Y.  Braden;  Whitmore, 
Joshua  Green;  Niantic,  J.  W.  Corbett;  De- 
catur. O.  W.  Jones ;  Maroa,  Anderson 
Franklin;  S.  Macon,  Frank  Babcock;  Mt. 
Zion,  John  Scott ;  Blue  Mound,  W.  T.  Mof- 
fett;  mini,  John  S.  Childs;  Austin,  J.  S. 
Parker;  S.  Wheatland.  L  S.  Boardman  ;  De- 
catur, David  Morgan;   Oakley,  O.  J.  Doyle; 


22 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Friends  Creek,  D.  K.  Wilson;  Long  Creek, 
John  W.  Tyler;  Harristown,  M.  G.  Cam- 
eron. 

1866. 
Hickory  Point,  \V.  F.  Montgomery; 
Whitniore,  Joshua  Green ;  Niantic,  J.  W. 
Corbett ;  Decatur,  H.  B.  Durfee ;  Maroa, 
John  Crocker;  S.  Macon,  N.  Faling;  Mt. 
Zion,  John  A.  Henry;  Blue  Mound,  W.  T. 
Moft'ett;   mini,  John  S.   Childs;  Austin,   C. 

F.  Emery;  S.  Wheatland,  John  Montgom- 
er}^  Decatur,  W.  A.  Barnes;  Oakley,  O. 
J.  Doyle ;  Friends  Creek,  William  Daves ; 
Long  Creek,  John  W.  Tyler;  Harristown, 
'SI.  G.  Cameron. 

1867. 
Decatur,  H.  B.  Durfee ;  Whitmore,  Jas. 
Lichtenberger ;  S.  Macon,  R.  Gra}-;  Nian- 
tic, A.  W.  Pritchett;  S.  Macon,  N.  Faling; 
Mt.  Zion,  J.  A.  Henry;  Illini  John  S. 
Childs;  Harristown,  M.  G.  Cameron;  De- 
catur, W.  A.  Barnes;  Friends  Creek,  Wil- 
liam Daves;  Austin,  C.  F.  Emery;  Blue 
Mound,  W.  T.  Aloffett;  S.  Wheatland,  L 
S.  Boardman ;  Long  Creek,  J.  S.  Kiser; 
Oakley,  E.  Rhodes;  Hickory  Point,  W.  F. 
Montgomery. 

1868. 
Decatur,    H.    B.    Durfee ;     WHiitmore,    J. 

G.  Harnsbarger;  S.  ]\Iacon,  Joel  T.  W^al- 
ker;  Niantic,  Sheldon  Parks;  S.  ^lacon, 
John  Lyon;  Mt.  Zion,  J.  A.  Henry;  Illini, 
J.  C.  Tucker;  Harristown,  M.  G.  Cameron; 
Decatur,  M.  Forstmeyer;  Friends  Creek, 
S.  Payne ;  Austin,  T.  B.  Campbell ;  Blue 
Mound,  W.  T.  IMoffett;  S.  Wheatland,  L 
S.  Boardman ;  Long  Creek,  Joseph  Spang- 
ler;  Oakley,  E.  Rhodes;  Hickor}^  Point,  H. 
S.  Mannon. 

1869. 
Decatur,  James  Millikin ;  Whitmore,  J. 
G.  Harnsbarger;  S.  Macon,  Joel  T.  Wal- 
ker; Niantic,  Shaw  Pease;  Maroa,  John  T. 
Lyon;  Mt.  Zion,  R.  M.  Foster;  Illini.  J. 
J.  Batchelder;   Harristown,  M.  G.  Cameron; 


Decatur,  M.  Forstmeyer;  Friends  Creek, 
S.  Payne  and  F.  Swantes ;  Austin,  Robert  T. 
.Morris;  Blue  Mound,  W.  T.  Moffett;  S. 
Wheatland,  I.  S.  Boardman;  Long  Creek, 
Samuel  Gillispie ;  Oakley,  Read  Spencer; 
Hickory  Point,  A.  McBride ;  Pleasant  View, 
D.   Powles. 

1870. 

Decatur,  Ruben  Betzer;  Wliitmore,  Jas. 
Lichtenberger;  Niantic,  Thomas  Acom; 
Maroa,  John  T.  Lyon ;  Mt.  Zion,  R.  M. 
Foster;  Illini,  J.  J.  Batchelder  ;  Harristown, 
M.  G.  Cameron;  Pleasant  \^iew,  D.  Powles; 
S.  Macon,  J.  T.  Walker ;  Decatur,  M.  Forst- 
meyer ;  Friends  Creek,  F.  Swantes,  J.  H. 
Barr;  Austin,  Peter  Bennett;  Blue  Alound, 
R.  H.  Hill ;  Long  Creek,  J.  B.  Meyer ;  Oak- 
ley, Read  Spencer;  Hickory  Point,  A.  Mc- 
Bride; Milam,  J.  B.  Gleason;  S.  Wheat- 
land, I.  S.  Boardman. 

1871. 

Milam,  G.  A.  Bartlett;  Mt.  Zion,  William 
Davis;  Decatur,  AI.  Forstmeyer;  Whitmore, 
Joshua  Green ;  !Maroa,  Samuel  Lowe ; 
Long  Creek,  J.  B.  IMeyers ;  Pleasant  View, 
D.  Powles ;  Illini,  J.  C.  Tucker ;  S.  ^lacon, 
J.  T.  Walker;  Harristown,  !M.  G.  Cameron; 
Austin,  C.  F.  Emery ;  Decatur,  Joseph  !MiI- 
ler;  Blue  Mound,'  R.  H.  Hill;  Friends 
Creek,  John  Marsh  ;  Hickory  Point,  A.  Mc- 
Bride ;  Oakley,  E.  Rhodes;  S.  Wheatland, 
Hiram  Ward ;  Niantic,  S.  Parks. 

1872. 
Harristown,  M.  G.  Cameron ;  Whitmore, 
Joshua  Green;  Decatur,  H.  Hummell; 
Hickory  Point,  A.  IMcBride;  I\It.  Zion,  G. 
A.  Smith ;  Long  Creek,  A.  T.  Davis ;  Aus- 
tin, D.  Patterson ;  S.  Wheatland,  Hiram 
Ward ;  Pleasant  View,  John  Hatfield ;  S. 
r^Iacon,  N.  Faling;  Friends  Creek,  John 
Gordy;  Decatur,  Jacob  Spangler;  Maroa, 
Jason  Rogers ;  Oakley,  Read  Spencer ;  Ni- 
antic, S.  Parks ;  Illini,  J.  C.  Tucker ;  Mi- 
lam. G.  A.  Bartlett;  Blue  Mound,  D.  F. 
Barber. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


23 


i«73- 

llarrislown,  I\I.  G.  Cameron;  Blue 
Mound,  Frank  Coleman;  ]Mt.  Zion,  \Villiam 
Davis;  S.  Macon,  N.  Faling;  Hickory 
Point,  H.  Lehman;  Maroa,  John  Orr; 
Friends  Creek,  R.  H.  Park;  \\'hitniore,  j. 
C.  Ruddock ;  Decatur,  Jacolj  Spangler ; 
Oakley,  Dr.  S.  Cooper;  Long  Creek,  A.  T. 
Davis;  Niantic,  James  Dingman ;  Decatur, 
David  S.  Hughes;  Illini,  L.  R.  Morse;  Aus- 
tin, D.   Patterson;    Milam,  J.  W.   Rogers; 

S.  Wheatland,  ;    Pleasant  View, 

E.  House. 

1874. 

Harristown,  ^L  G.  Cameron ;  Blue 
Mound,  Frank  Coleman ;  Niantic,  James 
Dingman  ;  S.  Macon,  W.  S.  Gage  ;  Decatur, 
Jacob  Spangler;  Pleasant  View,  E.  House; 
Hickory  Point,  A.  McBride ;  Friends 
Creek,  J.  C.  Ruddock;  S.  Wheatland,  Hiram 
Ward;  W  hitmorc.  R.  H.  Park;  Oakley,  Dr. 
S.  Cooper  ;  Mt.  Zion,  ^\'illiaIn  Davis  ;  Oak- 
ley, William  Grason ;  Decatur.  David  S. 
Hughes;  Decatur,  H.  Hummell;  Austin, 
Robert  Morris;  Maroa,  John  Orr;  Milaiu, 
J.  ^\'.  Rogers;  Long  Creek,  Samuel  (iil- 
lispie. 

1875- 

Blue  Mound,  Frank  Coleman;  \\'hitmore, 
J.  C.  Ruddock;  Decatur,  H.  B.  Durfee ; 
Oakley,  William  Grason ;  Long  Creek, 
Samuel  Gillispie;  Mt.  Zion,  J.  A.  Henry; 
Austin,  Robert  Morris;  Illini,  L.  R.  Morse; 
Friends  Creek,  J.  \V.  Brown;  Niantic, 
James  Dingman;  Harristown,  M.  G.  Cam- 
eron; Decatur,  M.  Forstmcyer;  Decatur, 
Jacob  Spangler ;  S.  Macon,  W.  S.  Gage ; 
Pleasant  View,  E.  House ;  Milam,  W.  E. 
Kyker;  Hickory  Point,  A.  McBride;  Maroa, 
John  Orr;   S.  Wheatland,  Hiram  Ward. 

1876. 

Decatur,    Samuel    Powers;     Decatur,    M. 

Forstmcyer;     Pleasant    View,    E.    House; 

Oakley,    William    Oason ;    Hickory    Point, 

H.   Lehman:    Illini,   L.   R.   Morse;    Harris- 


town,  M.  G.  Cameron ;  Mt.  Zion,  W.  H. 
Wallace;  Blue  -Mound,  W.  T.  Moflfett;  Aus- 
tin, Andrew  Hawkyard;  Decatur,  David  S. 
Hughes;  Milam,  \\'.  F..  Kyker;  Maroa, 
John  Longstreet ;  .">.  Wheatland,  Hiram 
Ward;  Whitmore,  J.  C.  Ruddock;  Long 
Creek.  11.  W.  Davis;  Niantic,  A.  C.  Ed- 
gar; I'rieiuls  Creek,  J.  W.  Brown;  S. 
-Macon,   R.  11.  Woodcock. 

1877. 

-•\ustin,  A.  Flawkyard ;  Blue  Mound,  W. 
T.  Moffett;  Decatur,  Samuel  Powers,  H. 
W.  Waggoner,  D.  L.  Hughes ;  Friends 
Creek,  J.  W.  l^rown ;  Harristown,  H.  M. 
Cameron;  Hickory  Point,  Henry  Lehman; 
Illini,  E.  J.  Roberts;  Long  Creek,  H.  W. 
Davis;  Maroa,  John  Longstreet;  .Milam, 
W.  1-:.  Kyker;  Mt.  Zion,  W\  H.  Wallace; 
Niantic,  -V.  C.  Edgar ;  (Jakley,  William 
(Jrason;  Pleasant  View,  E.  Flouse;  South 
Macon,  R.  H.  W'oodcock ;  South  Wheat- 
land, Hiram  Ward:  Whitmore,  J.  C.  Rud- 
dock. 

1878. 

Austin.  .\.  Hawkyard;  Blue  Mound,  R. 
II.  ilill:  Decatur,  Samuel  Powers,  E.  Mc- 
.\'al)l),  1).  S.  Shellabarger;  Friends  Creek, 
J.  W.  r.rown;  Harristown,  J.  N.  Hoyt; 
Hickory  Point,  P.  F.  Lehman;  Illini,  E.  J. 
Roberts ;  Long  Creek,  A.  T.  Davis ;  Maroa, 
Ji)hn  Longstreet;  Milam,  John  VanGundy; 
-Ml.  Zion,  W.  H.  Wallace;  Niantic,  A.  C. 
Edgar;  Oakley,  H.  J.  .Manecke;  Pleasant 
\'iew,  E.  House;  South  Macon,  R.  H. 
Woodcock;  South  Wheatland,  Hiram 
Ward:    \yhitm<:)rc,  C.  H.  Garver. 

1879. 
-Vustin,  A.  Hawkyard;  Blue  Mound,  H. 
H.  Rosengrantz;  Decatur,  H.  W.  Wag- 
goner, Jason  Rogers,  D.  L.  Hughes,  W. 
B.  Chambers ;  Friends  Creek,  W.  A.  Van- 
Leer;  Harristown,  J.  N.  Hoyt;  Hickory 
Point,  P.  F.  Lehman:  Illini,  E.  J.  Roberts; 
Long  Creek,   H.    W.    Davis;    Maroa,   John 


24 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Longstreet;  Milam,  John  VanGundy;  Mt. 
Zion,  S.  Mahaiinah  ;  Niantic,  A.  C.  Edgar; 
Oakley,  H.  J.  Manecke ;  Pleasant  View,  E. 
House;  South  Macon, 'R.  H.  Woodcock; 
South  Wheatland,  Hiram  ^\'ard ;  \\'hit- 
more,  Richard  Kirby. 

iS8o. 

.\ustin,  A.  Hawkyard ;  Blue  Mound,  H. 
H.  Rosengrantz;  Decatur,  D.  L.  Hughes, 
Jason  Rogers,  W.  B.  Chambers;  Friends 
Creek,  W.  A.  VanLeer;  Harristown,  J.  N. 
Hoyt ;  Hickory  Point,  H.  C.  Mowrey ; 
mini,  E.  J.  Roberts ;  Long  Creek,  H.  W. 
Davis:  ^laroa,  John  Longstreet;  Milam, 
John  \"anGundy;  Mt.  Zion,  S.  Mahannah ; 
Niantic,  A.  C.  Edgar;    Oakley,  H.  J.  Man- 

ecke ;    Pleasant   View,   ^ ;    South 

Macon,  R.  H.  ^^'oodcock ;  South  Wheat- 
land. Plirani  AX'ard ;  \\'hitmore,  Richard 
Kirbv. 

1881. 

Austin,  A.  Llawkyard ;  Blue  Mound,  H. 
irl.  Rosengrantz;  Decatur,  Joseph  Michaels, 
James  Freeman,  B.  O.  McRcynolds,  A.  T. 
Hill;  Friends  Creek,  W.  A.  VanLeer;  Har- 
ristown, J.  N.  Hoyt :  Hickory  Point,  H.  C. 
Mowrey ;  Illini,  J.  S.  Childs ;  Long  Creek, 
II.  W.  Davis;  Maroa,  John  Marsh;  ]\Iilam, 
John  VanGundy;  Mt.  Zion,  S.  Mahannah; 
Niantic,  A.  C.  Edgar;  Whitmore,  C.  H.  Car- 
ver; South  Wheatland,  Hiram  Ward; 
South  Macon,  C.  A.  Turner ;  Pleasant 
View.  W.  S.  Gage ;   Oakley,  H.  J.  Manecke. 

1S82. 
.\ustin,  John  Johnston;  Blue  Mound,  H. 
H.  Rosengrantz ;  Decatur,  A.  T.  Hill,  Jos- 
eph Michaels,  James  Freeman,  B.  O.  Mc- 
Rcynolds; Friends  Creek,  W.  A.  VanLeer; 
Harristown,  J.  N.  Hoyt ;  Hickory  Point, 
J.  R.  Hayes ;  Illini,  J.  S.  Childs ;  Long 
Creek,  S.  C.  Davis;  ]\Iaroa,  ]\L  P.  Funk; 
Milam,  John  VanGundy;  Mt,  Zion,  S.  Ma- 
hannah; Niantic,  H.  N.  Clark;  Oakley,  H. 
J.  Manecke ;    Pleasant  View,  W.  J.  Evans ; 


South  Macon,  C.  A.  Turner;  South  Wheat- 
land, Hiram  Ward;  Whitmore,  C.  H.  Car- 
ver. 

1883. 

Austin,  John  Johnston;  Blue  ^lound,  11. 
H.  Rosengrantz ;  Decatur,  A.  T.  Hill,  B. 
O.  McReynolds,  Joseph  Michaels,  James 
Freeman;  Friends  Creek;  W.  A.  VanLeer; 
Harristown,  J.  N.  Hoyt;  Hickory  Point, 
J.  R.  Ha3'es ;  Illini,  Joseph  Brown ;  Long 
Creek,  S.  C.  Davis;  Maroa,  ]\I.  P.  Funk; 
Alilam,  John  VanGundy;  Mt.  Zion,  G.  T. 
Outten  ;  Niantic,  Patrick  Graham  ;  Oakley, 
H.  J.  Alanecke ;  Pleasant  View,  W.  J. 
Evans;  South  "Macon,  C.  A.  Turner; 
South  Wheatland,  Hiram  Ward  ;  W'hitmore, 
C.  H.  Garver. 

1884. 

Austin,  C.  L.  Hadley;  Blue  Mound,  H. 
H.  Rosengrantz ;  Decatur,  A.  T.  Hill,  Jos- 
eph Michaels,  John  Giblin,  James  Free- 
man; Friends  Creek,  W.  H.  Wikoff;  Har- 
ristown, W.  E.  Gouge ;  Hickory  Point,  J. 
R.  Hayes ;  Illini,  Joseph  Brown ;  Long 
Creek,  S.  C.  Davis;  ]Maroa,  'SI.  P.  Funk; 
Milam,  C.  W.  Freeland ;  Mt.  Zion,  G.  T. 
Outten  ;  Niantic,  Patrick  Graham  ;  Oakley, 
H.  J.  Manecke ;  Pleasant  View,  W.  J. 
Evans ;  South  Macon,  J.  L.  Hight ;  South 
WHieatland,  Hiram  Ward;  Whitmore,  C. 
H.   Garver. 

1885. 

.Austin,  C.  L.  Hadley;  Blue  Mound,  H. 
H.  Rosengrantz ;  Decatur,  Joseph  Mich- 
aels. James  Freeman,  A.  T.  Hill,  John  Gib- 
lin;  Friends  Creek,  \V.  H.  Wikoff;  Har- 
ristown, W.  E.  Gouge;  Hickory  Point.  J. 
R.  Hayes;  Illini,  J.  C.  Tucker;  Long  Creek, 
S.  C.  Davis;  Maroa,  :M.  P.  Funk;  Milam, 
C.  W.  Freeland;  .Mt.  Zion,  W\  S.  Smith; 
Niantic,  Elias  Ford  ;  Oakley,  H.  J.  Manecke ; 
Pleasant  View,  J.  D.  Seiberling;  South 
Macon,  R.  H.  Woodcock ;  South  Wheat- 
land, Hiram  Ward;  Whitmore,  C.  H.  Gar- 
ver. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


25 


1886. 

Austin,  H.  E.  Pcverly ;  Blue  Mound,  R. 
H.  Hill:  Decatur,  A.  f.  Hill,  James  Free- 
man, C.  M.  Imbodeii,  H.  M.  Davis;  Friends 
Creek,  D.  K.  \\'ilson ;  Harristown,  AV.  E. 
Gouge;  Hickory  Point,  Jacob  Hanes;  lllini, 
J.  J.  Batchelder;  Long  Creek,  S.  C.  Davis; 
Maroa,  D.  J.  Aloyer;  Milam,  C.  \\'.  Free- 
land;  Mt.  Zion,  \V.  S.  Smith;  Niantic,  II. 
N.Clark;  Oakley,  H.  J,  Manecke;  Pleasant 
View,  J.  D.  Seiberling;  South  Macon,  R. 
H.  \\'oodcock ;  South  Wheatland,  Hiram 
Ward  :    \\hitmore,  C.  II.  Carver. 

1887. 

.\ustin,  II.  ]•;.  Peverly:  Blue  Mound,  R. 
Hill;  Decatur,  A.  T.  Hill,  C.  M.  Imboden, 
James  Freeman,  H.  W.  Davis ;  PViends 
Creek,  J.  W.  Brown ;  Harristown,  W.  E. 
Gouge;  Hickory  Point,  Jacob  llanos;  Iliini, 
J.  J.  Batchelder ;  Long  Creek,  S.  C.  Davis ; 
Maroa,  D.  J.  ^loyer;  ]\lilam,  C.  W.  Free- 
land;  Pleasant  \'iew,  J.  W.  K.  McClure ; 
Mt.  Zion,  W.  S.  Smith;  Niantic,  H.  N. 
Clark;  Oakley-,  H.  J.  Manecke;  South 
Macon,  R.  H.  Woodcock ;  South  Wheat- 
land, D.  11.  Stickle;  Whitmore,  C.  H.  Car- 
ver. 

1888. 

Austin,  H.  E.  Peverly ;  Blue  Mound,  E. 
R.  Moffett;  Decatur,  ^A.  T.  Hill,  J.  W. 
Butman,  J.  A.  Merriweather,  W.  TT.  Acuff, 
Isaac  Rogan,  1 1.  F.  May,  C.  Ammann  ; 
Friends  Creek,  J.  W.  Brown;  Harristown, 
L.  F.  Hauck;  Hickory  Point,  Jacob  Planes; 
lllini,  J.  J.  Batchelder;  Long  Creek,  John 
S.Jones;  ^Maroa,  T.  N.  Leavett ;  Milam,  C. 
W.  Freeland;  .Mt.  Zion.  W.  S.  Smith; 
Niantic,  John  Wacker ;  Oakley.  H.  J.  Man- 
ecke; Pleasant  View,  J.  W.  K.  McClure; 
South  Macon.  H.  C.  Montgomery;  South 
Wheatland,  John  II.  Miller;  Whitmore,  R. 
M.  Machan. 

1889. 

Austin.  John  Johnston  ;  Blue  Mound,  W. 
P.  Sleeter ;    Decatur.  James  Freeman,  II.  F. 


May,  Isaac  Rogan,  C,  Ammann,  D.  L. 
Hughes,  H.  \V.  Waggoner,  Hiram  Johnson; 
Friends  Creek,  J.  W.  Brown ;  Harristown, 
L.  F.  Hauck:  Hickory  Point,  Hezikiah 
Hayes;  lllini,  F.  J.  Roberts;  Long  Creek, 
John  S.  Jones;  Maroa,  W.  M.  Phares;  Mi- 
lam, W.  H.  Murphey;  .Mt.  Zion,  W.  S. 
Smith;  Niantic,  C.  B.  Richardson;  Oak- 
ley, T.  M.  Keller;  Pleasant  View,  J.  W.  K. 
McClure;  South  Macon,  H.  C.  Montgom- 
ery; South  Wheatland,  John  H.  Miller; 
Whitmore,  R.  M.  ^Machan. 

1 890. 

Austin,  C.  E.  Albert ;  Blue  Mound,  W.  P. 
Sleeter;  Decatur,  H.  F.  May,  C.  Ammann, 
G.  F.  Bell,  James  Freeman,  R.  A.  Newell, 
T.  A.  Ouinn,  Isaac  R.  Rogan ;  Friends 
Creek,  Samuel  Gerber;  Harristown,  W.  L. 
Whitley;  Hickory  Point,  Hezikiah  Hayes; 
lllini,  E.  J.  Roberts;  Long  Creek,  John  A. 
Meyers;  Maroa,  J.  II.  Parker;  Milam,  F. 
D.  Bromley;  Mt.  Zion,  W.  S.  Smith;  Nian- 
tic, W.  R.'  Kiscr;  Oakley,  W.  C.  Burley; 
Pleasant  View,  J.  W.  K.  McClure;  South 
;\Iacon.  H.  C.  }klontgomery ;  South  Wheat- 
land, John  H.  Miller:  Whitmore.  C.  H. 
Garver. 

1891. 

Austin,  C.  E.  Albert ;  Blue  :\Iound,  W.  P. 
Sleeter ;  Decatur,  H.  F.  May,  Hiram  John- 
son, Hugh  Singleton,  C.  Ammann,  James 
Freeman,  R.  A.  Newell,  G.  F.  Bell;  Friends 
Creek,  Samuel  Gerber ;  Harristown,  W.  L. 
Whitley;  Hickory  Point,  Volney  Barber; 
mini,  K.  J.  Roberts;  Long  Creek,  John  A. 
Meyers;  Maroa,  J.  H.  Parker;  Milam, 
.\rchie  Dickson;  Mt.  Zion,  W.  B.  Hunter; 
Niantic,  W.  R.  Kiser;  Oakley,  W.  C.  Bur- 
ley;  Pleasant  View.  J,  W.  K.  McClure; 
South  ]Macon,  O.  H.  Draper;  South  Wheat- 
land, John  H.  Miller;  Whitmore,  C.  H.  Car- 
ver. 

1892. 

.Vustin,  J.  B.  Nowlin ;  Blue  Mound,  W.  P. 
Sleeter;  Decatur,  W.  IT.  .'■llarr,  T.  A.  Ouinn, 


26 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


A.  H.  Cope,  H.  v.  N[ay,  Hiram  Jolinson, 
Hugh  Singleton,  C.  Animann ;  Friends 
Creek,  H.  C.  Griffin;  Harristown,  W.  L. 
Whitley ;  Hickory  Point,  Volney  Barber ; 
mini,  E.  j.  Roberts ;  Long  Creek,  S.  C. 
Davis;  Maroa,  J.  H.  Parker;  Milam,  Wil- 
liam Jiest;  Mt.  Zion,  W.  B.  Hunter;  Nian- 
tic,  J.  A.  Cussins;  Oakley,  \\".  C.  Burley; 
Pleasant  View,  W.  H.  llean ;  South  Ma- 
con, O.  H  Draper;  South  \Mieatlaiul.  John 
H.  iMiller ;    Whitmore,  C.  H.  Carver. 

1893. 
Austin,  J.  B.  Nowlin ;  Blue  .Mound,  W. 
P.  Sleeter;  Decatur,  H.  F.  I\lay,  Daniel 
Halleck,  J.  P.  Nicholson,  C.  Amniann, 
George  Lowrey,  D.  Brintlinger,  Hugh 
Singleton ;  Friends  Creek,  H.  C.  Griffin ; 
Harristown,  J.  L.  Connelly ;  Hickor}^ 
Point,  C.  A.  Thrift;  Illini,  C.  W.  French; 
Long  Creek,  S.  C.  Davis ;  Maroa,  J.  H. 
Parker;  Milam,  Archie  Dickson ;  Mt.  Zion, 
D.  C.  Davidson ;  Niantic,  J.  A.  Cussins ; 
Oakley,  ^V.  C.  Burley ;  Pleasant  View,  W. 
H.  Bean;  South  Macon,  O.  H.  Draper; 
South  Wheatland,  M.  A.  Connard ;  Whit- 
more, C.  H.  Garver. 

1894. 

.\ustin,  J.  B.  Nowlin;  Blue  Mound.  W. 
T.  ]\Ioftett ;  Decatur,  Hiram  Johnson,  James 
Hollinger,  J.  A.  Davidson,  H.  F.  :\Iay,  D. 
Brintlinger,  C.  Ammann,  D.  Halleck ; 
Friends  Creek,  H.  C.  Griffin ;  Harristown, 
F.  P.  Town ;  Hickory  Point,  C.  A.  Thrift ; 
Illini,  J.  C.  Tucker;  Long  Creek,  S.  C. 
Davis;  Maroa,  J.  PL  Parker;  Milam,  C.  W. 
Freeland  ;  Mt.  Zion,  D.  C.  Davidson  ;  Nian- 
tic, M.  E.  Lockhart;  Oakley,  John  ^^■.  Wal- 
ker ;  Pleasant  View,  W,  H.  Bean ;  South 
]\Iacon,  H.  R.  \Voodcock;  South  Wheat- 
land, .M.  A.  Connard;  Whitmore,  Ross 
Hockadav. 

1895. 

Austin,  J.  B.  Nowlin  ;   Blue  Mound.  W.  T. 
Mofifett;     Decatur.    H.     F.    .May,    ^\■.    H. 


Spence,  F.  W.  Kipp,  Jacob  Hanes,  J.  B.  Bul- 
lard,  G.  W.  Stoy,  \\'.  J.  Magee;  Friends 
Creek,  H.  C.  Griffin ;  Harristown,  J.  F. 
.Muirhead;  Hickory  Point,  C.  A.  Thrift; 
Illini,  C.  \V.  French;  Long  Creek,  S.  C. 
Davis ;  Maroa,  David  Weilepp ;  Milam, 
.■\rchie  Dickson;  Mt.  Zion,  C.  H.  Scott; 
Niantic,  M.  E.  Lockhart;  Oakley,  John 
\\  .  Walker;  Pleasant  View,  W.  H.  Bean; 
South  Macon,  O.  H.  Draper ;  South  Wheat- 
land, M.  A.  Connard ;  Whitmore,  Ross 
Hockaday. 

1896. 
Austin,  W.  L.  Gaines ;  Blue  Mound,  J. 
W.  Turner;  Decatur,  J.  A.  Davidson,  James 
Hollinger,  W.  J.  Magee,  J.  B.  Bullard,  H.  F. 
May,  Jacob  Hanes,  W.  H.  Spence,  F.  W. 
Kipp,  G.  W.  Stoy;  Friends  Creek,  J.  N. 
Orr  ;  Harristown,  J.  F.  Muirhead  ;  Hickory- 
Point,  C.  A.  Thrift;  Illini,  C.  W.  French; 
Long  Creek,  J.  E.  Rucker;  Maroa,  David 
Weilepp;  Milam.  Archie  Dickson;  Mt. 
Zion,  C.  H.  Scott;  Niantic,  J.  J.  Graves; 
Oakley,  M.  A.  Nickey;  Pleasant  View,  W. 
H.  Bean;  South  Macon,  O.  H.  Draper; 
South  Wheatland,  ^M.  A.  Connard;  AVhit- 
more,  Ross  Hockaday. 

1897. 
Austin,  ^^^  L.  Gaines ;  Blue  Mound, 
George  Loewer;  Decatur,  John  Allen,  J. 
A.  Davidson,  J.  H.  Record,  James  Hollinger, 
F.  ^^■.  Kipp,  "W.  J.  ^lagee,  PI.  F.  May,  W. 
H.  Spence,  George  W.  Stoy ;  Friends  Creek, 
J.  N.  Orr  ;  Harristown,  Jacob  Lebo  ;  Hick- 
ory Point,  H.  Hayes;  Illini,  C.  J.  Tucker; 
Long  Creek,  J.  E.  Rucker;  Maroa,  David 
Weilepp;  :\lilam,  W.  Best;  :Mt.  Zion,  W. 
L.  Riber;  Niantic,  J.  J.  Graves;  Oakley, 
M.  A.  Nickey ;  Pleasant  View,  W.  H.  Bean ; 
South  ^[acon,  O.  H.  Draper;  South  Wheat- 
land, J.  H.  Miller;  Whitmore,  Ross  Hock- 
aday. 

1898. 

Austin,   Z.   B.   Wooley ;    Blue   Mound,  C. 
W.    .Sleeter;     Decatur,    John    Allen,    Jacob 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Hanes,  James  Hollinger,  O.  iJ.  Gorin,  F.  W. 
Kipp,  ^^^  J.  Magee,  J.  H.  Record,  G.  ^^^ 
StOY,  J.  \\  .  W'cigand;  Friends  Creek,  J.  X. 
Orr;  Harristown,  Jacob  Lebo ;  Hickory 
Point,  H.  Hayes;  Long  Creek,  J.  E. 
Rucker;  Maroa,  David  \Veilepp;  Milam, 
W.  Best;  Mi.  Zion.  W.  L.  Riber ;  Xiantic, 
J.J.  Graves;  Oakley,  M.  A.  Nickey;  Pleas- 
ant \'ie\v,  W.  H.  Bean  :  South  IMacon,  O. 
H.  Draper;  Souili  WliL^ailand.  J.  II.  .Miller; 
Whilmore,  Ross  Hockaday. 

1899. 

Austin,  Z.  B.  Wooley ;  Blue  Mound,  C. 
W.  Slceter;  Decatur,  John  Allen,  Jacob 
Hanes,  James  Hollinger,  J.  .\.  Davidson,  F. 
W.  Kipp,  W.  J.  Magee,  J.  II.  Record,  G. 
W.  Stoy,  J.  W.  Weigand ;  Friends  Creek, 
J.  N.  Orr;  Harristown,  R.  O.  VanGilder; 
Hickory  Point,  H.  Hayes ;  lllini,  C.  J. 
Tucker;  Long  Creek,  J.  E.  Rucker;  Maroa, 
David  Weilepp;  .Milam,  W.  Best;  Mt. 
Zion,  W.  L.  Riber;  Xiantic,  J.  J.  Graves; 
Oakley,  M.  A.  Xickey;  Pleasant  View,  W. 
H.  Bean;  South  Macon,  H.  R.  Woodcock; 
South  Wheatland,  Jnhn  ^^'ard  ;  Whitniore, 
Ross  Hockaday. 

I  goo. 

Austin,  C.  PL  Giffin ;  Blue  Mound,  E.  W. 
Jokisch ;  Decatur,  J.  A.  Davidson,  H.  A. 
Aldridge,  John  .\llen,  James  Hollinger,  F. 
W.  Kipp,  W.  J.  Magee,  J.  PL  Record,  G. 
W.  Stoy,  j.  W.  Weigand;  Friends  Creek, 
F.  R.  Querrey ;  Harristown,  R.  O.  Van- 
Gilder;  Plickory  Point,  IL  Hayes;  lllini, 
C.  J.  Tucker;  Long  Creek,  E.  B.  Chapman; 
Maroa,  David  Weilepp;  Milam,  W.  Best; 
Mt.  Zion,  W.  L.  Riber;  Xiantic,  J.  A.  Cus- 
sins;  Oakley,  ^L  A.  Xickey;  Pleasant  View, 
W.  H.  Bean;  South  Macon,  IL  R.  Wood- 
cock; South  WJieatland,  John  Ward;  Whit- 
more,  (I.  W.  Reynolds. 

1 901. 
Austin,    George  Johnston;    Blue   Mound, 
E.  W.  Jokisch  ;    Decatur,  J.  PL  Record,  H. 


A.  Aldridge,  John  P.arron,  James  Henson, 
James  Hollinger,  F.  W.  Kipp,  W.  J.  Magee, 
W.  Xeidermeyir,  J.  W.  Weigand;  Friends 
Creek,  F.  R.  Ouerrey ;  Harristown,  R.  O. 
\^anGilder;  Hickory  Point,  H.  Hayes; 
lllini,  C.  J.  Tucker;  Long  Creek,  E.  B. 
Chajmian  ;  Maroa,  C.  G.  Persinger ;  Milam, 
W.  I'.est;  Mt.  Zion,  E.  R.  Hurlburt;  Xian- 
tic. J.  A.  Cussins;  Oakley,  M.  A.  Xickey; 
Pleasant  \'ie\v,  W.  II.  Bean;  South  Macon, 
H.  R.  \V'oodcock;  South  Wheatland,  John 
Ward;   Whitmore,  G.  W.  Reynolds. 

County   Officers. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  county  officers: 

Circuit  Judge — S.  D.  Lockwood,  S.  T.  Lo- 
gan, William  Brown,  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  S. 
H.  Treat,  David  Davis,  Charles  Emerson, 
A.  J.  Gallagher,  C.  B.  Smith,  W.  E.  Nelson, 
E.  P.  Vail,  W.  C.  Johns. 

Judge  of  Probate — D.  McCall,  Charles 
Emerson. 

Probate  Justice — Kirby  Benedict,  John 
G.  Spear,  Thomas  PL  Reed. 

County  Jiulge — William  Prather,  John 
Ricketts,  S.  F.  Greer,  W.  E.  Nelson,  W.  L. 
Hammer,  O.  W.  Smith. 

State's  Attorney — John  H.  Pugh,  1).  H. 
Campbell,  Josiah  Lamborn,  John  A.  McDu- 
gall,  David  Campbell,  Elam  Rust,  J.  R. 
Eden,  James  P.  Boyd,  D.  L.  Bunn,  M.  B. 
Thomas,  C.  C.  McComas,  I.  .\.  Bucking- 
ham, VV.  C.  Johns,  E.  P.  \-ail,  1.  R.  Mills, 
W.  E.  Redmon. 

SheriiT— William  \Varnick,  John  McMen- 
namy,  James  Stephens,  William  Warnick, 
William  Wheeler,  Samuel  Rea,  William 
Wheeler,  Samuel  Whitehouse,  E.  McClel- 
lan,  W.  Wheeler,  George  Goodman,  John 
W.  Bear,  A.  A.  Murry,  John  E.  Jones, 
James  Travis,  George  M.  Wood,  L  D.  Jen- 
nings, M.  Forstmeyer,  W.  W.  Foster,  John 
H.  Mauzy,  Peter  Pearl,  J.  P.  Nicholson, 
G.  W.  Lehman,  Charles  Thrift. 

County  Superintendent  of  Schools — Will- 
iam  S.  Crissey,    C.   C.   Burroughs,    Edwin 


28 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Park,  O.  F.  McKim,  John  Trainer,  T.  L. 
Fvans,  J.  N.  Donehay,  John  G.  Keller,  A. 
A.  Jones. 

Master  in  Chancer}- — I.  C.  Pugh,  William 
A.  Barnes,  R.  H.  Merriweather,  John  A. 
Brown,  J.  J.  Finn. 

Circuit  Clerk— D.  McCall,  H.  M.  Gorin, 
W.  W.  Peddecord,  William  Prather,  J.  Q. 
A.  Oder,  W.  L.  Hammer,  E.  McClellan,  D. 
L.  Foster,  John  Allen. 

County  Clerk— D.  McCall,  H.  M.  Gorin, 
W.  W.  Peddecord,  E.  B.  Hall,  W.  W.  Ogles- 
by,  Samuel  Rea,  I.  C.  Pugh,  H.  W.  Wag- 
goner, George  P.  Hardy,  James  M.  Dodd. 

County  Treasurer — B.  R.  Austin,  John 
Miller,  B.  R.  Austip,  James  Johnson,  Joseph 
Hostetler,  Joseph  Stephens,  J.  Renshaw, 
Henry  Snyder,  Thomas  H.  Reed,  George 
W.  Powers,  S.  C.  Allen,  I.  C.  Pugh,  William 
Cantrell,  Ira  B.  Curtis,  William  M.  Boyd, 
R.  H.  Park,  George  M.  Wood,  George  R. 
Steel,  Clay  '  Montgomery,  Charles  Patter- 
son, Joseph  Miller,  E.  R.  Moffett. 

Agriculture. 

"When  the  county  was  first  settled  the 
rank  grasses  retarded  the  evaporation,  the 
result  being  a  moist  climate,  that  gave  too 
luxuriant  a  growth  to  wheat  and  oats.  This 
caused  the  lodging  of  the  latter  and  pro- 
duced rust  in  the  former,  but  culture  and 
pasturage  have  modified  these  conditions 
so  that  the  latter  is  becoming  one  of  our 
great  staples."  On  account  of  the  chinch 
bug  spring  wheat  has  entirely  disappeared 
and  the  acreage  of  fall  wheat  is  not  what 
it  was  in  an  earlier  day.  While  we  produce 
rye,  wheat,  oats,  timothy,  clover,  millet  and 
bluegrass,  corn  is  the  main  crop;  not  less 
than  two-thirds  of  the  tillable  land  in  the 
county  is  each  year  planted  to  corn.  For- 
merly it  was  thought  that  corn  could  not, 
safely,  be  cribbed  in  the  fall,  consequently 
it  remained  in  the  field  until  spring.  Much 
corn  was  cut  and  shocked  for  cattle  feeding, 
in  fact,  the  entire  crop,  except  that  which 


was  kept  for  the  farmer's  use  in  producing 
the  next  year's  crop.  It  was  no  unusual 
thing  to  see  farmers  husking  corn  and  at  the 
same  time  cultivating  the  ground  for  the 
next  crop. 

All  kinds  of  vegetables  are  produced  in 
abundance.  Fruit,  such  as  strawberries, 
raspberries,  blackberries,  currants  and 
gooseberries,  also  cherries,  pears,  plums, 
quinces,  apples  and  peaches  grow  and  yield 
well ;  our  extensive  nurseries  verify  the  fact 
that  this  is  a  fruit  county. 

Stock  raising  assumes  no  mean  propor- 
tions as  compared  with  other  localities  both 
in  number  and  in  grade  produced.  The 
grade  of  cattle,  hogs,  horses,  sheep  and  even 
poultry  is  constantly  improving. 

The  cattle  are  of  beef  and  dairy  grades, 
the  former  are  represented  by  the  Short- 
horn, Galloway  and  Hereford,  while  the 
latter  are  represented  by  the  Jersey,  Guern- 
sey and  Holstein. 

The  hogs  now  in  favor  are :  Berkshire, 
Poland-China,  Chester  White,  Jersey-red 
and  Yorkshire. 

The  horses  are  of  three  grades,  the  draft, 
the  coach  and  the  roadster. 

Every  farmer  grows  stock  to  some  extent, 
hogs  are  grown  more  extensively  than 
horses  and  cattle  owing  to  the  short  time  re- 
quired for  their  maturity ;  at  the  age  of  nine 
months  a  hog  will  weigh  from  one  hundred 
and  fifty  to  two  hundred  pounds,  while  it 
requires  several  years  for  horses  and  cattle 
to  develop  into  "shippers." 

Since  Decatur  contains  more  than  half 
the  population  of  ]\Iacon  count}^  not  half 
the  inhabitants  of  the  county  are  engaged 
in  agricultural  ])ursuits.  This  afifords  a  good 
local  market  for  vegetables,  dairy  products 
and  fruit ;  none  of  the  above  are  produced 
in  sufficient  quantities  to  suppl}'  the  de- 
mands of  the  county;  carloads  of  vegetables, 
potatoes  especially,  cheese  and  all  kinds  of 
fruit  are  shipped  in  every  year. 

Hav,  oats  and  corn  are  also  in  great  de- 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


29 


niaiul ;  Macon  county  docs  not  yield  much 
more  than  lialf  tlie  amount  of  hay  consumed 
within  the  county ;  our  flour  mills  afford  an 
excellent  market  for  all  of  our  wheat  and 
our  cereal  mills  can  grind  all  the  corn  raised 
in  the  county. 

i'.ut  if  we  do  not  see  fit  to  sell  here,  we 
have  railroads  entering  the  county  from 
twelve  different  directions,  making  Decatur 
one  of  the  greatest  railroad  centers  in  the 
state,  thus  afl'ording  ready  access  to  the 
eastern  and  the  southern  markets  of  the 
United  States. 

The  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 

In  1850  an  act  passed  by  Congress  granlcil 
lands  to  the  state  of  Illinois  for  the  purpose 
of  building  a  railroad  through  central  Illi- 
nois. In  1851  the  legislature  of  Illinois  in- 
corporated the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  and 
transferred  to  this  company  the  lands  held 
in  trust  by  the  state  upon  a  compliance  of 
the  company  with  the  conditions  embodied 
in  the   charter.    > 

Work  began  at  the  north  end  of  the  road 
and  in  1854  was  completed  through  Deca- 
tur, and  in  a  short  time  was  opened  for 
traffic  through  its  entire  length.  A  senator 
from  Macon  county  was  the  first  one  to  in- 
troduce and  carry  through  the  legislature 
a  resolution  urging  our  senators  and  repre- 
sentatives in  Congress  to  secure  the  re- 
quisite aid  from  the  national  government. 

Senator  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  acting  upon 
the  resolution,  secured  the  passage  of  the 
law  giving  to  the  state  for  the  use  of  the 
railroad  each  alternate  section  for  a  distance 
of  six  miles  upon  each  side  of  the  right-of- 
way  ;  providing,  that  had  some  of  this  land 
been  previously  granted  to  private  parties, 
the  company  be  permitted  to  go  as  far  as 
twenty  miles  out  in  order  to  secure  the  re- 
quired amount  of  land. 

The  power  of  peneration  into  the  future, 
possessed  by  Mr.  Douglas,  is  well  estab- 
lished by  his  persistence  and  final  victory  in 


compelling  the  construction  from  Cairo  to 
Chicago  and  Dunleith,  which  in  a  remark- 
ably short  time  developed  the  most  fertile 
lands  in  the  state.  He  lived  to  see  his  pre- 
dictions verified  and  his  expectations  fully 
realized. 

An  effori  was  made  to  carry  the  road,  in 
Macon  county,  across  the  Sangamon  river 
at  the  "Cut  Off"  six  miles  west  of  Decatur ; 
this  would,  in  all  probability  have  doomed 
Decatur  to  remain  a  village.  But  through 
the  efforts  of  the  citizens  of  Decatur,  led  by 
E.  O.  Smith,  the  present  route  was  selected. 

The  charter  of  this  road  provided  that 
seven  per  cent  of  its  gross  earnings  be  paid 
into  the  state  treasury.  Since  1854  it  has 
paid  a  total  of  $20,000,000  to  the  state ;  it 
pays  now  yearly  about  $800,000.  The  com- 
pany operates  over  4,000  miles  of  road, 
which  reaches  from  New  Orleans  to  Omaha 
and  through  Chicago  to  St.  Paul ;  numer- 
ous small  roads  cross  it  at  various  points 
along  the  line  of  the  main  tracks.  This 
road  is  the  gateway  to  the  south  from  which 
a  large  export  trade  is  now  made.  This 
road  affords  two  direct  rapid  routes  to  Chi- 
cago, either  by  way  of  Champaign  or  by 
way  of  Clinton.  The  Peoria,  Decatur  and 
Evansville  Railroad,  now  the  Peoria  Divi- 
sion of  the  Illinois  Central,  extends  from 
Peoria  to  Evansville,  from  northwest  to 
southeast,  through  the  most  productive  part 
of  Illinois.  Through  the  favorable  connec- 
tions made  at  its  terminals,  with  through 
lines,  it  is  enabled  to  do  a  large  amount  of 
through  business. 

The  Illinois  Central  has  done  much  to  de- 
velop Decatur  and  in  fact,  all  of  Macon 
county.  Recently  it  has  erected  a  hand- 
some depot  at  an  outlay  of  $65,000;  the 
building  is  290  feet  long  and  is  built  of 
stone  and  yellow  pressed  brick,  surmounted 
by  a  neat  tower;  the  central  part  of  the 
building  is  two  stories,  the  rest  of  the  build- 
ing is  but  one  story;  the  entire  roof  is  of  red 
tile.     The  style  of  the  structure  is  the  Eng- 


30 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lish  ,t;;olliic;  the  walls  are  frescoed,  a  very 
handsome  tint  being  selected ;  the  appoint- 
ments both  inside  and  out  are  modern  and 
are  arranged  with  a  view  to  symmetry  and 
convenience. 

The  road  originally  known  as  the  Decatur, 
Monticello  and  Champaign  is  now  part  of 
the  Illinois  Central,  making  a  convenient 
connection  between  the  two  original 
branches  of  the  road. 

The  Vandalia  Railroad. 
The  Terrc  Haute  and  Peoria  division  of 
the  \'andalia  passes  through  this  city  and 
joins  the  main  line  at  Terre  Haute.  The 
Vandalia  line  with  700  miles  of  track  is 
part  of  the  Pennsylvania  system  which 
gives  us  direct  communication  with  the 
eastern  trunk  lines.  This  was  originally  the 
Illinois  Alidland,  which,  until  thrown  into 
the  hands  of  a  receiver,  who  placed  it  on  a 
paying  basis,  had  a  continued  struggle  for  an 
existence. 

The    Indiana,    Decatur   and   Western    Rail- 
road. 

The  Indiana,  Decatur  and  Western  ter- 
minates at  Indianapolis  on  the  east  and 
Springfield  on  the  west ;  the  extension  from 
Decatur  to  Springfield  was  completed  in 
1902.  The  entire  length  of  the  road  is  now 
about  two  hundred  miles.  The  road  is  part 
of  the  Cincinnati,  Plamilton  and  Dayton 
system.  It  carries  large  quantities  of  east- 
ern merchandise  and  western  farm  products 
as  well  as  being  a  very  popular  passenger 
route. 

The    Wabash   Railroad. 

To  give  a  history  of  this  railroad  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  begin  with  the  enact- 
ment of  the  legislature  in  1835  and  1836, 
known  as  The  Internal  Improvement 
Scheme.  In  this  scheme  was  included  the 
Northern  Cross  Railroad  extending  from 
Ouincy  to  Danville,  chartered  in  1837.  The 
first  locomotive  engine  in  the  state  ran  over 


this  road  from  Mcredosia  to  Jacksonville, 
in  1839.  The  road  was  completed  to  Spring- 
field in  1842.  This  road  was  constructed 
of  wooden  rails,  faced  with  strips  of  strap- 
iron.  The  cars  made  three  round  trips  per 
week  from  Springfield  to  the  Illinois  river. 
The  track  finally  became  so  insecure  that 
the  engine  was  taken  off  and  mules  sub- 
stituted for  motive  power.  Eventuall}-  the 
road  became  so  utterly  dilapidated  that  the 
expense  overran  the  income ;  the  state  then 
disposed  of  it  for  a  mere  song. 

In  1854  the  road  was  reconstructed  and 
extended  through  Decatur  and  Danville, 
over  the  original  route,  to  Toledo,  under  the 
name  of  the  Great  Western  Railroad.  The 
cars  entered  Decatur  in  1854.  The  advent 
of  the  railroad  gave  new  life  and  impetus 
to  Decatur  and  the  surrounding  country. 
Instead  of  carrying  goods  to  Chicago  and 
St.  Louis  in  the  old-fashioned  broad-tired 
wagon  with  the  proverbial  tar  bucket 
swung  beneath  its  axle,  we  received  our 
consignments  by  freight,  new  and  fresh,  in 
a  few  days  after  ordering. 

Much  objection,  that  now  seems  peculiar, 
was  urged  against  railroads  when  first  pro- 
posed. Some  argued  that  the  horses  would 
be  so  frightened  by  the  cars  that  the  lands 
near  the  roads  could  not  be  cultivated; 
that  the  ranges  would  be  rendered  useless 
and  the  poor  people  would  be  compelled 
to  keep  up  their  stock ;  that  the  game  would 
all  be  driven  away  by  the  whistling  of  the 
engines. 

The  name  of  this  road  was  soon  after 
changed  to  The  Toledo,  Wabash  and  West- 
ern Railroad.  In  1876  this  road  operated 
473  miles  of  track  between  Toledo  and 
Ouincy;  no  miles  between  St.  Louis  and 
Decatur ;  the  Keokuk  branch  of  41  miles 
and  the  Naples  branch  of  3  miles ;  a  total  of 
627  miles. 

In  1877  the  name  w-as  changed  to  The 
Wabash  Railroad,  wdiich  name  it  still  re- 
tains.     This   road   now   operates   over   two 


r.\Sr  AXl)   PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ai 


tliousaiul  miles  of  track  and  is  a  through 
hue  from  Kansas  City  to  IJuiTalo  with 
through  passenger  trains  to  Now  ^'ork  City. 
It  has  a  line  to  Kansas  City  via  Hannibal 
and  Ouincy  :  another  via  St.  Louis,  and  a 
third  to  Chicago,  a  fourth  lo  Dctniit  and 
the  east. 

Decatur  is  the  central  point  ihrough 
which  all  this  enormous  traffic  must  pass. 
It  is  an  aggressive  road,  having  recently 
acipiired  a  large  number  of  feeders,  which 
penetrate  some  of  the  most  remote  regions 
of  the  middle  west. 

Decatur  is  the  home  of  the  Middle  Divi- 
sion of  the  \\'abash.  .Superintendent  .\. 
Robertson  and  the  .Middle  Division  officials 
reside  here,  the  largest  force  of  dispatchers 
in  the  country  is  located  here;  the  car  shops 
employ  between  200  and  300  men  :  a  branch 
of  the  locomotive  shojis  employs  a  number 
of  men  ;  arid  most  of  the  train  men  live  here; 
not  less  than  1,200  men  connected  with  the 
Wabash  live  in  Decatur.  The  pav  rolls  ap- 
proximate $900,000  per  year  on  the  Middle 
Division. 

The  new  A\'abash  station,  just  west  of  the 
north  end  of  the  Central  station,  with  which 
its  platform  connects,  is  one  of  the  hand- 
somest stations  on  the  Wabash  system.  It 
is  230  feet  long,  two  stories  high,  built  of 
yellow  brick  and  trimmed  with  stone  and 
terra  cotta.  The  architecture  is  colonial, 
excejit  the  tower;  the  main  portion  is  two 
stories,  while  the  mail,  baggage  and  express 
rooms  are  but  one  story.  The  interior  is 
finished  in  tile  floors,  marble  wainscoting, 
frescoed  ceiling  and  walls ;  lending  a  charm- 
ing eiYcct.  The  cost  of  the  building  ap- 
proximates sevent}-  thousand  dollars. 

Black  Hawk  War. 

Muster  roll  of  Captain  Johnson's  com- 
pany of  mounted  volunteers  belonging  to 
the  Fifth  Regiment,  commanded  by  James 
Johnson  ot  the  brigade  of  mounted  volun- 


teers of  Illinois  Militia,  ct)nnnaiuled  by  Brig- 
adier General  Samuel  Whiteside. 

Mustered  out  of  the  service  of  the  United 
States  at  the  mouth  of  the  Fox  river,  Illi- 
nois May  i-j,  1832.  Date  of  enlistment,  .\pril 
24.  1S32;  term  of  enlistment,  35  days. 

James  Johnson,  captain,  promoted  to  colo- 
nel May  16,  1S32;  William  Warnick,  first 
lieutenant,  absent  with  leave;  I.  C.  Pugh, 
second  lieutenant,  promoted  to  captain  May 
16,  1832;  J.  1).  Wright,  first  sergeant,  ab- 
sent on  extra  duly  :  James  A.  Ward,  second 
sergeant,  promoted  to  second  lieutenant ; 
Walter  Bowls,  third  sergeant,  absent  with 
leave :  Joseph  Hanks,  fourth  sergeant ; 
Henry  M.  Gorin,  first  corporal;  S.  R.  Shep- 
ard,  second  corporal ;  G.  Coppenbarger, 
third  corporal,  absent  with  leave ;  James 
Milton,  fourth  corporal,  killed  in  battle. 

Privates — .Vsher  Simpson,  Abram  Black, 
D.  McCall.  D.  H.  Stewart,  Elisha  Butler, 
G.  D.  Smallwood,  John  Hanks,  Jacob  Lane, 
John  Henderson,  James  Querrej',  James 
Miller,  John  Manley,  James  Ennis,  John 
Clifton,  Jesse  Dickey,  John  W^illiams,  John 
Murphey,  John  Black,  James  Herrod,  Kin- 
ian  Ingram,  C.  Hooper,  Robert  Smith,  S.  B. 
Dewees,  S.  Miller,  S.  Troxel,  Thomas  Dev- 
enport,  William  Hanks,  William  Adams, 
W'illiam  Miller,  William  Hooper,  William 
Cox,  Joseph  Clifton. 

There  was  also  a  company  of  rangers  or- 
ganized during  the  summer  of  1832,  com- 
manded by  Captain  William  Warnick.  They 
went  as  far  as  Kickapoo,  a  town  on  Big 
Vermilion  river,  but  finding  no  Indians, 
soon  returned. 

Mexican  War. 

War  was  declared  with  Mexico  in  .May, 
1846.  Under  the  call  for  volunteers  Illinois 
was  entitled  to  three  regiments.  Under 
proclamation  of  Governor  Ford,  the  sheriff 
of  Macon  county  calling  for  volunteers. 
Company  C,  afterwards  forming  part  of  the 
Fourth  Regiment,  was  raised,  consisting  of 


32 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


seventy-eight  men.  Thirty  companies  had 
reported  wlien  Company  C  reached  Spring- 
field ;  in  all  three  full  regiments.  E.  D. 
Baker,  a  prominent  Illinois  man,  asked 
President  Polk  for  permission  to  raise  a 
fourth  regiment,  and  in  this  were  the  Ma- 
con county  men.  Baker  was  elected  colonel. 
Lieutenant  Governor  Morris  was  elected 
lieutenant  colonel,  Thomas  Harris  major 
general,  I.  C.  Pugh  was  elected  captain  of 
Company  C,  Senator  R.  J.  Oglesby  first 
lieutenant,  Anderson  Froman  second  lieu- 
tenant, John  P.  Post  third  lieutenant,  Ste- 
phen Osburn  first  sergeant,  G.  W.  Galbreath 
second  sergeant,  B.  F.  Oglesby  third  ser- 
gent,  B.  L.  Martin  first  corporal,  James 
Hollingsworth  second  corporal,  W.  J.  Usrey 
third  corporal,  G.  W.  Nelson  fourth  cor- 
poral. 

List  of  Volunteers. 

Madison  Bradshaw,  P.  T.  Bebee,  G.  M. 
Braden,  A.  Botkin,  W.  W.  Chapman,  G. 
W.  Church,  Laban  Chambers,  George  Car- 
ver, J.  B.  Case,  J.  M.  Dickey,  G.  W.  Dillow, 
W.  Dean,  W.  P.  Davidson,  Daniel  Davis, 
A.  Greenfield,  James  Greenfield,  David 
Hufifman,  Sterne  Helm,  J.  Horner,  D.  How- 
ell, S.  K.  Harrell,  Williams  Hawks,  M.  M. 
Henry,  W.  D.  B.  Henry,  Levi  Hite,  John 
Henry,  L  Inman,  T.  Johnson,  J.  A.  Lowrie, 
J.  C.  Leadbetter,  H.  Lord,  Thomas  Lord, 
A.  B.  Lee,  J.  C.  Malson,  G.  J.  Malson,  Ben- 
jamin :\Iartin,  L  Martin,  H.  ]\Iartin,  Will- 
iam McDaniel,  Chris.  Mayers,  Charles  Nel- 
son, W'illiam  Nesbit,  J.  S.  Post,  J.  Perry- 
man,  S.  Rice,  James  Rea,  William  Robinson, 
E.  Rice,  J.  Sheppard,  Jason  Sprague,  R.  H. 
Stewart,  D.  G.  Stephens,  W.  E.  Lee,  Daniel 
Spangler,  J.  A.  Shepley,  T.  Souther,  J. 
Saunders,  James  Turner,  F.  E.  Travis,  J.  B. 
Travis,  J.  D.  Travis,  T.  D.  Turney,  William 
Wheeler,  W.  R.  Wheeler,  Lewis  Ward,  B. 
E.  Wells,  W.  E.  Warnick,  J.  W.  White,  B. 
White,  Robert  Warnick,  James  Freeman,  J. 
M.  Arwood,  Richard  Barnwell,  Miles  Bos- 
worth,  Jesse  Butler,  David  Bailer. 


Company  C  marched  from  Decatur  to 
Springfield  about  the  middle  of  June,  1846, 
where  the  regiment  was  formed.  After  a 
time  they  moved  to  Alton,  where  arms  were 
in  store  which  were  procured  by  Colonel 
Baker  and  Captain  J.  S.  Post;  Colonel  J.  J. 
Hardin  protested  against  this  and  a  warfare 
of  words  followed  between  him  and  Baker, 
nearly  ending  in  a  duel.  From  Alton  the 
regiment  was  sent  to  Jefferson  Barracks, 
where  Colonel  Churchill,  the  commandant, 
took  charge,  giving  them  thorough  disci- 
pline and  drill. 

July  20  the  regiment  was  mustered  -into 
■service  by  Colonel  Crogan,  of  Ft.  Meigs 
notoriety ;  after  a  few  days  the}'  embarked 
for  New  Orleans  thence  to  Brazos,  Santiago 
Bay  on  the  Rio  Grande  river,  where  they 
disembarked.  They  next  marched  up  the 
Rio  Grande  eight  miles,  where  the  first 
death  occurred,  that  of  Second  Sergeant 
George  Galbreath. 

A  squad  of  twelve  Macon  county  men  un- 
der Colonel  Baker  were  detailed  to  bury 
the  body;  on  their  return  to  camp  they 
heard  a  disturbance  near  by  on  a  steamboat 
and  on  going  there  found  that  an  Irish  com- 
pany, in  a  drunken  melee,  had  driven  the 
Kenesaw  Rangers  from  the  boat.  Colonel 
Baker  ordered  his  men  on  board  to  settle 
the  trouble,  when  a  hand  to  hand  encounter 
ensued  in  which  the  Colonel  and  his  little 
band  were  soon  overpowered.  Colonel  Ba- 
ker received  a  rapier  thrust.  Captain  Post 
wounded  in  breast  and  rib  broken ;  Charles 
Dillow,  killed ;  R.  H.  Stewart,  bayonetted 
in  thigh,  and  seven  others  were  more  or  less 
injured.  Orders  were  now  received  to  move 
to  Matamoras  on  the  ^lexican  side;  a  few 
days  later  they  moved  on  to  Camargo,  where 
many  of  the  boys  took  sick. 

Returning  to  Matamoras  they  proceeded 
to  \'ictoria,  thence  to  Tampico  early  in 
June,  1847,  where  preparations  were  made 
for  an  attack  on  Vera  Cruz.  About  the  mid- 
dle of  February  Company  C  assisted  in  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


33 


construction  of  batteries  and  also  in  the 
bombardment  of  the  city,  which  surrendered 
March  29. 

General  Scott's  army  marched  from  here 
to  the  City  of  Mexico,  meeting  on  the  way 
General  Santa  Anna  at  a  mountain  pass  of 
Cerro  Gordo,  where  a  battle  ensued  April 
18;  Company  C  had  forty-eight  men  in  this 
engagement;  two  were  killed  and  ten 
wounded.  J.  C.  Malson  and  George  Nelson 
were  killed.  Santa  Anna  came  near  being 
captured  in  this  battle ;  in  his  effort  to  es- 
cape he  left  $25,000  in  silver  and  his  cork 
leg,  in  his  carriage,  which  articles  were  cap- 
tured by  Company  C. 

After  the  battle  General  Scott  went  on 
to  Jalapa;  Company  C  remained  here  a 
month.  When  time  of  enlistment  expired, 
the  company  returned  to  St.  Louis,  reach- 
ing home  June  i,  1847,  carrying  the  banner 
given  them  when  they  left. 

But  four  ^lexican  war  \eterans  are  now 
living  in  Macon  county.  The  list  is:  Rob- 
ert Warnick,  living  near  Boody;  Madison 
Bradshaw,  living  near  Harristown ;  David 
Blalock,  of  Mt.  Zion.  and  Walter  Elworthy, 
of  Decatur. 

Civil  War. 

The  Seventh  Illinois  Cavalry  was  organ- 
ized at  Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  and  mustered 
into  service  October  13,  1861.  Companies 
A,  C,  I,  and  G  were  ordered  to  Bird's  Point, 
Missouri,  the  other  eight  companies  arrived 
December  25.  In  January  all  excepting 
Companies  B,  C,  I,  and  L  moved  to  Cape 
Girardeau,  Missouri,  Company  I  engaged 
in  scouting  during  the  winter.  At  New  Ma- 
drid the  regiment  again  united.  They  next 
met  at  Island  No.  10,  from  which  place  they 
moved  to  Hamburg  Landing  in  Tennessee, 
thence  toward  Corinth,  which  movement  in- 
volved them  in  a  battle  at  Tuka  and  at  Cor- 
inth October  23.  1864. 

November  23  seven  companies  engaged 
Richardson  near  Somerville ;  December  i 
the  Seventh  was  assigned  to  Col.  Dickey's 


command ;  they  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Holly  Springs,  were  compelled  to  retreat 
followed  by  Price  to  Coffeeville,  from  west- 
ern Tennessee;  April  17  they  started  on 
Grierson"s  raid  to  Baton  Rouge ;  December 
26  the  regiment  fought  Forest,  also  had  an 
engagement  at  Aloscow,  Tennessee ;  went 
ne.xt  to  Decatur,  Alabama,  then  returned  to 
Nashville ;  from  this  point  to  Camp  Butler, 
Illinois,  at  which  place  they  Were  mustered 
out,  paid  and  discharged  November  17, 
1865. 

SbAENTH  CA\  AI.UN    ROSTER. 
Company  L 

Colonels— \\'.  P.  Kellogg,  Sept.  8,  1861, 
resigned  June  i,  1862;  Edward  Prince,  June 
1.  1862,  term  expired  Oct.  15,  1864,  was  lieu- 
tenant colonel;  John  M.  Graham,  March  i, 
1865,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  was  major. 

Lieutenant  Colonels — W.  D.  Blackburn, 
Feb.  10,  1863,  died  of  wounds  May  17,  1863; 
George  W.  Trafton,  March  17,  1863,  dis- 
missed Nov.  4,  1864;  II.  C.  Forbes,  March 
I,  1865,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  was 
major. 

Majors — Cyrus  Hall,  Sept.  21,  1861,  re- 
signed for  promotion  Feb.  9,  1862 ;  James 
Rawalt,  Sept.  21,  1861,  resigned  June  10, 
1862;  Z.  Applington,  Nov.  13,  1861,  killed  in 
battle  May  15,  1862;  Henry  Case,  Feb.  i, 
1862,  resigned  April  4,  1862;  FI.  C.  Nelson, 
.April  24,  1862,  resigned  June  22,  1863;  A. 
P.  Koehler,  March  15,  1862,  resigned  May 

14,  1863;  A.  W.  McDonald,  June  22,  1863, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  George  A.  Root, 
May  15,  1865,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865, 
was  adjutant;  M.  G.  Wiley,  May  10,  1865, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865. 

Adjutants — Henry  Stockdale,  Jan.  30, 
1862.  mustered  out  May  5,  1862;  Allen  W. 
Held,  May  10,  1865. 

Battalion  Adjutants — George  Bestor,  Jan. 

15,  1861,  mustered  out  in  1862;  Charles 
Wills,  Jan.  15,   1861,  mustered  out  in  1862. 

Ouairtermasters — W.   A.   Dickerson,  Oct. 


34 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


25.  1S61.  mustered  out  May  26,  1862;  J.  R. 
\V.  Hinchiiian.  Oct.  28,  1862,  mustered  out 
Nov.,  1865. 

Battalion  Ouartormasters — James  T. 
Meyers,  Dec.  26,  1862,  mustered  out  1862; 
John  W.  Resor,  Dec.  25,  1861.  mustered  out 
May  26,  1S62. 

Surgeons — C.  D.  Rankin,  Oct.  28,  1861, 
resigned  Jan.  i,  1862;  Daniel  Stahl,  Sept. 
9,  1862,  discharged  Sept.  9,  1864;  Thomas 
J.  Riggs,  Sept.  16,  1864,  mustered  out  Nov. 
4,  1865,  was  first  assistant. 

Firsf  Assistant  Surgeons — Charles  H. 
Novel,  April  3.  1865.  mustered  out  Nov.  4, 
1865. 

Second  Assistant  Surgeons — A.  G.  tjil- 
bert,  May  29,  1863,  discharged  Sept.  9,  1864; 
M.  W.  Nesmith,  April  16,  1865,  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,  1865. 

Chaplain — Sinion  G.  Meinor,  Oct.  3,  1861, 
term  expired  Oct.  5,  1864. 

Commissaries — H.  F.  Barker,  Oct.  i,  1862, 
term  expired  Oct.  15.  1864;  Daniel  F.  Rob- 
bins,  Oct.  4,  1864.  mustered  out  Nov.  4, 
1865. 

Captains — A.  J.  Gallagher,  Aug.  19,  1861, 
resigned  June  20,  1862;  William  .\shmead, 
June  20,  1862,  term  expired  Oct.  15,  1864, 
was  second  lieutenant ;  Byron  T.  Tuller, 
March  28,  1865,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865. 

First  Lieutenants — William  H.  Straton, 
Aug.  19.  1861,  term  expired  Oct.  15,  1865; 
Horace  K.  Rice,  March  28,  1865 :  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,  1865. 

Second  Lieutenants — S.  G.  Washburn, 
June  20,  1862,  mustered  out  Oct.,  1864;  O. 
L.  Kendall,  March  28,  1865,  mustered  out 
Nov.  4,   1865. 

First  Sergeant — William  F.  Clark.  Sept. 
3,  1861,  killed  in  action  March  3,  1862. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant — George  Flat- 
tery, Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15, 
1864,  as  private. 

Sergeants — John  W.  Haworth,  Sept.  3, 
1861.  discharged  Oct.  15,  1862;  Afathew 
Ruby,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15, 


1864;  (Jeorge  H.  Gardner,  Sept.  3,  1861; 
mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864;  S.  G.  Washburn, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  promoted  to  second  lieutenant. 
Corporals — Archibald  Dickson,  Sept.  3, 
1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran;  Daniel  M.  Dun- 
bar, Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15. 
1864;  George  W.  Kaylor,  Sept.  3,  186I; 
killed  in  action  May  i,  1862;  Marion  Ash- 
mead,  Sept.  3,  1861,  killed  in  action  May  30. 
1862;  W.  D.  McComas,  Sept.  3,  1861,  dis- 
charged Dec.  I,  1862;  Abner  H.  Jorden. 
Sept.  3,  1861,  killed  in  action  June  30,  1862; 
William  Hilt,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out 
Sept.  8,  1864;  Thaddeus  P.  \'arney,  Sept.  3> 
1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864,  as  private. 
Buglers — Davis  T.  King,  Sept.  3,  1861, 
promoted  chief  bugler ;  J.  J.  Strong,  Sept., 
1861,  promoted  chief  bugler. 

Farrier — Argyle   W.   Furr,   Sept.  3,   1861. 
mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864. 

Blacksmith — George      Fornof,      Sept.      3, 
1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15,   1864. 

\\'agoner — William  Deal,  Sept.  3.  1861, 
mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864,  as  private. 

Privates — John  O.  Adams,  Sept.  3,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran  ;  John  Bohrer,  Sept. 
3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15.  1864;  C.  'SI. 
Belknap,  .Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veter- 
an ;  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  as  sergeant ; 
Robert  Barlett,  Sept.  3,  1861 ;  Luther  Beals, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  Oct.  15,  1862; 
Webster  Calhoun,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered 
out  Oct.  15,  1864;  David  Calhoun;  Isaac  P. 
Cornwell,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  vet- 
eran, mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865 ;  George 
Clark,  Sept.  3,  1861 ;  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Charles  Du- 
gan,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4.  1865:  William  A. 
Dugger,  Sept.  3.  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15, 
1864;  William  H.  Doner,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran;  E.  B.  Dawson,  Sept.  3, 
1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864,  as  ser- 
geant; George  Dickson,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Oct.  15.  1864;  Walter  Earles, 
Sept.  3,  1861  ;  George  W.  Fletcher,  Sept.  3, 


PAST  Ai\D  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


3.' 


1861,  discharged  May  8,  1863.  as  corporal; 
Ed.  M.  Gibbs,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out 
Oct.  15,  1864,  as  sergeant;  Cliarles  Goff, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  April  4,  1862;  Will- 
iam Grove,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a 
veteran,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Henry 
Grady,  Sejit.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15, 
i8t)5;  John  P.  Ilartman,  Sept.  3,  1861,  dis- 
charged July.  1862;  Charles  P.  Hopkins, 
Sept.  3,  i8()i  :  John  Hayes,  Sept.  3,  1861, 
mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864;  .\lahlon  Ha- 
worth,  Sept.  3,  1861,  died  at  Andersonville 
Aug.  10.  1864;  James  Hafrau,  Sept.  3.  i86t, 
died  at  Andersonville  July  23,  1864;  James 
M.  Jones,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct. 
15,  1864;  John  .S.  Jones,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Oct.  15,  1864;  O.  L.  Kendall, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  was 
private,  sergeant  and  lieutenant;  Henry 
Knipple,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  vet- 
eran, mustered  out  as  corporal  Nov.  4,  1865  ; 
James  C.  I-edbetter.  Sept.  3,  1861,  dis- 
charged July,  1862;  William  Martin,  Sept. 
3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran,  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Henry  Martin,  Sept.  3, 
1861,  discharged  Oct.,  1862;  Marion  May, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  Dec,  1862;  Henry 
Meyers,  Sept.  3,  1861,  transferred  to  Com- 
pany M ;  Samuel  C.  McKay,  Sept.  3,  1861, 
mustered  out  Oct.  15,  1864,  as  corporal; 
Edward  Melville,  Sept.  3,  1861 ;  Lawrence 
Miller,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  veter- 
an, mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  as  corporal ; 
James  McElroy,  Sept.  3,  1861,  died  of 
wounds  received  in  camp ;  J.  R.  McDougal, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  April  6,  1863; 
Thomas  McCoy,  Sept.  3,  1861 ;  James  Nich- 
olson, Sept.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  J.  P.  Nicholson, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  May,  1862;  John 
Powers,  Sept.  3,  1861,  died  of  wounds  Dec. 
5,  1862;  Michael  Powers,  Sept.  3,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  a  veteran,  mustered  out  Nov.  4, 
1865:  Robert  S.  Paine,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Oct.  15,  1864;  William  Riley,  Sept. 
3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.   15.  1864;  Henry 


Rul)y,  Sept.  3,  1801,  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran, 
nuistcred  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  as  corporal; 
Horace  K.  Rice,  Sept.  3,  1861,  promoted 
sergeant,  then  first  lieutenant;  M.  Sullivan, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  as 
corporal;  Cyrus  B.  Smith,  Sept.  3,  1861,  dis- 
charged January,  1862;  John  A.  Stookey, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  died  Feb.  11,  1862;  Charles 
F.  Sniythe,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Sept. 
20.  1865;  ;\lichael  Sullivan,  Sept.  3,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  a  veteran;  P.yron  H.  Tuller, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  promoted  to  captain;  Pulaski 
L.  Temple,  Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  Sept., 
1862;  Henry  Tooter,  Sept.  3,  1861,  dis- 
charged April  16,  1863 ;  Augustus  A.  Taber, 
.Sei)t.  3.  i8()i,  promoted  hospital  steward; 
John  R.  Thomas,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered 
out  Aug.  29,  1864;  John  D.  Vancourt,  Sept. 
3,  1861,  discharged  April  18,  1862,  as  cor- 
poral; W.  D.  Weatherby,  Sept.  3,  i86i,  dis- 
charged July,  1862;  Charles  Williams,  Sept. 
3,  1861,  discharged  July,  1862;  George  W. 
Wood,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered  out  Oct.  15, 
1864;  Edward  S.  Webb,  Sept.  3,  1861,  dis- 
charged Sept.,  1862;  Charles  Westfall,  Sept. 
3,  1861,  discharged  ^lay,  1862;  James  L. 
Walters,  Sept.  3,  1861,  discharged  March  4, 
1862 ;  Simon  Yopes,  Sept.  3,  1861,  mustered 
out  Sept.  8,  1864. 

Recruits — John  H.  Arbuckle,  .\ug.  6, 
1862,  mustered  out  July  12,  1862;  David 
Adams,  Dec.  22,  1863,  mustered  out  Nov.  4, 
1865:  Dempsey  Able,  Dec.  15,  1863,  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  4,  1865 ;  William  H.  Ater, 
Sept.  3,  1861,  died  Nov.  14,  1862;  Jacob  An- 
derson, Aug.  12,  1862;  Worth  R.  Bradley, 
Feb.  2,  1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865 ; 
D.  S.  Brock  way,  Jan.  24,  1864,  mustered  out 
Nov.  4,  1865 ;  Robert  Boddy,  Dec.  14,  1863, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Robert  Car- 
mean,  Dec.  14,  1863,  mustered  out  Nov.  4, 
1865;  G.  W.  Carmean,  Dec.  18,  1863,  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  4,  1865 ;  Thomas  Clark,  Jan. 
18,  1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  James 
\\'.  Daniels,  Jan.  29,  1864,  mustered  out 
Nov.  4>  1865,  as  sergeant;  J.  O.  Dunston, 


3i; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Jan.  4,  i8()4,  inustcrcd  out  Nov.  4,  1865; 
John  Daik-y,  March  18,  1864,  mustered  out 
Nov.  4,  1865 ;  Charles  Dunston,  Jan.  4,  1864, 
died  of  wounds  at  LaGrange,  Tenn.,  July  14, 
1864;  Edward  Earles,  Jan.  30,  1864,  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Jerome  Emerson, 
Feb.  7,  1865,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865 ; 
John  Gregerty,  Jan.  27,  1864,  mustered  out 
Aug.  31,  1865;  James  A.  Gibbs,  Jan.  15, 
1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1864,  as  cor- 
poral; Eugene  Hall,  Dec.  10,  1863,  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,  1865 ;  William  Holman,  Jan.  26, 
1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Peter 
Hoffman,  Jan.  19,  1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  ■ 
4,  1865,  as  corporal;  Andrew  J.  Holman, 
Feb.  9,  1864,  died  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  June 
9,  1864;  Taylor  Lawson,  Jan.  16,  1864,  mus- 
tered out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Wilson  Lehn,  April 
16,  1864,  mustered  out  June  5,  1865 ;  Henry 
Martin,  Dec.  15,  1863,  mustered  out  Nov. 
4,  1865 ;  John  R.  McDougal,  Jan.  4,  1864, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  Martin  McCune, 
Dec.  19,  1863,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865; 
Theodore  'May,  Dec.  19,  1863,  mustered  out 
Nov.  4,  1865 ;  Robert  Pate,  April  7,  1864, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865 ;  Horace  S.  Ruby, 
Jan.  30,  1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865 ; 
John  T.  Rea,  Jan.  i,  1864;  mustered  out 
Nov.  4,  1865;  Elhannan  Reed,  April  i,  1864, 
mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865  ;  James  A.  Reedy, 
Jan.   26,    1864;  William   F.   Scott,   Dec.   31, 

1863,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865,  as  corporal ; 
A.  T.  Shinneman,  Feb.  13,  1864,  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,   1865;  H.   L.   Stookey,  Jan.  30, 

1864,  mustered  out  Nov.  4,  1865;  William 
Smith,  Dec.  11,  1863,  sick,  absent  at  mus- 
tering out  of  regiment ;  William  C.  Stewart, 
March  20,  1864,  sick,  absent  at  mustering 
out  of  regiment ;  James  Wood,  April  16, 
1864;  Charles  Williams,  Jan.  25,  1864,  vet- 
eran, mustered  out  Nov.  11,  1865;  Philip 
Webber,  Feb.  i,  1864;  George  W.  Wood, 
Feb.  9,  1865,  mustered  out  Oct.  19,  1865; 
George  Young,  March  24,  1864,  mustered 
out  Nov.  4,   1865. 

Unassigned  Recruits — James  Dorris,  Jan. 


26,  1864;  James  Daniels,  l'"eb.  12,  1864; 
Charles  ^V.  Earles,  April  7,  1864,  rejected; 
^Monzo  M.  Glove,  Jan.  27,  1864,  discharged 
May  10,  1864;  Forest  Saunders,  Jan.  25, 
1864,  discharged  July  2,  1864;  William  F. 
Scott,  Dec.  21,  1863;  William  H.  Wilson, 
March  9,  1865,  discharged  July  11,  1865; 
A\'illiain  D.  White,  Alarch  7,  1865. 

EIGHTH  ILLINOIS  INFANTRY. 

The  Eighth  Illinois  Infantry  was  organ- 
ized April  25,  1861,  for  three  months'  serv- 
ice ;  Colonel  R.  J.  Oglesby  in  command,  was 
stationed  at  Cairo  until  mustered  out  at 
close  of  term.  They  immediately  reorgan- 
ized for  three  years'  service,  then  moved  to 
Bird's  Point,  ^lissouri.  They  embarked 
February  2,  1862,  for  Tennessee,  where  they 
were  in  the  engagements  of  Ft.  Henry  and 
Ft.  Donelson.  A  heavy  loss  was  sustained 
and  Major  John  P.  Post  was  taken  prisoner. 

They  next  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh 
also  at  the  siege  of  Corinth,  where  Colonel 
R.  J.  Oglesby  was  dangerously  wounded. 
There  was  also  an  encounter  at  Raymond, 
after  which  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Camp 
Butler  on  a  veteran  furlough ;  this  was  in 
1864.  Later  they  were  in  western  Tennes- 
see, Mississippi  and  Louisiana.  They  were 
mustered  otit  at  Baton  Rouge  ^lay  4,  1866; 
ordered  to  Springfield  for  final  payment  and 
discharge,  which  took  place  May  4,  1866. 

Roster  Eighth  Illinois  Infantry. 
For  Three  Months. 

Colonel — R.  J.  Oglesby,  May  3,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  for  three  years. 

Lieutenant  Colonel — Frank  L.  Rhodes, 
May  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  for  three  years. 

Majors — John  P.  Post,  May  3,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  for  three  years;  Herman  Leib,  Oct. 
7,  1862,  promoted  colonel  Ninth  Infantry 
(colored). 

Captain,  Company  A — I.  C.  Pugh,  .April 
23,  1861,  re-enlisted  for  three  years,  colonel 
Fortv-first  Regiment. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


37 


First  Lieutenant — G.  M.  Bruce,  April  23, 
1861,  re-enlisted  for  three  years. 

Second  Lieutenant — L  X.  .Martin,  .\pril 
23,  1861. 

Captain,  Company  B — IL  P.  Westerfield, 
April  30,  1861  ;  John  P.  Post. 

First  Lieuteant — John  'SI.  Lowery,  April 
25,  1861,  resigned  Sept.  3,  1862. 

Second  Lieutenant — Thomas  Goodman, 
April  25.  1861.  resigned  July  25,  1861. 

Roster  Eighth  Illinois   Infantry, 
For  Three  Years. 

Colonels — R.  J.  Oglesby,  April  26,  1861, 
promoted  brigadier  general  .\pril  i,  1862, 
to  major  general  Nov.  9,  1862  ;  F.  L.  Rhodes, 
.April  I,  1862,  resigned  Oct.  7,  1862;  John 
P.  Post,  Oct.  7,  1862,  resigned  Sept.  28, 
1863;  Josiah  A.  Shictz,  Sept.  23,  1863,  pro- 
moted brevet  brigadier  general  Nov.  25, 
1865,  resigned  Feb.  9,  1866;  Loyd  Wheaton, 
Feb.  9,  1864,  mustered  out  May  4,  1866. 

Lieutenant  Colonels — R.  TI.  Sturges,  Oct. 
7.  1862,  resigned  July  25,  1863;  Noah  Denni- 
son,  Nov.  8,  1862,  mustered  out  May  4,  1866. 

Majors — Herman  Lieb,  Oct.  7,  1862,  pro- 
moted colonel  of  Ninth  Louisiana  (colored)  ; 
Daniel  Sayers,  March  8,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  25,  1866. 

.Adjutants— W.  C.  Clark,  Jan.  25,  1861, 
resigned  June  25,  1862;  B.  F.  Monroe,  June 
25.  1862,  promoted  Captain  Company  I ; 
Fred  A.  King,  July  25,  1864,  resigned  Oct. 
9.  1864;  William  W.  Carver,  Oct.  9,  1864; 
Leander  A.  Sheets,  Nov.  25,  1865 ;  mus- 
tered out  ]\[ay  4,  1866. 

Quartermasters — Samuel  Rhodes,  Jan. 
25,  1861,  resigned  Dec.  9,  1861 ;  H.  N.  Pearse, 
Dec.  10,  1861,  resigned  Aug.  i,  1863;  R.  T. 
Mercer,  .Aug.  i,  1863.  mustered  out  May  4. 
1866. 

Surgeons — S.  T.  Trowbridge,  .April  25, 
1861,  mustered  out  July  27,  1864;  C.  N.  Den- 
nison,  Julv  27,  1864.  mustered  out  May  4, 
1866. 

First      Assistant       .'burgeons — John       M. 


Phipi»,  .April  25,  1861,  resigned  Feb.  16, 
1863;  W.  F.  Buck,  Nov.  28,  1863,  mustered 
out  May  4,  1866. 

Second  .Assistant  Surgeons — C.  M. 
-Spaulding,  May  27,  1865,  mustered  out  May 
4,  1866. 

Chaplain — Samuel  Day,  Jan.  28,  1864, 
mustered  out  Jan.  29,  1865. 

Captains — G.  M.  Price,  July  25,  1861,  re- 
signed Feb.  5.  1862:  Frank  Leeper,  Feb.  5, 
1862;  killed  in  battle,  was  first  lieutenant; 
George  S.  Durfee,  May  14,  1863,  mustered 
out  May  4,  1866,  was  first  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — W.  J.  Taylor,  Feb.  5, 
1862,  resigned  Jan.  28,  1863;  \V.  A.  Albert, 
May  14,  1863.  term  expired  Jan.  27,  1864; 
Samuel  Nicholson,  Jan.  27,  1864,  mustered 
out  May  4,  1866. 

Second  Lieutenants — J.  D.  Rcavis,  Jan. 
28,  1864,  mustered  out  May  4,  1866. 

Sergeants— Benjamin  F.  Monroe,  July  25, 
1861,  promoted  second  lieutenant;  D.  W. 
Grcenwalt,  July  25,  1861,  died  at  Birds' 
Point,  Missouri,  Nov.  i,  1861.. 

Corporals — Juan  Dinibar,  July  25,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  promoted,  mustered 
out  May  4,  1866;  Michael  Mathews,  July 
25,  1861,  killed  at  Ft.  Donclson  Feb.  15, 
1862;  William  M.  Bullard,  July  25,  1861, 
died  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  .March  4,  1862,  of 
wounds  received  at  Ft.  Donelson ;  Robert 
.A.  Florey,  July  25,  1861,  discharged  July  24, 
1864;  Charles  Henderson,  July  25,  1861, 
died  IMarch  12,  1862,  of  wounds;  George  S. 
Leach,  July  25,  1861,  killed  at  Ft.  Donelson 
Feb.  15,  1862;  John  B.  Lowell,  July  25, 
1861,  died  at  Bird's  Point,  Missouri,  Nov.  i, 
1861  ;  Marcellus  Warner.  July  25,  1861, 
killed  at  Raymond,  Mississippi,  May  12, 
1863. 

Privates — Abijah  J.  Baker,  July  25,  1861, 
l)romoted  sergeant,  died  of  wounds  received 
at  Vicksburg  June  4,  1863;  G.  D.  Bashford, 
July  25,  1861,  promoted  sergeant;  John  H. 
Bacon,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  May  24, 
t866;  Henry  Cochrane,  July  25,  1861,  killed 


38 


TAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  Alvin  E.  Cook, 
July  25,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran;  James 
W.  Dunn,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  July 
30,  1864;  William  Dcnniston,  July  25,  1861, 
killed  at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  Joseph  S. 
Dudley,  Jul)-  25,  1861,  promoted  corporal, 
mustered  out  May  4,  1866;  .'\ndrew  J.  Flo- 
rey,  July  25,  1861,  discharged  Aug.  15,  1862, 
wounded ;  Joseph  Pouch,  July  25.  1861,  pro- 
moted sergeant,  discharged  July  10,  1865.- 
wounded;  B.  F.  Greer,  July  25,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  ;  A.  H.  Hugart,  July  25,  1861 ;  pro- 
moted corporal,  mustered  out  May  4,  1866; 
L.  Helm,  July  25,  1861,  promoted  sergeant, 
discharged  Jan.  2'j,  1866;  Joseph  Hess,  July 
25,  1861,  discharged  June  22,  1862,  wounded 
at  Ft.  Donelson :  James  Hudson,  July  25, 
1861,  killed  at  Raymond,  Miss.,  May  12, 
1863 ;  Robert  Idell,  July  25,  1861,  mustered 
out  JMay  4,  1866;  W.  J.  Jefferson.  July  25, 
1861,  killed  at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862; 
George  W.  James,  July  25,  1861,  promoted 
corporal,  killed  at  Champion  Hill  May  16, 
1863;  Andrew  Jones,  July  25,  1861,  killed 
at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862;  M.  C.  Living- 
ston, July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  July  30, 
1864;  James  Leach,  July  25,  1861,  mustered 
out  July  30,  1864 ;  James  H.  Leland,  July 
25,  1861  ;  T.  J.  :\Iuirhead,  July  25,  1861,  killed 
at  Shiloh  April  4,  1862;  J.  C.  McDaniels, 
July  25,  1861  ;  Ellis  :Maskell,  July  25,  1861, 
mustered  out  May  28,  1866;  Abel  O'Neil, 
July  25,  1861,  discharged  April  i,  1865,  dis- 
abilitjs  George  S.  Pope,  July  25,  1861,  killed 
at  Shiloh  .'\pril  6,  1862;  James  W.  Reavis, 
July  25,  1861,  promoted  second  lieutenant; 
Joseph  H.  Rock.  July  25.  1861,  mustered 
out  May  4,  1866;  H.  C.  Shively,  July  25, 
1861,  mustered  out  July  30,  1864;  Joseph 
W.  Smith,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  July 
30.  1864;  H.  Whitbeck,  July  25.  1861.  killed 
at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862. 

Recruits — William  A.  Albert.  Aug.  15. 
1861,  promoted  lieutenant;  Joseph  Ault. 
Dec.  II,  1863,  promoted  sergeant,  mustered 
out  May  4,  1866;  J.  A.  Bradbury,  Aug.  15, 


1861,.  promoted  sergeant,  killed  at  Shiloh 
April  6,  1862;  Robert  W.  Craine,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  discharged  Dec.  27,  1861 ;  James  Chaf- 
fin,  Aug.  5,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran;  W. 
C.  Dunnivan,  .\iig.  15,  1861,  promoted,  dis- 
charged Aug.  15,  1862,  of  wounds  received 
at  Ft.  Donelson ;  George  S.  Durfee,  Aug.  15, 
1861,  promoted;  John  F.  Greer,  Aug.  10, 
1861,  killed  at  Raymond,  Miss.,  ]May  12, 
1863:  John  A.  Harvey,  Aug.  10,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  May  15, 
18G6;  Irwin  Helpman,  Aug.  15,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran;  Ernest  Holtz,  Aug.  15, 
1861,  discharged  July  22,  1862,  of  wounds 
at  Ft.  Donelson ;  William  Hatchett,  Aug. 
15,  1861,  discharged  Aug.  14,  1864;  James 
Haggard,  Aug.  16,  1861,  died  at  Decatur, 
111.,  April  II,  1862;  B.  F.  James,  Aug.  15, 
1861,  killed  at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862; 
J.  H.  Kunkleman,  Aug.  10,  1861,  re-enlisted 
as  veteran ;  \Mlliam  W.  Estes,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
died  April  20,  1862,  of  wounds ;  Nathaniel 
Harris,  Sept.  i,  1861,  discharged  April  22, 
1862:  Lander  Hughart,  Dec.  30,  1863,  mus- 
tered out  May  4,  1866;  Patrick  McArty, 
Aug.  5,  1 861,  died  at  Carthage,  La.,  of 
wounds  received  on  steamer  Moderator ; 
Peter  ]\Ia.sh,  Dec.  15,  1861,  mustered  out 
May,  1866;  Charles  W.  ?kIosher,  mustered 
out  ;\Iay  4,  1866;  W.  A.  McKinley,  Aug.  10, 
1861,  died  at  ^lempliis,  Tenn..  March  10, 
1863;  John  H.  Norris,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged Feb.  19,  1863;  Samuel  Nicholson, 
Aug.  5,  1861,  promoted  second  lieutenant 
July  I,  1863;  J.  R.  Nicholson,  Aug.  15,  1861, 
mustered  out  May  4,  1866;  J.  Nicholson, 
Aug.  15,  1861,  discharged  Aug.  14,  1864, 
term  expired;  R.  T.  Paine,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
transferred  to  Ninth  Regiment  Louisiana 
Infantry,  May  5,  1863;  Irwin  Pearce,  Aug. 
25,  1861,  discharged  Dec.  25,  1861  ;  William 
F.  Pope,  Jan.  i,  1862,  promoted  captain,  dis- 
charged Oct.  31,  1865,  for  disability;  John 
W.  Rector,  Dec.  15,  1862,  died  in  hospital 
at  \'icksburg  July  2,  1863,  of  sickness;  W. 
B.  Stevenson,  Aug.  2,  1861,  transferred,  dis- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


39 


charged  Feb.  2,  1866,  of  wounds  at  Jackson, 
Miss.;  George  W.  Squire,  Aug.  15,  1861, 
died  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Sept.  9,  1863; 
James  F.  Steel,  Aug.  15,  1861,  discharged 
Aug.  14,   1864,  term  expired. 

Drafts  and  I'lecruits — J.  B.  Bosworth, 
Sept.  26,  1864,  mustered  out  Sept.  26,  1865. 

Company  B. 

Captains — H.  Lcib,  Jan.  J5,  1801,  pro- 
moted major;  Peter  Schlosser,  Oct.  7,  1862, 
term  expired  Jan.  27,  1864;  H.  A.  Miller, 
Jan.  28,  1864,  mustered  out  I\Iay  4,  1866. 

First  Lieutenants — B.  Zick,  Oct.  7,  1862, 
term  expired  Jan.  28,  1864;  Thomas  McGur- 
ra)',  Jan.  28,  1864,  mustered  out  May,  1866. 

Second  Lieutenants— H.  J.  Marsh,  Jan. 
25,  1861,  killed  at  Ft.  Donelson,  Feb.  16, 
1862;  John  Colmer,  Oct.  7,  1862,  term  ex- 
pired July  28,  1864. 

First  Sergeant — H.  C.  Oglesby,  July  25, 
1861,  reduced  to  rank  Sept.  15.  1863,  then 
retired  from  service. 

Sergeants — B.  F.  Snow,  July  25.  1861, 
discharged  Sept.  22,  1862,  for  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Ft.  Donelson ;  W.  F.  Gardenhire, 
July  25.  1S61,  discharged  May  2,  1862,  dis- 
abled: Charles  Albert,  July  25.  i8fii.  mus- 
tered out  July  30,  1864. 

Corporals — John  Colmer,  July  25.  1861, 
promoted  second  lieutenant ;  C.  1'.  .\.  ( Jod- 
dard.  July  25.  1861,  died  Oct.  i.  1863; 
Charles  Fechner.  July  25,  1861,  killed  at 
Shiloh  April  6,  1862:  John  Smith.  July  25. 
1861,  nuistercd  out  July  30.  1864;  Thomas 
Scanllin.  July  25,  1861,  transferred  to  non- 
commissioned staff  as  commissary  sergeant; 
Charles  W.  Leies,  July  25,  1861.  reduced  to 
rank  Dec.  6,  1861. 

Privates— W.  H.  Athons,  July  25,  1861; 
George  .Vlbin,  July  25,  1861,  died  April  8, 
1864,  of  wounds  received  at  Raymond, 
Miss.;  James  IT.  Bech,  July  25,  1861,  dis- 
charged Sept.  8,  1862,  for  wounds  at  Ft. 
Donelson;  F.  Batim,  July  25,  1861.  mus- 
tered out  July  30.  1864;  J.  G.  Baslcr,  July  25, 


1801,  mustered  out  July  20.  1864;  \\'illiam 
Becher,  July  25,  1861,  died  at  \^ick^burg 
June  30,  1863;  John  I^runer.  July  25,  1861, 
died  May  2^.  1863,  of  wounds  received  at 
Champion  Hill:  D.  M.  Berlin,  Jidy  25,  1861, 
mustered  out  July  i,  1865;  J.  D.  Rruner, 
July  25.  1861,  transferred  to  Company  C; 
Jacob  Baner,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out 
July  30.  1864:  W.  r.reitsprecher,  July  25, 
1861,  mustered  out  July  30,  1864;  John  Cul- 
ligan,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  July  30, 
1864;  S.  B.  Cunningham,  July  25,  1861 ; 
John  E.  Campbell,  July  25,  1861,  mustered 
out  May,  1864;  F.  Durant,  July  25,  1861, 
accidentally  killed  May  25,  1862;  Charles 
Dutcher,  July  25,  i86r,  discharged  Oct.  14, 
t86i  ;  .-Xmos  Dunham,  July  25,  1861,  killed 
at  I't.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862;  J.  C.  Fver- 
nian,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  6, 
1864:  Joseph  Elliot,  July  25.  1861,  died  at 
Cairo,  Illinois;  Jasper  Flora,  July  25.  1861, 
discharged  July  25,  1862,  order  of  Grant ; 
J.  M.  Gardenhire,  July  25,  1861,  discharged 
May  2,  1862,  order  of  Grant :  August  Gemer, 
July  25,  1861,  died  .^ug.  14.  1861',  August 
Genert.  July  25,  1861 ;  N.  Geswinder,  July 
25,  1861,  mustered  out  ^farch  21,  1866; 
George  Gardenhire.  July  25.  1861,  killed  at 
Ft.  Donel.son  Feb.  15,  1862 ;  J.  A.  Humphrey, 
July  25.  1861.  retired  Oct.  29,  1863;  Joshua 
Jameson,  July  25.  1861,  absent  at  muster- 
ing out;  Moses  Johnson,  July  25,  1861,  dis- 
charged Oct.  14,  1861 ;  Charles  Krebs,  July 
2e,.  1861,  discharged  July  24,  1862,  wounded 
at  Donelson  and  Shiloh  ;  Jacob  Keller,  July 
25,  1861.  killed  at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15. 
1862;  John  Kellcy,  July  25.  1861,  murdered, 
Xorf'ilk.  Mo.,  Sept.  17,  1S61  ;  James  Lynch, 
July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  July  30,  1864; 
William  Leeper,  July  25,  1861,  transferred 
to  N.  C.  S.  as  Mu.s. ;  F.'c.  Miller.  July  25. 
1861,  killed  at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862; 
H.  .'\.  Miller.  July  25,  1861,  promoted  cap- 
tain July  14,  1864;  H.  Manchon.  July  25, 
1861,  discharged  July  10.  1863.  disabled; 
Peter  O'Brien,  July  25.   1861  ;  John  O'Neil, 


40 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


July  25,  1861,  discharged  July  25,  1864; 
term  expired;  John  \V.  Priest,  July  25,  1861, 
killed  at  Ft.  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862;  Frank 
Peters,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  May  4, 
1864;  John  Robinet,  July  25,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  May  4,  1864;  George  W.  Rouse, 
July  25,  1861 ;  M.  N.  Rust,  July  25,  1861, 
transferred  to  Twelfth  Illinois  Infantry ;  H. 
Schnerderyan,  July  25,  1861,  veteran,  mus- 
tered out  May  4,  1866;  John  M.  Switzer, 
July  25,  1861,  promoted  sergeant;  Button 
Staines,  July  25,  1861,  promoted  corporal, 
discharged  Sept.  24,  1862;  E.  O.  Steward, 
July  25,  1861,  discharged  Oct.  14,  1861 ;  John 
C.  Seiter,  July  25,  1861,  mustered  out  May 
4.  1866;  V.  G.  Tanse)^  July  25,  1861,  dis- 
charged Oct.  14,  1861 ;  H.  Wardner,  July 
25,  1861,  transferred  to  Inv.  Corps  Sept.  15, 
1862;  J.  Warren,  July  25,  1861,  discharged 
Nov.  8,  1863,  wounds  at  \"icksburg;  Andrew 
Wills,  July  25,  1861,  discharged  Feb.  17, 
1862,  wounds  at  Ft.  Donelson. 

Recruits,  Drafts  and  Substitutes — Jo- 
sephus  Athons,  April  5,  1864.  promoted  cor- 
poral, mustered  out  ^[ay  4,  1866;  Antoine 
Andrish,  Aug.  17,  1861,  killed  at  Shiloh 
April  6,  1862;  Peter  Baker,  Aug.  17,  1861, 
discharged  Sept.  9,  1862,  wounds  at  Shiloh : 
Henry  Brown,  Aug.  29,  1861,  discharged 
Dec.  5,  1862,  wounds  at  Shiloh ;  Dayton 
Dunham,  Aug.  16,  1861,  discharged  April  11, 
1862,  wounds  at  Ft.  Donelson ;  John  Denz, 
Aug.  29,  1861,  mustered  out  May  4,  1865; 
Peter  Frank,  Sept.  7,  1861 ;  August  Fluke, 
Aug.  29,  1862,  discharged  Oct.  11,  1863; 
Jacob  Grosh,  Aug.  17,  1861,  mustered  out 
Sept.  5,  1864;  Jacob  Gross,  Aug.  22,  1861 ; 
Hugo  Gunter,  Nov.  27.  1861,  mustered  out 
March  2,  1866;  John  J.  Grob,  Jan.  5,  1864, 
mustered  out  May,  1866;  Isaac  Hatchly, 
Nov.  26,  1861,  discharged  May  i,  1862, 
wounds  at  Shiloh ;  John  D.  Hawley,  Sept. 
9,  1861 ;  R.  F.  Jones,  mustered  out  May  14. 
1866;  M.  Kepler,  Sept,  7,  1861,  discharged 
Dec,  15,  1862,  wounds  at  Shiloh;  Jacob 
Lehman,  Aug,  8,   1861,  discharged  Aug,  7, 


1864;  August  Langheld,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged Aug.  8,  1863,  wounds  at  Raymond, 
Miss.;  Robert  Lynn,  Aug.  29,  1861,  died 
Oct.  30,  1861 ;  Charles  Lentz,  veteran,  killed 
at  Jackson,  Miss.,  July  7,  1864;  Jacob  Lan- 
kerman,  Jan.  i,  1862,  mustered  out  May  4, 
1866;  William  Mossman.Dec.  18,  1863,  mus- 
tered out  May  4,  1866;  John  S.  Magee,  April 
28,  1864,  mustered  out  May  4,  1866;  John 
Mathys,  April  16,  1864,  mustered  out  May 
4,  1866;  Thomas  McGorr\-,  Dec.  i,  1861, 
promoted  first  lieutenant ;  J.  H.  O'Conner, 
Aug.  13,  1861 ;  Thomas  Preston,  Aug.  23, 
1861,  discharged  Oct.  15,  1863,  wounds  at 
Vicksburg;  Frank  Pfeift'er,  April  15,  1864, 
mustered  out  July  i,  1865;  Leonard  Reister, 
Sept.  2,  1861 ;  Michael  Walker,  Aug.  13, 
1861,  mustered  out  May  4,  1866;  Charles 
Webber,  Sept.  28,  1861,  killed  at  Charles- 
ton, Mo.,  Oct.  16,  1861 ;  John  Zimm,  April 
28,   1864,  mustered  out  ilay  4,  1866. 

TWENTY-FIRST  ILLINOIS  REGULAR 
INFANTRY. 

The  Twenty-first  Illinois  Regular  Infan- 
tr)^  was  mustered  into  service  in  June,  1861, 
U.  S.  Grant  in  command.  Went  to  fronton, 
]\[o.,  then  in  battle  at  Perrysville  and  Chap- 
lin Hill,  skirmish  at  Knob  Gap.  Engaged 
in  battle  near  ^Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  with 
Gen.  Rosecrans"  army ;  next  went  to  Chat- 
tanooga. Engaged  in  skirmish  at  Liberty 
Gap,  June  25.  1863 ;  in  battle  at  Chicka- 
mauga  Sept.  19,  1863.  Then  tarried  three 
months  at  Bridgeport,  Ala.,  mustered  out 
Dec.  16,  1865,  at  San  Antonio,  Tex.  Ar- 
rived at  Camp  Butler  Jan.  18,  1866,  for  dis- 
charge. 

Roster  Twenty-first  Infantry. 

Colonels — U.  S,  Grant,  June  16,  1861,  pro- 
moted brigadier  general  Aug,  5,  1861,  major 
general  Feb.  16,  1862 ;  J.  W.  Alexander, 
Aug.  23,  1861,  killed  in  battle  Sept.  20,  1862; 
James  E.  Calloway,  May  11,  1865,  mustered 
out  Dec.  16,  1865 ;  William  H.  Jamison, 
July  13,  1865,  mustered  out  Dec.  16,  1865. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


41 


Lieutenant  Colonels — George  \V.  Peck, 
Sept.  2,  1861,  discharged  Sept.  19,  1862,  ill 
health:  W.  E.  McMaken,  Sept.  19.  1862, 
term  expired  Xo\-.  16,  18(14. 

Major — John  L.  \\  il,>iun,  Jinu-  2,  1865, 
mustered  out  Dec.  16,  1865. 

Adjutants — Charles    B.    Steele,    Sept.    6, 

1861.  resigned  July,  1864;  J.  R.  Duncan, 
JuU  20,  1864,  promoted  captain,  mustered 
out  IJec.  16,  1865;  John  A.  Pierce.  Aug.  21, 
1865;  nnistered  out  Dec.  16,  1865. 

Quartermasters — John  E.  Jones,  May  15, 
1863.  mustered  out  Aug.  18.  1864;  Simeon 
I'atldleford.  Aug.  18,  1864,  mustered  out 
Dec.  16,  1865. 

Surgeons — Eden  M.  Scelej-,  Aug.  21,  1862, 
resigned  May  21,  1864;  James  J.  Reat,  May 
21.   1864,  mustered  out  Dec.  26,   1865. 

Chaplain— E.  D.  Wilkins.  Oct.  12.  i8r,i. 
resigned  July  9.  1864. 

Company   A. 

Captains — S.  S.  (loodc.  .May  7,  1861.  slate 
service  Tenth  Regiment ;  George  H.  Dun- 
ning. May  17,  1861,  resigned  Oct.  24,  1862: 
George  F.  Eaton,  Oct.  24,  1862,  mustered 
out  July  5,  1864. 

l-"irst    Lieutcna,nt — E.    D.    Coxe,   Oct.   24, 

1862,  mustered  out  July  5.  1864;  B.  F.  Os- 
borne, July  5,  1864;  J.  R.  Shepard,  Aug.  21. 
1865.  mustered  out  Dec.   16.  1865. 

Second  Lieutenant — J.  L.  Bowman.  May 
7.  1861,  resigned  April  14,  1862:  Josejjh  C. 
Alvord.  Oct.  24,  1862,  killed  in  battle  Dec. 
31,  1S62:  Thomas  Gross,  June  i,  1863,  re- 
signed May  12,  1865;  Alvin  Calmus,  Dec. 
16,  1865,  mustered  out  Dec.  16,  1865. 

First  Sergeant — Edward  D.  Coxe,  June 
15,  1861,  promoted  first  lieutenant. 

Second  Sergeant — Charles  Disbrow.  June 
15,  1861.  Discharged  Aug.  10,  1862;  disa- 
bility. 

Corporals — Elijah  Smith.  June  15,  1861. 
killed  at  Stone  River.  Dec.  30,  1862  ;  William 
1\.  Wheeler,  June  15.  1861.  discharged  Sept. 
I,    1863:    Benjamin     F.    Osborne.   June    15, 


i8()i,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  promoted  first 
lieutenant;  Joseph  Wagoner,  June  15,  i86r, 
discharged  April  23,  1863;  G.  W.  Stephens, 
June  15,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mus- 
tered out  Dec.  16,  1865. 

Musician — J.  D.  L.  Meeks,  June  15,  1861, 
mustered  out  Jul}-  5,  1864. 

Wagoner — John  Hanks,  Jmie  15,  1861, 
nuistered  out  July  5.  1864. 

Privates — Joseph  Barber,  June  2^,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  Dec. 
I'),  1865;  James  T.  l>aker,  June  15,  1861, 
discharged  Sept.  15,  1862;  Mugh  Bacon, 
June  15,  1861,  killed  Stone  River,  Dec.  31, 
1862;  Philii)  Blo.-^,  June  15.  1861,  died.  An- 
dersonville,  June  15.  18O4;  Jacob  Conouft", 
June  15.  1861,  killed.  Stone  River,  Dec.  30, 
1862:  William  II.  Clepson.  June  15.  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865,  ]3risoner  of  war;  James  Clark,  June 
21 ,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  transferred 
to  engineering  corps  .\ug.  2.  1864;  Henry 
Cruise,  June  21,  1861.  discharged  Aug.  10, 
1862;  l)a\id  Crawford.  July  26.  1861.  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865.  prisoner  of  war;  Frank  Ernest,  July 
13.  1861,  discharged  Aug.  10,  1862,  disabil- 
ity; F.  H.  Fanuuer.  June  15,  1861,  died  at 
.\ndersonville  June  20.  1864;  H.  F.  Fletcher, 
June  15,  1861,  nnistered  out  July  5,  1864; 
Daniel  I-'oiey.  June  15,  iSCii, killed  at  Chicka- 
mauga  Sept.  19.  1863;  Joseph  E.  Hobson, 
June  15,  1861,  mustered  cml  July  5,  1864; 
Jasi)iT  H.  Hixson,  June  13.  1861,  discharged 
March  11,  1864,  disabled;  William  II.  Hig- 
gins,  June  24,  1861,  killed  at  Stone  River, 
Dec.    30,    1862;    Orlando    Hogan,    June    24, 

1861.  mustered  out  Aug.  16,  1864;  William 
Johnson,  June  25,  1861,  discharged  Oct.  7. 
1861  ;  Thomas  E.  Jefferson.  June  25,  iS^i, 
mustered  out  July  5.  1864;  James  B.  Ken- 
nedy.   June    25,    1861.    discharged    Sept.    9, 

1862,  wounds;  John  B.  Lambacli,  June  25, 
1861,  transferred  to  Inv.  Corps  Aug.  5,  1864; 
Jolin  Leigh,  June  24,  1861,  mustered  out 
July  3.  1864;  William   Mcl'horson.  June  15, 


42 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OP  MACON  COUNTY. 


]86i;  John  IMcAvoj-,  June  15,  1861,  re-en- 
listed as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865,  prisoner  of  war;  Abraham  McKitrick, 
June  2;^,  1861,  discharged  April  30,  1862, 
disability;  William  McGrath,  June  15.  1861, 
discharged  Oct.  7,  1861  ;  H.  B.  F.  Martin, 
June  15,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  died 
Oct.  30,  1864;  L.  D.  ^lorgan,  June  2t„  1861,. 
mustered  out  July  5,  1864:  C.  M.  Pope, 
June  15,  1861,  mustered  out  "ul}-  5,  1864; 
William  PL  Ross,  June  25,  1  .61,  mustered 
out  July  5,  1864;  C.  Rosenbarger,  June  15, 
i86r,  mustered  out  July  5,  1864,  as  corporal; 
Daniel  Shutter,  June  23,  1861  ;  Peter  Shelt, 
June  15,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mus- 
tered out  Dec.  16,  1865 ;  George  S.  Stuart, 
June  15,  1861,  died  at  x^nnapolis,  Md.,  Nov., 
1864;  Harvey  C.  Stuart,  June  15,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  Dec.  16, 
1865;  Edward  Stockton,  June  15,  1861  ; 
Joseph  Shepard,  June  15,  1861,  nothing 
known;  John  Smith,  June  15,  1861, 
mustered  out  July  5,  1864;  John  Street,  June 

15,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  vet  jran,  mustered 
out  Dec.  16,  1865,  as  corporal ;  Patrick  Shan- 
non, June  15,  1861,  discharged  to  re-enlist 
in  15th  U.  S.  Infantry,  Dec.  24,  1862;  James 
Shepherd,  June  22,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  vet- 
eran, promoted  to  first  lieutenant ;  William 
H.  Stewart,  June  23,  1861,  mustered  out 
Dec.  16,  1865;  Martin  Tibbett,  June  15,  1861, 
mustered  out  June  30,  1864;  John  Thute, 
June  21,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mus- 
tered out  Dec.  16,  1865;  John  L.  Whitten, 
June  15,  1861,  discharged  Aug.  18,  1863, 
disability;  Benjamin  F.  Witts,  June  22, 
1861,  died  Jan.  7,  1863,  wounds ;  William  H. 
Witts,  June  24,  1861,  mustered  out  July  7, 
1864;  Rudolph  Zorger,  June  22,  1861,  died 
Jan.  7,  1863,  wounds;  George  W^.  Stephens, 
re-enlisted    as   veteran,    mustered   out    Dec. 

16,  1865. 

Recruits — John  Cram,  Oct.  12,  1861,  died 
Nov.  ID,  1862;  John  Eckart,  Jan.  22,  1862, 
mustered  out  Jan.  28,  1865;  Martin  Fitz- 
])atrick,    Oct.,    1861,    mustered    out   Feb.    2, 


1865;  Taylor  Florey,  Oct.  12,  1861.  mus- 
tered out  April  27,  i'865 ;  Albert  Fovvkes, 
Oct.  12,  1861;  Silas  W.  West,  Aug.  13, 
1861,  died  Feb.   I,  1862,  disability. 

Company  K. 

Captains — A.  AL  Peterson,  May  16,  1861, 
resigned  Nov.  21,  1862;  John  L.  Wilson, 
Nov.  21,  1862,  promoted  to  major;  Sydney 
B.  Wade,  July  18,  1865,  mustered  out  Dec. 
16,  1865. 

Second  Lieutenant  —  John  F.  W^eitzel, 
Jan.  31,  1863,  killed  at  Chickamauga  Sept. 
19,  1863. 

Privates — Patrick  S.  Curtis,  June  14, 
1861 ;  George  i\L  Short,  June  24,  1861,  died 
March  25,  1863,  of  wounds. 

Unassigned — John  Barrett,  Dec.  19,  1863. 

THIRTY  FIFTH  ILLINOIS 
IIv  PANTRY. 
The  Thirty-fiith  Illinois  Infantry  was 
organized  in  Decitur  July  3,  1861,  and  ac- 
cepted by  the  secretary  of  war  on  the  23d 
of  the  month,  with  G.  A.  Smith  as  colonel. 
The  regiment  left  Decatur  Aug.  4,  arriving 
at  Jefiferson  Barr;'cks  on  the  5th ;  thence 
to  Marine  Hospital  at  St.  Louis;  next  to 
JefYerson  City,  Mu.,  to  Otterville  and  Se- 
dalia,  where  it  joined  General  Siegel's  ad- 
vance on  Springfield,  reaching  that  place  on 
the  26th,  then  to  Rollo,  returning  to  Spring- 
field, Feb.  13,  1862.  Col.  G.  A.  Smith  was 
badly  wounded  in  an  engagement  at  Pea 
Ridge.  This  regiment  took  part  at  Rocky- 
ford  Ridge,  Resaca,  Dallas,  Mud  Creek, 
Kenesaw,  Perryville  Stone  River  and  Chick- 
amauga ;  was  mustored  out  at  Springfield, 
111.,  Sept.  27,  1864. 

Roster  of  Thiity-fifth  Regiment. 
Colonels — G.  A.  Smith,  July  2,  1861,  pro- 
moted brigadier  general  Sept.  39,  1862,  dis- 
charged Sept.  22,  1863;  W.  B.  Chandler, 
Sept.  22,  1863,  term  expired  Sept.  27,  1864, 
was  lieutenant  colonel. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


43 


Major — John  Mclhvaiii,  Jul)-  3,  1861, 
killed  at  Kcncsaw  June  22,  1864. 

Atljutants — \\'.  J.  Usrey,  Sept.  i,  1861,  re- 
signed April  15,  1862;  Uriah  Fox,  April  15, 
1862.  resigned  Nov.  17,  1863;  Samuel  W. 
r.ird,  Now  17,  1863,  term  expired  Sept.  27, 
1864. 

yuartermaster — John  M.  Miles,  July  3, 
1861,  term   expired  Sept.  27,   1864. 

Surgeon.s — W.    J.    Chenoweth,   Sept.   25, 

1861,  resigned  Dec.  14,  1862;  S.  B.  Hawley, 
Dec.  9,  1862,  term  expired  Sept.  27,  1864. 

First  Assistant  Surgeon — D.  C.  Tidball, 
Sept.  25,  1861,  term  expired  Sept.  27,  1864. 

Second  Assistant  Surgeon — Johnathan 
^^'ylie,  Dec.  8,  1862,  term  expired  Sept.  27, 
1864. 

Chaplains — P.  D.  Hammond,  July  3,  1861, 
resigned  'May,  1862;  R.  E.  Harris,  i\Iay  12, 

1862,  left  at  Florence,  Ala.,  Aug.  18,  1862. 

Non-Commissioned  Staff. 

Sergeant  Major — George  B.  Peake,  July 
3,  1861,  promoted  second  lieutenant,  then 
captani  of  Company  A. 

Hospital  Steward — Joseph  T.  DeWatney, 
July  3.  1861,  reduced  and  retired  to  Com- 
pany A. 

Musicians — Newlin  B.  Davis,  July  3, 
1861;  Archibald  Monroe,  July  3,  1861,  pro- 
moted to  prin.  musician. 

Second  Class  Musicians — Joseph  Rick- 
etts,  July  3,  I861. 

Company  A. 

Captains — B.  M.  Tables,  July  3,  1861,  re- 
signed Dec.  20,  1861 ;  Pierre  W.  Thomas, 
Dec.  25,  1861,  resigned  Jan.  31,  1864;  George 
B.  Peake,  Jan.  31,  1864,  mustered  out  Sept. 
27,   1864. 

First  Lieutenant — George  F.  Deitz,  Dec. 
25,  1861,  died  July  8,  1863;  John  W.  Peed, 
Jan.  31,  1864,  term  expired  Sept.  27,  1864. 

Second  Lieutenant — James  Shoaf,  July 
3,  1861,  resigned  Feb.  3,  1862. 

Privates — Augusta  Glotz,  July  3.  1861, 
discharged  Aug.  9,  1862,  wounds;  Conover 


Hatfield.  July  3.  1861,  discharged  Dec.  12, 
1861,  disal^iliiy ;  William  C.  Stewart,  dis- 
charged June  15,  1862,  disability;  Andrew 
Stewart,  July  3,  )86i,  mustered  out  Sept. 
22.  i8()4,  wounded;  Jos^-ph  .McMullen,  July 
3,  i8()i  ;  John  1).  .Mc  l'";i(l(len,  July  3,  1861; 
John  1  lager,  July  3,  1861  ;  Curtis  Austin, 
July  3,  1861,  transferred  to  59th  Regiment; 
Frank  Rea,  July  3,  iSji. 

Company  F. 
N.  L.  F.  Monroe,  July  3,  1861,  discharged 
March  24,  1863,  disability. 

FORTY-FIRST  ILLINOIS  INFANTRY, 
ILLINOIS  VOLUNTEERS. 
The  Forty-first  Infantry,  Illinois  Volun- 
teers, was  organized  in  Decatur,  Illinois, 
in  August,  1861,  by  Col.  Isaac  C.  Pugh. 
The  regiment  went  to  St.  Louis,  Aug.  7, 
Bird's  Point,  Mo.,  on  the  29th  ;  was  assigned 
to  the  command  of  General  Prentiss  Sept. 
8,  moved  to  Paducah,  Ky.,  where  it  was  as- 
signed to  Gen.  B.  F  Smith;  Feb.  5,  1862, 
the  regiment  went  to  Ft.  Henry,  on  the  nth 
to  Ft.  Donelson,  was  engaged  in  the  siege 
on  the  13th,  14th  and  15th  under  Colonel 
Mc.\rthur.  Reached  Pittsburg  Landing  on 
tlic  i6th;  engaged  mi  battle  of  Shiloh  April 
6  and  7,  1862,  also  sk'ge  of  Corinth,  arriving 
at  Mcmpliis  July  ir,  staying  here  until  Sept. 
6,  then  to  Bolivar,  to  LaGrange,  Nov.  3,  to 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  March  10,  1863,  next  to 
Henando,  Miss.,  had  an  engagement  at  Cold- 
water,  thence  retired  to  Memphis;  moved 
to  Vicksburg  May  12;  finally  consolidated 
with  Fifty-third  Regiment. 

Roster    Forty  first    Illinois    Infantry. 
.Adjutants — B.  G.  Pugh,  Dec.  12,  1861,  re- 
Colonel— I.  C.  Pugh,  July  27,   1861,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  ;:o,  1864. 

Lieutenant  Colonels — Ansel  Tupper,  July 
27,  1861,  killed  at  Pittsburg  Landing  .April 
6,  1862;  John  Warner,  April  8,  1862,  dis- 
charged Nov.  26,  1862;  John  H.  Nale,  mus- 
tered out  .\ug.  2,  1864. 


u 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Majors — F.  M.  Long,  kilk-d  in  action  July 
12,  1863;  R.  H.  McFaddcn,  Irausfcrred  to 
field  staff  as  consolidated. 

Adjutants — B.  G.  I'ugh.  Dec.  12,  1861,  re- 
signed June  9,  1862;  William  (lillespie,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Quartermasters — H.  C.  Bradsby,  July  27, 
1861,  resigned  June  9,  1862;  I.  R.  Pugh, 
Sept.  30,  1862,  resigned  Aug.  i,  1863;  John 
Boughnian,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Surgeons — William  M.  Gray,  mustered 
out  March  29,  1862;  Charles  Carle,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  20,  1864. 

First  Assistant  Surgeons — George  W. 
.Short,  July  27,  1861,  resigned;  O.  M.  War- 
moth,  April  12,  1862,  transferred  to  field 
staff  as  consolidated. 

Second  Assistant  Surgeon — John  W'. 
Coleman,  Sept.  30,  1862,  term  expired  1866. 

Captains — John  H.  Nale,  July  27,  1861, 
promoted;  M.  F.  Kanan,  April  8,  1862, 
transferred  to  Company  A. 

First  Lieutenants — George  R.  Steele, 
April  8,  1862,  resigned  Aug.  3,  1863;  Roland 
Bell,  April  8,  1862,  promoted  from  second 
lieutenant,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Non-Commissioned  Staff. 

Sergeant  Major — Bartley  G.  Pugh,  Aug. 
5,    1861,  promoted  adjutant. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant — Alonzo  Bur- 
gess, Aug.  5,  iSCii,  mustered  out  -Aug.  20, 
1864. 

Hospital  .Stewards — John  Luttrell,  Aug. 
5.  1861,  died:  James  VV.  Routh,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  20,   1864,  was  corporal. 

First  Sergeant — Lewis  B.  Morton,  Aug. 
5,  1861,  died  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  Sept.  19,  1861. 

Sergeants — Roland  Bell,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
promoted  second  lieutenant ;  Bryant  Kel- 
sey,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  June  20,  1863, 
wounded;  W'.  E.  Winholtz,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864,  as  first  ser- 
geant, wounded ;  David  S.  Morse,  Aug.  5, 
1 861,  died  at  Moscow,  Tenn.,  Jan.  23,  1863. 

Corporals — W'illiam  PL  Hecocks,  Aug.  5, 


1861,  killed  at  Jackson,  Miss.,  July  12,  1863, 
was  sergeant;  Moses  A.  Stare,  Aug.  5,  1861  ; 
Henry  C.  Payne,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out 
Aug.  20,  1864:  11.  M.  Strcver,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  -Vug.  20,  1864,  as  sergeant; 
John  W.  Shepard,  Aug.  5,  i86i,  discharged 
Nov.  15,  1862;  Fred  O.  Spooner,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  killed  at  Shiloh  .-\pril  4,  1862;  Horace 
W.  Clark,  Aug.  5,  1861. 

Privates — James  W'.  Anderson,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  mustered  out  -Aug.  20,  1864;  Robert 
Asher,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  rmt  Aug.  20, 
1864;  John  Albert,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered 
out  Aug.  20,  1864;  James  Bryant,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  John 
Boring,  Aug.  5,  1861,  musteied  out  Aug.  20, 
1864;  Marion  Bcamer,  Any,.  5,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  20,  1864;  ;Vlonzo  Burgess, 
Aug.  5,  1 861,  promoted  qiiartermaster  ser- 
geant ;  George  W.  Betzer,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
discharged  Sept.  28,  1862,  wounds;  Albert 
Bell,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
1864;  Samuel  A\'.  Brindli  man,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  .\ug.  20,  1864;  Samuel  W. 
Bear.  .\ug.  5,  1861,  discharged  Oct.  18,  1862, 
disability;  Marion  Biancet,  .A.ug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  2C,  1864;  Latham  Buck, 
Aug.  5,  1861,  re-enlijted  as  veteran,  trans- 
ferred to  Company  A,  veteran  battalion ; 
Aaron  Cole,  Aug.  5,  1861,  re-enlisted  as 
veteran,  wounded  ;  Henry  Chambers,  Aug. 
5,  1861,  discharged  June  10,  1862,  disability; 
Henry  C.  Colladay,  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged 
for  disability;  Chris  Crandall,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  .\ug.  20,  1864 ;  Henry  G. 
Clark,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  November,  1861 ; 
L.  L.  Culver,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out 
Aug.  20,  1864;  James  S.  Cox.  .A.ug.  5,  1861, 
killed  at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  J.  B.  Dren- 
nan.  .\ug.  5,  1861,  killed  at  Donelson  Feb. 
15,  1862:  M.  C.  Dubois,  Aug.  5.  1861,  died 
at  home  Sept.  2^,  1863,  wounds ;  Elijah  De- 
laney,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
1864;  George  W.  Davis,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  -Vug.  20,  1864;  John  ]\L  Davis, 
.A.ug.    15,    1861,    discharged    Nov.    24,    1861, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


45 


disability;  J.  \\  .  Edmondson,  Aug.  5.  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864:  Adam  Ebord. 
Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864, 
wounded;  Henry  Puller,  Aug.  5,  1861  ;  John 
Fikc,  Aug.  5,  18O1,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
1864;  Elijah  B.  Fcnncr,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  20,  1864;  John  L.  I'orin. 
Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  .\ug.  20,  18O4; 
I'.noch  D.  Greene,  Aug.  5,  i86t,  mustered 
out  Aug.  20,  1864;  ^lichael  Giblin,  Aug.  5. 
1861  ;  R.  W.  (ilassie,  Aug.  5,  18(31,  mustered 
out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Richard  Gathored,  Aug. 
5,  i8()i,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Will- 
iam H.  Greene,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out 
Aug.  20,  1864,  corporal;  John  Hayes,  Aug. 

5,  1861,  discharged  Aug.  6,  1861,  by  writ 
of  habeas  corpus ;  John  R.  Hull,  Aug.  5, 
i8()i.  discharged  .\pril  8.  1863,  as  corporal, 
disability ;  James  E.  Hull.  Aug.  5.  I861,  died 
in  enemies'  hands,  wounded;  Thomas  J. 
Barter,  .Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged  Dec.  5, 
1862,  wounds;  Walter  P).  Huston,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Norville 
Huston,  Aug.  5,  1861,  killed  at  Shiloh  April 

6,  1862;  Thomas  Hackne\',  Aug.  5,  1861, 
discharged  Sept.  19,  1862,  wounds;  T.  X. 
Jordan,  Aug.  5,  1861,  wounded  at  Shiloh, 
killed  at  Vicksburg,  June  7.  1863;  George 
Jimison,  .\ug.  5,  1861,  captured,  paroled; 
Oscar  A.  Kelse,  Aug.  5,  i86i,  w^ounded  at 
Donelson,  discharged  Oct.  2^,  1863,  as  cor- 
poral ;  Isaac  W.  Kile,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered 
out  Aug.  20,  1864,  as  corporal ;  J.  W.  Cumis- 
son,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
1864;  C.  Longabaugh,  Aug.  5,  1861,  re-en- 
listed as  veteran,  transferred  to  Com])any 
A,  veteran  battalion  ;  R.  Longabaugh,  Aug. 
5.  1861,  transferred  to  Inv.  Corps,  Sept.  15, 
1863:  Williaiu  M.  Morlan,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged No.  7.  1862,  wounds;  George  Man- 
derville,  -Vug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
1864;  James  W.  Moore,  Aug.  5.  t86i,  died 
at  Paducah,  Ky.,  Feb.  7,  1862;  Hugh  Mc- 
Donald. Aug.  5.  i86i  ;  J.  AT.  Monohon.  .\ug. 
5,  \S.Ui.  died  at  Paducah,  Ky..  Dec.  28.  1861  ; 
William    Parr.   .Aug.    t.    i86[.   mustcrefl   out 


.\ug.  20,  1864,  veteran  battalion:  Joseph 
Ray,  Aug.  5,  1861,  wounded  at  Shiloh,  re-en- 
listed as  veteran,  transferred  to  Company 
A  ;  .Aaron  Sniick,  .Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out 
-Vug.  20,  1864,  sergeant,  wounded;  James  M. 
Sides.  -Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
18(14;  11.  ],.  Stookey,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged .\ug.  2,  1862,  wounded;  William  H. 
Stookey,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  at  Alexandria, 
\'a..  April  17,  1864;  Thomas  B.  Strope,  Aug. 
5,  iSoi,  discharged  .\pril  2/.  1862,  disa- 
bility; William  W.  Smith,  .Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged SejJt.  Mj,  1862,  wounds;  Michael 
Sweet,  .Aug.  5,  i86i  ;  Bartley  G.  Pugh,  Aug. 
5,  1861.  promoted  sergeant  major  and  adju- 
tant; Daniel  Senseman,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged .Aug.  20,  1863,  as  corporal ;  Will- 
iam 11.  Smith,  .Aug.  5,  1861, 'sergeant,  died 
Aliril  H).  1862,  wounds;  William  T.  Short, 
.\ug.  5.  1861,  discharged  Feb.  2j,  1863,  dis- 
ability ;  David  Spainhower,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
discharged  Sept.  18,  1862;  James  S.  Stew- 
art, Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
1864,   wounded;  James    B.  Troxel,   Aug.   5, 

1861,  discharged  Aug.  20,  1864,  wounded; 
George  E.  Todd,  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged 
-April  7,  1862,  disability;  George  Tuttle, 
Aug.  5,  1861,  killed  at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862; 
(j.  W.  Thompson,  .Aug.  5,  1861.  discharged 
Nov.  17,  1862,  disability;  S.  H.  'fimmons, 
.\ug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  -Aug.  20,  1864; 
-M.  F.  Timmons,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  at 
Natchez  Oct.  20,  1863,  wounds;  Alexander 
W.  Tansjs  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged  Nov.  25, 

1862,  disability;  William  D.  A^aughn.  Aug. 
5,  i86r,  discharged  Aug.  4,  1862,  disability; 
W.  H.  VVestcoat,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out 
Aug.  20,  1864;  John  R.  WHiite,  .Aug.  5.  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  transferred  to  Com- 
])aiiy  .\,  veteran  battalion;  Andrew  Will- 
iams, -Aug.  5,  1861.  transferred  to  invalid 
corps  Sept.  15,  1863;  John  1'..  Williams,  .Aug. 
5,  1861,  died  at  Jackson,  Tcnn.  ;  Hiram  R. 
^\'ilson,  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged  .Aug.  2, 
1862,  wounds;  John  J.  Ward,  -Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered    out    .Aug.    20,    1864;   William    H. 


46 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Whitesell,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug. 
20,  1864. 

Recruits- — James  H.  Crain,  died  at  home 
Oct.  2"/,  1863  ;  Joel  Hull,  mustered  out  Aug. 
27,  1863 ;  Samuel  A.  McDonald ;  Kilburn  H. 
Roby,  mustered  out  Nov.  24,  1861,  disabil- 
ity; George  B.  Schroll,  discharged  Sept.  18, 
1862,  disability ;  William  Wheeler,  Aug.  25, 
1862,  mustered  out  May  3,  1866. 

Company  B. 

Captains — A.  B.  Lee,  July  27,  1861,  re- 
signed Aug.  II,  1863;  John  H.  Davis,  Aug. 
15,  1863,  term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864,  was 
first  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants-William  H.  Palmer, 
Aug.  15,  1863,  transferred  to  Company  B 
as  consolidated. 

Second  Lieutenant — Jackson  H.  Aldridge, 
July  27,  1861,  died  at  Mound  City  }\Iarch 
I,  1862. 

Private — ^John  C.  Good,  Jan.  3,  1864, 
transferred  to  Company  B,  veteran  battal- 
ion, transferred  to  Company  G,  53d  Regi- 
ment. 

Company  E. 

Captains — John  L.  Armstrong,  July  27, 
1861,  died  Dec.  11,  1861 ;  W.  S.  Oglesby, 
Dec.  12,  1861,  killed  in  action  April  6,  1862, 
first  lieutenant;  Oscar  Strait,  Sept.  i,  1S62, 
term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864. 

First  Lieutenants — Robert  Warnick,  Dec. 
12,  1861,  relieved  as  second  lieutenant  Janu- 
ary, 1862;  James  A.  Wilson,  April  18,  1862, 
term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Second  Lieutenants — James  M.  Taylor, 
Dec.  12,  1861,  resigned  April  26,  1862,  was 
sergeant;  S.  R.  Appleton,  Sept.  30,  1862,  re- 
signed Nov.  17,  1862;  Joseph  Catherwood, 
Nov.  18,  1862,  term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Sergeants — Buckner  H.  Pasley,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  James  A. 
Wilson,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug. 
20,  1864;  Joseph  Yick.  Aug.  5,  1861,  died 
April  8,  1862,  wounds. 

Corporals — Albert  D.  Rose,  Aug.  5,  1861, 


discharged  Sept.  6,  1862,  disability;  John 
H.  Bennet,  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged  April 
15,  1862;  Oscar  Strait,  Aug.  5,  1861,  pro- 
moted to  sergeant,  then  captain;  James  ^L 
Stevens,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug. 
20,  1864;  Henry  Stevens,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  20,  1864,  as  private;  Harri- 
son Graham,  Aug.  5,  1861,  drowned,  De- 
catur, June  19,  1862;  James  W.  Burke,  Aug. 

5,  1861,  discharged  Oct.  9,  1862 ;  Jacob  Gra- 
ham, Aug.   5,    1861,   killed   at   Shiloh   April 

6,  1862. 

Privates — T.  J.  Armstrong,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Edmiston 
Austin,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  x\ug.  20, 
1864;  William  D.  Botts,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged Sept.  19,  1862,  disability ;  Jesse  R. 
Berry,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  Nov.  11,  1863,  dis- 
ability; John  P.  Bassell,  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged March  2,  1863,  disability ;  William 
Bennett,  .A.ug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  Aug. 
20,  1864;  William  Blair,  Aug.  5,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  transferred  to  Company 
A,  veteran  battalion ;  James  Blair,  Aug.  5, 
1861 ;  John  Beshle,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  Aug. 
6,  1862,  wounds;  Benjamin  Berry,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  sergeant,  died  at  Keokuk  Jul}'  i,  1862; 
J.  P.  Brookshire,  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged 
March  10,  1863,  disability ;  C.  S.  Barker, 
Aug.  5,  1861 ;  Charles  Bentley,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  transferred  to  Com- 
pany A,  veteran  battalion ;  H.  J.  Brewing- 
ton,  Aug.  5,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran, 
transferred  to  Company  A,  veteran  battal- 
ion;  Benjamin  Clark.  Aug.  5,  1861,  in  ma- 
rine service;  Martin  Clark,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Alexander 
Crouch,  Aug.  3,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran, 
transferred  to  Company  A,  veteran  battal- 
ion;  Pearson  Carmean.  Aug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged Dec.  7,  1861,  disability:  David  ^L 
Davis,  Aug.  5,  1861,  killed  at  Shiloh  April 
2,  1862;  Edward  Douglas,  Aug.  5,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran ;  Job  A.  Dillon,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Robert 
Evans,   Aug.   5,    1861,   discharged   June    19, 


PAST  AND  I'RKSENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


1862,  disability;  William  J.  riraliaiu,  Aug. 
5,  i8<>i.  died  at  .\iulcrsunvillc  .\\\^.  -'3,  iSC>4; 
Levi  (irilTco,  Aug.  5,  t8<.)i,  discharged  Jan. 
8,  i8C)2,  disability;  John  Z.  Gall,  .\ug.  5, 
i8<ji.  died  at  .Mbany,  Ind..  June  «>  i8<jj; 
Henry  Henistead,  .\ug.  5,  1801  ;  Thomas 
Herring,  Aug.  5,  1861,  sergeant,  died  July 
18.  l.Sdj,  disability;  Henry  Jostes,  Aug.  5, 
1861,  mustered  out  .\ug.  20,  18(14;  William 
Jostes,  .\ug.  5,  1861,  mustered  out  .\ug.  20, 
1W14:  David  Jones,  .\ug.  5,  1801,  discharged 
June  17,  1862,  disability;  William  Kir- 
baugh,  .\ug.  5,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran; 
D.  H.  Krone,  .\ng.  5.  1861,  re-enlisted  as 
veteran;  S.  Langdon,  .\ng.  5,  1861,  dieil  at 
Taducah,  Ky.,  Dec.  2,  1861 ;  James  W. 
Long,  .\ug.  5,  18^)1,  died  July  i,  18*13, 
wounds;  James  W.  l-ittle,  .\ug.  5,  i8(>i, 
mustered  out  .\ug.  2U,  18^)4;  John  Lultrcll, 
.\ug.  5.   i8()i,  died  at  Columbus,  Ky.,  Dec. 

4.  i8<>2;  James  .McQuality,  .\ug.  5,  1861, 
discharged  Nov.  25,  1862,  disability;  I'erry 
Malone,  .\ug.  3.  i8(>i,  re-cnlistcd  as  vet- 
eran: Charles  Nevins,  .\ug.  5,  1861;  J.  N. 
.\ichol.>on.  .\ug.  5,  i8()i,  mustered  out  .\ug. 
20,  i8<)4;  Henry  C.  Odor,  .\ug.  5.  i8(.i.  miss- 
ing since  Feb.  10,  1862;  Lewis  Ordleb,  .\ug. 

5,  i8<)i  ;  George  .\.  I'eck.  .\ug.  5,  18O1,  ser- 
geant, died  at  ^^ound  City  March  8,  1862; 
Joseph  .\.  Fasley.  .\ng.  3,  iSTu.  mustered 
out  .\ug.  20,  K%4;  .M.  L.  Pasley,  .Aug.  5, 
1861,  died  at  Blue  Mound,  111.,  Feb.  8,  1862; 
John  I'ope,  -\ug.  3,  iSTu,  transferred  to  Inv. 
Corps  Dec.  i,  18/^3;  John  Read,  .\ug.  5. 
1861.  killed  at  Donelson  Feb.  15,  1862; 
George  W.  Ralls,  Aug.  3,  iS^n.  mustered 
out  .\ug.  20,  1*34;  Thomas  C.  I'hilbrick, 
.\ug.  3,  1861,  transferred  to  Inv.  Corps  Nov. 
10.  i8<>2;  James  J.  I'asley,  Aug.  3.  18/.1.  died 
at  I'aducah,  Ky.,  Dec.  4,  iWu  ;  \\  iiliani  C. 
Rose.  .\ug.  5,  1861,  died  April  18,  1862, 
wonmls;  John  Scott,  .\ug.  3,  i8^>i,  mustered 
out  in  field;  John  Shortel,  .\ug.  3,  i8r>i  ; 
Joseph  F.  Stephens,  Aug.  3,  1861,  discharged 
Dec.  20,  i^M,  disability;  George  W.  Stich, 
.\ug.  3.  i8«'.i.  killed  at  Shiloh  April  4.  '•'^•^: 


ilenjamin  I'.  Sinnard,  .\ug.  5,  1861,  dis- 
charged Feb.  14,  i8<j3.  disability;  Simon 
D.  Smith,  .\ug.  5,  1801,  discharged  Sept.  1, 
i8t>2,  as  corporal,  disability;  Charles  Ul- 
mer,  .\ug.  5,  i8()i,  nnistered  out  Aug.  20, 
18(^14;  John  Ward,  .\ug.  3,  18O1,  mustered 
out  .\ug.  3,  i8(ji,  mustered  out  Aug.  20, 
i8<>4,  as  sergeant,  wounded. 

Recruits — .\Ie.\ander  .Mlsbury,  re-eidist- 
c<l  as  veteran ;  .\aron  G.  Green,  mustered 
out  .\ug.  20,  18(14,  first  sergeant;  Patrick 
.Murray,  transferred  to  Company  A,  veteran 
battalion;  James  T.  I'urdue,  Dec.  22,  1862, 
discharged  Dec.  23,  1863,  disability;  F.  .M. 
Stevens,  mustered  out  .\ug.  20,  18(14;  John 
1).  Stevens,  mustered  out  .\ug.  20.  1864,  as 
sergeant;  Joseph  Smith,  died  at  .Memphis, 
Tenn..  .\pril  3,  1863;  Joseph  L.  Walker, 
Jan.  3,  i8<)4,  transferretl  to  Company  A, 
veteran  battalion;  .\mlrew  M.  WMieeler, 
mustered  out  May  29,  18O3;  Charles  Nevins, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran. 

Company  F. 

Captains — David  P.  Brown,  July  27,  1861, 
resignetl  .March  28,  1862;  J.  C.  Lewis, 
.Marcii  28.  i8(J2,  resigned  C)ct.  16,  1862,  was 
first  and  second  lieutenant;  Jesse  F.  Har- 
old, October  \f>,  1862,  term  e.xpired  .\ug. 
20.  1864,  was  first  lieutenant. 

l"irst  Lieutenants — H.  C.  McCook,  July 
2j,  i8(ji,  promoted  to  chaplain;  Henry 
Hevis,  Oct.  I,  1861,  resigned  Feb.  10,  1862; 
W  illiam  H.  Taylor,  Oct.  16,  1862,  term  cx- 
|)ired  .\ug.  20,  1864,  was  second  lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant — Va\  C.  Sackett.  Oct. 
1(1,  1862,  term  expired  .\ug.  20,  18(14. 

Privates — Solomon  Petry,  .'\ug.  20,  i8tii, 
mustered  out  .Aug.  20,  18(14;  Levi  11. 
Rouse,  July  27,  1861,  discharged  May  5, 
1862,  disability;  Henry  Rogers,  Aug.  7, 
1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  transferred  to 
Company  B,  veteran  battalion. 

Company  G. 

Captains — I-rancis  M.  Lung,  July  2~,  1861, 
|ir<inii -iiil  111  iii.iiiir    Il;mi(!  K    Ilall,  Sept.  1, 


48 


PAST  .\\1)   l'Rl£Si:XT  UF  AlACOxX  COUNTY 


1862,  promoted  l)y  president  May  26,  1864, 
was  first  lieutenant;  T.  J.  Anderson,  May 
2"/,  1864.  term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864,  was 
second  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — John  B.  Butler,  Sept. 
I,  1862,  resigned  June  18,  1863,  was  second 
lieutenant:  Charles  G.  Young,  May  27,  1864, 
term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Second  Lieutenant — John  C.  Cox,  July  z"], 
1861,  died  -April  9,  1862,  wounds  at  Pitts- 
burg Landing. 

Privates — William    H.    Ready,    July    26, 

1861,  killed  at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  John 
W.  Ready,  Oct.  5,  i86x,  discharged  Sept. 
18,  1862,  disability.    . 

Company  H. 

Captains — H.  Blackstone,  July  2"/,  1861, 
resigned  June  28,  1862 ;  John  H.  Huffner, 
Jan.  28,  1862,  killed  in  battle  April  6,  1862, 
was  first  lieutenant ;  Luther  H.  Wilber, 
April  7,  1862,  died  April  28,  1862,  was  first 
lieutenant ;    William    F.    Turney,   April    29, 

1862,  term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864,  was  sec- 
ond lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — James  S.  Steen,  July 
27,  1861,  resigned  Dec.  21,  1861 ;  D.  AL 
Turne)',  Ai)ril  29,  1862,  term  expired  Aug. 
20,   1864. 

Second  Lieutenants — H.  H.  Hardy,  Dec. 
25,  1861,  resigned  May  22,  1862;  Chris  Cor- 
neley,  May  22,  1862,  killed  in  action  July 
12,  1863. 

Privates — Patrick  Kenny,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
died  of  wounds  received  at  Ft.  Donelson ; 
Isaac  R.  Pugh,  Aug.  5,  1861,  promoted  regi- 
mental quartermaster. 

Company  I. 

Captains — Benjamin  B.  Bacon,  July  27, 
1861,  resigned  March  4,  1862;  F.  Al.  Green, 
March  5,  1862,  term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864, 
was  second  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — R.  R.  Parrish,  July  27, 
1861,  resigned  Sept.  28,  1862,  was  second 
lieutenant ;    Leander    Green,    Nov.    5,    1862^ 


term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864,  was  second 
lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant — P.  J.  Frederick,  Sept. 
28,  1864,  term  expired  Aug.  20,  1864. 

Privates — John  T.  Carmon,  Aiig.  5,  1861, 
promoted  to  commissarj-  sergeant  Samuel 
E.  Gross,  Aug.  5,  1861,  discharged  Aug. 
16,  1861  ;  George  Jacobs,  Aug.  5,  1861,  mus- 
tered out  Aug.  20,  1864;  Elijah  Wells,  Aug. 
5,  1861.  mustered  out  .Aug.  20,  1864;  Flenry 
White,  Aug.  5,  1861,  died  of  wounds  Sept. 
13,  1862;  Peter  Welhouse,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
mustered  out  Aug.  20,  1864. 

A'eterans — Edward  Conrad,  Jan.  21,  1864, 
transferred  to  Company  A,  veteran  battal- 
ion ;  Benjamin  F".  Frazee,  Dec.  18,  1863, 
transferred  to  veteran  battalion ;  James 
Jones,  Jan.  5,  1864,  transferred  to  veteran 
battalion;  Henry  Snyder,  Dec.  18,  1863, 
transferred  to  veteran  battalion ;  V\'illiam 
H.  Smith,  Dec.  18,  1863,  transferred  to  vet- 
eran battalion ;  Samuel  Woodward,  Feb.  10, 
1864,  transferred  to  veteran  battalion ; 
Joseph  Davidson,  April  5,  1864;  Alaxwell 
Gaines,  Oct.  31,  1863;  Daniel  Stingley,  Jan. 
15,  1864;  Alfred  A.  Shartzer,  Aug.  5,  1861, 
transferred  to  Company  B,  veteran  battal- 


SIXTY-THIRD  ILLINOIS  INFANTRY, 
VOLUNTEER  REGIMENT. 

The  Sixlj'-third  Illinois  Infantry  was  or- 
ganized at  Camp  Dubois  Anna,  Illinois,  in 
December,  1861,  by  Colonel  Francis  Mors, 
and  was  mustered  into  service  April  10, 
1862.  Was  ordered  to  Cairo,  April  27,  to 
Henderson,  Ky.,  July  12,  returning  to  Cairo 
July  22,  moved  to  Jackson,  Tenn.,  August 
4;  was  then  assigned  to  Fourth  Brigade, 
Seventh  Division,  Seventeenth  Army  Corps, 
under  Colonel  John  D.  Stephenson,  Seventh 
Missouri  Infantry,  commanding  brigadier 
and  brigadier  general. 

John  A.  Logan,  commanding  division, 
moved  to  LaGrange  Nov.  10;  on  28th  moved 
against   Pemberton   and  back  to   LaGrange 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


4i) 


Jan.  |(»,  i8<>3.  C)rtlcrcd  to  \  icksburg,  .Miss., 
.May  lo,  i8t>3;  did  picket  tliity  al  Youngs 
l'i>int  nntii  .May  21;  was  tlien  assigncil  \.a 
.Mowers  Brijiadc  and  moved  to  .Millikin's 
Itend  June  ".  .After  an  engagement  al  Rich- 
mond, l.a.,  returned  to  \'oung's  Point, 
then  to  \  icksburg:  Jidy  5.  iS'ij,  moved  to 
Helena,  .\rk. ;  to  .Mempliis  July  JS ;  then 
toward  C  liickamauga  ;  to  liriilgeport,  Ala.. 
Nov.  10;  Chattanooga.  .Nov.  20;  in  battle 
at  .Mission  Ridge  .\ov.  J3  and  24.  i8<)3;  went 
into  winter  quarters  at  Huntsville,  .\la., 
l)ec.  Jf^:  orileretl  to  Illinois  on  veteran's 
lurlougli  .\pril  3;  rcturnetl  to  Huntsville 
.May  ji.  18^14;  moved  to  Kingston  June  2J ; 
ordered  to  join  (.ieneral  Sherman,  arrived  at 
."savannah  Dec.  10,  1864;  moved  to  .Miles 
.*>tation  on  (iulf  Railroad,  thence  on  a  trip 
through  the  Carolinas,  returning  to  Savan- 
nah ;  engaged  in  battle  of  Bentonville,  \.  C, 
.March  21  ;  entered  (ioldsborough  .March  24, 
i8'>5:  then  to  Raleigh  ;  .\pril  2<j  moved  from 
Raleigh  to  Richmond,  arriving  .May  10; 
then  to  .Mexandria ;  took  part  in  general 
review  at  Washington  May  24 ;  moved  to 
Parkershurg  on  Ohio  river:  thence  to 
Louisville,  Kj-. ;  were  mustered  out  of  ser- 
vice July  13,  liVt^.  and  departed  for  Camp 
P.utler,  III.,  reaching  that  i><iint  July  \Ci. 
1W.3. 

Roster   Sixty-third    Illinois   Infantry. 

Colonels — I-'rancis  Moro,  Dec.  1,  1861,  re- 
signed Sept.  2Q.  |W>2:  Joseph  1!.  McCown, 
.Sept.  21),  iHitj.  mustere<l  out  .\pril  9,  iW>5, 
was  lieutenant  colonel:  James  Isaminger, 
July  I.'.  iS<«5,  mustered  out  July  13.  i>^>5. 
was  lieutenant  colonel. 

Lieutenant  Colonel — Henry  Glaze,  Sept. 
2>).  |8'>J,  resigned  June  30,  i8^>3,  was  major. 

.Majors — Joseph  K.  Lemen,  ."sept.  2ij,  li^^2, 
mustered  out  .\pril  9,  1865;  J.  R.  Stanford, 
June  14.  iS'>3,  mustered  out  Jidy  7,  1865. 

.\dJMtant.s — C.  S.  Chambers,  ,\pril  10. 
i8<)2.  resigned  Dec.  16.  1862;  W.  P.  Richard- 
son,  Oec.    I''),    18^)2,  mustered  out   .Vjiril  9, 


1805;  Theodore  Mlfes,  Juiii-  ''  '^i--  mn--- 
tered  out  July  13,  iiM>^. 

Ouariermaster.s — John  .M.  .\lari>,  leiiru- 
ary  28.  i8()2,  mustered  out  .\pril  9,  1805; 
Penjamin  Robertson,  June  <>,  i8()5,  mus- 
tered out  Jul\-   13,  i8<i5. 

.'^urgeons — William  .M.  Gray,  May  2Ct, 
i8<i2.  resigne<l  Sept.  12,  i8<>2;  J.  \\  .  Mc- 
Kimiey,  .^ept.  15,  i8<)2,  mustered  out  .\pril 
9,  i8<>5:  .Mexander  .\.  Lodge,  June  (>.  iW»5, 
mustereil  out  July  13,  iW\S,  was  first  assist- 
ant, also  seconil  assistant. 

l"irst  .\s.sistant  Surgeon — Lyman  Hall, 
.\pril    10,   i8^)2,  resigned   Dec.  31,   i8(»2. 

Chajjlaiiis — Stephen  Plair,  .\pril  10.  1862, 
dieil ;  John  Cilaze,  Vvh.  2,  i8()3,  commission 
cancelled;  Cieorge  Comjiton,  .May  22.  ii^>i, 
mustered  out  July   13,   18^)3. 

Company  H. 

Ca])tain.s — S,  G.  I'arker.  .\pril  10,  iW)2, 
honorably  discharged  Jidy  14,  i8<)3:  John 
.M.  Davis,  July  14,  i8<>3,  discharged  .\pril 
30,  iW)4,  was  first  lieutenant;  (ieorgc  VV. 
Baxter,  July  12,  18^13,  mustered  out  Jidy 
12,  i8(»3,  was  first  livutenant. 

I'irst  Lieutenants — Wilson  I"".  Cox,  July 
14,  i8()3,  mustered  out  May  24,  i8r>3,  was 
second  lieutenant:  .\.  J.  liixler.  July  12, 
|8<>3:  mustered  out  July  13,   i8^>3. 

Second  Lieutenants — James  1  lonselinan, 
April  10.  i8'>2.  discharged  Dec.  7,  i8f>2; 
Thomas  .Xbernethy,  July  12,  i8()3.  mustered 
out  July  13.  18/13. 

l'"irsl  Serir<nnt  -Daniel  D.  Snider.  Dec. 
16,    18^)1. 

.Sergeants-  \\  il.son  ]■.  Cox,  Dec.  K),  1861, 
])romoled  to  first  lieutenant;  George  W. 
Baxter.  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran; 
R.  J.  I'reeman,  F")ec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as 
veteran  ;  James  C.  .Mtltlin.  Dec  1.  i.^Vii  rv- 
cnlisted  as  veteran. 

Corporals — Josejih  .Mc'Juay,  Dec.  i(», 
i8^)i  ;  J.  M.  n.  Patterson,  Dec.  i,  i8f}i  ;  D. 
L.  Dawson,  Dec.  if^.  1861,  died  Jackson. 
Teim..  Sept.  14.  l8r>2;  Ilavid  Robinson,  Dec. 


50 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


i6,  1861,  died  Jackson,  Teiin.,  Sept.  14,  1862; 
Samuel  L.  Kohr,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted 
as  veteran ;  Y.  P.  Lawrence,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
mustered  out  April  4,  1865 ;  Joel  Hill,  Dec. 
16,  1861 ;  W.  H.  Holmes,  Dec.  16,  1861,  dis- 
charged Nov.  14,  1862,  disability. 

^\'agoner — Absolom  Rowe,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
discharged  Nov.  14,  1862,  disability. 

Privates — Daniel  C.  Ayers,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July 
13,  1865;  S.  A.  Armstrong,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
died  at  Cairo  May  12,  1862;  Josiah  Abbott, 
Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered  out  July  13,  1865; 
Thomas  Abernethy,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-en- 
listed as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13,  1865, 
as  sergeant;  Levi  Alsbury,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran;  William  H.  Barnes, 
Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran ;  Alonzo 
Brockway,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  vet- 
eran; D.  L.  Brockway,  Dec.  16,  1861,  dis- 
charged Nov.  14,  1862,  disability;  A.  J.  Bix- 
ler,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran, 
mustered  out  July  13,  1865,  as  first  lieuten- 
ant; Franklin  Bruce,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered 
out  May  31,  1865;  Godfrey  Brower,  Dec. 
16,  1861 ;  John  S.  Bozarth,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865;  George  Burch,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-en- 
listed as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865;  Jacob  Earnhardt,  Dec.  16,  1861,  died 
at  Anna,  111.,  April  2-j,  1862 ;  Samuel  Beaty, 
Dec.  16,  1861,  discharged  June  28,  1864;  Eli 
Crawford,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  William  Craw- 
ford, Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran, 
mustered  out  July  15,  1865;  Smith  Craw- 
ford, Dec.  16,  1 861,  discharged  Nov.  14, 
1862,  disability;  S.  M.  Culver,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
mustered  out  April  9,  1865;  S.  D.  Campbell, 
Dec.  16,  1861,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Jan. 
3,  1864;  A.  Cadwalladcr.  Dec.  16,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865;  George  Church,  Dec.  16,  1861  ;  Simon 
Cline,  Dec.  16,  1861,  discharged  Nov.  14, 
1862,  disability,  William  H,  Crigler,  Dec. 
16,  1861  ;  J.  L,  Doolen,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  Rich- 
ard Day,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered  out  April 


9.  1865;  Joshua  Earls,  Dec.  16,  1861,  dis- 
charged Sept.  19,  1862,  disability;  Booker 
Earls,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran; 
John  J.  Ebbert,  Dec.  16,  1861  ;  William  C. 
Ford,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran, 
John  Flaherty,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  John  Harri- 
gan,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  at  veteran, 
mustered  out  July  12,  1865  ;  Michael  Holly, 
Dec.  16,  1861 ;  Jesse  Harman,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran ;  John  Hogan,  Deg. 
16,  i8C)i,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered 
out  July  15,  1865;  James  H.  Jones,  Dec.  16, 
1861  ;  Alyter  Linch,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered 
out  April  9,  1865 ;  John  LaCost,  Dec.  16, 
1861  ;  mustered  out  July  13,  1865;  Andrew 
Lord,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered  out  April  9, 
1865;  B.  Middleton,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  John 
Moore,  Dec.  16,  1861  ;■  Samuel  Morgan,  Dec. 
16,  1861;  H.  McWilliams,  Dec.  16,  1861; 
William  Newton,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered 
out  April  II,  1865;  Phineas  Piatt,  Dec.  16, 
1861  ;  William  Querrey,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  15, 
1865;  Joseph  Roberts,  Dec.  16,  1861 ; 
Andrew  Sparling,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  Joseph 
Sheets,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  Isaiah  Sheets,  Dec. 
16,  1861 ;  James  Smith,  Dec.  16,  1861 ; 
George  Smith,  Dec.  16,  1861,  died  at  Mound 
City  May  20,  1862;  Isaac  Sparlin,  Dec.  16, 
1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out 
July  13,  1865;  Jacob  Schreck,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
re-enlisted  as  veteran ;  Oren  S.  Sullivan, 
Dec.  16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran,  mus- 
tered out  July  13,  1865;  Charles  F.  Umbert, 
Dec.  16,  1S61,  re-enlisted  as  veteran;  Sin- 
clair Wimmer,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered  out 
April  9,  1865;  W.  A.  ^^'ilson,  Dec.  16,  1861, 
discharged  July  19.  1862,  disability;  John  B. 
^^'iIson,  Dec.  16,  1861,  mustered  out  April 
9,  1865;  Harrison  Wright,  Dec.  16,  1861,  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran,  mustered  out  July  13, 
1865;  Joel  Watkins,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  Eli 
Walker,  Dec.  16,  1861  ;  Isaac  W^eiver,  Dec. 
16,  1861,  re-enlisted  as  veteran;  Thomas 
Waggoner,  Dec.  16,  1861 ;  R.  Waggoner, 
Dec.  16,  1861  ;  George  Young,  Dec.  16,  1861, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


51 


discharged  July  _'j,  iS^u:  laims  1'..  Voiin^'. 
re-cnlistcd  as  veteran. 

Recruits — Isaiah  Al>hi)ti,  Dec.  lO,  1801, 
mustered  out  July  13,  i)<<>5;  llarmoii  Beach, 
Feb.  2T,  1864.  mustered  out  July  13.  1865; 
.Mien  Davis,  Eel).  27.  iS<>4,  niustercil  out 
July  13.  1SC.5. 

ONE    lll'NDRED    FIFTEENTH    ILLI- 
NOIS INFANTRY,  ILLINOIS 
XOLUNTEERS. 

The  regiment  left  Camp  I'.utler  Oct.  4, 
1862;  reported  at  Cincinnati  Oct.  6,  crossed 
into  Kentucky  and  reported  to  Brigadier- 
General  .\.  J.  Smith;  was  assigned  to  the 
second  brigade,  second  division,  of  the 
Army  of  Kentucky ;  then  went  to  Rich- 
mond, Ky..  remaining  there  two  months ; 
Dec.  21  reached  Danville,  Ky.,  next  Louis- 
ville, then  Nashville,  going  into  camp  at 
Franklin.  Lender  Baird  and  .\tkins  they 
helped  to  drive  VanDorn  across  Duck  river, 
afterward  returning  to  camp,  where  they 
remained  until  June  i,  i.%3;  next  went  to 
Triune,  Tenn.,  and  on  the  24th  of  June, 
with  .\rmy  of  the  Cumberland,  drove  Gen- 
eral liragg  across  the  Tennessee  river; 
went  into  camp  at  Tullahoma;  after  march- 
ing toward  Chattan<x)ga  across  the  Cum- 
berland mountains  to  Rossville,  Ga.,  they 
engaged  the  enemy  at  Chickamauga  on  the 
19th  and  20th  of  September;  five  from 
Macon  county  lost  their  lives  in  this  battle ; 
next  marched  against  Dalton,  Ga.,  then  re- 
turned to  camp  near  Cleveland,  Tenn., 
where  they  remained  until  May  3,  when 
they  joined  Sherman's  army  on  the  .At- 
lanta campaign. 

This  regiment  led  the  charge  at  Tunnel 
Hill,  Ga.,  and  on  May  15  and  16,  1864,  en- 
gaged in  battle  at  Resaca,  Ga. ;  in  Novem- 
ber and  December,  1864,  the  regiment  took 
an  active  part  in  the  engagements  which 
resulted  in  the  flcstruction  of  Bragg's  old 
veteran  army,  known  as  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee,  commanded  by  General  Hood. 


rile  n5th  was  for  nearly  two  years  a  part 
i>f  the  "iron  Brigade;"  Col.  J.  H.  Moore,  of 
the  113111  Illinois,  was  in  command  of  this 
brigade,  of  which  the  115th  was  a  part,  on 
the  23d  of  December,  i8(>4,  while  following 
Hood  from  Nashville.  He  remained  com- 
mnntlcr  until  the  regiment  was  mustered 
iiul  ai  the  close  of  the  war.  The  regiment 
went  into  camp  at  Hunlsville,  .Ma.,  Jan.  6, 
i8(>5.  On  .March  14  moved  into  East  Ten- 
nessee, then  to  Nashville,  where  it  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  at  the  close  of  the  war, 
June  1 1,  i8<'>5.  On  June  16  arrived  at  Camp 
P>utler,  III.,  where  it  was  discharged  June  23. 

ONE  HCNDRED  EIFTEENIII   ILLI- 
NOIS INFANTRY,  ROSTER. 

Colonel— Jesse  H.  .Moore,  Sept.  13,  1862, 
promoted  brigadier  general  May  15,  1865, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865. 

Lieutenant  Colonels — William  Kinman, 
Sept.  13,  1862,  killed  in'battlc  Sept.  20,  18O3; 
George  .\.  Poteet,  Sept.  20,  1863,  mustered 
out  June  II,  1865,  was  major. 

Major — J.  \V.  Laphan,  Sept.  20,  1863, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865,  was  captain  of 
Company  \. 

.■\djutant.s — John  H.  Woods,  Sept.  13, 
1862,  resigned  .April  10,  1863;  A.  Lichtcn- 
bergcr,  .April  10,  1863,  resigned  Oct.  26, 
1863;  W.  W.  Peddecord,  Oct.  26,  1863, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865. 

Quartermasters — B.  F.  Farley,  Sept.  13, 
1862,  resigned  April  i,  1863;  Charles  W. 
Jerome,  .April  i,  1863,  mustered  out  June  11, 
1865. 

Surgeons— Enoch  W.  Moore,  Oct.  4,  1862, 
resigned  -April  7,  1863;  Charles  W.  Higgins, 
June  8,  1863,  declined  commission;  Garner 
1 1.  Bai\e,  June  17,  1863.  mustered  out  June 
II,   1865. 

First  Assistant  Surgeons — N.  G.  Blalock, 
Sept.  13.  1862,  resigned  July  27,  1863;  Clark 
E.  Loomis,  .Aug.  17,  18/14.  mustered  out  June 
II.   1865. 

Second     .Assistant      .Surgon — James     A. 


52 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Jones,  Oct.  3,  1862.  murdered  by  guerrillas 
at  Tunnel  Hill,  Ga..  June  11,  1864. 

Chaplains — Arthur    Jiradshaw,    Sept.    23, 

1862,  resigned  Dec.  30,  1862;  Richard  Hold- 
ing, Jan.  I,  1863,  declined  commission  ;  W'ill- 
iam  S.  Crissey.  July  20,  1863,  mustered  out 
June  II,  iSCi^. 

Company  A. 

Captain — Jesse  Hannon.  Sept.  20,  1863, 
promoted  major,  mustered  out  June  11,  1865, 
was  first  and  second  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — A.  C.  Bankson,  Sept. 
13,  1862,  resigned  Dec.  30,  1862;  Joseph  B. 
Gore,  Sept.  20,  1863,  mustered  out  June  11, 

1863.  was  second  lieutenant. 

Private  in  Company  B — William  Reese, 
Aug.  II,  1862,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Oct. 
12.  1863,  wounds. 

Company  E. 

Captains — John  M.  Lane,  Sept.  13,  1862, 
resigned  ]\Iay  11,  1863;  James  A.  Whitaker, 
May  II,  1863,  mustered  out  June  11,  1865, 
was  first  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — David  S.  Moffett, 
Sept.  15.  1862.  resigned  March  3,  1863;  Jesse 
F.  Hedges,  ^lay  11,  1863,  mustered  out  June 
II.   1865,  was  second  lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenants — Adam  C.  Allison, 
Sept.  13,  1862,  resigned  Feb.  28,  1863;  L  H. 
C.  Royse,  May  11,  1863,  mustered  out  June 
II,  1865,  was  second  lieutenant. 

Privates — F.  M.  Abrams,  Aug.  13,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865;  J.  A.  Arm- 
strong, Aug.  13,  1862,  mustered  out  June  11, 
1865;  M.  S.  Armstrong,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died 
at  Nashville.  Tenn.,  Sept.  3,  1863;  M.  J. 
.\shmead,  Ai:g.  15,  1862,  killed  at  Chicka- 
niauga.  Sept.  20,  1863;  John  Anslex,  Aug. 
22,  1862,  discharged  June  20,  1863,  disa- 
bility; Alexander  Biddle,  Aug.  22,  1862, 
transferred  to  V.  R.  C.  April  30,  1864:  John 
M.  Rreeden,  Aug.  13,  1862,  discharged  Jan. 
5,  1863,  disability;  C.  M.  Breeden,  Aug.  13, 
1862,   mustered  out  June   11,   1865,   as  cor- 


poral: John  A.  Barnes,  .\ug.  13,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  u,  1865,  as  corporal;  Robert 
Bivens,  Aug.  15,  1862,  discharged  March 
23,  1865,  wounds ;  D.  T.  Clements,  Aug.  13, 
1862,  missing  in  action  Sept.  20,  1863;  M.  H. 
Clements,  Aug.  15,  1862,  discharged  Dec. 
14,  1862.  disabilities;  Philip  Clements,  Aug. 
13.  1862,  mustered  out  June  11,  1865,  as 
corporal;  E.  T.  Clements,  Aug.  13,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865,  as  sergeant; 
James  Cummings,  Aug.  11,  1862,  absent, 
sick  at  muster  out ;  J.  H.  Cummings,  Aug. 
22,  1862,  mustered  out  June  11.  1865;  G.  W. 
Crocks,  Aug.  II,  1862,  died  in  Christian 
county.  111.,  Nov.  6,  1862;  John  Crafton, 
Aug.  22,  1862,  died  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
March  4,  1863 ;  A.  C.  Douglas,  Aug.  13,  1862, 
promoted  to  hospital  steward ;  John  O.  Dar- 
ner, Aug.  15,  1862,  discharged  May  15,  1865, 
wounds;  William  C.  Darner,  Aug.  15,  1862, 
mustered  out  July  i,  1865,  was  prisoner; 
A.  H.  DeAtley,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died  at  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  ]\Iarch  3,  1863;  David  H.  Gay, 
Aug.  13,  1862,  discharged  April  13,  1863, 
disability ;  James  L.  Right,  Aug.  13,  1862, 
corporal,  transferred  to  V.  R.  C.  April  3, 
1864;  Jesse  T.  Hedges,  Aug.  13,  1863,  first 
sergeant,  promoted  to  second  lieutenant 
1863:  James  Johnson,  Aug.  11,  1862,  cor- 
poral, killed  at  Chickamauga  Sept.  20; 
James  C.  Jacobs,  Aug.  22,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  II,  1865;  W.  A.  Markwell,  Aug. 
13.  1862,  mustered  out  June  11,  1865;  John 
\\'.  Meyers,  Aug.  15,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  II,  1865:  James  M.  jMartin,  Aug.  13, 
1862.  mustered  out  June  11,  1865;  Zach- 
ariah  Pope,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died  at  Lexing- 
ton, Ky.,  Nov.  10,  1862;  James  M.  Pope, 
/Vug.  13,  1862,  died  at  Danville,  Ky..  Dec. 
31,  1862:  Samuel  W.  Quick,  Aug.  13,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865;  James  H.  Rob- 
erson,  Aug.  13,  1862,  transferred  to  engi- 
neer's corps  Aug.  II,  1864;  Henry  Ruby, 
Aug.  13,  1862,  killed  at  Chickamauga  Sept. 
20,  1863 ;  John  V.  Rose.  .-^ug.  13,  1862,  died 
Resaca,  Ga..  May  20,  1864;  James  A.  Ruby, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


53 


Aug.  13.  |8<>J,  muslircd  oiil  June  11,  \^>S', 
Samuel  KurIi,  Aug.  i.v  i8<jj.  mustered  out 
June  II,  i8<)5;  Newell  Wood.  -Vug.  13,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  11.  i8()5;  Levi  \\  liile, 
Aug.  13.  1862.  discharged  .\ug.  6,  i8<)3,  dis- 
ability; <i.  .\.  Waterman,  .\ug.  13.  i8<u. 

Recruits — Joseph    A.    De.Xtley,    Jan.    22, 
i8<>3.    transferred   to   Co.    .\,   Jist    111.    Inf.; 
William   \\  Elder,  Jan.  2S,  i8«>3.  discharged 
Jan.   2,    i8'>5.   wounds;    John    lluglc     li'-' 
Nashville,  Tenn..  Sept.    14.   18^)3. 

Company  A. 

Captains — E.L.Hayes.  Sept.  13,  i8<)2,  pro- 
moted by  President  to  major  and  paymaster 
April  i>,  18*^14;  Charles  (iriflith.  April  7. 
i8()4,  musteretl  out  June  11.   i8<(4. 

First  Lieutenant — James  .Smith,  .Sept. 
13.  i8()2,  resigned  l-'eb.  6,  18O3;  Mat.  I'ree- 
man,  i-'eb.  (t.  18(13,  discharged  .March  30. 
i8')3.  was  first  lieutenant :  William  F.  Slo- 
cum.  .March  30,  18^13,  resigned  Nov.  28, 
i8'>3,  was  first  lieutenant;  Jacob  Porter. 
Nov.  28,  i8r>3.  killed  .May  16,  1864;  (iordon 
W.  .Mills,  May  13.  i8f>4,  resigned  I'eb.  14. 
i8<i5;  C.  C.  .McComas.  March  13.  iW>3. 
mustered  out  June  11.  iS<>5. 

Second  Lieutenant — l)a\iil  Reed,  .March 
30,  l8'>3.  died  Sept.  2y.  i8(>3.  wounds. 

Privates— James  F.  Carter.  .\ug.  7,  1862, 
mustered  out  July  12.  iW>5;  .\le.\ander  Lu- 
trell.  .Aug.  12,  iSTu.  killed,  Chickaniauga, 
Sept.  30,  18(13;  Charles  (joodman,  .\ug. 
If).  iS<>2,  mustered  out  June  11.  i8f>3  ;  I'd- 
ward  .Moore,  .August  18,  18/12,  discharged 
.Aug,  16,  1863,  disability;  J.  t).  Sander.son. 
Aug.  21,  i8<>2.  mustered  out  June  11.  18*15; 
.Andrew  t'line,  Aug.  (>,  i8<i2,  discharg<-(l  June 
30.  i8f>3,  di.sability  :  William  L.  Chew.  Aug. 
'.V  ^^W-  discharged  .April  i,  18/13;  ( i.  C. 
I'reeland.  .\ug.  12,  i8/>2.  mustered  out  June 
II.  1865.  as  corporal;  .Abraham  M.  Garver, 
.Aug.  14.  i8r)j.  mustered  out  June  11,  1865; 
C.  M.  Imboden,  .Aug.  6,  1862,  discharged 
Feb.  9,  18^14,  wounds;  Elias  Kramer,  Aug. 
6,    i8'»2,    disabled    Oct.    4,    i8/>2,    and    di.s- 


chargeil ;  .\ndrew  Kepler,  .\ug.  11,  1802, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1805;  L  S.  Kaufman. 
.Aug.  12,  i8/)2.  mustered  out  June  11.  1865, 
as  corporal;  M.  .S.  Kaufman,  -Aug.  11,  1862, 
mustered  out  Jm\e  11,  18/15,  as  cor])oral ; 
William  11.  Kolji,  .Aug.,  i8()2.  promoted 
princi])al  musician;  Theodore  Lutrell,  .Aug. 
(1.  i8()2.  discharged  Dec.  lO,  i8()3,  disability; 
.\lliert  .Moore,  .Aug.  d,  18(12.  mustereil  out 
June  II,  i8/>5,  sergeant;  James  W'.  .Mere- 
dith, .\ug.  7,  i8<i2,  mustered  out  June  li, 
18/15;  C,  E,  Oglcsby,  Aug.  11.  18/12,  mus- 
tered out  June  II,  18/^15;  John  Priest,  .^e])t. 
/i.  18/12.  mustered  out  June  11,  18/15;  Will- 
iam W.  Pierce,  -Aug.  11,  18/12,  mustered  out 
Jime  II.  18/15.  as  sergeant;  1 1.  L.  Roe,  .Aug. 
II.  i8<i2,  died  at  Franklin,  Tenn.,  .April  6, 
^^^i'  Joseph  Ross,  .Aug.  15,  1862,  dis- 
charged .April  14,  18/13,  disability;  Richard 
J.  Roberts,  .Aug.  ij.  18(12,  dischargeil  Jan. 
22.  18/13,  di.sability ;  .Alfred  ."^hively,  -Aug. 
11,  18(12,  killed  at  Chickaniauga,  Sept.  20, 
18/13.  was  sergeant ;  Richard  W.  Shull,  .Aug. 
II.  18/12.  mustered  out  June  11.  18/15. 

Company  H. 

Cajitains — Henry  Pratt,  Sept.  13.  1862, 
resigned  .\pril  i(»,  18/^13;  J.  ( ).  Rcardon, 
.\])ril  24,  18/13,  mustered  out  June  11.  i8ri5, 
was  first  and  second  lieutenant. 

First  Licutcnant.s — Silas  Parker,  .^ejit.  13. 
18/12,    resigne<l    .March    12.    18(13;   Joseph   J. 

.*^laughter,  .April  24.   iWi?    nuwlcnd  nut    Imu- 

11,  18/15. 

.Second  Lieutenant — .">.  R.  llatlielil.  .\l.ircli 

12,  18/13,  mustered  out  June  11,  18/15. 
Privates — .Alvis  H.   Hoze.  .Aug.   15,   1862, 

discharged  March  31,  18/^13.  disability;  .A. 
Li/enberger,  July  (>.  1862,  promoted  com- 
missary sergeant  ;  W.  W.  Peddecord.  .Aug. 
5,  18/12,  promoted  sergeant  major;  John 
Quinlan,  .Aug.  7,  18/12,  discharged  .March  20. 
i8/>3.  disability;    W.  H.  Weathcrford,  .Aug. 

13,  1862.  mustered  out  June  11,  1865,  as  cor- 
poral. 


54 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Company  K. 

Captains — James  Steele,  Sept.  13,  1862, 
discliarged  March  3,  1863;  Alanson  Pierce, 
March  3,  1863,  resigned  Sept.  24,  1864; 
PhiHp  Riley,  Sept.  24,  1864,  mustered  out 
June  II,  1865,  was  first  and  second  lieuten- 
ant. 

First  Lieutenants — Sylvester  Bailey,  Sept. 
13,  1862,  resigned  Dec.  28,  1863;  Samuel 
Alexander,  Sept.  24,  1864,  mustered  out 
June  II,  1865. 

Private- — J.  \V.  Throckmorton 

ONE    HUNDRED    SIXTEENTH    ILLI- 
NOIS INFANTRY,  ILLINOIS 
VOLUNTEERS. 

The  One  Hundred  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry Regiment  was  made  up  principally 
from  Macon  county.  About  the  middle  of 
August,  1862,  the  company  began  to  go 
into  camp  in  the  Fair  Ground  near  Decatur. 
They  were  sworn  into  service  September 
the  6th,  but  as  ranks  were  not  full  were 
only  mustered  as  a  battalion ;  were  mus- 
tered as  a  regiment  Sept.  30.  They  left 
Decatur  Nov.  8,  arriving  at  Cairo  next  day, 
left  same  day  for  Memphis  where  they  re- 
mained imtil  Nov.  26.  In  the  mean- 
time the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps  was  organ- 
ized under  command  of  W.  T.  Sherman  and 
assigned  to  First  Brigade,  Second  Division. 

This  division  was  under  command  of 
Major  General  Morgan  L.  Smith,  the 
brigade  commander  being  General  Giles  A. 
Smith.  Tallahatchie  was  reached  on  Dec. 
13;  started  down  the  Mississippi  on  20th; 
entered  Yazoo  river  the  26th,  and  landed 
fifteen  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo 
river.  Th.e  first  engagement  of  the  regi- 
ment was  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  which 
began  on  the  27th  and  continued  until  the 
30th.  On  the  first  of  the  new  year  they 
passed  down  the  Yazoo,  sailed  up  the  Miss- 
issippi and  Arkansas  rivers  to  Arkansas 
Post  where  was  fought  the  second  battle 
Jan.  ID  and  11.     Landed  at  Young's  Point, 


La.,  opposite  Vicksburg  on  22(1.  During 
winter  attemptetl  by  various  means  to 
get  around  \'icksburg;  crossed  the  river 
in  the  spring  near  Port  (jibson  ;  were  under 
fire  at  Black  river  and  Champion  Hills  and 
engaged  in  the  cliarges  on  works  in  rear  of 
Vicksburg,  May  18  and  22,  and  were  pres- 
ent when  Vicksburg  surrendered  on  the  4th 
of  July. 

Next  morning  started  after  General  John- 
ston who  was  near  Black  river,  fol- 
lowed him  to  Jackson,  Miss.,  where  he  took 
refuge,  after  several  engagements  drove  him 
beyond  Pearl  river.  July  25  went  into  camp 
near  Black  river,  this  camp  was  called  Camp 
Sherman.  The  regiment  stayed  here  until 
October  then  moved  to  Vicksburg,  sailed  to 
Memphis  ;  then  went  to  Corinth  ;  marched 
to  Chattanooga,  reached  latter  place  Nov. 
21.  At  night  on  Nov.  23  the  ii6th,  together 
with  the  6th  Missouri,  got  into  pontoon 
boats,  floated  down  the  Tennessee  river 
and  landed  at  mouth  of  Chickamauga 
creek  a  short  distance  from  the  enemy's 
entrenchments  on  Missionary  Ridge,  keep- 
ing this  position  until  the  remainder  of  the 
corps  arrived,  then  captured  all  of  Bragg's 
pickets,,  marched  to  foot  of  ridge  on  even- 
ing of  24th,  were  in  skirmish  in  which 
General  Giles  A.  Smith  was  wounded  at 
which  the  command  devolved  upon  Colonel 
Tupper. 

Was  present  at  storming  of  Missionary 
Ridge  on  25th.  The  regiment  was  then 
marched  to  the  relief  of  Knoxville  and 
moved  constantly  until  Jan.  9,  1864,  when 
it  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Likinsville, 
Ala. ;  remained  here  until  May  16,  then 
took  part  in  the  charge  and  capture  of  Re- 
saca,  was  at  battle  of  Dallas,  May  25  to 
28  ;  at  Big  Shanty  ;  then  at  Kenesaw  Mount- 
ain, June  27;  crossed  the  Chattahoochie 
and  fought  battle  of  Stone  Mountain,  drove 
the  enemy  close  to  Atlanta  re-capturing  the 
works,  after  the  enemy  had  taken  them 
from  us  in  the  battle  of  June  22.     Fought 


PAST  AND  PRESKNT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


55 


battle  of  Kzra  Cliapcl  on  j8th  of  June,  in 
which  enemy  was  Uefeatcil  and  driven  back ; 
moved  on  toward  Atlanta ;  Aur.  3,  en- 
gaged in  the  siege  of  Atlanta  fighting  the 
closing  battle  of  the  siege  at  Jonesboro, 
Aug.  14.  After  which  went  into  camp  at 
Atlanta  until  ordereil  to  break  camp  and 
begin  Sherman's  march  to  the  sea.  .\ided 
in  capture  of  Ft.  Mc.Mlister,  Dec.  13.  Regi- 
ment entered  Savanah  Dec.  21,  where  it 
went  into  camp ;    next  sailed  for  Beaufort, 

5.  C. ;  marched  to  Pocatalaga  ;  fought  bat- 
tle ;  gtiing  on  to  Cohmibia,  burned  the  latter 
city  and  went  into  camp ;  moved  from  here 
to  Bcntonville,  N.  C  where  was  fought  a 
severe  battle ;  went  into  camp  then  moved 
to  Raleigh  which  surremlered  ;  ordered  from 
here  to  Washington  where  it  camped  until 
sent  home  and  mustered  out  Jime  7,   1865. 

One   Hundred   Sixteenth   Regiment   Roster. 

Colonels — X.  W  .  Tn]>per.  .^e])t.  30.  iS(>j, 
died  at  Decatur.  March  10.  1864;  John  l-^. 
Maddox,  June  7.  1864,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865,  was  lieutenant  colonel. 

Lieutenant    Colonels — J.    P.    Boyd,    Sept. 

6,  18/12,  resigned  Jan.  2S.  1864:  .Anderson 
Froman.  Jan.  28.  18^14.  died  Jime  15,  1864, 
was  major:  John  S.  Windsor,  May  15. 
1863,  mustered  out  Jtme  7.  1865,  was  major. 

M.ijor — .\nstin  McClurg.  Jan.  28.  1864. 
resigned  Sept.  26,  1864;  Nicholas  Ge- 
schwind.  June  7,  1864,  mustered  out  June  7, 
18^)5.   was  corporal   Co   F. 

.Adjutants — Charles  H.  F'ullcr.  Sept.  30. 
1862,  resigned  June  27,  1863;  William  E. 
Crissey.  J>ine  27.  iW)3,  discharged  Jan.  30. 
1865:  Myron  1  lolcomb,  Jan.  30.  if<'>;  <iiu^- 
tered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Quartermasters — I.yman  King,  .^epl.  3, 
1862,  resigned  March  2,  1863;  Charles  F. 
Emery,  March  2.  1862,  promoted  by  Presi- 
dent. January  9,  18^14;  John  TI.  Porter.  Jan. 
9,  1864,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Surgeon — Ira  N.  Barnes,  March  26,  1863, 
mustered  out  June  7,  iS/');. 


I'irst  Assistant  .burgeon — J.  .\.  llccklc- 
man,  Sept.  17,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865. 

Second  .Assistant  Surgeon — J.  .\.  \\  .  lios- 
tetler.  Oct.  1,  18(12,  mustered  out  June  7, 
i».5. 

Chai)lain — N.  .M.  Baker,  Sept.  30,  1862, 
mustered  out  Jtme  7.  18(15. 

Non-Commissioned  Staff. 

Sergeant  Major — R.  C.  Crocker,  .\ug.  7, 
i8(i2,  transferred  to  Co.  D;  Myron  Hol- 
comb,  .Aug.  2,  1862,  promoted  adjutant; 
Thomas  J.  Ward,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7.  1865,  was  prisoner. 

Ouartermaster  Sergeants — John  j.  I'nrter, 
jiromoted  regimental  quartermaster;  .Allen 
]•".  Hopkins,  .Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7.  18^)5. 

Commissary  Sergeant — William  V..  Cris- 
sey. .Aug.  9.  1862,  ]iromoted  to  adjutant;  I. 
I).  Jennings,  .Aug.  7.  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1863. 

Hospital  Steward — Edward  Lukens.  Aug. 
13.  i8r)2,  mustered  out  June  7,  18/15 

Musicians — Martin  L.  Barrett.  Au';.  14, 
1862.  prin.  musician,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1863;  Francis  Hennebry,  .Aug.  7,  1862,  prin. 
musician,  mustered  ruit  June  7,  1863. 

Company  A. 

Captains — W.  J.  I'lrown,  Sept.  6,  1862,  re- 
signed .April  20,  i8<>3;  (iustin  F.  Hardy, 
.April  20.  1863,  died  June  12,  i8f)3,  was  sec- 
ond lieutenant :  William  (irason,  June  12, 
18/13,  mustered  out  June  7.  l8/')5.  was  first 
lieutenant. 

I'irst  Lieutenants — Jt)lin  B.  Purdue,  Sept. 
(..  1862.  died  .March  27.  1863;  J.  L.  Shella- 
barger,  June  12,  18(13,  niustered  out  June 
7.  18/15,  was  second  lieutenant. 

."^econd  Lieutenant — James  Pioswell,  June 
7,  i8''i3,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Sergeant — James  Boswcll,  July  26,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  i8/)3 ;   ,A.  C.  Stephens, 


56 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Aug.  4,    1862,   mustered   out  June   7.    1865; 
George  R.  Farrow.  Aug.  4,   1862. 

Corporals — ^\'.  R.  Harrington,  Aug.  9, 
1862,  discharged  Feb.  26,  1863.  disability; 
Jerome  A.  Cox,  Aug.  8,  1862,  mustered  out 
May  20.  1865  :  James  Stine,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
discharged  Feb.  2,  1865,  was  sergeant; 
James  Eads,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  18G5;  Samuel  Beaty,  Aug.  6, 
1862,  killed  at  Mcksburg  May  19,  1863; 
AMlliam  M.  Purdue,  Aug.  4,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865. 

Musicians — James  H.  \\'idick,  Aug.  6, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  George 
W.  Lyons,  Aug.  7,  1862. 

Wagoner — William  ^1.  Steel,  Aug.  4, 
1862,  discharged  March  4,  1863,  disability. 
Privates — Monathan  Agan,  Aug.  8,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Elisha  Allen, 
Aug.  2,  1862,  died,  Avounds  received  at  Ar- 
kansas Post  January  11.  1863:  Alexander 
H.  Balch,  July  26,  1862,  died  at  Van  Buren, 
Ark.,  June  i,  1863;  William  Bear,  Aug.  6, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point  March  5,  1863; 
Henry  C.  Bear,  Aug.  9,  1862,  absent, 
wounded  at  mustering  out  of  regiment : 
Jacob  E.  Beamer,  Aug.  21.  1862,  died  at 
Memphis  Sept.  23,  1863';  George  Bilby, 
.\ug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ; 
Daniel  Bowen,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  oflt 
June  7,  1865 ;  William  Bowdle,  Aug.  6, 
1862,  mustered  out  Dec.  21,  1864,  wounds; 
Solomon  E.  Bowman,  Aug.  6,  1862,  trans- 
ferred to  V.  R.  C.  Jan.  10.  1865;  Eli  Brack- 
nej-,  Aug.  4,  1862;  Wesley  M.  Brown.  Aug. 
6,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Thomas 
W.  Pirown.  Aug.  13,  1862,  transferred  to 
invalid  corps  Aug.  8.  1863;  Hardin  Bundy, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Benton  Barracks,  July 
17,  1863:  Thomas  F.  Burke,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865.  as  sergeant ; 
.\lbert  Calk,  .A.ug.  9.  1862,  died  in  An- 
dersonville  prison  April  9.  1865:  .\lonzo 
Cheek,  July  26,  1862,  died  at  Young's 
Point,  La.:  George  W.  Davis,  Aug.  2,  1862, 
sergeant,    killed    at    .Atlanta,    Ga.,    July    22, 


1864:    Michael    Green,    .\ug.   6.    1862,   mus- 
tered   out    June    7,    1865;     William    Glaze, 
July  26,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out; 
Nathaniel  Gufify,  Aug.  6,   1862,  absent,  sick 
at    mustering  out ;    Jacob    Guffy,   Aug.    14, 
1862,  transferred  to  invalid  corps  Aug.   16, 
1863:   William  Hickman.  Aug.  6,  1892,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,   1865.  as  corporal;    J.  H. 
Hollandsworth,     Aug.     6,     1862,     died     at 
Young's  Point  April  19,  1863 ;   John  House- 
man,  Aug.   6,    1862,   mustered   out   June   7, 
1865;   Nelson  Houseman.  .\ug.  21,  1862,  ab- 
sent,    sick     at     mustering    out ;      William 
Houseman,  Aug.  6,  1862,  transferred  to  V. 
R.  C.  Aug.  10.  1864;  James  T.  Jabine,  Aug. 
12,    1862,    mustered    out    June    7,    1865,    as 
corporal;    T.    M.   Littleton.   Aug.   26,    1862, 
mustered  out   June   7,    1865 ;    James   Long, 
Aug.   6,   1862,   mustered  out   June  7,    1865; 
Thomas  AL  Long,  Aug.  14,  1862.  transferred 
to    invalid    corps    Sept.    i.    1863;     Andrew 
McKee,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865  :    Horace  Mackey,  Aug.  8,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  26.  1865;    Samuel  D.  Alarsh, 
Aug.  22.  1862,  died  at  St.   Louis,  April  29, 
1863;    J.    A.    Alichner.    .\ug.   6,    1862,    died. 
Camp  Butler,  111..  Jan.  4.  1864;    Daniel  Mill- 
er, Aug.  24.  1862.  died.  Young's  Point  March 
4.    1863;    Lewis   Morris.  Aug.   5,   1862,   ser- 
geant, wounded,  transferred  to  invalid  corps 
Feb.   15,   1864;    ^^'illiam  T.  Morris,  Aug.  8, 
1862,  died,   ^Marietta,   Ga..  wounds,  Aug.  3, 
1863:    Charles  McCurdy,  Aug.  7,  1862,  died 
at  ^Memphis  June  26,  1863;   Samuel  Nelson, 
July   30.   1862.  discharged   March    16.    1863, 
disability;    John  J.  Neyhard.  .\ug.  6,   1862, 
mustered  out  July  7.  1865;    John  ^^■.  Nich- 
ols, Aug.  6,   1862.  discharged   Feb.  6.   1864, 
wounds;    Joel  F.  Purdue,  Aug.  9,  1862,  ab- 
sent, sick,  at  mustering  out ;   Moses  B.  Page, 
Aug.  21,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,   1865; 
John  Peck,  Aug.  21,  1862,  sergeant,  died  at 
home  Sept.  28,  1863;    Jacob  Peck.  July  24, 
1862,   mustered  out   June   7.    1865;    Arthur 
Pasley,    Aug.    6,    1862,    transferred    to    In  v. 
corps,  Dec.  i,  1863;  Joseph  V.  Palmer.  Aug. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


57 


8.  1862,  died  June  4.  i8t>3,  woiiiulcd  ;  Jolin 
M.  I'orter,  Aug.  20.  i8<)2,  promoted  qiiarter- 
iiiastir  siTKiant :  William  J.  Reason.  Aug. 
6.  i8<>2,  nuisieritl  out  June  7.  i8(>5;  Henry 
M.  Rimmell.  .\ug.  9,  1862,  died,  Memphis, 
'i'enn..  January  1.  i8(^>3;  John  .M.  Ritter. 
.\ug.  II.  i8«i2.  mustered  out  June  7.  iWj5. 
sergeant :  Elijah  T.  Rose.  .Vug.  7.  i8<)2,  died 
May  22.  i8<^>3.  wounded  at  siege  of  X'icks- 
burg:  Charles  \\  .  Rundle.  Aug.  (>.  1862. 
mustered  out  June  7,  18(15;  John  \\  . 
Rogers.    Aug.   <>.    l8<)2.   killed.    Kingsinn    \. 

C.  .March  8.  i8<>5:  K.  W  .  Scheer,  .\ug.  23. 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  18(15;  John  R. 
Skinner,  .\ug.  <>,  i8<^>2.  discharged  Sept.  lO. 
i8()3,  wounds:  Nel.son .  Stafford,  .\ug.  0, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7.  18(15;  David 
Stajip.  .\ug.  (1.  i8(>2.  died.  Lawson  Hos- 
pital. .May  5.  18^)3;  Thomas  C.  Stewart, 
.\ug.  6.  i8<>2.  mustered  out  June  7,  ■1865, 
was  prisoner:  Henry  Walker.  .\ug.  11, 
1862.  died  Memphis.  Tenn..  .\]>ril  8,  1864; 
Peter  Walker,  Aug.  9,  i8<>2.  mustered  out 
June  7.  i8'>5,  wounded;  Jonathan  Wear. 
.•\ug.  (1,  i8*>2.  mustered  out  June  7.  i8<'>5.  as 
cor])oral ;  (ieorge  Wilson.  .\ug.  '>,  i8(^2.  ab- 
sent, sick  at  mu.stering  out ;  C.  E.  Wright, 
Aug.  6,  1802.  died.  Jefferson  P.arracks,  July 
2.   i8<.3. 

Recruits— Joseph  E.  .\Ioffett.  Feb.  1.  1864. 
transferred  to  Co.  H.  55th  111.  Infantry; 
William  J.  Walters.  l"eb.  1,  i8<>4.  dieil.  Ken- 
e.saw  Mt..  June  27,  i8<)4;  .Stephen  Johns<in, 
Marcli  2»>.  18(14.  transferred  to  Co.  H.  55th 
ill.  Inf.:  John  Eeslie.  Jan.  26,  i8(t4.  died  of 
wounds  received  at  Kenesaw  Mt.,  June  2~, 
i8r>4:  Joseph  Itlylhe.  Jan.  28,  i8(>4,  wounded 
at  Kenesaw  Mt..  June  2-.  i8(>4:  W.  H.  Clay. 
Jan.  28.  18(14,  wounded  at  Et.  Mc.Mlister; 
John  W.  .Steward.  Jan.  28.  i8r>4,  <licd  in 
hospital;  John  W.  Slavens.  Jan.  28,  i8()4. 
transferred  to  Co.  H,  55th   111.  Inf.;  Josiah 

D.  Steward.  Jan.  28.  i8(^>4,  killed  at  Jones- 
boro  .\ug.  13;  J.  M.  I'.etzer.  Jan.  28.  i8()4, 
transferred  to  55th  111.  Inf.;  James  Peck, 
Jan.  28.    18*14.  transferred   to  55th    III.   Inf.; 


Jnhii  .\IcKee.  Jan.  28,  \9(^,  transferred  to 
55th  III.  Inf.:  James  McKee.  Jan.  28,  1864, 
transferred  to  55th  111.  Inf.;  W.  J.  Walters, 
l-'eb.  1,  18O4,  died,  Kene>;aw  .Mt.,  June  2"^ , 
1804. 

Company  B. 

Captains — .Austin  .Met  lurg,  Sept.  6,  1862, 
promoted  major:  C.  Reibsame,  Jan.  28, 
18*14.  mustereil  mn  June  7.  18(15,  was  first 
lieutenant. 

1-irst  Lieutenants — John  S.  Taylor.  Sept. 
o.  i8(.2,  killed  Jan.  8,  18(13;  Charles  E.  I'.oles. 
Jan.  8,  i8')4,  was  second  lieutenant  ;  Juhn 
II.  .Miller,  Jan.  28,  18^14,  musterc<l  out  Juiu 
7,   i8()5.  was  second  lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant — .\.  J.  Williams.  Sept. 

6,  1862,  resigned  March  17,  18(13, 

l'"irst  Lieutenant — 1.  1).  Jenning.s.  .\ug.  7, 
18^)2,  promoted  commissary  sergeant. 

Sergeants — John  II.  Miller.  -Aug.  7,  i8(j2, 
promoted  second  lieutenant ;  W.  T.  Me- 
naugh,  .\ug.  7,  1802.  absent,  sick  at  muster- 
ing out :  John  .-\.  Songer.  .\ug.  9.  1862,  mus- 
UTcd  out  July  10.  i8<)5;  .\ndiniron  Songer, 
.\ug.  9,  i8*j2. 

Corporals — K.  .\.  I'.rown.  Aug.  7.  i8()2, 
mustered  out  June  7,  18(15:  William  I-"unk. 
.\ug.  8.  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  18(15; 
Reuben  Rogers,  .Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  Cieorge  W,  Shirey,  .Aug.  9, 
i8(>2,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ;  Charles 
I'lidwell,   .Aug.  9,    18(12,   mustered   otit   June 

7.  18(15,  was  sergeant:  J.  W.  Troutman, 
.\ug.  9.  i8C)2,  mustered  out  July  7,  18(^5; 
.Samuel  Troutman,  .\ug.  9,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  18(15;  Isaac  B.  Jordan.  Aug.  9, 
18(12.  mustered  out  June  7.  18(15. 

.Musicians — H.  W.  Carter,  .\ug.  8,  1862. 
di.scharged  Jan.  28.  i8()3;  J.  E.  (ioodman, 
.\ug.  11,  18(12,  discharged  .Sept.  20.  i8ri3; 
(ieorge  II.  Welty.  Aug.  12,  l8(j2,  nnistered 
out  June  7,  18(15. 

Privates — James  .\dams.  .\ug.  5.  18(12. 
mustered  out  June  7,  1805:  J.  I!.  .Andrews, 
,Aiig.  9,  i8(>2.  ab.scnt,  sick  at  mustering  out: 
Charles  E.   ISoIcs,  .Aug.   13.   18(^12,  mustered 


58 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  .AIACON  COUNTY. 


out  June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant,  commissioned 
lieutenant;  Milton  Billings,  Aug.  8,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  John  M.  Bear, 
Aug.  6,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out; 
John  E.  Braden,  Aug.  11,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  T.  J.  Burgess,  Aug.  25, 
1862;  John  \V.  Bailey,  Aug.  15,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  13,  1865,  as  corporal;  Will- 
iam Beck,  Aug.  15,  1862,  absent,  wounded 
at  mustering  out ;  R.  Bills,  Jr.,  Aug.  14. 
1862,  killed  at  Arkansas  Post  Jan.  11,  1863; 
S.  R.  Braden,  Aug.  12,  1862,  absent,  wound- 
ed at  mustering  out ;  S.  C.  Bradshaw,  Aug. 
9,  1862,  died  Young's  Point,  La.,  April  3, 
1863;  Patrick  Burke,  Aug.  7,  1862,  died 
Young's  Point,  La.,  April  8,  1863 ;  William 
Burke,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  Charles  V.  Bell,  Aug.  15,  1862,  died  in 
Mississippi  March  23,  1863;  James  Dilliner, 
Aug.  7,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ; 
Austin  Daily,  Aug.  19,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  Lewis  Disbrow,  Aug.  14,  1862, 
sergeant,  died  at  Young's  Point,  La.,  April 
15,  1863;  Michael  Dugan,  Aug.  14,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  12,  1865;  Stephen  Earls, 
July  19,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ; 
E.  Enterline,  Aug.  19,  1862,  discharged 
March  14,  1863;  Thomas  Enos,  Aug.  9,  1862, 
died  Young's  Point,  La.,  Feb.  11,  1863;  Con- 
rad Enterline,'  Aug.  9,  1862,  discharged 
March  20,  1864;  David  A.  Ellis,  Aug.  4, 
1862,  transferred  to  \'.  R.  C.  Sept.  i,  1863; 
S.  G.  Frank,  Aug.  6,  1862,  died  at  St.  Louis 
April  II,  1863;  John  W^  Foster,  Aug.  20, 
1862,  mustered  out  July  7,  1865;  Amos  Fry, 
July  19,  1862,  mustered  out  July  19,  1865 ; 
Fred  Fuller,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  John  Gill,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  F.  M.  Garver,  Aug. 
9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  as  cor- 
poral ;  C.  M.  Garver,  Aug.  14,  1862,  died  at 
St.  Louis  Ma}'-  17,  1863 ;  Lewis  Hauck,  Aug. 
9,  1862,  nuistered  out  June  7,  1865 :  J.  H. 
Higgins,  Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  R.  S.  Henson,  Aug^  9,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865:  George  L.  Hauck, 


Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
Thompson  Hayes,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  Francis  Henley,  Aug.  7, 
1862,  promoted  principal  mr.sician ;  John  G. 
Hayes,  Aug.  7,  1862,  discharged  Aug.  27, 
1863;  John  S.  Hough,  Aug.  9,  1862,  absent, 
sick  at  mustering  out ;  John  W.  Jprdon, 
Aug.  8,  1862,  died.  Young's  Point,  La.,  b'eb. 
8,  1863:  William  H.  Jordon,  Aug.  8,  1862. 
mustered  oiit  June  7,  1865  ;  Jeremiah  Jor- 
ion,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Young's  Point, 
La.,  Feb.  11,  1863;  Michael  Kelley,  Aug.  15, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  T.  H. 
Larkin,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  Edward  Maher,  Aug.' 15,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  John  Mc"Whinney, 
July  30,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 
as  corporal;  William  Meyer,  Aug.  2,  1862; 
R.  [McDonald,  July  17,  1862,  died  at  Mem- 
phis, Tenn.,  Oct.  4,  1863;  Patrick  Nolan, 
Aug.  21,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
William  H.  Nix,  Aug.  7,  1862,  absent,  sick 
at  mustering  out;  H.  W.  Nesbit,  Aug.  11, 
1862,  died  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  Jan.  27,  1863; 
George  W.  Olney,  Aug.  11,  1862,  died  at 
[Memphis,  Tenn.,  [March  17,  1863;  Aaron 
Pricer,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865 ;  John  W.  Parker,  Aug.  8,  1862,  absent. 
wounded  at  mustering  out ;  A.  Patterson, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ; 
G.  W.  Patterson,  Aug.  20,  1862,  killed  at 
Kenesaw  Mountain  June  27,  1864;  S.  Ouack- 
enbush.  July   30,    1862,   mustered   out   July 

10,  1865 :  R.  A.  Rogers,  Aug.  9.  1862,  ab- 
sent, sick  at  mustering  out;  C.  Reibsame, 
Aug.  II,  1862,  promoted  sergeant,  then  first 
lieutenant ;  G.  W.  Rutherford,  Aug.  8,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Benjamin  F. 
Smoot,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Young's  Point, 
La.,  Feb.  15,  1863;  James  D.  Sherman,  Aug. 
20,  1862.  died  on  steamer  City  of  [Memphis, 
of  wounds,  [May  25,  1863;  Wesley  Street, 
Aug.  15,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
John  A.  Stains,  Aug.  8,  1862.  died  at  Young's 
Point  [March  4,  1863 ;  Martin  Shelton,  Aug. 

11,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  J.  H. 


PAST  AND  TRKSKXT  Ol"  MACON  COLXIV. 


5!> 


Shfplicrd,  Aug.  y,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  J.  \V.  Sickafousc,  Aug.  15.  186-'. 
nuistercd  out  June  7,  i^/js;  A.  Shepherd, 
Aug.  8,  1862,  killed  at  Arkansas  Post  Jan. 
II,  i8<)3:  Haiiiel  SluitttT.  .\ug.  9,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  18*^5;  Cyrus  X.  Tolles, 
Aug.  8,  i8t>2,  mustered  out  June  7,  18(^5; 
Richard  Wall.  Aujj.  14.  i8<^)2,  mustered  out 
June  7,  i8<)5;  John  Widick,  .\ug.  9,  1862, 
mustered  cut  June  7,  1865;  Samuel  Weikel, 
.\ug.  15,  i8()2,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ; 
J.  \V.  Westfall,  July  30,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant ;  Amos  Wheeler, 
Aug.  II,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out; 
\V.  C.  Warnick,  Aug.  15,  k%2,  absent,  sick 
at  mustering  out ;  .\.  J.  Wheeler,  .^ug.  12, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Recruits — Henry  Seits,  Teb.  25,  1864, 
transferred  to  Co.  F,  55th  111.  Inf.-intry; 
Felix  Shutter,  Feb.  25,  1864,  transferred  to 
Co.  F,  35th  III.  Infantry;  James  K.  West- 
fall,  .Xpril  13.  i8<>4,  transferred  to  Co.  F, 
55th  111.  Inlantry. 

Company  C. 

Captains — Thomas  White,  Sept.  6,  1862, 
kilhd  in  battle  May  26,  1NJ4 ;  K.  M.  Foster, 
June  7,  i8<i4,  mustered  out  Jiiiic  7,  iS*');.  was 
first  and  second  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — James  M.  Wallace, 
Sept.  6,  1862,  resigned  March  2,  1863;  Z.  R. 
Prather,  .\pril  20,  1865,  mustered  out  June 
7,   i8«">5,  was  second  lieutenant. 

Second  Lieutenant — Jacob  I?.  Schroll, 
June  7,  i8<')4,  mustered  out  June  7,  186s. 

First  Sergeant — John  W.  Fllis,  Aug.  9, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point,  La.,  Feb.  23. 
1863. 

Sergeants — .Abe  Mctzler.  .\ug.  13,  1862, 
wounded  at  mustering  out ;  W.  P.  Camp, 
.'\ug.  9,  1862,  died  at  .Millikin  Bend  June 
23.  ^^^i-  1-  Montgomery,  -Aug.  9,  1862, 
transferred  to  V.  R.  C.  Feb.  i.  1864;  John 
B.  Davidson,  .\ug.  9,  1862,  die<l  at  Young's 
Point  Feb.  8,  1863. 

Corporals— Elias    Dunbar.    .\ug.   9,    1S62. 


mustered  out  June  11,  i8t)5;  J.  W.  Kdwards, 
.\ug.  i).  i8'>2,  (lischarge<l  .April  13,  1863,  dis- 
ability ;  I'hilo  S.  l-enton,  .\ug.  13,  i8<)2, 
wounded  at  mustering  out ;  Samuel  X. 
.\laeyers.  .\ug.  (j,  i8<>2,  nuistered  out  J\ino 
7.  18(15,  ''s  sergeant;  James  II.  Jones,  .\ug. 

13,  i8()2,  discharged  Feb.,  1863,  wounds; 
Israel  W.  Markel,  .\ug.  9,  1862.  died  at 
.\Uinphis  Jan.  30,  1863;  Z.  R.  I'rather,  .\ug. 
9,  1862,  promoted  second  lieutenant ;  R.  G. 
Warnick,  -Aug.  9,  i8(')2,  died  at  Memphis 
.May  22,  1863. 

Musicians — D.  C.  llelpman,  .Aug.  9,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  12,  1865,  was  prisoner; 
W.  v..  Wallace,  Sept.  6,  1862,  died  on  steam- 
er D.  .\.  January,  .March  7,  1863. 

Wagoner — Erastus  .Xiles,  Sept.  6,  1862, 
nuistercd  out  June  11,  1863. 

PriN-ates — James  L.  .Aaron,  .Aug.  9,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  11,  1865;  James  W.  .AI- 
lum,  .Aug.  13,  i8<ji-,  died  at  Young's  Point 
.May  12.  18^)3;  Wdliam  A.  Akcrs,  Aug.  18, 
1862,  died  at  Youngs  Point  Feb.  10.  1863; 
Robert  M.  Black.  .Aug.  9.  18^)2,  discharged 
June  3,  i8r>3,  di.sability  ;  James  P.  P.eedles, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  .Memphis  March  16, 
1863;  John  W.  P.ohrer.  .Aug.  9.  iSr)2,  mus- 
tered out  junc  II,  i8(>5;  George  W.  Bohrcr, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  discharged  Jan.  9,  1863,  dis- 
ability;  .A.  P>.  Champion,  .Aug.  9,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  II,  1865,  as  sergeant;  James 
A.  Cochran,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June 

14,  1865,  as  corporal;  I-"lijah  Coomb,  .Aug.  9, 
i8<J2,  mustered  out  June  7,  18^)5;  Joseph  De- 
vore.  .Aug.  9,  i8(')2,  .  discharged  April  25, 
i8f)4;  John  P..  Dickey,  .Aug.  9,  1862,  irans- 
firred  to  Signal  Corps  June  7,  1864;  James 
C.  Davidson,  Aug.  9,  1862,  discharged 
.Sept.  5,  i8r>3.  disability;  1).  L.  David- 
son, .Aug.  13,  i8<i2,  mustered  out  Junc 
14,  18^15,  |irisuner;  William  Davis,  .Aug. 
9,  i8/i2,  mustered  out  June  ",  18^15;  R.  L. 
Davidson.  .Aug.  9,  1862.  died  at  home  Dec. 
5,  i8(.3;  .Ale.xander  Davidson,  .Aug.  13,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  D.  P.  Davidson, 
.Aug.  13.   iW>2,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 


60 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


'I".  I\.  l)a\'i(Lsuii,  Aug.  15,  1862,  killed  at 
Jonesboro,  Ga.,  Aug.  31,  1865;  James  A. 
EUis,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865 ;  David  Gregory,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  in 
Louisiana  April  12,  1863;  Charles  Grennel, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Mound  City  Dec.  15, 
1863;  Edward  L.  Goff,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at 
Mound  City  Nov.  2,  1863;  Leonard  J.' Goff, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  as 
wagoner ;  John  M.  Gault,  Aug.  9,  1862, 
wounded  at  mustering  out;  A.  F.  Hopkins, 
i\.ug.  9,  1862,  promoted  sergeant  then  quar- 
termaster sergeant ;  Joshua  F.  Hill,  Aug.  9, 
1862,  died  of  wounds  July  23,  1863,  as  pris- 
oner; D.  J.  Herrington,  Aug.  11,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865,  as  musician;  E.  J. 
Howell,  Aug.  II,  1862,  died  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  Feb.  15,  1865,  as  prisoner;  Hugh  Jones, 
Aug.  13,  1862,  died  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Dec. 
24,  1862;  Jacob  Krone,  Sept.  15,  1862,  died 
at  Paducah,  Ky.,  Feb.  20,  1864;  John  Mc- 
llheran,  Aug.  9,  1862,  wounded,  prisoner  of 
war  at  mustering  out ;  John  Alaeyers,  Aug. 
9,  1862,  died  at  Andersonville  Prison  June 
7,  1864;  Eli  Montgomer}-,  Aug,  9,  1862,  died 
at  Mound  City  Dec.  7,  1864;  S,  B.  McCon- 
naught}-,  died  at  Walnut  Hill,  Miss.,  May 
-3-  1863,  wounds;  William  J.  Meyers,  Aug. 
13,  1862,  discharged  Jan.  24.  1863,  disabil- 
ity; Henry  F.  May,  Aug.  13,  1862,  dis- 
charged March  20,  1863,  disability  ;  J.  L.  Mc- 
Murtry,  Aug.  13,  1862,  mustered  out  May 
22.  1865,  was  prisoner;  D.  K.  Pound,  Aug. 
13,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, '1865;  E,  D. 
Riber,  Aug.  13,  1862,  mustered  out  as  ser- 
geant, was  prisoner ;  John  H.  Stoner,  Aug. 
9,  1862,  mustered  out  May  27,  1865;  John 
R.  Smith,  Aug.  9,  1862,  discharged  Feb,  6, 
18^)4.  disability;  Joseph  P,  Smith,  Aug.  9, 
]8()2,  discharged  Aug.  8,  1863,  disability; 
Samuel  W,  Snyder,  Aug.  g,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  Hiram  S,  Stine,  Aug.  9, 
1862,  discharged  Jul}-  7,  1863,  disability; 
James  T,  Scott,  Aug,  9,  1862,  discharged 
Jan,,  1863;  Henry  C,  Scott,  Aug,  9,  1862, 
died  at  Memphis  July  8,  1863,  wounds;  Ja- 


cob B,  Schroll,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865,  as  commissary  sergeant,  sec- 
ond lieutenant,  prisoner ;  J.  A,  Spalding, 
Aug,  9,  1862,  died  at  Camp  Sherman,  Miss,, 
Aug,  3,  1863;  Beechem  Turpin,  Aug,  9,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  William 
Thomas,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  Feb,  10,  1864,  prisoner;  R,  S,  Traugh- 
ber,  Aug,  9,  1862,  died  on  steamer  City  of 
Memphis  Feb.  8,  1863 ;  J.  D.  C,  Travis,  Aug. 
13,  1862,  discharged  Feb,  16,  1863,  disabil- 
ity; Isaac  W.  Travis,  Aug,  13,  1862,  died 
at  St,  Louis  Sept,  2,  1863 ;  Samuel  H.  Travis, 
Aug,  13,  1S62,  died  on  steamer  Planet  Jan. 
5,  1863;  U,  D,  Travis,  Aug,  13,  1862,  died  in 
Louisiana  April  27,  1863;  Ephraim  Tim- 
mons,  Aug,  12,  1862,  discharged  Feb.  25, 
1863,  disability ;  Lemuel  Timmons,  Aug. 
13,  1862,  died  at  Memphis  March  16,  1863; 
H.  C,  Traughber,  Aug,  18,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865  ;  John  Urbain,  Aug,  9,  1862, 
discharged  Sept.  5,  1863,  disability;  Amos 
W,  Vliet,  Aug,  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1862;  William  Wallace,  Aug,  9,  1862, 
discharged  April,  1863,  disability;  Thomas 
J.  \\'ard,  Aug.  9,  1862,  sergeant,  promoted 
sergeant  major,  was  prisoner;  Robert  D, 
Wilson,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  Lewis  Webber,  Aug,  18,  1862,  died 
at  Richmond,  Va,,  March  16,  1864, 

Recruits — John  C,  Aaron,  Feb,  11,  1864, 
transferred  to  Co,  F,  55th  Illinois  Infantry; 
N.  M.  Baker;  Benjamin  S,  Devore,  trans- 
ferred to  Co,  K  before  mustering  in ;  John 
Dulaney,  Afarch  29,  1864,  transferred  to 
Co,  F,  55th  Illinois  Infantry;  W,  H.  John- 
son, Feb,  27,  1864.  transferred  to  Co.  F,  55th 
Illinois  Infantry;  John  A,  Kimberlin,  trans- 
ferred to  Co,  K  before  mustering  in ;  Sam- 
uel Kitt,  transferred  to  Co.  F  before  mus- 
tering in ;  George  Deboy,  transferred  to  Co. 
K  before  mustering  in. 

Company  D. 
Captains — Joseph  Lingle,  Sept,  6,  1862,  re- 
signed  Feb.  29,   1864;   George  A,   Milmine, 


PAST    \.\li    ru l'.M-..\  1    *  >1-    .\IAl.(»\   t  I  )l   .\  1  \ 


«1 


Feb.  29,  1864.  discliargeil  Jan.  30,  1805.  was 
first  aiul  second  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — James  1\.  I'.riyys, 
Sept.  6.  iSi>2,  resigned  .Xpril  6,  18(13 ;  Tlia<l- 
deus  Collins,  l-'eh.  J<>,  iW>4,  nuistereil  out 
June  7,  i8()5,  was  second  lieutenant. 

.'second  Lieutenant — Hujjli  .\.  Lyon.s, 
June  ~.  i8(>5,  mustered  out  June  7,  i8ri5,  as 
serj^eant. 

I-irst  .'^erJJeant — J.  W.  (icorge,  .\ug.  13. 
i8<>2.  discharged  Aug.  3.  iS<>3.  disability. 

Sergeants — J.  F.  iloagland,  .\ug.  7,  iS'.iJ, 
discharged  June  12,  i8<)4.  disability;  ("■.  W  . 
Williams,  .\ug.  q.  18^)2.  died  on  steamer 
City  of  Memphis  Feb.  18,  i8()3;  Thaddeus 
Collins,  .-\ug.  7,  1862,  promoted  first  lieu- 
tenant :  Hugh  .\.  Lyons,  .Vug.  13,  i8('»2,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  i8<)5,  as  second  lieutenant. 

Cori)orals — D.  T.  Armstrong,  Aug.  13, 
1862,  sergeant,  died  at  St.  Louis  .Vpril  7. 
l8()3;  John  F.  Bowser,  .\ug.  9,  1862,  dieil  at 
Chattanooga  May  21.  1864,  wounds;  David 
Ciill,  .\ug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Chickasaw  Bayou 
Dec.  3,  1862;  A.  J.  Watson,  .Aug.  9,  i8()2, 
mustered  out  June,  i8(>5;  J.  B.  Streever, 
.\ug.,  i8<>2.  died  at  .Annapolis,  Md.,  Nov. 
I,  1863;  Scth  F.  Spore,  .Aug.  9,  i8<')2,  trans- 
ferred to  Co.  F,  55th  Illinois  Infantry;  N. 
W.  Slifer,  -Aug.  9,  i8C>2,  mustered  out  June 
7.  1S65,  as  sergeant ;  J.  (i.  Long,  .Aug.  9. 
i8(>2,  died  at  Richmond,  Aa.,  Feb.  20,  1864. 

Musicians — Flias  Barger,  .Aug.  9,  i8r)2, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Amos  Robert- 
son, .Aug.  13,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865.  as  corporal. 

Wagoner — C.  F.  Fmery.  .Aug.  8,  i8<i2. 
discharged   March  2,    1863. 

Privates — John  .\rmstrong,  .Aug.  15,  1862; 
.Andrew  .Adams,  .Aug.  11,  1862,  corporal, 
rjied  at  Richmond,  \'a.,  Jan.  2J,  18(^)4,  pris- 
oner; B.  I".  .Antrim.  .Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered 
nut  June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant;  Philip  Locke, 
.\ng.  27,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  18^)3; 
H.  1).  McKeever.  .Aug.  13,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7.  18^)3  :  John  Miller,  .Aug.  13,  18(12, 
mustered    out   June   7,    i8()3.     as    prisoner; 


Clarke  -Miller,  .Aug.  13,  i8(>2,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1805;  F..  K.  Milmiue,  .Aug.  <>,  i8(»2, 
mustered  out  June  7.  18(13;  Robert  .Martin, 
.Aug.  13,  i8(>2.  mustered  out  June  7,  18(15; 
Barney  O'.Neal.  .\ug.  13,  i8()2.  di.scharged 
Sept.  2,  i8')3;  Richard  Pope,  .Aug.  2^,  i8(>2, 
discharged  Sept.  2~.  18(13;  .Sanford  Payne. 
.\ug.  13.  18(12,  discharged  .March  12,  18(13; 
li.  J.  Plater,  .Aug.  7,  18(12,  sergeant,  died  at 
Memphis  .April  4,  18(13;  Jauies  (Juerrey, 
.\ug.  13.  l8()2,  musleretl  out  June  7,  l8(>3. 
prisoner;  hlri  (Juerrey,  .\ug.  18,  18(12,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  18(15;  .Alouzo  Ray,  .Aug.  8, 
18(12.  iliscliarged  Jan.  19  i8r)3;  William 
Rhinchart,  -Aug.  13.  18(12.  died  at  Camp  But- 
ler. 111..  .March  19,  1864;  Squire  Reed,  .Aug. 
7.  iSr>_».  mustered  out  June  7,  18(15;  Joseph 
Ryan,  .Aug.  7,  18(12.  mustered  out  June  7, 
18(15;  W.  <i.  Shannon,  .Aug.  22,  i8fi2,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  18(15;  Pi.  W.  ."^chenck, 
.Aug.  7.  18(12.  mustered  out  June  7,  18(15,  as 
corjioral ;  William  Schenk,  .Aug.  7,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  as  corjioral ;  Ja- 
cob .^purling.  .Aug.  9,  18(12,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant;  Fred  Smith,  .Aug. 
<;,  i8(>2,  sergeant,  died  at  Cleveland,  Tenn., 
Jan.  28,  18(15;  David  Scott,  .Aug.  7,  1862. 
mustered  <iut  June  7,  1865,  as  ])risoner ; 
Peter  Sellers,  .Aug.  18.  18(12,  discharged 
.Aug.  12,  1863;  J.  W.  Salters,  .Aug.  9.  18(12, 
mustered  out  June  7,  18(15;  John  .Shannon, 
.Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
Fdward  Sandy,  .Aug.  9,  18(12,  discharged 
l"eb.  (1.  18(14;  Thomas  Thornburg,  .Aug.  7, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  18(15;  William 
Towers.  .Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  18(15;  Charles  Tooley,  -Aug.  •>,  i8(>2,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865,  as  corporal;  J.  L. 
.Allen,  .Aug.  9,  1862,  mustcre<l  out  June  7, 
18(15;  William  Amber,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died 
at  A'liung's  Point  Jan.  20.  1863;  11.  .\mber, 
.Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  N'icksljurg  July  25. 
18(13;  Joel  B.  .Adams,  .Aug.  9,  18(12,  unistered 
out  May  18,  1865;  J.  1.  Arbuckle,  Aug.  9. 
i8(i.j,  mustered  out  June  7.  18^15,  as  corporal ; 
Samuel   .Alexander,    Aup.   <).    18(12;   William 


62 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Briggs,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  home  Dec.  21, 
1863;  R.  A.  Bclford,  Aug.  12,  1862,  dis- 
charged Feb.  I,  1863;  John  A.  Chism,  Aug. 
8.  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  L.  N. 
Chapman,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865,  as  corporal;  Arthur  Cory,  Aug.  15, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  prisoner; 
N.  Cooper,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died  at  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  March  6,  1863;  John  Craft,  Aug.  15, 
1862,  died  at  St.  Louis  April  5,  1864;  A.  F. 
Corn,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  on  steamer  City  of 
Memphis  Feb.  18,  1863 ;  R.  C.  Crocker,  Aug. 
7,  1862,  promoted  sergeant  major;  E.  H. 
Davidson,  Aug.  9,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mus- 
tering out ;  William  Daves,  Aug.  9,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant ;  An- 
drew Evans,  Aug.  13,  1862;  George  Emer- 
ick,  Aug.  7,  1862,  corporal,  died  at  Annapo- 
lis, Md.,  Aug.  25,  1863 ;  J.  W.  Elliott,  Aug. 
15.  1862;  Isaac  Fesler,  Aug.  9,  1862,  dis- 
charged April  3,  1863;  John  W.  Fenner, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  killed  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  May 
19,  1863;  Larkin  Fesler,  Aug.  15,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  H.  B.  Cast,  Aug.  9, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  James 
Huckabey,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865,  as  corporal;  John  Kline,  Aug.  15, 
1862,  discharged  Jan.  19,  1863;  John  Ken- 
nedy, Aug.  13,  1862 ;  Edward  Lukins,  Aug. 
13,  1862,  promoted  hospital  steward;  Will- 
iam F.  Lukins,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died  in  Missis- 
sippi June  22,  1863,  J.  E.  Liston,  Aug.  13, 
1862,  killed  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  July  22,  1864; 
William  A.  VanLeir,  Aug.  5,  1862,  dis- 
charged Jan.  16,  1863 ;  S.  N.  VanVoorhees, 
Aug.  9,  1862,  discharged  Jan.,  1863 ;  A.  G. 
Williams,  Aug.  11,  1862,  died  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  March  5,  1864,  prisoner;  M.  J.  Will- 
iams, Aug.  II,  1862,  died  at  St.  Louis  March 
26,  1863;  Alexander  Withers,  Aug.  9,  1862, 
died  at  Young's  Point  J^Iarch  3,  1863 ;  Ira 
Withers,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  ^Nlillikin's 
Bend  April  27,  1863;  A.  J.  Wright,  Aug.  12, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point  Feb.  17,  1863 ; 
Jacob  Zinn,  Aug.  15,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865. 


Recruits — Alexander  Briggs,  Oct.  i,  1862, 
died  on  steamer  Planet  Jan.  20,  1863 ;  Will- 
iam H.  H.  Gill ;  E.  Harris. 

Company  E. 

Captains — Lewis  J.  Eyman,  Sept.,  1862, 
killed  Jan.  11,  1863;  J.  S.  Windsor,  Jan.  31, 
1863,  promoted  major;  R.  M.  Hamilton, 
Sept.  26,  1864,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865, 
was  first  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — S.  H.  Varney,  Sept.  6, 
1862,  resigned  March  5,  1863;  James  D. 
Noon,  ]March  5,  1863,  died  June  18,  1863 ; 
\\'ill!am  H.  Streeter,  June  3,  1863,  resigned 
May  27,  1864;  Samuel  J.  Varney,  Sept.  26, 
1864;  died  of  smallpox  Feb.  13,  1865;  Will- 
iam H.  Dickerson,  April  20,  1865,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865. 

Second  Lieutenants — W.  L.  Harris,  Sept. 
6,  1862,  resigned  June  28,  1863;  Amzi  H. 
Baker,  Tune  7,  1865,  mustered  out  June  7, 
186.5. 

Sergeants— L.  J.  Mackey,  Aug.  15,  1862, 
absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ;  R.  M.  Ham- 
ilton, Aug.  15,  1862,  promoted  first  lieuten- 
ant; Joseph  D.  Noon,  Aug.  6,  1862,  died  at 
Memphis  June  18,  1863;  Amzi  H.  Baker, 
Aug.  6,  1S62,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865, 
as  second  lieutenant. 

Corporals — Ed.  C.  Eyman,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
died  at  Alillikin's  Bend  April  26,  1863  ;  E.  H. 
Boyd,  Aug.  2,  1862,  died  at  Young's  Point 
Feb.  23,  1863;  Jeremiah  Gepford,  Aug.  2, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  2,  1865  ;  Joel  Rhine- 
hart,  Aug.  2,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865  ;  John  Eyman,  Aug.  6,  1862,  transferred 
to  V.  R.  C.  Jan.  15,  1864;  John  Danley,  Aug. 
6,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Andrew 
Parr,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  George  Goodman,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865. 

]\Iusicians— Robert  G.  Kitch,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Silas  Gepford, 
Aug.   10,   1862. 

Wagoner— H.  B.  Nicholson,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 


PAST  AND  rRKSKXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


«;3 


IVivatcs— William  (i.  Allen.  Aug.  8,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  18O5,  James  11.  lioytl, 
Aufj.  J,  i8<)J,  absent,  sick  at  nuistering  out ; 
C  liarles  F.  lienton,  Aug.  O,  18O2,  absent,  sick 
at  mustering  out;  Ci.  W.  I'.rewer.  Aug.  6, 
i8^}j,  nmstercd  out  June  7,  18(15:  Charles 
.^.  llullanl.  Aug.  0,  1862,  absent,  sick  at 
mustering  out :  Joel  r>ruce,  Aug.  8,  1862, 
(lied  at  Young's  I'oint  l-'eb.  9,  18O3:  dcorgo 
W.  r.ruce.  Aug.  <>.  \S(>2,  died  at  Decatur 
Aug.  .^1.  iS'>3;  I'.  L.  F.enton,  .\ug. 
8,  i8<ij.  ilied  on  bos|)ital  boat  March 
18,  i8<>3;  J.  IJarnhart.  Aug.  10.  1XO2, 
mustered  out  June  7,  iSt)^.  prisoner;  Silas 
r.urt,  Aug.  J.  iSt>2.  mustered  out  June  7, 
i8<)5:  Ira  F.  Clark.  Aug.  0,  iSJjj.  died  Deca- 
tur, 111.,  Nov.  6.  1862;  John  W.  Corn,  Aug. 

6,  i8(>2,  mustered  out  June  7,  iS*);;  Jacob 
Cross,  Aug.  6,  i8<^)2,  nuistered  out  June  7, 
1865;  Charles  H.  Clark,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7.  18*35;  ^'-  Carver.  Aug.  7, 
|8<>2.  died  at  Youngs  Point  Feb.  11,  1863; 
John  H.  Cox.  Aug.  7,  1862,  discharged  at 
St.  I.ouis;  Israel  .M.  Cross,  Aug.  <).  1862, 
dietl  at  Young's  Point  March  26,  1863;  \V, 
II.  Dickerson.  Aug.  2,  1862,  promoted  cor- 
|)oral,  sergeant  and  second  lieutenant;  Jcihn 
Downey,  Aug.  6.   1862,  mustered  out  June 

7,  1865;  F.  M.  Danlcy,  Aug.  6,  1862,  died  at 
Yoinig's  I'oint  March  3,  1863:  S.  A.  Doug- 
las, .\ug.  C>.  18^12,  mustered  out  June  7. 
i8<)5;  I.,  n.  Dunham.  Aug.  13,  18G2,  trans- 
ferred to  \'.  R.  C.  May  16,  1864;  Michael 
Faton,  Aug.  8,  1862,  discharged  Nov.  25, 
1863;  IT.  \V.  French,  Aug.  2,  1862,  trans- 
ferred to  Inv.  Corps  Sept.  30,  1863;  M.  A. 
I'arnam.  Aug.  2.  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  Stephen  Farnam,  Aug.  2,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant;  Chester 
Farnam.  Auf^.  6,  18^12,  killed  at  Rcsaca,  Ga.. 
May  14.  i8<j4:  David  Farnam.  .\ug.  6.  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Lindsay  Far- 
nam, .\ug.  6,  1862.  absent,  sick  at  muster- 
ing out ;  James  Free,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  J.  W.  Fowler,  Aug.  6. 
i8<j2,  killed  at  Walnut  Hill  May  19,  1863; 


James  Goodin,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  18(15;  .M.  tireclcy,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865,  as  corporal;  Thomas 
Graham,  Aug.  7,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
i8(>5;  E.  M.  Grass,  Sept.  29,  1862,  died  at 
Memiihis  Oct.  21,  1863;  W.  H.  Gepford, 
Sept.  16,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865, 
as  corporal ;  S.  C.  llornback,  Sept.  18,  1862, 
musteretl  out  June  7,  1865;  George  W. 
llouser,  Sept.  18,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7.  i8<i5;  William  Houston,  Aug.  2,  1862, 
killed  al  Atlanta,  lia.,  July  22,  1864;  William 
Hunt,  Aug.  2,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
18(15 ;  liyron  llolcomb,  Aug.  2,  1862,  pro- 
moted sergeant  major;  James  M.  Hawk, 
Aug.  I),  \8(}2,  nuistered  out  June  7,  1865,  as 
corporal;  Jacob  J.  Hobbs,  Aug.  6,  1862,  ser- 
geant, died  July  30,  1864,  wounds;  Jacob 
Havener,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  Benjamin  Harrison,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
died  al  Camp  Butler  Feb.  24,  1864;  John  H. 
Halchelt,  Aug.  6,  i8(j2,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865,  sergeant;  Young  P.  Jones,  Aug.  7, 
1862;  F.  M.  Johnson,  Aug.  6,  1862;  William 
G.  Jones,  Aug.  7,  i8(J2,  absent,  sick  at  mus- 
tering out;  E.  M.  Johnson,  Aug.  7,  1862, 
died  al  Decatur  Oct.  5,  1863;  J.  L.  James, 
Aug.  8.  1862,  discharged  June  14,  1863;  Solo- 
mon Kitch,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865,  as  corporal;  l'"dward  M.  Kile,  Aug. 

6,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  18O5;  Harper 
Kelsey,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died  at  Memphis  Aug. 
5.  1863;  John  W.  Kile,  Aug.,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  Moses  Land,  Aug.  6,  1862, 
died  at  Cherry  Grove,  111.,  Nov.  25.  1863; 
l"li  XeKson,  Aug.  7,  1862,  discharged  Feb. 
18,  18(35,  disability;  Cieorge  Petlit,  Aug.  6, 
1862,  died  at  Dallas,  Ga.,  May  31,  1864; 
James  II.  Parr,  Aug.  6,  iHCt2,  died  at  Young's 
Point  March  2,  1863;  I.  W.  Rittenhouse, 
.Aug.  6,  1862,  corporal,  dietl  at  Decatur,  111., 
Sept.  29,  1864,  wounds;  W'illiain  II.  Roger, 
Aug.  8,  1862,  musteretl  out  June  7,  1865; 
A.  Shartzer,  Aug.  2,  1862,  mustered  out  June 

7.  18(15;  James  H.  Sprague,  Aug.  2,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  18(15;  R.  M.  Stockton, 


64 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  UE  MACOX  COUNTY. 


Aug.  2,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865, 
as  sergeant;  G.  R.  Sollar.s,  Aug.  6,  1862; 
discharged  Sept.  16,  1864;  Leonard  Stout, 
Aug.  6,  1862,  discharged  JMarch  28,  1864; 
Nat.  Sprague,  Aug.  5,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7.  1865,  as  corporal;  Allen  Smalley, 
Aug.  ().  1862.  died  at  Camp  Sherman,  Miss., 
Aug.  31,  1863;  Thomas  A.  Snyder,  Aug.  18, 
1862,  died  at  St.  Louis  July  3,  1863;  George 
\'anGundy,  Aug.  6,  1862,  died  at  Young's 
Point  March  16,  1863;  Samuel  J.  Varney, 
Aug.  14,  1862,  sergeant,  first  lieutenant,  died 
at  Annapolis  Feb.  3,  1863 ;  Larkin  Wheeler, 
Aug.  2,  1862;  Lewis  E.  White,  Aug.  2,  1862, 
discharged  Aug.  14.  1863;  Basil  Wood,  Aug. 
6,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Joseph 
H.  Young,  Aug.  6,  1862,  died  at  Memphis 
April  13,  1863. 

Recruits — William  P.  Benton,  died  at 
Memphis  Jan.,  1863. 

Company  F. 

Captains — Samuel  N.  Bishop,  Sept.  6, 
1862,  resigned  April  12,  1863;  N.  Gesch- 
wind,  April  12,  1863,  promoted  major;  Will- 
iam P.  Goodner,  June  7,  1865,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865. 

First    Lieutenants — John    B.    Tutt,    Sept. 

6,  1862,  died  Jan.  26,  1863 ;  S.'R.  Riggs,  April 
12,  1863,  resigned  Dec.  11,  1864;  John  A. 
Cochran,  June   7.   1865,   mustered  out  Jime 

7,  1865. 

Second  Lieutenants — E.  R.  Pratt,  Sept. 
30,  1862,  died  March  30,  1863;  J.  C.  Stans- 
bur}',  April  28,  1863,  died  April  9,  1865  ;  John 
P.  Lewis,  June  7.  1865,  mustered  out  June 
7-  1865. 

Privates — Benjamin  Lourish,  Sept.  5, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point  Feb.  15,  1863; 
David  Lourish,  Aug.  11,  1862,  discharged 
March  20,  1863 ;  George  E.  Young,  Sept. 
14,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out. 

Company  G. 
Captains — Alonzo    B.     Davis,     Sept.    30, 
1862,  died  Sept.  22,   1863;  Harvey  j\fahan- 


nah,  Dec.  22,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865,  was  first  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenant — James  P.  Barnett,  Dec. 
22,  1863,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Second  Lieutenants — Lafayette  Helm, 
Sept.  30.  1862,  died  Feb.  16,  1863;  Byron 
Barnett,  March  15,  1863.  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865. 

First   Sergeant — James   i'.   Barnett,   Aug. 

11,  1862,  promoted  first  lieutenant. 
Sergeants — D.   B.   Landis,  Aug.   18,   1862, 

wounded,  transferred  to  ^^  R.  C.  Sept.  15, 
1863;  William  B.  Davis,  Aug.  18,  1862; 
Michael  Doyle,  Aug.  9,  1862.  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  Z.  C.  Burdick,  Aug.  12,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Corporals — ^Vi!liam  Smith,  Aug.  11,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant ; 
Oren  S.  Rouse,  Aug.  12,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant;  A.  Kittrick,  Aug. 
14,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7.  1865  ;  John 
E.  Bragg,  Aug.  12,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865. 

Musician — David  Rea,  Aug.  12.  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Wagoner — A\'illiam  H.  Horton,  Aug.  12, 
1862. 

Privates — Elijah  Andrews,  Sept.  28,  1862; 
Elias  Andrews,  Sept.  28,  1862;  M.  L.  Bar- 
rett, Aug.  14,  1862,  promoted  principal  mu- 
sician ;  Charles  Barrett,  Sept.  14,  1862,  died 
at  Young's  Point  Feb.  22,  1863 ;  William 
Brooks,  Aug.  12,  1862;  Joseph  C.  Baird, 
Aug.  12,  1862,  discharged  ^larch  31,  1863; 
Thomas  Cotterell,  Aug.  12,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7.  1865 ;  \\'illiam  E.  Crissey,  Aug. 

12,  1862,  promoted  commissar}-  sergeant; 
William  A\'.  Dickey,  Aug.  15,  1862,  killed  at 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  July  22,  1864;  D.  A.  Dickey, 
Sept.  9.  1862,  corporal,  killed  at  Atlanta, 
July  22,  1864;  William  Fry,  Sept.  9,  1862; 
Lafayette  Fuller,  Aug.  29,  1862,  absent,  sick 
at  mustering  out;  Jackson  Grant,  Sept.  11, 
1862,  died  at  Memphis,  Q>nn.,  Oct.  10,  1863; 
John  T.  Higgins,  Aug.  14,  1862,  detached 
at  mustering  out  of  regiment;  Brice  Howell, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


05 


Any.  1-'.  iS(>_';  Lewis  llowcll,  Any;.  15,  iS<>j; 
AU'xamler  Hoots.  .\ug.  12.  i8t>J.  imisUTcil 
out  June  7,  iJV)^.  as  corporal :  John  S.  llilin, 
Aug.  iS,  i8<)2,  imistcroil  out  June  7,  1.^15; 
C.  K.  Harper.  Aug.  11,  1862.  died  Jan.  IJ. 
i8<)5.  wounds:  William  C.  Hooker,  .\ug.  15. 
iS>._>.  died  at  Memphis.  Tenn..  March  30, 
i8<.3:  .Servantus  Huston,  .\ug.  13.  \><t>2.  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  i8<>5;  C.  E.  Hunsley.  .\ug. 

14.  iS*>j:  mustered  out  June  7.  J8<)5;  J.  Hen- 
.son.  .\ug.  JO.  i}V>2.  mustered  out  June  7. 
i.%5:  Duham  Hanks,  Aug.  IJ,  i8<)J;  Isaac 
Kemp.   .\ug.    IJ,   i8()j;  Philip   Kemp.  .\ug. 

15,  iSdJ,  mustered  out  June  7.  i8<>5,  as  ser- 
geant;  William    Lyons,   .\ug.    IJ,    I.%J.   ab- 
sent, sick  at  mustering  out;  Ci.  W.  Lickliter. 
Aug.    Jt>    iS<>J.    died    at    .Memphis    .May    1. 
1863;  John  Lukins,  .\ug.  14,  1862,  mustered 
out   lune  7,  if^>3,  wounded;  Henry  Latham. 
.\ug.   J,    i8^>2,   mustered  out  Jime   7,    iS^>5; 
David  MiX)re,  .Vug.  Jo.  i8<)2,  mustered  out 
June  7.  1W15;  William  Moore,  Aug.  15.  1862; 
II.  .Mahannah,  .\ug.   11.   i8C)J.  mustered  out 
June   7,   18^)5;   George  W.   Mott,  Sept.    11, 
i8*'.2.  discharged  Feb.  18,  18^)5,  as  sergeant, 
wountled;   S.     W.     Rosa.     .\ug.     12,     i8(.j; 
William    11.    Rhodes,    Sept.    18,    i86j,   dis- 
charge.l  March   11,  1863;  .\.  L.  Smith,  .\ug. 
ij.  i8^>J.  di.scharged  Sept.  18.  i8<tj;  William 
C.  Smith.  .\ug.  21,   1862;  died  at  Young's 
Point  Jan.  2-.  18^)3;  .Samuel  Shui)p.  Aug.  26, 
i86j,  tirst  sergeant,  ab.sent.  sick  at   muster- 
ing out :  William  E.  Shastid,  .\ug.  14,  iSfu. 
<lied  at  Young's  Point   l-'eb.  20,  18^)3;  T.  W. 
Smith.    .\ug.    II,    i8<)2,    mustered   out    June 
7,  iSTij;  L.  Startsman,  .\ug.  18,  1862,  mus- 
tered  out    June    7,    18^*3;    William    Sccrist, 
.•\ug.  12.  i86j,  died  at  Mound  City,  111.,  .\ug. 
I.  18^.3;  John  W.  Smith.  Sept.  18,  1862.  dis- 
charged Sept.   12,   iW«3;  M.  Schmitz,  Sept. 
13.  1862.  mustered  out  June  7.  1W.3;  William 
Spear,  .\ug.    14,    i8<)2,  discharged   March  3, 
1863:  John  .\.  Troxell.  .\ug.  14.  i8^)2.  trans- 
ferred to  \'.  R.  C.  June  13,  i8<j3;  James  L. 
Willett.  .\ug.  12.  i8r>J.  mu.stcred  out  June  7, 
1863,  as  corporal;  L.  A.  Williams,  .\ug.  17, 


i8()j.  transferred  to  \  .  K.  C.  Dec.  15,  18(33; 
Wesley  Wheeler,  .Aug.  12,  1862,  discharged 
June  (\  i8<)3. 

Company  H. 

Cajjlains — J.  L.  Dnhxin.  .'-iepl.  30,  i8f>2, 
resigned  June  13,  i8(>3;  John  P.  Lamb.  June 
13,  18^)3.  resigned  Dec.  2J.  18(14;  Charles  P. 
Essick,  .\i)ril  jo,  i8(>3.  niustere<l  nut  June 
7.   i8«.3. 

I'irst  Lienliiiaiits — Isom  .^iinnmns,  .\pril 
j8,  1803.  killed  Dec.  JJ,  18^)4;  James  Ciood- 
wiii,  April  JO,  iSlt-,.  mustered  out  June  7, 
i8f)3. 

SecontI  Litutenants — Theodore  Short, 
Sept.  20,  1862,  died  Feb.  6.  i8<'.3;  William 
W.  Winn.  June  7.  18(15.  mustered  out  June 
7.  1805. 

Musician — James  Robinson.  Sept.  18, 
iS(>j.  transferred  tn  Inv.  Cor|)S  Dec.  17. 
i8(.3. 

Private — Charles  Sollers,  Sept.    10,    1862. 

Recruit — George  W.  liacon.  I'eb.  .24.  1864, 
transferred  tn  Cti.   I'".  53th  Illiiiiiis  Infantry. 

Company  L 

Captains — Uriah  P.  lorbes,  Sejit.  30,  1862, 
resigned  .\pril  23,  1803;  John  !•".  P.ishof, 
April  23.  i8()3,  resigned  March  30.  i8r)4,  waj; 
tirst  lieutenant;  Isaac  .\.  Martin.  March  13, 
1864,  mustered  out  June  7.  18(13,  was  first 
lieutenant. 

I'irst  Lieutenant — l-red  Schwab,  .March 
13,  1864,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865, 

.^eciMul  Lieutenant.s — Irwin  Miller,  Sept. 
30.  i8(j2,  discharged  Dec.  19,  iSCi^;  Joshua 
K.  Carr,  June  7,  1863.  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865. 

Sergeants — F.  .M.  Shepjjard,  .\ug.  13,  i8(>2, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  was  first  ser- 
geant an<l  second  lieutenant;  I'".  Workhiser, 
.Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  18^)5; 
W.  H.  Phillips.  .Aug.  22,  1862,  detached  at 
mustering  out. 

Corporals — M.  X'ermillion.  .\ug.  14.  1862. 
died  at  Larkinsville.  -Ala,,  Feb.  4.  18^.4;  J. 
E.  Carter,  .Aug.  8,  i8r>4,  mustered  out  June 


66 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


7,  1865;  George  Martin,  Aug.  12,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant;  J.  H. 
Hammond,  Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1805;  Peter  Schut,  Aug.  13,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Asa  Kingsbury, 
Aug.  8,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ; 
John  Scott,  Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1S65 ;  G.  W.  Mendenhall,  Aug.  8, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  prisoner. 

Musician — Henry     Wheelan,      Aug.      22, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865. 

Privates — Joseph  .\rt,  Aug.  12,  1862,  died 
on  hospital  boat  March  15,  1863;  Jacob 
Barth,  Aug.  22,  1862,  died  on  hospital  ' 
boat  March  15,  1863;  Jacob  Bratz,  Aug.  14, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point,  La.,  Feb.  22, 
1863;  G.  C.  Bailey,  Aug.  18,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865 ;  Samuel  Barnett,  .Sept.  22, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  M.  C.  Con- 
nolly, Aug.  13,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  E.  R.  Collins,  Aug.  8,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865,  as  corporal ;  Henry  Cline, 
Aug.  15,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865, 
as  sergeant;  Cors.  Corthen,  Aug.  14,  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  George  W. 
Church,  Aug.  11,  1862,  transferred  to  Co.  A, 
55th  Illinois  Infantry;  Joseph  Drain,  Aug. 
22,  1862,  discharged  May  5,  1865,  disability; 
John  Q.  Enkie,  Aug.  14,  1862,  discharged 
April  8,  1863,  disability ;  Henry  Ebert,  Aug. 
14,  1862,  sergeant,  sick  at  mustering  out ; 
Michael  Fry,  Aug.  8,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865,  as  corporal ;  J.  J.  Flaherty, 
Aug.  3,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
Henry  Fulk,  Aug.  16,  1862,  absent,  sick  at 
mustering  out ;  John  W.  Fulk,  Aug.  22, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point  Jan.  29,  1863; 
John  I'ory,  Aug,  22,  1862,  transferred  to  Co. 
A,  55th  Illinois  Infantry;  David  Guthrie, 
Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ; 
William  S.  Guthrie,  Aug.  14,  1862,  died  at 
Young's  Point  Feb.  9,  1863 ;  Fred  Gehr, 
Aug.  21,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out; 
Daniel  H.  Garver,  Sept.  19,  1862 ;  Michael 
Gloden,  Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865,  as  corporal ;  J.  Goodpasture,  Aug.  9, 


1862,  discharged  Oct,  9,  1862;  T,  R,  Ham- 
luond,  -Vug,  9,   1862,   nuistcred  out  June  7, 
1865,    as   sergeant ;    Michael    Holif,    .Vug,   9, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  as  corporal;. 
Harvey  Harris,  Aug,  22,  1862,  mustered  out 
June   7,    1865:   Andrew    Heinold,    Aug,    12, 
1862,  died  Ouincy,  III.,  March  25,  1865;  O. 
Herrindeen,  Sept.  27,  1862,  died  on  hospital 
bo^t  March    13,   1863;  S.   T.  Jenkins,   Sept. 
ID,  1862,  discharged  Jan.  24,  1863,  disability; 
Mathias  Keller,  Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Quincy, 
111.,  Oct.  25,  1863;  J.  B.  Kitchen,  Aug.  12, 
1862,  discharged  March  27,  1863,  disability ; 
Ernest  Koehler,  Aug.  12,  1862,  died  at  Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn.,  Feb.  19,  1864;  J.  Latch,  Jr., 
Aug.    8,    1862;    George    B.    Latch,   Aug.   8, 
1862;  Theodore  R.  Latch,  Aug.  8,  1862;  J. 
Morganthall,  Aug.  8,  1862,  absent,  sick  at 
mustering  out;  John  Martin,  Aug.  14,  1862; 
Alexander   Miller,    Aug.    9,    1862,    killed   at 
Resaca,   Ga.,  May   14,   1864;  Samuel   Miles, 
Aug.   13,   1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
John  Mang,  Sept.  20,  1862,  discharged  Sept. 
2,  1863,  disability;  Henry  S.  Miller,  Aug.  9, 
1862,   mustered   out  June  7,    1865;  Andrew 
Morrel,   Aug,    14,    1862,   killed   at  Arkansas 
Post   Jan,    II,    1863;   H.    Mendenhall,   Aug. 
20,    1862,    discharged    March    6,    1863,    dis- 
ability; Fred  Nier,  Aug.  12,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,   1865  ;  William   Odle,  Aug.    12, 
1862,  discharged  March  11,  1863,  disability; 
S.  V.  Reynolds,  Aug.  13,  1862,  died  at  De- 
catur Oct.  8.   1862 ;  Valentine  Smith,  Aug. 
14,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ;  M.  A. 
Smoot,    Aug.    14,    1862,     died     on     steamer 
Planet    Feb.    18,    1863 ;    Joseph     Strickland, 
Aug.   15,   1862,   died   at   Evansville  Jan.    10, 
1865 ;  H.  Shinnaman,  Aug.  ig,  1862,  died  at 
St.  Louis  March  4,  1863  ;  John  Stumpff,  .^ug. 
19,   1862,  mustered  out  June  7,   1865;  Fred 
Smith,   Aug.   22,   1862 ;  E.  Smith,   Sept.    13, 
1862,    as   corporal;    George   Tool,   Aug.   22, 
1862 ;  Philip  A.  Vogle,  Aug.  14,  1862,  trans- 
ferred to  V.  R.  C.  May  i,  1864;  David  Veail, 
Aug.  13,  1865,  discharged  May  25,  1863,  dis- 
ability ;  Michael  Witt,  mustered  out  June  7, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  iMACON  COUNTY. 


1865;  H.  W'esterhavcr,  Aug.  8,  1862,  wag- 
oner, sick  at  niiislering  out ;  Josiah  Younger, 
.Aug.  12,  i8/)2,  corporal,  killed  at  X'icksburg, 
July  J,  1863;  J.  O.  Younger,  .\ug.  14,  i8<.i.', 
discharged  March  28,  1863,  disability ;  Will- 
iam Young,  .\ug.  12.  iS()2,  corporal,  sick 
at  mustering  out. 

Recruit — William  11.  .Miller,  .-\ug.  12, 
1862,  transferred  to  Co.  A,  Illinois  Infantry. 

Company  K. 

Captains — John  E.  Maddo.x,  Sept.  30, 
1862,  promoted  lieutenant  colonel ;  James 
H.  Glore,  June  15,  1864,  mustered  out  June 
7,  i8<>5,  was  first  and  second  lieutenant. 

First  Lieutenants — John  S.  Windsor, 
Sept.  30,  1862,  promoted  Captain  Co.  E; 
Joseph  D.  Mackey,  June  15,  1864,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865. 

Sccontl  Lieutenants — X.  W.  Wheeler, 
Sept.  30,  1862,  killed  March  19,  1863,  siege 
of  \'icksburg;  IT.  G.  Eppler,  Juitc  7,  1865, 
mustered  out  June  7,  18*35. 

Sergeants — G.  W.  Green.  July  17,  1862, 
absent,  sick  at  mustering  out;  Thomas  .Mc- 
Cann,  died  at  Millikins  Bend,  La.,  May  8, 
1863 ;  James  Dermot,  July  9,  1862,  dis- 
charged March  20,  1864. 

Corporals — William  L.  Tcdroe,  July  26, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865,  was  pris- 
oner; John  Stackhouse,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  John  Ruthroff,  July 
29,  1862,  died  at  Mount  City  Sept.  7,  18C3; 
J.  J.  11.  Young,  July  14,  1862,  discharged 
.April  II,  1863;  M.  V.  Harbour,  Aug.  14, 
1862,  sergeant,  sick  at  mustering  out ;  Will- 
iam Thompson,  Aug.  14,  1862,  absent,  sick 
at  mustering  out;  John  Ilcrrin,  .Aug.  14, 
1862,  died  at  Young's  Point  May  24,  1863; 
William  T.  Griffin,  .Aug.  6,  1862. 

Musicians — Daniel  Mclntyrc,  Aug.  15, 
1»J2.  discharged  July  3,  18/.4 :  P,.  C.  Rar- 
rackman,  .Aug.  19,  1862. 

Wagoner — W  illiam  Young,  -Aug.  6.  1862, 
absent,  sick  at  mustering  out. 


Privates— (leorge  .\ter,  .Aug.  7.  1862, 
transferred  to  Inv.  Corps  Sept.  i,  1863;  J. 
W.  Ashberry,  .\ng.  24.  1862,  corporal,  died 
at  Rome,  (Ja..  Sept.  9.  i8<4:  William  J. 
Prewer,  .Aug.  14,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7.  i8<.5;  C.  W.  Burt,  Aug.  15.  1862,  trans- 
ferred to  Inv.  Corps  Jan.  17,  i8<J4;  C.  M. 
liaird,  July  25,  18^)2,  died  at  Young's  Point 
I'eh.  23.  18(33;  James  Hadgcr.  July  22,  1862, 
absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ;  Jasper 
r.rooks,  .Aug.  24,  i8(.2.  died  at  Young's  Point 
l-"el).  3.  1863:  R.  K.  Brooks,  .Aug.  24.  1862, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865.  as  sergeant; 
James  Cliafin,  .\ug.  15,  1802;  .Adam  Cole- 
man, Aug.  15.  1862.  died  at  .Memphis  .March 
^3-  J»>3:  -Michael  Clark,  Aug.  28,  1862,  died 
at  Memphis  Jan.  31,  1863;  Clark  Carr,  Aug. 
22,  1862;  William  Clay,  Aug.  2,  1862;  Na- 
man  Collins,  Aug.  8,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865,  as  sergeant;  N.  T.  Cook.  July 
15.  i8(j2,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Hugh 
Clark,  July  22.  1862,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1863:  Jerome  Cox,  Aug.  8,  1862,  discharged 
July  I,  1863;  Joseph  Chafin,  .Aug.  25,  1862; 
George  Deboy,  Aug\  13,  1862,  died  at  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  July  25,  1864,  wounded;  Benja- 
min Dcvore,  .Aug.  9,  1862,  died  at  Decatur 
Nov.  18,  1863:  B.  Eldridge,  .Aug.  19,  1862, 
absent,  sick  at  mustering  out ;  Hiram  Epler, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865.  as  sergeant; 
Levi  Follis,  .Aug.  11,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  Alexander  Follis,  Aug.  11, 
1862,  died  on  hospital  boat  May  23,  1863; 
Jesse  Fry,  .Aug.  7,  1862,  discharged  Jan.  8, 
1865;  Andrew  (lingle,  -Aug.  6,  1862,  missing 
since  -May  31,  1865,  supposed  insane;  J.  S. 
Hunter,  .Aug.  15,  1862,  discharged  .M.-iy  6, 
i8')5.  as  corporal;  Richard  Hix,  .Aug.  27, 
1862,  died  on  hospital  boat  Jan.  31,  1863; 
William  Hamsher,  Aug.  22,  i8<)2,  absent, 
sick  at  mustering  out;  J.  A.  Hcrrold,  Aug. 
22,  1862,  transferred  to  Inv.  Corps  Sept.  30, 
1863;  II.  I  lager,  Aug.  28.  1862,  died  at  Big 
.^^lianty  June  23,   1864:  John  Heck,  .Aug.  2, 


€S 


PAST  AND  i'RESEXT  OF  AlACOX  COLXTY 


1862.  imistcred  out  June  7,  1865;  William 
Holder,  Aug.  i,  1862,  died  at  Chattanooga 
June  14,  1864;  Jacob  James.  Aug.  11,  1862, 
killed  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  July  22,  1864;  David 
James,  Aug.  11.  1862,  died  at  St.  Louis  July 
20,  1863 ;  John  Johnson,  Aug.  25,  1862,  died 
at  Decatur  Nov.  25,  1862:  J.  Jones,  Aug.  2, 
1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  J.  A.  Kim- 
berland,  'Aug.   15.   1862.  mustered  out  June 

7,  1865:  William  Luster,  Aug.  n.  1862: 
mustered  out  June  7.  1865;  G.  W.  Leigh, 
Aug.  2.  1862,  died  at  Memphis  Xov.  26, 
1862;  Maley  Mattox,  Aug.  14,  1862,,  cor- 
poral, died  at  Young's  Point  Feb.  i,  1863; 
M.  McGlanghlin,  Aug.  6,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  Patrick  Murphy,  Aug.  20, 
1862,  discharged  Dec.  4.  1863;  Owen  Mc- 
Cantus,  Aug.  22,  1862 :  Jacob  Maples,  .\ug. 
15,  1862,  absent,  sick  at  mustering  out; 
William  ^McCune,  Aug.  22,  1862,  absent,  sick 
at  mustering  out:  S.  Royner,  Aug.  16,  1862, 
died  at  Pana,  111.,  June  20,  1864;  David 
Burkey,  Aug.  7,  1862,  transferred  to  Inv. 
Corps  Sept.  i,  1863;  James  Ryan,  Aug.  15, 
1862,  sergeant,  died  at  Big  Shanty,  Ga., 
July  17.   1864,  wounded;  J.  W.  Reed,  Aug. 

8,  1862.  died  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  Oct.  5,  1863 ; 
T.  J.  Reed,  Aug.  22,  1862 ;  died  at  Young's 
Point  Feb.  11,  1863;  Daniel  Staines,  Aug. 
15,  1862.  died  at  Y'oung's  Point  Feb.  7,  1863; 
John  Shields,  Aug.  15,  1862,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  David  Shoemaker,  Aug.  8, 
1862.  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Henry 
Shaw,  July  15,  1862,  discharged  April  15, 
1863;  C.  R.  Smith.  July  25,  1862,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865 ;  William  See,  Aug.  27, 
1862,  discharged  .A.pril  10,  1863;  David  B. 
Terril,  Aug.  9,  1862,  mustered  out  Jvme  7, 
1865,  as  corporal;  Tolliver  West,  July  17, 
J862,  commissioned  in  second  Mississippi 
Colored  Infantry ;  James  W.  Warnell,  Aug. 

9,  1862,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  David 
W^allace,  Aug.  12,  1862,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865:  James  W.  Wood,  .Aug.  i,  1862,  died 
at  Young's  Point  Jan.  1,  1863. 


VILLAGES  OF   .MACoX   eol'XTY. 

Blue  Mound. 
.After  the  completion,  in  1886.  of  the  East 
-St.  Louis  Railroad,  now  the  Wabash,  this 
town  was  established.  The  town  was  platted 
■  through  the  influence  of  Doctor  (ioltra,  who 
owned  the  land  upon  which  the  town  is  lo- 
cated. It  takes  its  name  from  two  large 
mounds  lying  west  of  it.  There  are  in  the 
town  four  grocery  stores,  two  bakeries  and 
restaurants,  one  hardware  store,  one  furni- 
ture and  implement  store,  two  elevators, 
three  hotels,  two  blacksmith  shops,  two 
drug  stores,  two  clothing  and  shoe  stores, 
one  shoe  store,  one  general  store,  two  dry 
goods  stores,  one  harness  shop,  two  meat 
markets,  three  barber  shops,  one  tailor  shop, 
one  photograph  gallery,  one  implement 
house,  two  millinery  stores,  one  paper,  the 
Blue  Mound  Leader,  also  five  doctors  and 
one  dentist.  There  is  a  public  system  of 
water  works,  the  water  coming  from  deep 
wells ;  also  a  private  electric  light  plant. 

The  town  was  incorporated  in  1876;  the 
population  is  about  800.  The  following 
churches  are  located  within  its  boundaries: 
Alethodist,  Christian,  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian, and  in  addition  to  this  there  is  a  good 
four- room  school  house.  It  is  situated  about 
ten  miles  southwest  of  Decatur,  in  Pleas- 
ant \'iew  township,  one  of  the  great  corn 
producing  localities  of  Macon  county;  it 
is  a  thriving  town  and  is  making  a  steady, 
substantial  growth.  Lodges :  I.  O.  O.  F., 
A.  F.  &  A.  ^1.,  K.  of  P.,  M.  W. 

Oreana. 

Oreana  was  platted  in  1872  on  land  owned 
by  H.  C.  Bower.  Two  general  stores,  two 
elevators,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  a  substan- 
tial modern  school  house  are  located  in  the 
village.  A  Christian  church,  a  Baptist 
church,  a  Modern  ^^'oodmen  lodge  and  a 
Knights  of  Pvthias  lodge  are  here  located. 
The  population  is  about  150.  But  one  doc- 
tor. C.  A.  Mallorv.  It  is  situated  about  seven 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COl'NTY 


«!♦ 


milc.s  ii.irilua>i  ul   Di'caiur  in  ilic  midst  of 
fine  prtxiiictivc  rolliiij^  prairie  lands. 

Oakley. 
Oakley  was  i)latteil  in  1856011  lam!  owned 
by  William  Rea.  Two  general  stores,  two 
elevators,  and  one  blacksmith  shop  consti- 
tute the  business  of  the  village.  A  .Modern 
Woodmen  lodge,  a  I'nitcd  Brethren  church 
and  a  modern  school  house  are  locateil  here. 
'I'lie  population  is  200.  It  is  situaleil  tive 
miles  east  of  Decatur  on  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road. 

Elwin. 

I'^lwin,  originally  W'heallanil,  changctl  to 
its  present  name  on  account  of  a  Wheatland 
in  Will  county,  was  ])latted  in  1859  on  land 
owned  by  William  .Martin  and  Daniel  11. 
Elwood.  The  village  has  a  general  store, 
an  clevattjr.  a  blacksmith  shop,  one  tloctor, 
Joseph  Leslie,  a  Methodist  church  and  a 
well  arranged  school  house;  population 
about  100.  It  is  locatetl  five  miles  south  of 
Decatur  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroa<l 
in  South  \\"heatland  township  in  a  very  fer- 
tile prairie  corn  and  oats  (iroducing  spot. 

Boody. 

I'lOody  is  on  the  .St.  Louis  i)ranch  of  the 
Wabash  Railroad  about  four  miles  .south- 
west of  Decatur  in  I'lue  .Moun<l  township, 
in  a  fine  corn  and  wheat  producing  locality. 
It  was  platted  in  1870  on  land  owned  by 
l-'rederick  .Neintker.  who  entered  it  from 
the  government  in  i85().  It  has  two  gen- 
eral storc-s,  one  elevator,  one  blacksmith 
shop,  one  .shoe  store,  one  United  I'.rethren 
church,  one  town  hall,  a  two-room  school 
house;  two  doctors.  The  secret  societies 
are:  The  Fraternal  .\rmy.  The  Mo<lern 
Woodtuen  and  The  Home  tircle.  Popula- 
tion 300. 

Macon. 

Macon  was  platted  in  \H~,u  on  land  owned 
by  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad;  it  was  in- 
corporated  .\pril   19,   1869.     The  first   store 


room  was  built  in  i85<>  by  Charles  Williams 
and  Charles  .Seanu-ns.  The  first  tlwelling 
house  was  erected  by  A.  J.  Harris  in  1859, 
he  bcgiiiniug  the  work  on  .Sunday. 

riure  are  at  ])resent  two  general  stores, 
two  hartlware  stores,  one  furniture  store,  one 
drug  sti>re,  two  shoe  stores.  o)ie  millinery 
store,  two  banks,  two  implenient  houses, 
one  hnnher  yard,  two  elevators,  two  barber 
shops,  one  meat  market,  three  restaurants, 
one  bakery,  two  blacksmith  shops,  two  liv- 
ery stables,  one  .sale  stable,  two  hotels,  two 
veterinary  surgeons,  two  doctors,  one  in- 
surance office,  one  newsi)a|)er.  The  Macon 
Record,  a  L'atholic  churcii.  a  Presbyterian 
church  an<l  a  Methodist  church. 

In  lodges  they  haVe :  .\  Masonic,  an  (  )dd 
I'ellows.  and  a  Supreme  Court  of  Honor. 
It  also  has  a  six-room  school,  one  of  the 
best  frame  houses  in  the  county,  which 
occui)ies  a  central  location.  The  population 
is  800.  It  is  about  nine  miles  south  of  De- 
catur in  South  .Macon  township  in  a  fine 
farming  comnuniity.  It  has  a  system  of 
|)id)lic  water  works,  the  water  coming  from 
a  deep  well. 

Forsyth. 
This  village  was  platted  in  i8()4  on  l.iml 
owned  by  Edward  (  ).  .Smith,  and  named 
after  Robert  Forsyth,  the  general  freight 
agent  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  It 
contains  at  jiresent  two  general  stocks  of 
giKxIs,  one  blacksmith  shop,  one  elevator, 
one  Methodist  church,  a  one-room  school 
house,  a  Modern  Woodmen  lodge,  a  Knights 
of  Pythias  lodge  and  an  Odd  I'ellows  lodge. 
The  population  is  200.  It  is  located  six 
miles  north  of  Decatur  in  a  very  productive 
coiunumity. 

Hcrvcy  City. 
Ilervey  City  was  platted  in  1872  on  land 
owned  by  P.  S.  Outten.  located  four  miles 
southeast  of  Mt.  Zion,  in  Mt.  Zion  township. 
The  postoffice  at  this  place  is  known  by  the 
government  as  Outten  Postoffice.     The  vil- 


70 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lage  contains  one  store  and  two  elevators. 
The  population  is  about  sixty-five.  The 
surrounding  country  is  typical  Macon  coun- 
ty land. 

Hight. 
In  1900  an  elevator  was  erected  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  southeast  of  Hervey 
City  on  the  Jesse  Vowel  land ;  C.  A.  Hight 
of  Dalton  City  being  one  of  the  owners  of 
the  elevator  gave  the  station  the  name  of 
Hight.  The  place  now  has  an  excellent 
school  house  and  a  dwelling  house,  also  a 
small  depot. 

Mt.   Zion. 

This  village  was  platted  on  land  owned 
by  S.  K.  Smith  between  1825  and  1830.  It 
was  called  Wilson  Postoffice,  but  in  1830  a 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  was  erect- 
ed there  and  named  Mt.  Zion  church  ;  the 
name  of  the  town  was  at  once  changed  to 
Mt.  Zion.  The  first  house  in  town  was  built 
by  Andrew  Wilson  near  the  present  site  of 
John  Scott's  house. 

The  village  contains  three  general  stores, 
one  implement  house,  one  harness  shop,  one 
lumber  yard,  one  blacksmith  shop,  one  bar- 
ber shop,  one  elevator,  two  doctors,  a  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  church,  a  Methodist 
church  and  a  two-room  school  house.  The 
school  house  was  built  for  a  college  and 
was  used  for  that  purpose  until  the  school 
was  removed  to  Lincoln,  Illinois.  The  popu- 
lation is  about  300.  It  is  situated  about  five 
miles  southeast  of  Decatur  in  Mt.  Zion 
township. 

Harristown. 

This  village  was  platted  on  land  owned 
by  J.  H.  Burkey.  It  was  named  Summit, 
because  it  is  the  highest  point  between  Indi- 
anapolis and  Springfield,  but  when  the  rail- 
road was  completed  it  was  changed  to  Har- 
ristown in  honor  of  a  railroad  official  in 
Springfield.  It  contains  a  general  store,  a 
blacksmith  shop,  an  elevaior,  a  restaurant, 
a    Methodist    church,    a    Church    of    Christ, 


and  a  two-room  school  house.  It  has  a 
population  of  150.  It  is  situated  about  eight 
miles  west  of  Decatur  in  Harristown  town- 
ship; the  surrounding  country  is  beauti- 
fully mululating  and  very  fertile. 

Maroa. 

This  city  was  platted  in  1854  on  land 
owned  by  the  "Associated  Land  Company" 
and  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company. 
It  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1867.  The 
first  house  was  built  by  G.  J.  Schenk  in 
1855.  The  "Prairie  Hotel"  was  built  by 
William  Greer  in  1858;  in  the  same  year 
the  first  school  house  was  built,  and  Robert 
Collins  was  the  first  teacher. 

The  city  contains  two  dry  goods  stores, 
four  grocery  stores,  two  drug  stores,  three 
blacksmith  shops,  two  implement  houses, 
one  furniture  store,  two  hardware  stores, 
three  restaurants,  two  barber  shops,  two 
millinery  stores,  two  hotels,  two  meat  shops, 
two  lumber  yards,  two  banks,  three  saloons, 
one  harness  shop,  one  livery  stable,  two  ele- 
vators, a  Methodist  church,  a  Christian 
church,  a  Presbyterian  church,  two  school 
houses,  one  of  two  and  the  other  of  six 
rooms.  Lodges:  Masonic,  Odd  Fellows, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  JNIodern  Woodmen, 
Rebekah,  Rathbone  Sisters  and  Eastern 
Star.  One  lawyer  and  three  doctors  are  lo- 
cated there.  Population,  2,000.  It  has  a 
system  of  water  works  owned  by  the  city; 
its  water  supply  coming  from  a  deep  well. 
There  is  also  a  private  electric  light  plant 
which  supplies  the  city  both  as  to  city  and 
private  use. 

Warrensburg. 

This  village  was  platted  in  1872  on  land 
owned  by  J.  K.  Warren ;  town  assumed  his 
name.  There  are  in  the  village  three  gen- 
eral stores,  one  drug  store,  two  restaurants, 
two  hotels,  one  lumber  yard,  two  elevators, 
one  harness  shop,  two  livery  barns,  one  bar- 
ber shop,  one  paper,  "The  Warrensburg 
Times,"'   a   Methodist   church,  a   Congrega- 


PAST    \\M  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  •(U-MV. 


71 


tioiial  clnircli,  a  Cliiirch  ui  Uod,  also  a  four- 
room  scliool  house.  The  population  is  600. 
The  village  is  located  eight  miles  north- 
west of  Decatur  on  a  ridge  overlooking  the 
country  to  the  north  and  norihwust  for 
many  miles.  For  a  picturest|ue  site  there 
is  none  in  the  county  its  equal.    The  village 

supports    twn   dootnr-i. 

Argenta. 

The  village  of  .\rgoiua  was  platted  on 
land  owned  by  Russell  B.  Rogers  in  1873, 
when  the  Decatur,  Monticello  &  Champaign 
Railroad,  now  a  branch  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral, was  constructed.  The  fortieth  parallel 
passes  through  this  place  tlividing  it  almost 
equally. 

The  first  house  was  built  by  Cieorge  M. 
<  ieorge  in  the  northeast  j>art  of  town.  The 
lirst  store  room  was  built  by  William  Ellis; 
it  was  destroyed  by  fire,  then  replaced  by 
the  one  now  owned  by  William  Kidder. 
The  village  contains  two  general  stores,  two 
hardware  stores,  one  furniture  store,  two 
barber  shops,  one  harness  shop,  two  res- 
taurants, one  hotel,  one  meat  market,  two 
elevators,  one  bank,  one  lumber  yard,  one 
livery  barn,  one  paper.  "The  .\rgeiita 
Hustler."  a  Methodist  church,  a  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  church,  a  I'niletl  Pirelli- 
ren  church,  ami  a  Christian  cinirch.  also  a 
four-rooni  scIiddI  house;  two  doctors  and 
one  dentist  are  located  there. 

Niantic. 

This  village  was  platted  about  iS5_^  on 
land  owned  by  Jesse  Lockhart.  <  )riginally 
the  inhabitants  named  the  place  Long  Point, 
the  railroad  called  it  Prairie  City  and  the 
postal  department  knew  it  as  Lockhart. 
Later  these  tliree  elements  united  in  nam- 
ing it  Xiantic  in  honor  of  .some  town  in 
Connecticut  bearing  the  name  of  some  In- 
dian tribe.' 

Cieorge  \Vree  built  the  first  house  in  Xian-. 
tic.  now  occupied  by  Dr.  A.  Hall  as  an  of- 


fice. The  l)U>inc.ss  is  as  follows:  1  hrec 
general  stores,  one  drug  store,  five  grocery 
stores,  one  meat  market,  one  shoe  store,  two 
restaurants,  two  bakeries,  three  barber 
sh<)|)s.  two  confectioneries,  one  harness 
shop,  three  blacksmith  shoi)s,  one  real  estate 
tirm.  two  hotels,  one  coal  shaft,  three  grain 
dealers  and  implement  houses,  one  lumber 
yard,  one  hardware  store,  one  bank,  two 
doctors,  a  lioman  I'atbolic  church,  a  Chris- 
tian church,  a  Methodist  chnrch.  Lodges: 
Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Modern 
Woodmen,  .\ncicnt  Order  of  Ignited  Work- 
men. Fraternal  Crystal  Light,  Royal  Circle, 
rVaternal  Army,  Yeomen  of  .\merica ;  also 
a  modern  four-room  school  house  as  good  as 
any  you  will  find  in  a  village  of  its  size. 

liearsdale  was  established  when  the  P., 
1).  &  K.  Railway  was  built,  and  is  located 
in  the  west  part  of  Hickory  Point  township, 
taking  the  name  of  the  original  settlers, 
Pear.  It  has  two  grain  elevators,  two 
stores,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  a  postoffice. 

Prairie  Hall  was  established  soon  after 
the  Vandalia  was  built ;  it  lies  in  the  east 
part  of  Mt.  Zion  township.  A  general  store, 
two  grain  elevators  and  a  postoffice  are  lo- 
cated there. 

Ileman.  formerly  Rullardsville,  was  estab- 
lished on  the  P..  D.  &  K.  Railway  a  few 
miles  west  of  Warrensburg,  some  time  after 
the  building  of  the  railroad.  It  has  an  ele- 
vator, a  store  and  a  postoffice. 

Walker,  locate<l  in  the  s<iuth  part  of  South 
Macon  township,  was  estal>lished  soon  after 
the  building  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railway. 
It  has  two  elevators,  a  store  and  a  post- 
office. 

Emery,  located  in  the  south  part  of  Maroa 
township,  was  established  soon  after  the 
construction  of  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road. It  has  two  grain  elevators,  a  store 
and  a  postoffice. 

Sangamtn.  locate«l  in  the  west  part  of 
.Sangamon  township,  was  established  soon 
after  the  building  of  the  Wabash  Railroad. 


72 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OE  MACoX  COl'X'l'V 


J I  lias  two  stores,  a  grain  elevator,  a  black- 
smith siiop  and  a  ])Ostoffice. 

\\  ykles,  about  three  miles  west  of  Deca- 
tur was  established  Init  a  few  years  ago. 
It  contains  an  elevator  and  a  postoffice. 

The  Lost  Towns  of  Macon  County. 

Jn  1836  John  and  Thomas  Moffett  platted 
tlie  town  of  ^ladison  where  the  Madison 
school  house  now  stands.  The  town  grew 
for  a  while  but  was  finally  abandoned. 

The  town  of  ]\lurphreysboro  was  platted 
in  1839  '^'^  what  is  known  as  the  \''olgamot 
farm  south  of  Xewburg  in  Friends  Creek 
townsliip.  It  was  for  a  time  a  rival  of  De- 
catur, but  eventually  lost  its  prestige. 

The  town  of  West  Danville,  better  known 
as  "Dantown,"  just  east  of  Xewburg,  was 
platted  by  Daniel  Conklin  about  1838.  It 
grew  for  a  number  of  years  making  quite  a 
conspicuous  village,  but  finally  succumbed 
to  decay ;  nothing  remains  but  one  residence 
and  the  old  distillery  to  tell  of  its  halcyon 
days. 

The  Schools. 

The  educational  facilities  of  Macon  coun- 
ty have  kept  apace  with  those  of  any  of  the 
adjacent  counties. 

Durmg  its  first  decade  the  houses  were 
few  and  far  between :  these  houses  were 
built  by  donations  of  material  and  labor, 
and  the  teacher  was  dependent  upon  the 
parents  for  his  pay,  which  was  sometimes 
as  low  as  ten  dollars  per  month  :  he  boarded 
around,  day  or  week  about,  thus  securing 
his  board  free.  A\^ood  was  furnished  by  the 
parents  and  chopped  by  the  large  boys ;  the 
house  was  swept  once  a  day  by  the  large 
girls. 

During  this  formative  period  the  teachers 
were  divided  into  the  following  classes : 
The  school  teacher  who  taught  the  school ; 
the  school  master  who  mastered  the  school, 
and  the  school  keeper  who  kept  others  from 
getting  the  school.  There  were,  however, 
some  excellent  teachers  in  those  days,  who 


were  conscientious  and  well  prepared.  This 
class,  in  consetpience  of  the  meager  stipend 
could  not  long  remain  in  the  profession, 
thus  necessitating  constant  recruits,  who 
were,  not  infrequently,  penniless  adven- 
turers exploring  the  west,  trying  to  turn  a 
dollar  b\-  teaching.  The  pioneer  teacher 
being  examined  by  the  board  of  directors, 
needed  really  but  two  qualifications — a 
rugged  physique  and  an  -aptness  in  the  fun- 
damentals of  arithmetic,  as  the  following 
question  put  at  a  prospective  teacher  who 
taught  the  school  in  the  Carver  settlement 
demonstrates.  Question:  What  will  be  the 
cost  of  sixty  bushels  of  wheat  at  a  dollar  per 
bushel?  The  teacher's  ready  answer 
promptly  closed  the  examination  and  se- 
cured to  him  the  authority  to  take  charge 
of  the  school.  It  is  true,  nevertheless,  that 
the  teacher  was  plied  with  all  kinds  of 
knotty  problems,  which  did  not  in  any  event 
in\-olve  very  intricate  manipulations  in  their 
solutions,  vet  they  were  so  considered  by 
the  patrons,  and  woe  tnito  the  teacher  who 
could  not  solve  them  as  bv*  magic. 

The  teacher  by  the  aid  of  the  board  of 
directors  usually  formulated  a  set  of  rules 
which  were  tacked  upon  the  wall  and  re- 
viewed every  morning  as  part  of  the  day's 
task.  The  government  was  administered 
by  the  rod  or  intimidation,  and  b}'  courting 
the  favor  of  the  older  boys  and  girls.  There 
was  an  unwritten  law,  not  included  in  the 
directors"  rules,  permitting  the  pupils  to 
bar  out  the  teacher  in  order  to  compel  him 
to  treat;  the  teacher  was  often  subjected 
to  very  rough  and  unwarranted  treatment 
on  these  occasions.  This  custom,  we  are 
glad  to  say,  is  now  obsolete. 

The  methods  of  teaching  were  quite  dif- 
ferent from  those  of  the  present.  The 
books  in  use  did  not  follow  the  lines  of 
least  resistance,  as  our  psychologists  advo- 
cate, but  on  the  contrary,  seemed  to  follow 
the  lines  presenting  most  friction.  A  care- 
ful inspection  of  the  following  list  of  books 


PAST  AN1>   I'RKSKXT  OF  MACON'  COUNTY 


will  ciiabk-  _m«ii  to  tk-ciiU-  ilii>  lor  _\  «uii.'-cii  : 
Kiaikr.  ail  grades.  New  Testament ;  speller, 
Webster's  Elementary ;  arillimetic,  Smily. 
'I'liis  practically  completed  the  list.  Web- 
ster's Elementary  .Speller,  which  was  cer- 
tainly very  comi)rehensive  and  edifying  to 
the  heijiimer,  was  used  in  the  first  five  years 
of  the  chihl's  school  life  to  the  exclusion  of 
everything  else. 

The  single  rule  of  three  <.)r  single  propor- 
tion, was  the  climax  in  arithmetical  att;iin- 
nteiit.  i'he  methods  of  recitation  in  all  the 
l)ranches  were  purely  mechanical,  no 
thought  work  being  attempted. 

It  was  customary  to  study  aloud ;  one  im- 
accustomed  to  it  could  not  distinguish  the 
study  from  the  recitation.  If  the  singing 
of  the  chij)  is  an  index  to  the  ability  of  the 
chopper  how  gratifying  to  the  teacher  must 
tliis  tingling  and  tintinnabulating.  risiiig  and 
ebbing  of  the  voices  have  been. 

The  school  houses  were,  likewise,  worlhv 
of  mention  :they  were  almost  invariably  of 
logs,  and  were  chinked  and  daubed. 

.'^ome  of  them  had  no  floors,  and  those 
that  <lid  have  were  floored  with  puncheon 
hewed  out  upon  one  side,  smoothed  by  the 
children  sliding  back  and  forth  on  them. 
The  school  house  was  heated  by  a  large 
fire-place  locate<l  at  one  end  of  the  room. 
These  fire-places  were  very  large,  being  a 
receptacle  for  sticks  of  wood  cut  into  cord 
lengths.  The  chimneys  were  made  of  wood 
and  clay.  .\s  you  would  naturally  sujipose. 
most  of  the  heat  from  the  fire-place  went  up 
the  huge  chimney  ;  instead  of  warming  the 
riwn>  it  warmed  the  outsi<le.  The  windows 
were  usually  made  by  cutting  out  a  log 
upon  one  side  of  the  house,  making  the 
windows  rather  wide  but  not  very  high.  No 
supply  of  glass  being  accessible  for  these 
first  houses,  these  openings  in  the  wall  that 
have  been  described  were  covered  over  with 
greased  paper:  the  object  in  greasing  the 
paper  as  a  gla/ing  process  was  to  make  it 
more  transparent  and  also  tougher  .so  as  to 


\\  It  ii>i.iini  ilic  >ioini'-  oi  wind  .iiid  rain.  It 
must  have  been  an  esthetic  light  that  was 
admitted  through  these  tallow  di])ped  win- 
dow |)anes :  whatever  the  result  may  have 
been,  it  was  the  only  make-shift  until  glass 
could  be  secured. 

The  seats  in  those  old  scIiooIIiohm-s 
would  prove  a  nightmare  to  this  generation, 
riiey.  too.  were  made  of  slabs,  hewn 
upon  one  side,  with  no  la/y-back  attach- 
ment. The  little  fellows  were  placed  side 
by  side  on  these  rough-hewn  benches,  six, 
eight  or  ten  in  a  row,  scarcely  any  of  them 
able  to  reach  the  floor  with  their  feet.  Legs 
were  driven  into  these  slabs  from  the  lower 
side.  These  were  not  always  of  the  same 
length,  so  that  at  times  the  benches  wonhl 
rock  from  side  to  side,  greatly  to  the  an- 
noyance of  the  children  percheil  ui)on  them. 
"The  writing  desks  were  made  of  s])lit  logs, 
and  at  a  later  date  of  planks,  which  were 
arranged  around  the  sides  of  the  room, 
usually  under  the  windows;  |)ins  were 
driven  into  the  walls  and  the  slabs  or  planks 
laid  upon  them  :  they  were  not  of  that  gilt- 
edged  and  varnished  type  of  to-day,  but 
were  <|uite  substantial.  These  are  the  desks 
that  the  boys  took  such  a  vicious  delight  in 
defacing  with  their  jack-knives:  they  cut 
upon  them  all  sorts  of  hieroglyphical  char- 
acters, checkerboards  and  representations 
of  human  beings  ami  otherwise." 

The  first  school-house  in  the  county  was 
built  in  iSj5  on  the  old  Widick  farm,  now 
owned  by  the  1'.  .M.  WikofF  estate,  located 
three  an<l  a  half  miles  southwest  of  De- 
catur. 'The  second  was  built  in  1S28  on  the 
W.  C.  Smith  land,  .\braham  Lincoln  at- 
tended singing  and  spelling  school  in  this 
house. 

'The  ni'MHi.i  >chool  is  the  outgrowth  of 
the  free-school  law  i)assed  by  the  Illinois 
legislature  in  1855.  Like  all  laws  it  has  un- 
dergone many  changes  since  its  enactment, 
most  of  which  have  resulted  in  good. 

We  are,  at  jjresent.  in   need  of  changes 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


in  order  to  place  llie  school  law  on  a  par 
with  the  advanced  condition  of  our  present 
schools. 

The  result  of  the  school  law  has  heen  a 
better  and  a  more  iniiform  system  of  work 
throughout  the  coimly  and  state.  The  coun- 
try schools  of  this  county  have  forged 
ahead  of  other  counties  of  the  state  by 
adopting  and  following  "The  State  Course 
of  Study,"  which  originated  in  Macon 
county  and  has  here,  practically,  been  de- 
veloped to  its  present  state  of  efficiency. 
It  has  ushered  in  the  alternation  of  work, 
whereby  the  school  carries  the  even  num- 
bered grades :  one,  two,  four,  six,  eight  and 
ten  one  year  and  the  odd  numbered  grades : 
one,  two,  three,  five,  seven  and  nine  the 
next  year.  This  reduces  the  number  of 
classes  and  gives,  in  addition,  two  years 
of  high  school  work.  The  high  school  work, 
also  music  and  drawing,  have  for  the  last 
six  years  been  very  creditably  done.  The 
above  work  has  in  a  large  measure  been 
responsible  for  better  scholarship  in  the 
teacher. 

Another  result  of  this  law  is  a  careful  sys- 
tem of  taxation  for  the  support  of  the 
schools,  which  gives  a  longer  term,  now  an 
average  of  eight  months  each  year,  and  a 
more  professional  trend  to  the  teacher;  one 
who  has  prepared  especially  for  the  work, 
by  attending  a  good  normal  school  after 
completing  from  two  to  four  years  of  high 
school  work  ;  the  compensation  is  so  much 
better  that  teachers  are  justified  in  pre- 
paring for  and  in  entering  teaching  for  a 
life  work. 

The  school-house  has  in  a  sense  kept  in 
touch  with  the  private  residence  as  to  mod- 
ern appearances  and  conveniences.  Outside 
of  Decatur  there  are  twenty-three  brick 
and  one  hundred  and  nine  frame  houses; 
many  of  these  are  modern  in  the  manner 
of  arrangement,  light,  heat  and  furniture — 
numbers  of  them  are  heated  by  furnaces. 
The   board   of  directors,   teachers,   pupils 


and  patrons  have  united  with  the  county 
superintendent  of  schools  to  make  the 
school  surroundings,  out  of  doors  as  well 
as  in,  attractive  and  habitable.  Most  school 
yards  are  fenced  and  contain  shade  trees ; 
the  houses  are  painted  inside  and  out,  the 
walls  are  decorated  with  pictures  and  neatly 
papered.  The  schools  in  most  districts  are 
supplied  with  muiierous  reference  books  in 
addition  to  a  library  for  general  reading — 
maps,  globes,  charts  and  other  needed  ap- 
paratus   are    in    evidence. 

The  teachers  employed  in  the  county 
during  the  year  numbered  about  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five,  a  large  majority  be- 
ing ladies.  The  average  salary  is  between 
fifty  and  fifty-five  dollars  per  month. 

The  average  number  of  pupils  in  a  dis- 
trict in  the  county  schools  is  about  twent- 
five,  making  the  cost  per  pupil  about  two 
dollars  per  month. 

Outside-  of  the  village  the  school  tax  in 
some  districts  is  as  low  as  one  and  a  half 
per  cent,  in  the  village  it  reaches  two  and 
a  half  per  cent,  which  is  the  limit  for  gen- 
eral school  purposes. 

Some  of  the  schools,  especially  where  the 
farms  are  large,  as  in  Milam  township,  are 
smaller,  thus  making  the  rate  per  capita 
much  higher.  In  these  communities  it 
would  be  much  cheaper  if  the  schools  were 
consolidated  and  a  house  large  enough  to 
accommodate  all  built  in  the  center  of  the 
township. 

In  addition  to  the  library  books  already 
mentioned,  the  country  schools  of  this 
county  have  quite  a  large  circulating 
library,  belonging  to  the  schools  individu- 
ally, in  sets  of  ten  volumes  each. 

The  plan  of  which  is  this:  Each  school 
that  buys  a  set  becomes  a  member  of  the 
librarv  association.  After  the  owner  of 
the  library  has  read  it  then  it  is  exchanged, 
through  the  county  superintendent's  office, 
for  one  brought  in  by  some  other  school. 
There  being  about   thirty-five  original  sets 


PAST  AXU  PRESENT  UE  MACOX  CULXTV. 


lO 


cuiituining  no  duplicate  books  llic  schools 
will  have  fresh  reading  material  lor  some 
years.  In  order  to  supply  all  the  schools 
wanting  libraries  it  became  necessary  to 
duplicate  all  of  these  libraries.  It  is  believed 
that  these  libraries  have  been  the  source 
of  more  real  development  and  genuine  good 
than  any  one  thing  done  for  the  children. 

A  large  number  of  reading  books  of  the 
various  grades  are  loaned  to  the  teachers 
through  the  county  superintendent's  office, 
these  arc  used  for  supplementing  the  read- 
ers owned  by  the  pupils.  This  has  also 
proven  very  satisfactory  to  both  teacher 
and  pupil. 

The  teachers  also  have  a  county  library, 
which  contains,  in  the  main,  professional 
works. 

School  Lands. 
W'lien  the  state  of  Illinois  was  admitted 
to  the  Union  it  was  decided  that  section 
number  sixteen  of  each  township  should 
be  set  aside  for  the  use  of  the  public  schools 
of  that  township. 

There  being  no  law  at  the  time  permitting 
the  trustees  or  any  one  in  authority  to  lease 
or  rent  the  same  most  of  these  lands  were 
sold  at  from  twenty-five  cents  to  twelve 
and  a  half  dollars  per  acre.  By  the  way, 
there  is  but  one  section  in  Macon  county 
that  it  not  sold — this  belongs  to  township 
eighteen,  range  one,  east,  which  is  the  polit- 
ical township  of  Austin  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  county.  The  land  is  not  for 
sale,  but  is  valued  at  one  hundred  dollars 
per  acre.  It  is  divided  into  three  farms, 
two  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  each 
and  one  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres. 
Each  farm  has  a  good  set  of  buildings 
which,  including  the  fences,  are  kept  in 
good  repair.  The  rentals  aggregate  three 
thousand  dollars  per  year,  paying  nearly  the 
entire  expense  of  maintaining  the  schools 
of  the  township.  There  are  three  reasons 
why  this  sectiort  of  land  was  never  sold: 
The   first  is  that  it   was  under  water  until 


September  of  each  year ;  the  second  is  that 
after  it  emergeil  from  the  water  so  as  to 
be  visible  the  greater  part  of  the  year  land 
in  that  locality  was  still  very  cheap,  it  be- 
ing classed  as  swamp  land,  but  notwith- 
standing, some  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
townshij)  thought  the  lime  ripe  for  the  ilis- 
piisal  of  the  land,  and  accordingly  circulated 
a  peliiiun  to  that  elTecl,  securing  a  n\ajority 
of  the  legal  voters  in  the  township.  Now 
the  third  reason  appears:  James  Parker, 
who  owned  land  in  the  east  part  of  the 
township,  refused  to  sign  the  petition,  and 
at  once  circulated  a  counter  petition  oppos- 
ing the  sale  of  the  land  and,  at  the  same 
lime,  agreeing  to  go  to  the  legislature  to 
urge  the  passage  of  a  bill  permitting  the 
leasing  of  school  lands  by  the  board  of  trus- 
tees. He  was  successful  in  securing  the 
requisite  number  of  signatures  to  his  peti- 
tion and  later  in  getting  a  law  for  renting 
school  lands,  thereby  retaining  the  land  for 
the  use  of  future  posterity. 

Thus  the  foresight  of  one  man  has  given 
.\uslin  township  a  permanent  net  income, 
since  school  property  is  not  taxable,  of  not 
less  than  three  thousand  dollars  per  year, 
which  practically  defrays  the  school  ex- 
penses of  the  entire  township. 
.  Had  every  township  of  Macon  county 
foreseen  this  condition  the  schools  outside 
of  the  city  and  villages  would  be  self-sup- 
porting. 

In  lyoo  .\ustin  township  leased,  for  a 
term  of  ninety-nine  years,  from  the  school 
tru.stees,  one  acre  for  a  town-hall  site. 

The  laws  of  Illinois  place  the  manage- 
ment of  a  school  district  in  control  of  a 
board  of  three  directors,  one  to  be  selected 
each  year.  This  board  has  absolute  control 
of  the  affairs  of  the  district.  The  teacher 
is  employed  by  them,  the  expenses  of  the 
school  are  computed  by  them  and  the  levy, 
which  cannot  exceed  two  and  one-half  per 
cent  for  general  school  purposes  and  two 
and  one-half  per  cent   for  building,  is  re- 


76 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ported  to  tlio  county  clerk,  who  extends  the 
same  on  tlie  property  vahialit)n  of  the  dis- 
trict. 

The  money  raised  for  school  purposes 
comes,  principally,  from  direct  taxation, 
fines  and  forfeitures  in  state  cases,  interest 
on  the  permanent  township  and  county 
funds,  the  interest  on  the  state  school  fund 
and  a  portion  of  the  seven  per  cent  dividend 
from  the  gross  earnings  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad. 

From  1854  to  1902  the  Illinois  Central 
has  paid  into  the  state  treasury  over  twenty 
million  dollars.  Last  year  it  paid  about 
eight  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  the  state. 

The  dislributioii  from  the  state  and 
county,  made  by  the  county  superintendent 
of  schools,  is  about  ten  thousand  dollars 
per  year. 

THE  MACON  COUNTY  SONG. 
Decatur,  Illinois,  Aug.  15,  1902. 
Since  we  have  a  state  song,  "Illinois," 
and  a  national  anthem,  "America,"  it  seems 
to  me  we  are  entitled  to  the  county  song, 
"Macon,"  which  I  hereby  submit  and  take 
pleasure  in  dedicating  to  the  children  of 
Macon  county.  JOHN  G.  KELLER, 

Countv  Superintendent  of  Schools. 

Macon. 

Air:    My  Own  Native  Land. 
John  G.  Keller. 

1.  Oh  the  prairies  of  Macon, 

How  dear  to  our  heart. 
Where  once  gleamed  the  watch-fires 
alone, 
Where  our  fathers  kept  guard  o'er  the 
dear  ones  they  loved 
^^■hile  they  builded  the  pioneer  home. 

Chorus. 
Home,  home,  home,  happy  home ; 
We  love  our  Macon  home. 

2.  In   the  cabins  of   Macon 

Knelt  mothers  in  prayer, 


They  prayed  and  they  worked  and  they 

wept ; 
The  grasses  have  grown  long  ago  o'er 

their  graves. 
Pint  the  homes  that  they  made  we  have 

kept. 

3.  When  the  brave  sons  of  Macon 

Heard  Lincoln's  first  call, 
.    They  answered  so  loyal  and  true. 

They   followed   the  flag  and   they  of- 
fered  their  lives 
^\'hik•  they  fought  for  their  hciines  and 
for  you. 

4.  In  the  rich  fields  of  Macon 

Wave  harvests  of  gold  ; 
There's  plenty  for  all  and  to  spare, 

Prosperity  reigns  and  sweet  peace  once 
again 
Fills  the  homes  of  our  Macon  so  fair. 

5.  How  we  love  our  dear  Macon 

On  Sangamon's  shore. 
God  grant  that  it  ever  may  be 

The    birth-place    of    heroes,    the    good 
and  the  great, 
Horn  in  homes  that  are  happ}-  and  free. 

Parochial   Schools. 

In  1875  the  members  of  St.  Patrick's 
Roman  Catholic  church  established  St. 
Theresa's  Academy  in  a  three-story  brick 
building  on  East  Eldorado  street,  where  all 
the  English  branches  included  in  a  collegi- 
ate course  are  taught,  besides  book-keep- 
ing,  vocal   and   instrumental   music. 

For  some  time  a  boys'  school  and  a  girls' 
school  were  carried  on,  but  of  late  years 
both  boys  and  girls  are  admitted  to  the 
same  class. 

At  present  the  school  is  incorporated  and 
is  in  charge  of  the  Ursuline  Sisters.  About 
four  hundred  pupils  are  in  attendance. 

The  St.  James  German  Catholic  school 
on  East  Clay  street  is  domiciled  in  a  good 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


frame  building,  containing  ilinc  school 
ruonl^.  a  largo  auilitoriuni  and  a  club  room. 
Till'  bnilding  is  modern  tbroiigboiit,  con- 
taining its  own  lighting  and  heating  plant. 

Kiv.  I'atlur  l.aninuTi  and  Rev.  i'atluT 
Teppe  wore  instrumental  in  revising  the 
sciiool  system  of  the  parish  and  making  it 
possiiile  to  reap  the  i)resent  beneficial  re- 
sults. .\i)out  'ine  hundred  and  fifty  pupils 
are  now  in  atlen<lance. 

St.  Pauls  Evangelical  tlerman  Lutheran 
school,  on  East  Prairie  street,  was  estab- 
lished in  iS~o. 

.\11  the  branches  taught  in  the  wanl 
schools  are  taught  in  both  l-^nglish  and  Ger- 
man, in  addition  to  this  the  chiltlren  are 
instructed  in  the  Lutheran  tatechistn  and 
biblical  history. 

.\I)out  seventy-live  children  are  in  atten<l- 
ance  in  this  school. 

St.  Johannes'  German  Lutheran  school, 
on  the  corner  of  (  irchard  and  Lowber 
streets,  founded  in  1888,  is  <lomiciled  in  a 
three-story  brick  house  of  six  rooms. 

This  bnihling  was  erected  in  189S  at  an 
expense  of  $<),ooo.  The  course  of  study  is 
practically  the  same  as  that  of  the  ward 
schools,  while  in  addition,  reading,  writing, 
the  Lutheran  Catechism  and  bil.li.-.il  history 
arc  taught  in  German. 

I'rown's  Decatur  lUisine.-<s  College,  lo- 
cated in  the  Columbia  Block,  on  North 
Water  street,  is  the  only  business  college  in 
the  city  and  does  as  effective  work  as  any 
in  the  state.  Its  enrollment  is  constantly 
on  the  increase  and  its  re|>utation  is  spreatl- 
ing  over  a  very  large  territory. 

.Martyn  H.  f  )\ven  !•<  the  principal  <>f  the 
school. 

The  James  Millikin  University. 
This  university,  located  in  the  west  part 
of  the  city,  occupying  the  ( )akland  Park 
site,  is  destined  to  do  more  for  the  city 
than  any  other  institution  yet  promoted  in 
imparting  to  it  a  literary  status.     It  will  af- 


ford opportunities  for  tin  m'uhl;  ih>i|.ii  i.. 
jnirsue  courses  in  jjraclical  training  in  in- 
dustrial lines  that  will  prepare  them  for 
active  business:  an  opportunity  that  cer- 
tainly adds  much  t<j  Decatur's  educational 
facilities. 

It  has  been  James  Millikin's  desire  im  .1 
number  uf  years  to  establish  for  Decatur 
an  industrial  school  whereby  young  people 
who  are  inclined  toward  the  industrial 
rather  than  the  literary  could  receive  a  spe- 
cial education. 

About  two  jears  ago  he  otYered  the  citi- 
zens of  Decatur  a  donation  of  $200,000  ami 
Oakland  Park,  worth  $25,000,  toward  erect- 
ing a  odlege  building,  provided  thai  the  cit- 
izens raise  $100,000. 

Later  it  was  suggested  that  Lincoln  I'ni- 
versiiy.  of  Lincoln.  III.,  be  consolidated 
with  the  Decatur  sclmol,  thereby  benefiting 
both  schools,  Lincoln  working  under  a 
charier  of  a  kind  that  cannot  be  granted 
now. 

The  Lincoln  L'niversity  being  managed 
by  the  Cumberland  I'resbyterian  church  it 
was  ])ropused  that  if  the  union  could  be 
made  the  church  should  raise  $100,000  for 
the  common  fimd. 

.Mr.  .Millikin  accepted  this  proijosition 
and  further  offered  the  Lincoln  L'niversity 
$50.0(x)  on  condition  that  the  peo|)le  of  that 
community  raise  $25,000.  Later  he  ]iTo- 
posed  that  in  the  event  that  all  of  the  money 
be  raised  and  the  two  schools  consolidated 
and  established  as  ])laimcd,  to  transfer  to 
the  college  commission  of  the  Cnmberlanil 
Presbyterian  church,  properly  that  would 
yield  in  the  neighborhood  of  $20,000  a  year 
|)erpetually. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  Mr.  .Millikin 
has  endowed  the  university  with  $i5o.cxx), 
with  the  |)rovision  that  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church  add  $50,000  to  this. 

He  has  furthermore  assured  the  college 
$20,000  amiually  of  his  income  during  his 
lifetime,  and  after  his  death  the  entire  in- 


78 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


come  of  his  estate  shall  be  at  the  disposal 
of  the  school. 

The  college  building  is  an  up-to-date 
structure,  elaborate  in  its  architecture, 
grounds,  arrangements  and  furnishings ; 
sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  several 
thotisand  students. 

The  university  was  dedicated  June  4, 
1903,  by  Theodore  Roosevelt,  president  of 
the  United  States.  The  ceremonies  were 
very  largely  attended  and  graced  by  num- 
bers of  persons  who  stand  high  in  the 
church,  city,  state  and  in  the  nation.  The 
school,  without  doubt,  has  an  auspicious 
future  before  it,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
it  will  be  permitted  to  maintain  the  unusu- 
ally high  standard  with  which  it  is  ushered 
into  its  field  of  usefulness. 

The  school  opened  September,  1903,  with 
President  A.  R.  Taylor  in  charge. 

The  Church. 

The  history  of  nations  demonstrates  the 
fact  that  none  are  thoroughly  civilized  until, 
in  the  fullest  sense,  christianized. 

The  efficacy  of  our  flag  is  constantly  eulo- 
gized, and  it  well  deserves  it,  but  its  in- 
debtedness to  the  christian  influence  which 
enshrines  it  must  not  be  overlooked. 

While  there  are  many  denominations  of 
the  church  it  does  not  follow  that  any  one 
of  these  is  the  church.  Each  advocates  a 
different  dogma,  yet  all  are  engaged  in  the 
same  laudable  work — that  of  developing  the 
moral  side  of  human  nature. 

The  pioneer  is  not  to  be  classed  with  the 
idolater  who  has  not  even  the  remotest  idea 
of  Christianity ;  those  inhabitating  benighted 
countries  do  not  possess  an  educated  con- 
science, while  on  the  contrary,  the  settlers 
of  a  new  country  have  decided  religious  pro- 
clivities formed  in  childhood.  Many  de- 
nominations are  represented,  requiring  only 
the  organizing  ability  of  capable  ministers 
to  bring  into  existence  the  various  churches. 

The  pioneer  preacher  was,  of  necessity. 


a  man  who  could  readily  adjust  himself  to 
his  environment.  If  it  became  necessary, 
which  it  frequently  did,  that  he  should, 
through  his  own  efTorts,  add  to  his  salary, 
he  could  lay  hands  on  anything  that  pre- 
sented itself.  When  it  required  a  more 
forcible  argument  than  that  given  by  word 
of  mouth,  he  was  usually  ready  with  an 
alternative.  The  country  at  that  time  was 
not  blessed  with  stained  glass  and  cushion 
pew  churches ;  private  houses  seated  the 
worshipers.  The  ministers  held  service  on 
any  day  in  the  week,  the  announcements 
being  made  days,  and  even  weeks,  ahead. 
The  neighbors  for  miles  around  looked  for- 
ward to  those  meetings  with  the  greatest 
expectancy;  everybody  who  was  able  to  at- 
tend was  present  on  these  occasions. 

These  sermons  were  not  of  the  thirty- 
minute  palatable  variety,  but  were  of  sev- 
eral hours'  duration,  filled  with  the  vigor 
and  the  zeal  of  pioneer  interpretations,  of 
eternal  pleasure  or  everlasting  punishment. 
As  civilization  and  the  general  development 
of  the  country  progressed  the  environments 
brought  about  a  revolution  in  the  demands 
of  the  ministry  which  eventually  did  away 
with  the  emergency  minister,  placing  in  his 
stead  a  cultured,  college-bred  man,  who  is 
in  sympathy  with  the  prevailing  customs, 
ministering  to  his  flock  by  virtue  of  the 
orthodox  system  of  faith  worked  out  by 
modern  theological  institutions.  This 
change  brought  with  it  our  modern  church- 
house,  which  is  a  model  of  neatness,  com- 
fort and  adaptability. 

Decatur,  for  its  size,  has  as  many  good 
church  buidings  as  any  city  in  the  state.  A 
few  years  ago  a  period  of  rebuilding  and 
remodeling  came  in  vogue,  which  has  made 
the  churches  convenient,  modern  and  beau- 
tiful. 

A  meager  statement  regarding  the  organ- 
ization and  promulgation  of  the  churches 
and  their  work,  including  church  buildings, 
seems  advisable  at  this  place. 


PASr  AM)  I'RESF.NT  OF  MACON  COLNTV. 


iO 


Tlie  I'irsi  lYcslntcrian  church  was  uryaii- 
izcil  in  the  house  of  SaimR-I  Towers,  on  tlic 
ist  of  May.  185.'.  by  Rev.  Robert  H.  Lilly. 
David  Hopkins  was  installed  first  ruling 
elder:  Rev.  .\ugustus  l'".  I'ratt  i)reachetl 
for  them  one  year;  Rev.  David  .Manford, 
D.  U.,  took  the  charge  until  1854.  ami  Rev. 
Krasliis  W.  Thayer  succeeded  him.  holding 
the  work  until  1857.  The  congregation  first 
worshippeil  in  the  old  court  house,  then  in 
the  old  acailemy.  and  in  several  other  build- 
ings previous  to  erecting  the  church  edi- 
fice on  the  corner  of  Church  street  and 
Prairie  avenue.  This  building  is  of  gray 
stone,  costing  about  $83,000.  The  capacity 
of  the  auditoriinn  is  800,  and  by  throwing 
the  Sabbath-school  room  open  1,200  may 
be  accommodated.  Its  membership  is  nearly 
900.  Dr.  \\'.  H.  l^enhallegan  is  pastor.  He 
has  served  the  church  very  satisfactorily 
for  a  number  of  years. 

The  St.  Jolin's  Episcopal  church  was  or- 
ganized in  1856.  The  first  rector  was  Rev. 
S.  R.  Childs.  This  congregation  occupies 
a  church  building  at  the  corner  of  Church 
and  I'.ldorado  streets,  which  is  antique  in 
architecture  and  symmetrical  in  outline.  It 
is  constructed  of  gray  hewn  stone,  costing 
S60.000.  Its  appointments  are  not  sur- 
passed by  any.  and  the  seating  capacity  is 
spacious,  accommodating  nearly  300.  Its 
rector  is  Rev.  C".  R.  Birnbach. 

The  Congregational  church  is  locatcfl  just 
across  the  street  west  of  .St.  John's.  It  is 
built  of  red  pressed  brick,  laid  upon  a  foun- 
dation of  cobble  stones.  The  tower  is  also 
of  cobble  stones.  Tt  w-as  erected  in  iS<)o. 
through  the  untiring  efforts  of  Rev.  W.  C. 
Miller,  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  Its  capacity 
has  been  increased  by  half  by  an  addition 
which,  including  the  pipe  organ,  has  neces- 
sitated an  outlay  of  Si8,ooo.  Rev.  Horace 
I..  Strain,  the  present  pastor,  was  instru- 
mental in  bringing  about  this  improvement. 

The  Salem  church,  five  miles  southwest  of 
Decatur,  was  organized  in  1846.    The  ceme- 


tery at  this  church,  the  oldest  in  the  comity, 
was  established  in  1829.  Mr.  Maugrin  ami 
his  wife  were  the  first  buried  there,  being 
the  first  deaths  of  the  county. 

The  first  sermon  preacheil  for  the  C"um- 
liirland  Presbyterian  church  was  by  Rev. 
John  Herry,  in  an  old  log  school-house, 
three  and  a  half  miles  southwest  of  De- 
catur, on  the  P.  M.  WikolT  farm. 

The  .Mt.  Zion  t'.  P.  church,  the  oldest 
church  organization  of  any  denomination 
in  the  county,  was  established  April  24, 
1830,  at  the  house  of  Rev.  David  Foster, 
who  was  its  first  pastor.  The  first  Sabbath 
school  in  the  county  was  organized  by  Rev. 
David  I'oster,  at  this  place,  in  1831.  The 
first  superintendent  was  James  .Scott :  his 
assistant  was  .\ndrew 'Wilson.  This  con- 
gregation has  recently  erected  the  finest 
and  most  connnodious  church  in  the  county 
outside  of  Decatur. 

The  North  Fork  C.  P.  church  was  organ- 
ized in  .\pril,  1833,  by  Rev.  John  C.  Smith, 
at  the  Emerson  school-house,  now  the  l-'x- 
celsior. 

The  first  Sabbath  school  in  the  neighbor- 
hood was  organized  by  Charlotte  Emerson, 
sister  of  the  late  Judge  Emerson,  she  be- 
ing its  first  superintendent.  The  organi- 
zation was  effected  in  her  father's  yard  in 
the  year  1840. 

The  P.ethlehcm  church  was  organized  in 
1830  by  Rev.  John  C.  Smith. 

The  Madison  church  was  organized  in 
1834  by  Rev.  John  C.  Smith. 

The  First  C.  P.  church  of  Decatur,  at  the 
corner  of  Monroe  and  West  Eldorado 
streets,  erected  in  1897,  through  the 
efforts  of  the  late  Rev,  A.  W.  Hawkins,  at 
a  cost  of  $20,000.  is  one  of  the  most  modern 
church  houses  in  the  city.  It  is  constructed 
of  red  pressed  brick  and  trimmed  in  gray 
stone.  Its  capacity  is  about  1,000:  its  mem- 
bership is  30f),  Rc\  T  W  \T(-r). >?inl'l  Is  its 
pastor. 

There  is  also  a  C.   P.  church  at  .Xrgenta. 


80 


PAST  AND   I'RF.SEXT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


which  was  ortjaiiized  in  the  early  forties, 
which  now  has  a  modern  church  building, 
erected  upon  a  lot  donated  by  the  late  Dr. 
R.  F.  Carr.  This  was  the  first  church  or- 
ganized in  Friends  Creek  township. 

The  Baptist  church  of  Decatur  was  organ- 
ized Sept.  14,  1843.  at  No.  442  North  Water 
street,  known  as  the  J-  C.  Lake  property. 
Tiiis  was  the  first  two-story  frame  dwelling 
house  built  in  Macon  county.  At  the  time 
of  organization  this  was  the  home  of  David 
L.  Allen,  one  of  the  chief  movers  in  the 
organization  of  the  church.  Rev.  H.  W. 
Dodge  was  moderator  during  the  organiz- 
ing of  the  church.  The  first  officials  were: 
Lemuel  Allen,  deacon ;  Thomas  H.  Read, 
M.  D.,  treasurer;  S.  C.  Allen,  clerk;  D.  L. 
Allen.  David  Brett,  Thomas  H.  Read.  M. 
D.,  Edward  L.  Maddock  and  S.  C.  Allen, 
trustees. 

Services  were  held  at  the  home  of  David 
L.  Allen,  the  court  house,  then  a  frame 
building,  on  the  present  site  of  the  Wo- 
man's Club.  From  1843  ^o  1848  they  used 
this  building.  At  the  latter  date  they  bought 
the  adjoining  room  for  $350.  In  1853  the 
building  w-as  sold  for  $1,000.  A  tempor- 
ary house  was  now^  built  and  occupied  until 
1856.  A  building  was  then  erected  at  the 
corner  of  North  Water  and  East  Williams 
streets,  which  was  occupied  until  1876,  when 
the  present  church  building  at  the  corner 
of  North  Water  and  East  North  streets 
was  dedicated.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  G.'  J.  Johnson.  The 
church  property  in  its  present  condition  is 
valued  at  $65,000. 

March  21,  1856,  thirteen  members  were 
dismissed  to  form  a  church  in  the  Carver 
settlement.  May  30,  1862,  a  church  w-as 
organized  at  Harristown  ;  Argenta  also  has 
a  strong  church. 

In  1890  the  East  Park  Chapel  was  built 
by  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society.  A  Sabbath 
school  w'as  organized  at  about  the  same 
time  that  the  church  was  organized,  which 


has  grown  to  very  large  proportions.  Among 
the  workers  in  the  school  appear  the  names 
of  M.  Y.  Givler,  David  C.  Allen,  G.  F.  Wes- 
sel,  O.  N.  Bramble,  F.  W.  Anderson,  J.  E. 
Saxton,  ^\^  J.  Wayne  and  E.  A.  Gastman. 

The  present  home  of  the  congregation 
is  built  of  red  pressed  brick,  trimmed  in 
stone.  The  auditorium  is  spacious  and 
furnished  with  opera  chairs ;  its  appoint- 
ments throughout  are  modern.  Its  music 
is  supplied  by  one  of  the  most  expensive 
pipe  organs  in  the  city.  Its  membership 
is  800.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  S.  H. 
Boyer. 

St.  Patrick's  Roman  Catholic  church  was 
organized  in  1854.  The  present  church 
building  was  erected  in  1863,  which  at  that 
time  was  the  most  expensive  church  house 
in  the  county.  This  church,  located  on 
East  North  street,  was  thoroughly  over- 
hauled, refurnished  and  provided  with  a 
new  bell.  Its  membership  is  about  3,000. 
The  first  dean  was  Rev.  Father  Hickey ; 
the  present  dean  is  Rev.  Father  Murphy. 

The  St.  James  German  Catholic  church, 
on  East  Clay  street,  is  an  up-to-date  build- 
ing which,  in  connection  with  the  adjacent 
school,  has  its  own  heating  and  lighting 
plant ;  the  congregation  comprises  about 
500;  its  seating  capacity  is  ample  for  the 
membership.'  This  church  was  organized 
by  Rev.  Father  Lammert,  in  1877.  Rev. 
Father  A.  Teppe  is  in  charge  and  his  work 
has  resulted  in  much  good. 

St.  Paul's  German  Lutheran  church,  cor- 
ner of  West  Wood  and  Edward  streets,  is 
a  good  brick  building,  which  has  just  been 
thoroughly  remodeled  and  newly  painted 
on  the  inside ;  the  seating  capacity  is  about 
300 ;  its  membership  is  about  the  same.  The 
present  pastor  is  Rev.  M.  A.  A\'agoner. 

In  1891  the  congregation  of  St.  Paul's 
church  was  divided.  The  members  living 
in  the  northeast  part  of  town  built  the  St. 
Johannes'  German  church  on  East  Orchard 
street.     This  is  a  handsome  brick,   with   a 


:•  vSr  AND  rRKSKXT  OV  MACOX  COUNTY 


81 


sealing  capacity  .if  S;(i.  Tlic  pastor  is  Rc\. 
Williaiu    llcyiu 

The  I'irst  l-l\aii};i  lual  l.iitluraii  cliuich. 
at  tlK-  corner  oi  Main  ami  \\  iliiam  streets, 
is  a  good,  well  constructed  brick  l)iiililing, 
witli  a  seating  capacity  of  jtxj.  This  build- 
ing cost  $25,000;  the  membership  is  about 
200.    Rev.  H.  IVters  is  the  pastor. 

'i"he  Christian  church  was  organized  ui 
1830.  by  Klder  Joseph  Hosteller.  The  place 
of  organization  was  the  old  log  court  house, 
which  stood  in  the  west  side  of  the  old 
square ;  it  niay  now  be  seen  in  the  southwest 
corner  of  Fairlawn  Park.  The  pastor  was 
Jose|)h  Mi>stetler.  Us  Sunday  school  was 
organizetl  in  1855,  by  E.  M.  Xabb,  who  was 
its  first  superintendent,  .\iuong  its  list  of 
su|)erinteudenls  may  be  found  the  names  of 
\V.  K.  Nelson  and  W.  L.  Hammer,  both 
ex-county  judges  of  Macon  county.  The 
Kdward  Street  Christian  churcli  is  among 
the  oldest  churches  in  the  city.  It  is  in  an 
excellent  residence  section  and  is  on  a  sound 
financial  basis.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  l".  \\  . 
Iturnham. 

The  Tabernacle  Christian  church,  on 
North  Church  street,  was  built  thnnigh  the 
efforts  of  Rev.  Cicorgc  W.  Mall.  It  is  a 
large  frame  building,  recentl)'  remodeled  at 
a  cost  of  $4,000;  its  seating  capacity  is 
1,800.    The  pastor  is  Rev.  F.  I>.  Jones. 

The  Rdward  Street  church  was  vacated 
after  the  completion  of  the  Tabernacle ; 
soon  after,  however,  the  congregation  was 
divided  and  one  of  the  organizations  ac- 
cupied  the  Kdward  Street  church. 

The  first  sermon  preached  in  this  iimhun 
by  a  Cniteil  I'lrethren  minister  was  delivered 
by  Rev.  James  Parks,  in  the  spring  of  1848, 
at  tiie  house  of  Rev.  M.  T.  Chew,  five  miles 
soutliwest  of  Decatur.  The  first  class  con- 
sisted of  Mrs.  and  Rev.  M.  T.  Chew.  The 
first  church  in  Decatur  was  organized  in 
i85<>.  in  the  old  Masonic  hall,  by  Rev.  M. 
.\mbrose.  In  1857  a  church  was  built  on 
the  corner  of  Cerro  Gordo  and  North  Main 


streets.  In  1873  the  church  bought  lots 
at  a  cost  of  $2,350  on  the  corner  of  .North 
ISroadway  and  Fast  Fldora<lo  streets,  upon 
which  was  erected  a  neat  frame  building. 
This  is  known  as  the  Centenary  L'nited 
llrethreu  church  :  it  has  a  large  membership 
;ni<l  a  llourishing  Sabbath  school. 

riie  Church  of  God  was  organized  in 
.May.  1857.  by  FIder  .\.  J.  I'enton,  with 
eleven  members.  The  Church  of  God 
Mcthel,  at  565  North  \\  ater  street,  is  one 
of  the  old  churches  o(  the  city  ;  it  is  a  well 
preserved  frame  building  of  fair  size  and 
presenting  a  good  appearance.  The  pastor 
is   Rev.  J.   liernard. 

The  L'niversalisi  clnircli  was  organized 
in  1854  by  Rev.  D.  P.  Itunn.  The  early 
members  were  Joseph  Si)angler,  Jr.;  Joseph 
Spangler.  Sr. ;  Jacol)  Spangler,  J.  H.  Hanks 
and  wife,  John  Ricketts  and  wife.  John 
L'a])ps  and  wife.  The  first  minister.  Rev. 
D.  P.  IJunn.  served  fourteen  years. 

(  )ther  churches  are :  Fdward  Street 
cliai)cl,  405  Fast  l.eafland  avenue;  Fast 
Park  chapel,  corner  Third  and  Prairie  ave- 
nue; -Ml  Augels  Fpiscopal  church,  1256 
Fast  FIdorado  street ;  I'niver.salist  church, 
141  Fast  Prairie  street ;  l'nited  I'relhren 
.Mission.  1J04  South  Colfax  street;  .\ntioch 
liaptist,  colored,  610  Spring  avenue;  Hroail- 
way  ISajitist,  colored.  414  .So\ith  Mroadway; 
St.  Peter's  .\frican  Methodist  l4)iscopal, 
5,V^  Spring  avenue;  (ierman  l'.a])tist,  corner 
Pugh  and  North  Main  streets;  .Sergeant 
Chapel,  .\l.  F.,  892  .South  P.roadway  ;  Wes- 
ley Chapel,  .M.  F.,  1807  North  Church 
street;  College  .Street  Presbyterian  Chapel, 
a  neat  structure  just  com])Iete(l,  1075  Nortli 
College  street ;  Westminster  Chapel,  corner 
Macon  street  and  Haworth  avenue.  In  ad- 
dition, the  city  has  the  Christian  Science 
organization;  the  Railway  Y.  M.  C.  .\. 
organization,  which  owns  an  elegant  build- 
ing on  the  Wabash  right  of  way,  near  the 
depots;  the  Central  Y.  M.  C.  A.  organiza- 
tion; the  W.  C    r    r    organization. 


82 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


CITY   OF   DECATUR. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  prt'sidents  and 
clerks  of  the  city  of  Decatur  during  its 
government  by  a  board  of  trustees: 

1836-8,  R.  J.  Oglesby,  president;  Andrew 
Love,  clerk.  1838-9,  Joseph  Williams  and 
Henry  Sn3fder,  presidents;  Edmiston  .Mc- 
Clelland, clerk.  1839-40,  Kirby  Benedict, 
president;  H.  J\I.  Gorin,  clerk.  1840-1, 
Joseph  King,  president;  H.  \l.  Gorin,  clerk. 
1841-46,  Thomas  P.  Rodgers,  president;  J. 
P.  Post,  clerk;  1846-7,  D.  Krone,  president; 
Nathaniel  P.  West,  clerk.  1847-8,  J.  H.  El- 
liot, president;  X.  P.  West,  clerk.  1848-50, 
Joseph  Kaufman,  president :  N.  P.  West, 
clerk.  1850-51,  Berry  H.  Cassell,  clerk; 
■1851-2,  J.  H.  Elliott,  president;  Berry  H. 
Cassell,  clerk,  1852-3,  W.  T.  Stamper,  presi- 
dent; Berry  H.  Cassell,  clerk.  1853-4,  W. 
Prather,  president ;  Berry  H.  Cassell,  clerk, 
1854-6,  Thomas  H.  Wingate,  president; 
Berry  H.  Cassell,  clerk. 

Presidents  and  clerks  of  Decatur  during 
its  government  by  city  council : 

1856-7,  John  P.  Post,  mayor;  C.  C.  Post, 
clerk.  1857-8,  William  A.  Barnes,  mayor; 
J.  P.  Boyd,  clerk  and  attorney;  1858-9, 
James  Shoaf,  mayor;  S.  S.  Goode,  clerk  and 
attorney.  1859-60,  A.  T.  Hill,  mayor;  S.  S. 
Goode,  clerk  and  attorney;  1860-1,  Sheridan 
Wait,  mayor;  J.  R.  Gorin,  clerk  and  attor- 
ney; 1861-2,  E.  O.  Smith,  mayor;  J.  R.  Gor- 
in, clerk  and  attorney.  1862-3,  Thomas  O. 
Smith,  mayor ;  J.  R.  Gorin,  clerk  and  attor- 
ney. 1863-4,  J.  J.  Peddecord,  mayor ;  J.  R. 
Gorin.  clerk  and  attorney.  1864-5,  J-  J- 
Peddecord,  mayor;  K.  H.  Roby,  clerk  and 
attorney.  1865-6,  Franklin  Priest,  mayor ; 
K.  H.  Roby,  clerk  and  attorney.  1866-7, 
Franklin  Priest,  mayor;  A.  B.  Warren, 
clerk  and  attorney.  1867-8,  John  K.  War- 
ren, mayor;  C.  H.  Fuller,  registrar.  1868-9, 
I.  C.  Pugh,  mayor;  C.  H.  Fuller,  registrar. 
1869-70,  William  L.  Hammer,  mayor;  C. 
H.  Fuller,  registrar.  1870-1,  Franklin 
Priest,     mayor;     C.     H.     Fuller,     registrar. 


1871-2,  E.  M.  Misncr,  mayor;  C.  II.  Fuller, 
registrar.  1872-3.  1).  S.  Shellabarger, 
mayor;  George  P.  Hardy,  registrar.  1873-4, 
Martin  Forstmeyer,  mayor;  George  P.  Har- 
d\-,  registrar.  1874-5,  Franklin  Priest, 
mayor;  George  P.  Hardy,  registrar.  1875-6, 
R.  H.  Merriweather,  mayor ;  George  P. 
Hardy,  registrar.  1876-8,  W.  B.  Chambers, 
mayor ;  George  P.  Hardy,  registrar.  1875-6, 
Franklin  Priest,  mayor;  George  P.  Hardy, 
registrar.  1879-80,  L.  L.  Haworth,  mayor; 
George  P.  Hardy,  registrar.  1880-3,  H.  W. 
Waggoner,  mayor;  George  P.  Hardy,  clerk. 
1883-5,  W.  B.  Chambers,  mayor;  C.  M. 
Durfee,  clerk.  1885-91,  M.  F.  Kanan, 
mayor;  F.  C.  Betzer,  clerk.  1891-3,  W.  B. 
Chambers,  mayor;  L.  F.  Skellcy,  clerk. 
1893-5,  David  C.  IMoffitt,  mayor;  L.  F.  Skel- 
ley,  clerk.     1895-7,   D.  H.  Conklin,  mayor; 

F.  L.  Hayes,  clerk.  1897-9,  B.  Z.  Taylor, 
mayor;  John  A.  Reeve,  clerk.  1899-1901, 
George  A.  Stadler,  mayor;  Mont  E.  Peni- 
well,  clerk.  1901-3,  C.  F.  Shilling,  mayor; 
Mont  E.   Peniwell,  clerk. 

The    Free    Public    Library. 

The  history  of  the  library  really  begins 
with  the  presentation  to  the  city  council 
of  a  petition,  signed  by  the  ladies  of  the 
Ladies*  Library  Association  and  the  De- 
catur Reading  Room  Association,  asking 
for  the  establishment  of  a  free  public  li- 
brary. The  petition  being  granted  the 
library  was  established  Aug.   10,    1875. 

The  first  library  board  consisted  of  Joseph 
Mills,  president;  J.  L.  Peak,  William  A. 
Barnes,  Mrs.  C.  .A..  Ewing,  Airs.  Judge 
Greer,  Airs.  B.  F.  Sibley.  ^^^  H.  Enni"s,  W. 
^^'.  Foster  and  W.  L.  Hammer 

Richard  L.  Evans  was  appointed  first 
librarian  and  held  that  position  until  his 
death,    Nov.     17,     1881.      His    wife,    Alice 

G.  Evans,  was  appointed  his  successor,  and 
still  continues  to  hold  the  position. 

The  library  remained  on  the  second  floor 
of  the  Schroeder  building,  on  East  Prairie 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


S3 


street,  wlicrc  it  was  when  turned  over  to 
the  city,  Oct.  5,  1S81.  It  was  next  housed 
in  tlic  Orlando  Powers  building,  over 
the  Linn  &  Scruggs  store.  In  i88y  it  was 
moved  to  its  new  t|uarters,  in  the  build- 
ing erected  by  Roberts  and  Greene,  known 
as  the  Library  lilock,  on  North  Main 
street.  l*eb.  2,  1892,  the  building  was 
destroyed  by  fire  and  4,3CX)  books,  together 
with  ail  of  the  furniture  and  fixtures,  also 
the  records  of  the  Ladies'  Library  anil  the 
Decatur  Reading   Room  associations. 

Temporary  quarters  were  secured  in  the 
old  Presbyterian  church  until  October  of 
the  same  year,  when  the  library  was  moved 
into  the  old  quarters  in  the  Library  Block. 
t)n  the  nth  of  .May,  1898,  it  was  moved 
into  the  fifth  story  of  the  Orlando  Powers 
block,  where  it  remained  until  May.  1903, 
when  it  was  transferred  to  its  present  home 
in  the  Carnegie  Library  Building.  This 
structure  was  erected  at  an  expense  of  $60,- 
000,  donated,  in  1901,  to  the  city  of  De- 
catur, by  .\ndrew  Carnegie,  on  the  condi- 
tions that  the  city  agrees  to  appropriate  a 
stipulated  sum  of  money,  o.nch  year,  to  the 
support  of  the  library. 

The  building  is  a  neat,  modern,  light 
stone,  admirably  equipped  with  all  the  latest 
facilities  for  handling  an  up-to-date  library. 
Its  location  is  on  North  Main  street,  op- 
posite the  Public  linililin.^'  ii'^iil  fi  ir  \\\c  Dr- 
catur  postoffice. 

.\bout  twenty-five  thousand  volumes  are 
in  the  library  ^t  present,  and  each  year 
about  two  thousand  volumes  are  added. 
Over  six  thousand  persons  have  cards  as 
patrons  of  the  library.  The  total  number 
of  visitors  during  the  past  year  was  over 
twenty-five  thousand :  these  people  bor- 
rowed over  ninety-seven  thousand  books. 

Our  library  is  alive  to  the  best  interests 
of  its  patrons  as  to  management  and  as  to 
the  acquisition  of  all  the  latest  books  when 
first  placed  upon  the  market. 

The  librarian  attends  all  the  meetings  of 


the  .National  Library  .Associ.iiinii  m  onlcr 
to  keep  abreast  of  the  times  in  adjusting 
the  library  to  the  public  needs.  This,  judg- 
ing from  the  patronage,  the  management 
has  certainly  accomplished.  No  pains  arc 
spared  in  rendering  a.ssistancc  to  individ- 
uals, clubs  or  societies  pursuing  some  spe- 
cial sidjject ;  on  request,  lists  of  books  or 
magazine  articles  are  gladly  classified  and 
prepared. 

It  is  the  aim.  in  the  selection  of  new 
books,  to  cover  as  wide  a  field  as  possible 
with  the  money  at  the  disposal  of  the 
boanl,  each  year,  and  at  the  same  lime  not 
to  overlook  any  of  the  various  subjects. 

Much  new  fiction  is  ]ilaced  in  the  library 
to  satisfy  the  jiopular  taste,  yet  constant 
watch  is  kept  for  new  treatises  on  science, 
history,  literature  and  art  that  may  become 
classic,  thereby  giving  permanence  to  the 
reference  department. 

The  reading  room  is  the  most  widely  used 
l)art  of  the  library;  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  publications  are  on  file.  One  hundred 
and  thirty  thousand  persons  visited  this 
room  during  the  past  year. 

The  papers  consist  of  the  leading  daily 
and  weekly  ])a]>ers  adapted  to  this  locality 
and  about  seventy-five  monthlies. 

The  money  for  the  support  of  the  library 
is  raised  by  a  taxation  of  two  mills  on  the 
dollar,  which  last  year  amounted  to  $7,449. 

The  surplus  above  the  runnings  expenses 
is  used  in  the  purchase  of  new  books. 

The  Woman's  Club. 

I'he  Woman's  Club  of  Decatur  has  as 
large  a  membershi])  as  any  outside  of  Chi- 
cago. It  was  organized  seventeen  years  ago 
and  has  a  membership  of  three  hundred. 
The  club  house  on  the  corner  of  North  Park 
and  Franklin  streets  is  owned  by  a  stock 
company  composed  entirely  of  club  women, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  club  houses  in  the 
state  built  for  women. 

The  members  of  the  club  pursue  a  varied 


J^4 


PAST  AND  I'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


line  of  work,  which  is  delineated  by  the 
following:  ]\Insic,  Art,  Sorosis.  Psalenias, 
Literature,  Shakespeare  ami  Child  Study 
divisions.  In  addition  to  these  the  club  con- 
siders many  other  subjects:  educational, 
philanthropical,  municipal,  legal  and  social. 
The  Art  Class  is  the  oldest  division,  hav- 
ing organized  twenty  years  ago. 

Powers'  Grand  Opera  House. 

The  Powers'  Crand  Opera  House,  built 
in  1889,  by  Orlando  Powers,  and  now 
owned  by  his  heirs,  is  the  only  opera  house 
in  the  city.  Until  its  destruction  by  fire 
Nov.  4,  1895,  it  was  very  successfully 
managed  by  Frank  W.  Haines.  In  less 
than  three  months  after  its  destruction  the 
building  was  again  ready  for  use  and 
was  re-opened  Feb.  10,  1896,  under  the 
management  of  J.  F.  Given,  who  is  still 
in  charge.  The  opera  house,  in  the  100 
block  on  South  Water  street,  has  its 
main  entrance  on  this  street.  It  contains 
a  large  lobby  and  reception  hall,  a  par- 
quet and  dress  circle  on  the  first  floor ;  a 
balcony  and  a  gallery  above;  in  all  seating 
about   sixteen   hundred   people. 

There  are  twelve  dressing  rooms,  artisti- 
cally furnished  for  the  actors.  The  house 
is  heated  with  steam  and  lighted  through- 
out with  gas  and  electricity.  Very  few 
houses,  outside  of  Chicago,  surpass  it  in 
beauty  and  harmon}'  of  decoration,  attrac- 
tiveness of  appointments  and  convenience 
of  arrangement. 

The  Anna  B.  Millikin  Home. 
The  Anna  B.  Millikin  Home  for  old 
ladies  and  children  is  located  just  across 
the  street  east  of  the  James  IMillikin  Uni- 
versity in  a  beautiful  grove  of  forest  trees. 
This  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  original  home 
in  the  east  part  of  the  city,  given  to  the  city 
by  Mr.  and  I\lrs.  Millikin.  By  and  by  the 
building  became  too  small  and  so  crowded 


that  .Mr.  .Millikin  gave  them  three  acres 
of  land,  where  the  new  building  now  stands, 
and  agreed  to  give  $10,000  if  the  directors 
of  the  home  succeeded  in  securing  $10,000 
more.  The  directors  raised  the  money  and 
the  result  is  a  tine  modern  structure  of  red 
brick,  trimined  with  white  stone. 

The  basement  contains  the  kitchen,  pan- 
tr3%  pla\-  room,  boiler  room,  fuel  room, 
laimdry  and  drying  rooms ;  on  the  first  floor 
are  dining  hall,  assembly  room,  library,  ma- 
tron's room  and  a  number  of  bed  rooms.  On 
the  second  floor  is  a  large  girls'  dormitory 
and  sixteen  bed  rooms :  on  the  third  floor 
are  the  boys'  dormitory  and  bed  rooms. 
There  are  large  open  fire-places  on  both 
floors ;  the  stairways  and  hallways  are  spa- 
cious and  the  entire  building  is  well  ventil- 
ated. The  building  is  lighted  and  heated 
by  up-to-date  apparatus  and  will  accommo- 
date one  hundred  inmates. 

The  home  is  an  asylum  for  babies,  boys 
under  eight  years,  girls  to  the  age  of  twenty 
and  old  ladies ;  those  who  have  money  for 
their  support  are  expected  to  pay  what  they 
can  afford,  while  those  who  have  no  means 
are  maintained  by  the  home.  Who  would 
cherish  a  monument  other  than  this :  "By 
Our  Acts  Shall  ^^'e  Be  Judged." 

St.  Mary's  Hospital. 

St.  .Mary's  Hospital,  at  the  corner  of  East 
\\  ood  and  South  Webster  streets,  was  es- 
tablished over  twenty  years  ago.  It  is  a 
fine  stone  building,  with  a  frontage  of 
eighty  feet  on  Webster  street  and  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet  on  East  Wood  street; 
three  stories  high.  It  is  modern  in  all  its 
appointments.  There  are  over  forty  rooms 
for  the  sick,  several  operating  rooms,  bath 
rooms  and  a  chapel. 

Sisters  who  are  experienced  nurses  are  in 
charge  of  the  patients.  The  institution  is 
in  the  entire  charge  of  the  Roman  Catholic; 
church,    but    persons    of   all    denominations 


I'AST    WI^  I'RI'^I'VT  OF  .MAc'oV  (  i  il  •\••|•^•. 


?<;» 


arc  cared  lor;  lliosc  wlin  arc  al>lc  Iiikiiki.i11_\ 
arc  cliartri'I.  wliilc  cliaritx  is  cxtcndotl  to 
the  poor 

I'lic  lio.-|iital  1^  lucninini^  more  and  more 
popular  amoiifj  those  who  can  pay  to  have 
tlieir  fricnils  cared  for  at  a  hospital,  and 
the  f^reat  maji>rity  of  tlie  physicians  highly 
rei'iimmeiid   it. 

The  Wabash  Hospital. 
The  W'aha.sli  ho.-pilal.  in  the  \\'ai;:}joner 
niock.  on  Warren  street,  Iniilt  by  the  em- 
ployes of  the  Wahash  Railroad,  is  one  of 
the  finest  linildin.i;s  in  the  city.  It  is  bnilt 
of  stone  to  the  first  floor,  then  of  yellow 
terra  cotta  trimmcil  with  stone;  it  is  three 
stories  high,  and  with  its  beantifidly  laid 
out  prouufls  occupies  half  of  the  block. 

The  manaijement  of  the  huildinij  is  in  the 
hands  of  tlie  Wabash  officials  and  is  devoted 
to  the  use  of  their  employes.  The  buildinp 
is  perfectly  modern  in  all  its  ap]-)ointmcnts, 
heated  by  steam  and  lighted  by  pas  and 
electricity.  The  money  for  the  construction 
of  the  hnildinp  was  given  by  the  employes 
of  the  Wabash  Railroad  ;  raised  by  a  small 
monthly  assessment  upon  each  one  con- 
nected with  the  road:  the  running  expenses 
will  largely  be  kept  )ip  by  the  same  method. 
This  entitles  each  and  every  employe  of 
the  road  to   free  medical  services. 

Goodman's  Band. 

The  Goodman  Ranrl.  organized  in  1857, 
at  once  ingratiated  itself  into  the  hearts  of 
the  people  and  has  constantly  grown  in 
favor,  not  only  with  the  Decatur  people, 
but  with  every  one  who  has  been  privilegeil 
to  hear  it. 

It  is  one  of  the  best  bands  in  the  state, 
both  as  to  the  excellent  musical  education 
of  its  members  and  the  rare  ability  of  mas- 
tering everything  new.  either  popular  or 
classical,  as  fast  as  presented  by  the  musical 
world.  The  most  intricate  classical  music 
is  rendereil  with  skillful  and  pleasing  cflTect. 


This  chis.N  ot  music  has  been  largely  re- 
sponsible for  its  po|)ularity ;  no  band  out- 
si<le  of  a  concert  band  can  claim  pre-emi- 
nence. 

■  Kobert  Walter,  the  leailer  anil  instructor, 
is  not  suri>assed  as  a  band  master  by  any- 
one. Through  his  efforts  the  band  has  ac- 
(|uired  a  very  high  grade  of  ])roficiency. 
The  aggregation  is  constantly  strengthened 
by  adding  expert  musicians  to  the  various 
parts:  about  fi)rty  members  are  in  active 
service  at  the  present  time.  It  is  always 
the  favorite  at  the  numerous  band  tourna- 
ments held  by  groups  of  bands  through 
Indiana  and  Illinois.  Recently  it  has  been 
taken  into  military  service  as  the  l''ourth 
Regiment  Rand. 

The  Decatur  Club. 
The  Decatur  L'iub,  one  of  the  oldest  social 
organizations  in  the  city,  was  instituted 
May  22.  i88jt-  '  li>->  meiubership  is  made 
up  of  our  leading  business  and  professional 
men.  numbering  about  one  huu<lred  and 
fifty.  The  club  rooms,  located  in  the  Ila- 
worih  Rlock,  on  .Vorth  Water  street,  arc 
among  the  finest  in  the  state.  The  apart- 
ments of  the  club  consist  of  card  rooms, 
reading  rooms,  billiard  and  pool  rooms,  of- 
fice, dining  ronm  and  kitchen. 

The  Country  Club  of  Decatur. 
The  C'ountry  L'lub  of  Decatur,  organized 
in  |S<;(^  with  a  membershii)  of  about  sixty, 
is  located  southeast  of  the  city,  adjoining 
Riversi<le  park.  The  grounds  ctmtain  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  jutting  up 
against  the  .'^angamon  river,  l-'inely  located 
golf  links  are  connected  with  it.  The  build- 
ings were  erected  an«l  the  grounds  im- 
proved at  a  cost  of  about  eight  thousand 
dollars.  The  house  contains  a  reading 
room,  a  reception  room,  a  dining  ro»im,  a 
smoking  an<I  card  room,  a  dance  hall  and  a 
kitchen.  The  grounds  arc  well  laid  out, 
fenced  and  kept  in  elegant  condition. 


86 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Fairlawn  Park. 

This  park,  consisting  of  forty  acres,  lies 
a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  the  city.  Some 
years  ago  when  the  county  fair  was  an 
annual  attraction  the  county,  through  the 
board  of  supervisors,  purchased  this  tract 
for  a  fair  ground.  Not  only  the  county 
fair,  but  also  the  state  fair  graced  these 
grounds. 

Later  the  fairs  were  abandoned  and  the 
park  leased  to  the  city  for  a  period  of  thirty 
years.  The  terms  of  the  lease  were  as  fol- 
lows :  One  hundred  dollars  per  year  for 
the  first  ten  years,  two  hundred  dollars  per 
years  for  the  next  ten  years,  and  three 
hundred  dollars  per  year  for  the  next  ten 
years.  This  lease  took  effect  in  1890,  and 
in  1903,  seventeen  years  before  the  termin- 
ation of  the  contract,  the  board  of  super- 
visors voted  it  to  the  city,  the  county  receiv- 
ing therefor  the  sum  of  eight  thousand 
dollars. 

The  tract  is  square,  the  center  being  level, 
is  surrounded  by  low,  heavily  timbered  hills, 
giving  it  the  appearance  of  an  amphitheater. 
A  commodious  pavilion,  of  pressed  brick, 
occupies  the  center  of  the  park,  while  two 
large,  bristling  siege  guns  guard  its  gate- 
ways. This  is  one  of  the  beauty  spots  of 
Decatur,  and  is  not  surpassed  by  any  for 
natural  scenery. 

By  grading,  laying  out  drives  and  walks, 
arranging  flower  beds,  clusters  of  shrub- 
bery, walling  the  springs,  building  bridges 
and  carrying  water  to  all  parts,  much  of 
an  artistic  nature  as  well  as  convenience 
has  been  added. 

The  traction  company  has  extended  its 
line,  practically  uniting  the  park  with  the 
city,  thus  enhancing  its  value  as  a  pleasure 
resort  many  fold. 

Central  Park. 

Central  Park  is  a  large  block  in  the  bus- 
iness part  of  the  city,  filled  with  well  kept 
forest  trees,  and  covered  with  velvet  lawn  ; 


with  a  fountain  in  the  center  spraying  in 
glittering  sheen  the  mirroring  pool  below. 
Bordering  the  pool  is  a  circular,  cement 
walk,  which  (Hrects  its  rays  to  all  the 
cardinal  and  intermediate  points  of  the  com- 
]3ass.  Artistic  flower  beds  please  the  eye; 
ornamental,  refrioerated  drinking  foun- 
tains  quench  the  thirst ;  arc  lights  guide 
your  footsteps  and  two  mortars,  presented 
by  the  government,  protect  you  during  your 
sojourn  within  its  enchanting  environments. 

Riverside   Park. 

The  Riverside  Park,  while  the  private 
property  of  D.  A.  Maffitt  and  W.  H.  Starr, 
has  been  for  a  number  of  years  a  very  popu- 
lar resort. 

It  is  a  tract  of  about  thirty  acres,  lying 
south  of  the  city,  along  the  banks  of  the 
Sangamon  river ;  is  sparsely  covered  with 
forest  trees  and  sufficiently  rolling  to  make 
it  picturesque;  a  site  for  a  park  that  for 
natural  rugged  scenery  is  seldom  sur- 
passed. 

The  traction  company  has  leased  this 
park  and  erected  a  pavilion  for  summer 
theaters  and  amusements  of  various  kinds. 

It  contains  a  natatorium ;  also  a  boat- 
house  on  the  landing  is  supplied  with  a 
number  of  boats  for  those  who  enjoy  row- 
ing. 

The   Decatur   Trotting   Park. 

The  trotting  park  is  owned  by  the  De- 
catur Trotting  Association,  organized  in 
1890.  It  lies  northeast  of  the  city  along 
the  I.  C.  railroad  tracks,  and  contains  about 
fifty  acres.  It  has  an  oval  mile  track,  said 
to  be  the  fastest  in  the  west. 

There  is  an  amphitheater  that  will  seat 
4,500  people,  and  a  barn  that  will  stable  200 
horses,  on  the  west  side  of  the  tracks. 

This  park  is  not  only  used  for  the  race 
meets,  held  once  a  year,  but  is  fast  be- 
coming popular  as  an  athletic  field.  Inter- 
scholastic  contests,  foot  ball,  base  ball  and 


PORTRAIT  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL  RKCOKD. 


s7 


bicycle  races  are  given  to  large  ami  ai^ire- 
ciative  audiences. 

The  annual  band  festival,  given  by  the 
Guoilniau  baiul  and  its  neighboring  bands. 
can  find  no  other  place  so  well  adapted  to 
its  needs. 

The  Police  Department, 
liie  city  of  Decatur  boasts  of  a  police 
force,  metropolitan  in  system,  well  officered 
and  effective  in  administration.  The  total 
number  of  men  on  the  force,  including  mer- 
chant police,  is  twenty-four. 

The  headquarters  are  in  the  court  house 
and  the  city  prison  is  in  the  basement  of 
the  budding;  Short  street  also  has  a  station 
for  emergency  calls.  There  is  a  night  and 
a  day  shift,  thus  giving  the  city  a  constant 
service.  .\  fine  patrol  wagon  is  in  readiness 
day  and  night  for  use  in  case  of  accident  or 
arrest.  .\  burglar  alarm  at  headquarters  is 
connected  with  the  banks  antl  many  other 
leading  business  houses  of  the  city.  .V 
rogue's  gallery  and  a  complete  record  of  all 
arrests  and  accidents  is  kept  by  the  de])art- 
ment   for  future  reference. 

The    Fire    Department. 

Decatur  is  justly  |>roud  of  her  S|)lcndidly 
equipped  and  well  manned  fire  department; 
it  has  a  fire-fighting  record  that  no  city  need 
be  ashamed  of. 

There  are  three  hose  houses,  one  located 
on  West  Main  in  the  loo  block,  one  on 
North  Morgan  street  near  the  manufactur- 
ing district,  and  one.  recently  erected,  in  llic 
1400  block  on  North  Main  street. 

There  are  two  steam  engines,  two  cluni- 
icals.  four  hose  wagons,  one  hook  and  ladder 
truck  and  one  chiefs  wagon  ;  about  eighteen 
trained  horses  and  5,000  feet  of  hose:  about 
twenty-five  men  are  employed.  W.  C.  De- 
vore  is  chief;  he  has  been  in  the  department 
since  1878  an<!  its  chief  since  1884. 

Recently  a  system  of  fire  alarms  has  been 
instituted  with  stations  in  all  parts  of  the 
city. 


The  Water  Works. 

1  he  water  works  plant  is  in  keeping  with 
ili.it  of  most  cities  the  size  of  Decatur.  The 
supply  of  water  has  always  been  ecjual  to  the 
demand,  even  in  the  greatest  emergencies. 
Four  i>uiiips  are  installed  in  the  plant,  two 
doing  the  work,  except  in  case  of  fire,  when 
11  sometimes  beconus  ueci'ss.irv  lo  use 
more. 

The  cajjacity  is  .'iboul  lo.ooo.ouo  gallons, 
2,000,000  gallons  being  the  average  daily 
consumption.  The  filter  plant  alone  cost 
$40,000.  The  entire  expenditure  will  ap- 
proximate $400,000. 

There  arc  two  principal  water  mains,  a 
twelve-inch  main  extends  north  on  South 
-Main  street  to  Lincoln  Square  where  it  con- 
nects with  a  sixteen-inch  main  that  extends 
to  the  north  part  of  the  city:  the  other,  a 
sixteen-inch  main,  exteiuls'  on  Hroadway  to 
Orchard  street;  smaller  ramifications  from 
these  sujiply  the  entire  city. 

The  water  is  pnmi)ed  from  the  river ;  pass- 
ing through  a  filter  it  reaches  the  reservoir, 
from  which  it  is  pumped  into  the  mains. 

.About  a  dozen  men  are  emphwed  ;  these 
arc  subject  to  the  directions  of  the  chief 
engineer. 

Greenwood  Cemetery. 

This  cemetery  is  located  south  of  the  city, 
on  tile  blulT  skirling  the  river,  and  for  nat- 
ural adaptation,  it  is  as  pretty  a  burying 
grounil  as  can  be  found  anywhere.  The 
plat,  originally  small,  now  contains  about 
forty  acres.  It  is  almost  imi)ossible  to  buy 
a  lot  near  the  entrance,  the  few  that  are  left 
are  very  high  in  price. 

The  Cemetery  Association  was  org.inizcd 
March  3,  1857.  .Ml  persons  who  own  lots 
in  the  cemetery  arc  entitled  to  vote  in  the 
election  of  officers,  which  consist  of  a  presi- 
dent, a  secretary,  a  treasurer  and  a  board 
of  directors,  all  of  which  serve  but  one  year 
each.  The  receipts  of  the  association  last 
year    were  $4,844;   the    expenditures    were 


88 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AIACON  COUNTY. 


$4,141.  The  l):ilancc  at  the  eiul  of  each  year 
is  placed  in  a  fund  which  is  used  to  buy 
more  land  and  to  improve  the  cemetery. 

J.  E.  Bendure  is  now  entering  upon  his 
twenty-fifth  year  as  custodian.  During  the 
quarter  of  a  century  in  which  he  has  had 
charge  he  has  seldom  failed  to  be  present 
when  duty  called.  (  )ver  10,000  bodies  re- 
pose here,  almost  half  as  many  as  there  are 
inhabitants  in  the  city  of  Decatur. 

Things  for  Which  Decatur  is  N"oted. 

The  first  G.  A.  R.  lodge  was  organized  in 
Decatur. 

The  first  slot  machine,  "The  Fairest 
Wheel,"  was  made  in  Decatur. 

The  first  cereal  mill  was  built  in  Decatur. 

The  first  corn  oil  mill  was  built  in  De- 
catur. 

The  first  hog  ring  was  made  in  Decatur. 

The  first  check-rower  was  made  in  De- 
catur. 

The  first  wire  mat  was  made  in  Decatur. 

The  first  three-row  corn  planter  was  made 
in  Decatur. 

The  first  burial  slipper  was  made  in  De- 
catur. 

The  first  cattle  dehorner  was  made  in 
Decatur. 

The  first  patent  "fly  killer"  was  made  in 
Decatur. 

Masonic. 

Macon  Lodge  No.  8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  was 
chartered  October  5,  1841,  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  state  of  Illinois.  Its  charter 
members  were :  George  A.  Patterson,  Jo- 
seph King,  William  Laforgee,  Henry 
Prather,  Elijah  League,  Leonard  Ashton, 
and  James  Ashton. 

The  officers  were:  George  A.  Patterson, 
W.'  M.;  Joseph  King,  S.  W. ;  William  La- 
forgee, J.  ^^'.  This  lodge  owns  the  building 
in  which  it  is  domiciled.  Its  membership 
is  verj-  large. 

Ionic  Lodge  No.  312,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  was 
chartered     October.     1859,    by    the     Grand 


Lodge  of  the  state  of  Illinois.  Its  charter 
members  were:  A.  li.  Bunn,  George  R. 
Moffett,  W.  C.  Hardy,  S.  S.  Good,  Jo- 
seph Lowenstein,  J.  .M.  Lowrey,  and  George 
Goodman.  This  lodge  has  quarters  in  the 
Loeb  Time  Block  on  North  Water  street; 
it  also  has  a  very  large  membership. 

iMacon  Chapter  No.  21  was  organized 
September  29,  1855,  by  the  Grand  Chapter 
of  the  state  of  Illinois.     Its  offtcers  were: 

D.  P.  Bunn,  H.  P. ;  J.  R.  Gorin,  king;  Henry 
Prather,  scribe;  Josiah  Hunt,  C.  H. ;  W.  W. 
Oglesby,  P.  S. ;  Joseph  King,  R.  A.  C. ;  J.  C. 
Weaver,  M.  3rd  V.;  J.  J.  Peddecord,  I\l.  2nd 
\'. ;  W.  H.  Funis,  M.  ist  V. 

Beaumanoir  Commandery  No.  9,  K.  T., 
was  organized  November  3,  1859,  by  the 
Grand  Commandery  of  the  state  of  Illinois. 
The  charter  members  were :  Robert  Green, 
S.  T.  Greer,  I.  C.  Pugh,  C.  H.  Fuller,  John 
N.  Fuller,  George  W.  Bright,  J.  R.  Gorin, 
Henry  Hummel,  William  Dewees,  William 
Martin.     The  officers  were:     A.  A.  Alurry, 

E.  C. ;  D.  P.  Elwood,  generalissimo ;  W.  M. 
Camp,  C.  G. ;  J.  H.  Babbitt,  S.  W. ;  J.  N. 
Baker.  J.  ^^■. ;  W.  L.  Hammer,  T. ;  J.  S. 
Hand,  recorder;  J.  T.  Barnett,  standard 
bearer:  W.  J  \\a\ne.  sword  bearer;  C.  M. 
Imboden,  warden  ;  William  Towling,  C. 
of  G. 

Decatur  Council  No.  16,  R.  &  S.  M.,  is 
also  a  Masonic  organization. 

Decatur  Chapter  No.  in,  O.  E.  S.,  is  the 
ladies  Masonic  organization. 

Decatur  Lodge  No.  17,  A.  F.  &  .A..  M. 

St.  Francis  Court  No.  11. 

Odd  Fellows. 

Decatur  Lodge  No.  65.  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  was 
organized  July,  1850,  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  state  of  Illinois.  The  charter  members 
were:  S.  K.  Thompson,  FI.  Hummel,  J.  R. 
Turner,  B.  F.  Oglesby  and  John  Koehler. 

Celestial  Lodge  No.  186,  I.  O.  of  O.  F., 
was  organized  October  12.  1855,  by  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  state  of  Illinois.     The 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


81) 


charier  iminbers  were:  W  .  W  .  C*glesby, 
P.  D.  Cline,  S.  K.  Thompson,  Henry  P. 
Elliott,  R.  I-".  Joiics,  Joseph  King,  James 
ShoalT.  J.  L.  Peak,  A.  J.  Wolf,  C.  H.  Eiiller, 
George  W.  Baker,  P..  II.  Cassell,  anil  John 
J.  Bailentinc. 

Decatur  Encampment  No.  37,  I.  O.  of  O. 
E.,  was  organized  December,  1856,  by  the 
authority  of  the  State  Encampment.  The 
charter  members  were:  G.  A.  Smith,  H. 
Kain,  15.  E.  McCoy.  William  T.  Peak,  Ste- 
phen lirimes,  Peter  Terrell,  and  Alonzo 
I'ierce. 

There  is  also  Canton  No.  19.  I. ' '.  of  O.  F., 
located  in  Decatur. 

Progress  Lodge  No.  141,  J),  ui  R.  is  the 
women's  adjunct  of  tlie  <  )dd  Eellow's  organ- 
ization. 

Knights  of  Pythias. 

Coeur  dc  Lcuii  Lodge  No.  17,  K.  ut  P. 

Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge  No.  189,  K.  of  P. 

En  Ami  Lodge  No.  593,  K.  of  P. 

Myrtle  Temple  No.  2,  Rathbone  Sisters. 

Fern  Leaf  Temple  No.  18.  Rathbone  Sis- 
ters. 

Decatur  Division   .\o.  36,  L'.  R.  K.  of  P. 

Ladies'  Assembly  No.  i,  Decatur  Divi- 
sion, U.  R..  K.  of  P. 

Section  184.  E.  R..  K.  of  P. 

Section  2028,  K.  R.,  K.  of  P. 

Other  Secret  Societies  of  Decatur. 

Ancient  Order  of  Pyramids,  Decatur 
Council  No.  loi. 

Benev»»lent  and  i'roteclive  ( )rder  of  EJks, 
Decatur  Lodge  No.  401. 

Court  of  Honor,  Decnuir  District  Court 
No.  39. 

Fraternal  Crystal  Light,  Hoyland  Lodge 
No.  108. 

Fraternal  Tribe,  H(imc  Tribe  No.   13. 

Grand  .\rmy  of  the  Republic,  Dunham 
Post  No.  141. 

Woman's  Relief  Corps  No.  4. 

Sons  of  Veterans,  Col.  I.  C.  Pugh  Camp 
No.  14. 


Ladies'  .\id  Society,  Auxiliary  to  Sons  of 
\eterans. 

Home  Forum  Bcnetil  Order,  Forum  No. 
jfo. 

Indepemlent  C)rder  of  Foresters.  Decatur 
Court  No.  3168. 

Indeiiendent  Order  of  Good  1  emplars, 
Decatur  Lodge  No.  3O4. 

I-aiihful  Lodge  No.  419,  Junior  Templars 
No.  180. 

Independent  Order  of  .Mutual  Aid,  Cen- 
tral Lodge  No.  8. 

Royal  Templars  of  Temperance,  Decatur 
Council  No.  12,  Ha  worth  Council  No.  56. 

Knights  of  Honor,  Decatur  Lodge  No. 
687. 

Knights  of  the  .Maccabees,  Decatur  Tent 
.\o.  130. 

Fraternal  Army  of  .America,  Post  No.  6; 
R.  B.  Clary  Post  .\o.  142. 

.Modern  W^oodmcn,  Decatur  Cam])  No. 
144.  Easterly  Camp  No.  1626;  \V.  C.  Rowe 
Cam])  No.  7201  ;  Royal  Neighbors  of  .Amer- 
ica, Bay  Leaf  Camp  No.  29,  Golden  Crown 
Camp  No.  129,  Olive  Branch  Camp  No. 
218. 

National  Linion.  W.  T.  Sherman  Council 
No.  472. 

Patriotic  Sons  of  .America,  Washington 
Camp  No.  57. 

Princes  of  the  Orient,  Lucullus  Council 
No.  I. 

Royal  Circle.  Decatur  Circle  No.   17. 

Royal  League,  Decatur  Council  No.  92. 

Tribe  of  Ben  Ilur.  Triumph  Court  No.  17. 

.Ancient  Or<ler  of  Hil)crnians,  Divisfon 
No.  I. 

Catholic  Knights  of  .America,  No.  464. 

.American  Home  Circle,  Decatur  Circle 
No.  49. 

Iiulependenl  ( )rder  of  Red  Men,  Sanga- 
mon 'Tribe  No.  145. 

Knight^  •■''  '^"lumbus,  Decatur  Council 
No.  577. 

Knights  of  Friendship,  Lodge  No.  i. 


90 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Ladies  of  the  ]Maccabees,  Decatur  Hive 
No.  172. 

Knights  of  the  .Modern  Maccabees,  Lin- 
coln Tent  No.  1039. 

Loyal  Americans,  Decatur  Lodge  No.  8. 

Modern  American  Fraternal  Order,  Deca- 
tur Lodge  No.  48. 

Mutual  Protective  League,  Decatur  Coun- 
cil No.  465. 

Mystic  Workers  of  the  World,  Decatur 
Lodge  No.  443. 

Order  of  the  White  Cross,  J.  L.  Deck 
Council  No.  28. 

Royal  Arcanum  No.  1432. 

Royal  League,  Decatur  Council  No.  92. 

Washington   League,  Decatur  Council. 

Yeomen  of  America,  Decatur  Council  No. 
121. 

Catholic  Order  of  Foresters  No.  27. 

Citizens'  National  Bank. 

This  bank  was  incorporated  in  1891  ;  capi- 
talized for  $100,000.  The  surplus  is  $31,000. 
The  officers  are :  President,  Harry  Shlaud- 
eman ;  vice-president,  W.  H.  Starr;  cashier, 
Milton  Johnson ;  assistant  cashier,  J.  N. 
Baker.  Including  the  above  oiificers  with 
the  following  named  gentlemen  we  have  the 
board  of  directors :  J.  D.  Good,  J.  B.  Bul- 
lard,  G.  J.  Danzeisen,  and  F.  M.  Gaddis. 

The  domicile  of  this  bank  is  a  fine  modern 
three-story  brick  building  on  the  corner 
of  Merchant  and  Prairie  streets.  Its  busi- 
ness has  made  very  rapid  increase  in  the  last 
few  years ;  in  fact  its  per  cent  of  increase  has 
been  larger  than  that  of  any  other  bank  in 
the  city. 

The  Millikin  National  Bank. 
The  private  banking  firm  of  J.  Millikin 
&  Co.  was  founded  by  James  Millikin  in 
i860,  and  has  established  the  reputation  of 
being  one  of  the  strongest  banks  in  the 
state  outside  of  Chicago.  The  Millikin  Na- 
tional Bank,  incorporated  in  1897,  is  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  above  named  bank  or  firm ;  its 


capital  is  8200,000.  Its  surplus  and  un- 
divided profits  aggregate  $290,000;  the  de- 
posits at  present  foot  up  $3,000,000. 

This  bank  occupies  the  lower  floor  of  the 
Millikin  Building,  corner  East  'Slam  and 
^\'ater  streets ;  this  building  is  seven  stories 
high  and  is  one  of  the  most  handsome,  con- 
venient and  modern  in  the  city.  The  offi- 
cers are:  James  ^lillikin,  president;  O.  B. 
Gorin,  vice-president ;  J.  M.  Brownback, 
cashier;  S.  E.  Walker,  assistant  cashier. 

The   National  Bank  of   Decatur. 

The  bank  occupies  the  Ulrich  Block  at  the 
corner  of  North  ^^'ater  and  East  Prairie 
streets.  A  substantial,  three-story  brick 
building.  Recently  this  bank  has  made  a 
complete  change  in  the  interior  appoint- 
ments, giving  it  furnishings  entirely  modern 
in  every  department  of  its  business.  Its 
capitalization  is  $100,000;  the  undivided 
profits  and  surplus  are  $125,000.  Its  de- 
posits are  very  heavy.  The  officers  are  K. 
H.  Roby,  president;  D.  S.  Shellabarger, 
vice-president;  B.  O.  McReynolds,  cashier; 
George  A\'.  Bright,  assistant  cashier. 

L.  Burrows  &  Co.  Bank. 

In  1852,  when  Peddecord  &  Burrows  were 
conducting  a  general  store  in  Decatur,  they 
had  a  safe,  the  only  one  in  town,  in  which 
the  farmers  deposited  their  money  in  sacks. 
The  firm  being  custodian  of  much  of  the 
money  of  the  community,  quite  an  extensive 
exchange  business  was  carried  on  through 
it.  This  finally  resulted  in  the  establish- 
ment of  a  bank  under  the  firm  name  of  Ped- 
decord &  Burrows.  In  July,  1899,  at  the 
death  of  ;\Ir.  Peddecord,  the  name  of  the 
bank  was  changed  to  L.  Burrows  &  Co. 
It  is  one  of  the  oldest  enterprises  in  the 
city,  yet  has  lost  none  of  its  original  pres- 
tige. The  officers  are:  L.  Burrows,  presi- 
dent ;  L.  L.  Burrows,  cashier.  This  bank 
occupies  the  first  floor  of  the  three-story 
brick  building  at  the  corner  of  South  Park 
and  North  \yater  streets. 


PAST  AND  l'Ri:Sl£NT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


(♦1 


The  Decatur  Traction  &  Electric  Company. 
The  first  street  railways  in  Decatur  were 
e(iiii|)]>e<l  with  small  cars  with  benches  for 
passenj^ers  alunfj  the  side.  Horses  or  mules, 
equipped  with  warninjjf  i)ells,  furnisiied  the 
nioti\c  power.  The  manaj;ement.  however, 
becoming  too  pro}jressive  for  these  condi- 
tions, was  the  first  in  the  state  to  adopt 
electricity  as  its  motor. 

The  people  doubted  the  feasibility  of  the 
plan  and  when  the  initiatory  trial  was  made, 
at  the  old  square,  a  large  crowd  assembled 
to  witness  the  start.  The  trial  was  success- 
ful, but  some  thought  there  was  danger  of 
receiving  shocks,  others  that  the  motorman 
would  lose  control,  and  still  others  that  the 
current  would  stop  the  watches  of  the  pas- 
sengers. But  soon  these  illusions  were  dis- 
pelled and  everybody  rode.  The  manage- 
ment (leserves  unstinted  praise  for  the  pres- 
ent efficiency  of  the  road. 

While  the  name  of  the  comjiauy  iias  not 
always  been  the  same,  yet  it  has  never 
really  been  out  of  the  hands  of  the  original 
promoters  until  July,  1903,  when  it  was  sold 
to  the  Interurban  Company.  The  company 
has  recently  been  incorporated  for  $225,000, 
the  greater  portion  being  used  in  laying  the 
tracks  and  erecting  and  Cijiiippiiiir  a  new 
power  plant. 

The  com]>any  now  has  about  tillecn  miles 
of  track,  thirty  cars,  a  first-class  jxnvcr 
house,  a  spacious,  well  equipped  car  barn 
and  a  handsome  transfer  station.  The  cars 
are  of  the  latest  patterns  with  electric  heat- 
ers, electric  lights,  electric  signal  bells,  illu- 
minated signs,  cross  seats  and  vestibules. 
Each  car  is  propelled  bv  a  twenlvTur  horse 
power  motor. 

The  power  station,  cii>ling  $40.(^00,  is  a 
large  substantial  brick  building,  modern  in 
all  its  appointments.  It  contains  two  three 
hundred  and  fifty  horse  power  Bates  Corliss 
engines,  two  two  hundred  and  fifty  Kilowatt 
general  electric  generators,  two  three  hun- 
dred and   fifty   Sterling  water-tube  boilers. 


•and  suflicient  space  in  the  buildini;  to  dupli- 
cate its  equipments. 

The  transfer  station,  located  (MI  Lincoln 
.^(juare.  the  center  of  the  original  town  of 
Decatur,  is  a  feature  of  the  system  that  is 
nut  found  in  any  other  city  of  the  state.  In 
surveying  the  crossing  of  the  two  main 
streets,  a  square  was  cut  out  of  the  corner 
of  each  of  the  four  adjacent  blocks,  forming 
tjuite  a  large  square ;  this  in  early  times  was 
used  by  the  farmers  for  a  hitching  i)Iace  for 
teams,  also  for  a  show  ground  and  a  general 
loafing  or  gathering  place ;  it  finally  de- 
veloped into  a  nuisance,  which  was  event- 
ually supplanted  by  an  octagonal  stone 
structure,  fashioned  after  a  Chinese  jiagoda. 
The  first  lloor  contains  a  waiting  room  and 
the  company's  office,  over  this  is  a  band 
room ;  the  roof  extends  sufficiently  to  pro- 
tect the  passengers  from  the  sun  and  rain  ; 
surrounding  the  building  is  a  wide,  circular 
walk  01  granitoid. 

All  in  all  you  will  find  no  better  system 
in  any  town  the  size  of  Decatur,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  any  in  the  state  surpass  it. 

MA\"L'FACT()Rli:S  .\ND  INCORPO- 
RATIONS. 
The  1  )ecatur  Coffin  Company,  corner 
-North  and  Morgan  streets,  was  established 
in  1872,  being  one  of  the  oldest  com- 
panies in  the  city  carried  on  continuously 
under  the  same  management.  This  com- 
pany was  incoriiorated  in  1882.  It  has  con- 
stantly lived  up  to  its  reputation  of  carefid, 
successfid,  honorable,  businesslike  dealing. 
The  comjiany  makes  burial  caskets,  burial 
robes  and  wholesale  undertakers'  supplies. 
Its  salesmen  visit  and  sell  goods  in  all  the 
leading  cities  of  the  l'nite<l  States.  It  takes 
the  lead  in  burial  garments,  and  is  consid- 
ered the  most  important  of  its  kind  in  the 
coimtry.  It  made  some  new  departures  in 
this  line  recently,  which  changed  the  mate- 
rial and  manner  of  making  burial  garments, 
thus  giving  the  company  a  place  at  the  head 


92 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


of  the  country's  trade.  A  large  number  of 
skilled  mechanics  and  experienced  dress- 
makers constitute  the  working  force.  The 
officers  are:  O.  Z.  Greene,  president; 
George  iL.  Moeller,  vice-president ;  T.  T. 
Roberts,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  F.  B.  Tait  Manufacturing  Company, 
located  on  East  Cerro  Gordo  street,  occu- 
pies an  entire  block  of  ground  260  by  150 
feet.  It  fronts  Cerro  Gordo  street  and  also 
skirts  the  Wabash  right-of-way  which  af- 
fords excellent  transfer  facilities.  The  main 
building,  containing  offices,  sample  rooms 
and  warehouse,  has  four  stories  and  a  base- 
ment ;  this  was  opened  in  March,  1902,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  handsome  business 
houses  in  central  Illinois.  The  machine 
shop,  foundry  and  blacksmith  shop  are  of 
brick  and  well  equipped  with  all  the  neces- 
sary machinery. 

From  eighty  to  one  hundred  men  are  em- 
ployed b}'  this  company,  eight  traveling 
men  are  constantly  in  the  field.  They  man- 
ufacture the  Decatur  corn  planter,  the  three 
row  corn  planter,  land  rollers,  steel-frame 
lever  harrows  and  gate  seeders,  shoveling 
boards,  surface  cultivators,  the  New  Deca- 
tur and  Easy  corn  sheller,  Tait  check  row- 
ers, Buckej-e  harrow  and  pulverizer,  stalk 
rakes,  wagon  seats  and  single-tongue  sweep 
rakes.  They  also  handle  buggies,  carriages, 
wagons,  general  farm  implements  and  gas- 
oline engines. 

The  F.  B.  Tait  Companj-  has  a  capital 
stock  of  $100,000,  and  was  organized  in 
1897  to  succeed  F.  B.  Tait  &  Company, 
which  firm  was  organized  in  1882.  The 
officers  are:  F.  B.  Tait,  president  and 
treasurer;  D.  B.  Tait,  vice-president;  E.  C. 
Bassey,  secretar)-. 

The  plant  of  the  Decatur  Lumber  and 
^lanufacturing  Company,  on  North  Water 
street,  occupies  eight  lots  of  space  skirting 
the  Wabash  Railroad.  They  manufacture 
all  kinds  of  interior  finish  for  stores,  resi- 
dences    and     office-fittings,     sash,     doors. 


moulding  and  stair  work  in  all  kinds  of 
wood,  including  mahogany,  walnut,  cherry, 
quarter-sawed  oak  and  cypress.  In  bank 
and  store  fixtures  they  both  make  and  fit, 
employing  first-class  workmen  in  that  line 
of  work.  The  factory  and  planing  mill  is 
a  four-story  brick  building  6a  by  80  feet, 
equipped  with  all  of  the  latest  and  best 
machinery.  This  company  handles  a  full 
line  of  lumber  in  all  of  the  woods  usually 
found  in  a  first-class  lumber  yard,  also  lath 
and  shingles.  The  company  started  in 
business  in  1880  with  a  capital  of  $50,000, 
and  in  1892  increased  the  stock  to  $100,000. 
The  officers  are :  Thomas  V.  Jones,  presi- 
dent ;  J.  B.  Good,  vice-president ;  H.  M. 
Prescott,  treasurer;  A.  S.  Knouft",  secre- 
tar}-. 

The  Haworth  and  Sons  ^lanufacturing 
Company  is  the  oldest  plant  of  its  kind  in 
Decatur,  having  had  its  origin  in  1870,  then 
known  as  Haworth  &  Sons.  The  present 
management  was  inaugurated  two  years 
ago.  They  make  corn  planters,  check  row- 
ers, grain  drills  and  scoop-boards,  and  also 
do  a  jobbing  business  in  buggies  and 
wagons.  They  own  the  patents  on  most  of 
the  machiner}'  which  thej'^  make.  The  check 
rower  is  the  only  cross-wire  rower  made, 
it  being  the  invention  of  George  D.  Haw- 
orth, and  the  first  ever  patented.  This 
plant  was  built  in  1872,  and  is  located  at 
the  corner  of  East  Cerro  Gordo  and  Eldo- 
rado streets,  extending  back  to  the  Wabash 
tracks  covering  a  block  of  ground,  making 
a  large  railroad  frontage  which  affords  fine 
shipping  facilities.  The  building  contains 
three  stories  and  a  basement  and  is  mod- 
ern in  all  its  furnishings.  The  number  of 
men  employed  is  from  seventy-five  to  one 
hundred,  a  number  of  traveling  men  are 
always  on  the  road. 

The  Decatur  Monument  Company,  or- 
ganized by  John  H.  Culver,  was,  in  1896, 
changed  to  the  firm  of  Brown  &  Son,  now 
located    in   the   400   block   on    North    ]Main 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


S»3 


street.  Tliis  firm  keeps  in  stock  a  full  line 
of  monuments  both  in  style  ami  quality. 
Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  .Missouri,  Massa- 
chusetts and  Scotcli  granites,  as  well  as  the 
leading  varieties  of  marble  are  carried.  The 
territory  covered  by  their  sales  includes 
Decatur  and  its  atljacent  country.  X.  F. 
Urown,  the  senior  partner  of  the  lirni,  is  an 
old  resident  of  this  covmly,  having  settled 
near  IJoody  in  1S59. 

The  I'alace  of  Sweets,  located  in  the  Fred 
Wilson  building  in  the  300  block  on  North 
Main  street,  was  established  by  J.  W'. 
Keckley  in  August,  190J.  It  was  capital- 
ized for  $2,500;  for  the  purpose  of  manufac- 
turing a  general  line  of  confectionery  and 
ice  cream,  inchiiliiiir  a  jnbbiiig  business  in 
the  same. 

The  Union  Irtui  \\  urks  was  instituted  in 
1864  by  James  .Millikin  and  C.  C.  Burrows. 
It  was  devoted  largely  to  building  engines 
up  to  1880.  Engines  and  mill  machinery 
were  its  entire  products  until  1875.  The 
company  was  incorporated  in  1882,  the 
stock  being  held  by  James  .Millikin,  A.  K. 
Montgomery  and  Mrs.  .\.  R.  Montgomery. 
The  management  is  principally  in  the  hands 
of  .\.  R.  Montgomery,  who  has  shown 
marked  business  ability  in  establishing  its 
enviable  reputation.  The  trade  grew  from 
milling  machinery  to  elevator  supplies,  this 
led  to  the  corn  sheller,  which  proved  a  for- 
tune to  the  firm.  They  have  furnished  the 
major  part  of  the  shelling  machinery  of 
the  United  States ;  this  firm  has  more  shel- 
lers  in  operation  in  warehouses  than  all 
other  makes  combined  ;  in  1875  everything 
but  elevator  supplies  was  abandoned.  Dur- 
ing the  last  decade  they  have  won  a  repu- 
tation on  their  portable  corn  sheller  that 
has  made  them  leaders  in  that  line ;  their 
territory  not  only  covers  the  United  States, 
but  reaches  over  into  Mexico  and  Canada. 
.•\  general  machine  shop  and  foundry  is  also 
profitably  carried  on.  Over  a  hundred  men 
find  employment  here  the  year  round,  and 


every  branch  retjuiu^  >Killed  labor  for 
which  high  jjrices  are  paid.  The  jjlant 
burned  August  5,  1895;  twenty-four  days 
later  the  factory  was  rebuilt,  larger  and  bet- 
ter than  before,  taking  on  an  increased  num- 
ber of  workmen.  Since  then  a  large  addi- 
tion has  been  built,  making  it  the  largest 
foundry  in  the  city.  James  Millikin  is  pres- 
itlent  and  A.  R.  Montgomery  is  secretary, 
treasurer  and  general  manager. 

The  jdant  of  the  Satley  Manufacturing 
Company,  located  on  the  Wabash  Railroad 
between  Jasper  and  North  Lowber  streets, 
is  the  foundry  department  of  the  above 
uameil  company  which  is  in  Springfield. 
The  business  of  the  ])lant  is  to  make  the 
gray  and  malleable  in.in  castings  used  by 
the  Sjjringfield  company,  and  to  do  a  gen- 
eral line  of  job  work.  From  the  time  the 
fountlry  was  open  for  business  it  was 
crowded  with  orders.  The  majority  of  the 
manufactories  in  the  city,  especially  those 
making  implements,  found  it  convenient 
and  profitable  to  have  their  malleable  iron 
castings  made  by  this  firm  ;  many  orders 
from  the  outside  arc  constantly  coming  in. 
At  the  start  but  fifty  men  were  needed, 
while  at  present  over  two  hundred  are  em- 
ployed during  the  busy  season.  Its  capac- 
ity has  been  increased  at  short  intervals 
during  the  last  three  years  by  building 
more  annealing  ovens,  placing  larger  en- 
gines, building  additional  rooms  and  by 
numerous  other  improvements.  It  has 
done  much  good  for  Decatur  by  reestab- 
lishing business  in  an  abandoned  locality 
and  furnishing  labor  for  a  large  number  of 
idle  men.  C.  A.  Ilackelt  is  the  local  man- 
ager. 

The  Decatur  Coal  Company  is  one  of  the 
largest  employers  of  labor  in  the  city ;  the 
company  has  two  shafts,  known  as  the  ol<l 
and  the  new.  The  mine,  at  first,  was  oper- 
ated by  private  parties  and  had  hut  the  old 
shaft.  In  1882  the  Decatur  Coal  Company 
was  incorporated,  and  a  new  shaft  opened. 


94 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


The  olil  shafl  is  on  the  Wabash,  and  the 
new  is  on  the  Central ;  the  mines  are  con- 
nected under  ground.  An  excellent  quality 
of  bituminous  coal  is  produced,  which  is 
not  only  sold  in  the  local  market,  but  at 
numerous  points  outside.  Over  three  hun- 
dred men  are  employed ;  the  mines  have  a 
capacity  of  about  1,200  tons  per  day  of  eight 
hours  each.  This  company  also  owns  a 
mine  in  Niantic,  in  which  machinery  for 
mining  coal  is  used.  The  officers  of  the 
company  are :  H.  W.  Hill,  president ;  O.  B. 
Gorin,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  W.  C.  Arm- 
strong,  general   manager. 

The  John  A.  Keck  Company,  corner  West 
Wood  and  South  Church  street,  manufac- 
tures cigar  and  paper  boxes.  The  firm  was 
established  in  1881.  It  is  managed  and 
principally  owned  by  John  A.  Keck.  Its 
saws,  planes  and  presses  are  kept  in  con- 
tinual use  by  its  employes,  who  number 
about  seventeen  the  year  round.  Paper 
boxes  for  the  local  trade  and  cigar  boxes 
for  both  local  and  outside  manufacturers 
are  made.  This  establishment  has  been 
very  successful  in  securing  and  maintain- 
ing a  lucrative  business. 

The  Chambers,  Bering  &  Quinlau  Com- 
pany, among  the  oldest  manufactories  in 
the  city,  located  on  Jasper  street  and  front- 
ing the  Wabash  Railroad,  makes  corn 
planters,  check  rowers,  hay  loaders,  side 
delivery  rakes  and  other  farm  machinery. 
The  firm  sprung  into  existence  in  1876  by 
the  partnership  entered  into  on  the  part  of 
William  B.  Chambers,  J.  E.  Bering  and 
William  J.  Quinlan.  A  few  years  ago  W. 
B.  Chambers  retired  and  Wilson  M.  Bering 
took  his  place.  This  company  manufac- 
tured the  first  wire  check  rower,  which  has 
proven  an  entire  success,  both  as  a  mechan- 
ical device  and  as  a  money  maker.  A  short 
time  ago  the  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire, 
but  out  of  the  ashes  sprung  a  building  of 
newer  design  with  all  the  modern  conven- 
iences and   the   latest  and   best   machinery. 


Prom  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  men  find 
work  here.  The  officers  are:  J.  E.  Ber- 
ing, president;  William  M.  Bering,  vice- 
president  ;  William  J.  Quinlan,  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

The  F.  H.  Bushway  Flavoring  Extract 
Company,  located  at  949-51  North  Water 
street,  was  incorporated  in  1893.  The 
plant  occupies  three  floors  and  manufac- 
tures all  kinds  of  flavoring  extracts.  The 
firm  also  handles  teas  and  coiTees  on  a  large 
scale.  They  employ  sixteen  workmen  the 
year  round.  The  members  of  the  firm  are 
J.  O.  Henry  and  J.  B.  Henry.  Their  goods 
are  reliable  and  are  shipped  to  many  outside 
points. 

The  firm  of  W.  H.  Grindol  &  Son,  corner 
of  East  Main  and  Franklin  streets,  was  es- 
tablished in  1865  by  W.  H.  Grindol.  In 
1890  John  Grindol  became  a  member  of  the 
firm.  The  work  turned  out  at  present  is 
made  by  machinery,  consisting  of  a  pol- 
isher, a  cutter,  a  pneumatic  hammer  and 
other  accessory  tools.  All  light  carving, 
cutting  and  engraving  is  executed  with  a 
pneumatic  hammer.  The  granite  is  all 
worked  from  the  rough  and  is  received  in 
car-load  lots.  Ten  men  are  continuously 
employed.  The  firm  owns  the  buildings, 
and  grounds  occupied  by  the  plant. 

The  Frank  Curtis  Company  is  the  oldest 
firm  in  the  state  that  manufactures,  whole- 
sales and  retails  jewelry.  The  firm  was  es- 
tablished thirty  years  ago  as  Otto  E.  Cur- 
tis &  Company,  and  was  later  known  as 
Otto  E.  Curtis  &  Brother.  At  the  death  of 
Otto  E.  Curtis  the  business  was  managed 
by  Frank  Curtis.  In  1899  a  corporation 
was  formed  known  as  the  Frank  Curtis 
Company.  The  stockholders  are  Frank 
Curtis,  Mrs.  A.  T.  Curtis,  Mrs.  J.  T.  Dur- 
fee  and  Miss  Mabel  Durfee.  The  incorpo- 
rate stock  is  $30,000.  This  business  has 
been  carried  on  in  the  same  rooms  since  it 
was  organized.  They  do  a  wholesale  as 
well    as     a    retail     business     in     diamonds. 


PAST  AND  rKKSKNT  Ul"  MACON  COUNTY. 


9r. 


watches,  chicks  ami  all  kiiuls  of  jewelry. 
The  groun<l  floor  at  150  Kast  Main  street  is 
tlevoted  entirely  to  the  jewelry  business, 
the  second  lloor  is  used  for  the  china  ware, 
the  basement  is  used  for  storage  and  the 
third  lloor  is  used  for  manufacturing  and 
repairing  work.  They  employ  twelve  per- 
sons and  do  all  their  own  repairing  and 
difficult  job  work  which  most  jewelers  send 
to  tile  large  cities.  The  otticers  are :  I'rank 
Curtis,  president:  .Miss  .Mabel  A.  Durfee, 
secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  (.  .  J.  Hartley  Company,  located  at 
the  corner  of  l-'ranklin  and  Decatur  streets 
on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  was  known 
as  the  Warren  &  Durfee  Comjiany  from 
1X85  to  iHy",  when  it  was  transferred  to  C. 
J.  Hartley  and  his  son  Arthur  Hartley.  The 
main  building  is  30  by  (10  feel  and  is  two 
stories  high  ;  the  wing  to  this  is  40  by  100 
feet :  the  warehouse  30  by  <>o  feet.  This 
firm  manufactures  wagon  and  buggy  jacks, 
also  the  C.  J.  Hartley  grain- weigher,  on 
which  the  firm  owns  the  patents,  lieneral 
contract  work  is  done,  ami  in  the  machine 
shop  rej)airing  and  rebuilding  engines  is 
made  a  specialty.  This  ci>m])any  was  in- 
corporated March  17,  iyo2,  for  $8,000.  The 
officers  are :  Joseph  Stocks,  president ;  C. 
J.  Hartley,  secretary  ami  treasurer;  .\rthur 
Hartley,  superintendent. 

The  Wayne  Sulkyctte  Company,  located 
at  the  corner  of  East  Prairie  and  North 
I-°ranklin  streets,  has  done  much  to  adver- 
tise Decatur  abroad.  The  company  manu- 
factures high  grade  fire  ap|)aratus,  police 
patrol  wagons,  hose  wagons,  chemical  en- 
gines, combined  chemical  and  hose  wagons, 
hook  and  lachler  trucks,  antl  rubber  tired 
vehicles  of  all  kinds,  including  racing  carts, 
road  wagons,  buggies  and  pony  carts  and 
wagons.  This  company  was  awarded  a 
medal  at  the  World's  Columbian  Kxposi- 
lion  for  the  finest  police  patrol  wagons  and 
otlier  vehicles.  The  hook  and  ladder  truck 
and  hose  wagons  of  the  Decatur  fire  depart- 


ment were  built  by  this  company,  as  was 
also  the  police  patrol  wagon.  The  officers 
are:  D.  W'.  Brennaman,  president;  W'.  J. 
Wayne,  vice-president  and  general  man- 
ager; W'.  P.  Shade,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Decatur  Cornice  and  Koofing 
Works,  located  on  North  .Main  street,  just 
south  ol  the  W  abash  Railroad,  was  estab- 
lished by  W.  II  Stewart  in  188.;.  The  steady 
growth  of  the  business  has  enabled  the 
firm  to  gain  a  foothold  in  most  of  the  lead- 
ing cities  of  the  country.  "Perfect"  is  the 
trade  mark  under  which  all  the  leading 
specialties  are  manufactured.  .Ml  the  job- 
bing houses  carry,  regularly,  on  their  cata- 
logues the  "Perfect"  radiator  and  register 
shield,  .\mong  the  specialties  made  by 
them  arc  copper  and  zinc  caskets,  slate  an<l 
steel  roofing,  furnaces,  sheet  metal  statu- 
ary, sky-lights,  tar,  gravel  and  asphalt  roof- 
ing. They  also  do  general  contract  work 
on  metal  work,  roofing  and  cornice.  The 
sheet-metal,  slate  and  tile  roofing  and  cop- 
])er  work  on  the  new  Wabash  depot  was 
done  by  them. 

The  Decatur  Novelty  Works,  located  at 
the  corner  of  Morgan  and  William  streets, 
owned  ami  managed  by  William  L.  Oakes, 
manufactures  steam  engines,  gas  engines, 
oil  engines,  steam  boilers,  steam  pumps 
and  feed-water  heaters.  A  large  stock  of 
general  sujiplies  for  steam  users  is  carried 
by  the  firm.  The  trade  is  princi]>ally  local. 
Thirty-five  persons  arc  furnished  employ- 
ment. The  business  was  established  in 
1878. 

'Hie  Decatur  P.rewing  Company  is  one  of 
the  earliest  established  institutions  of  the 
city;  it  was  started  by  John  Gaus,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  fifties,  who  was  succeeded 
in  the  business  by  B.  15.  Richanls,  Mark 
Simpson  and  Nicholas  Weber,  who  in  turn 
solrl  the  brewery  to  V..  Harpstrite  and  H. 
.Sblandeman  in  1862,  by  whom  it  was  con- 
ducted for  twenty-two  years.  In  1884  H. 
Shiaudeman    bought   his   partner's    interest 


96 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and,  with  the  co-operation  of  his  sons,  has 
successfully   carried   on   the  business   since 
then.     The  plant  is  located  at  604  East  Cen- 
tral  street.     The   main   building  is    100  by 
135  feet;  part  of  it  is  three  stories  and  part 
is  five  stories.     There  is  a  malting  capacity 
of   15,000  barrels  of  beer  annually.     In  the 
manufacture    of    beer    the    best    Minnesota 
barley    and    New    York   and    Pacific    Coast 
hops  only,  are  used.     The  cellars  are  cooled 
with  a  consolidated  Ice  Company  machine, 
the  capacity  of  which  is  ten  tons  per  day, 
and     a    Westinghous'e     machine,    having  a 
capacity    of   twenty-five   tons.      The    build- 
ings are  lighted  by  the  company's  electric 
light  plant.  Glass-enameled  steel  casks  are 
used  in  the  vacuum   process  of  aging  and 
ripening  the  beer.     A  number  of  deep  wells 
have  been  sunk,  affording  an  abundance  of 
pure   water   for    brewing.       The    plant    is 
equipped  throughout  with  the  newest  and 
best   appurtenances.     This   firm   sells   beer 
all  over  the  state,  and  seven-eighths  of  the 
beer  used  in  Decatur  is  of  this  company's 
make.     The  bottling  works,  which  is  a  part 
of  the  plant,  is  a  two-story  brick  structure 
25   by   75   feet.     Twenty-one   men   are   em- 
ploj'ed   in   the  brewery   and   twelve   in  the 
bottling  works.     The  ofificers   are:     Henry 
Shlaudeman,  president ;  Frank  Shlaudeman, 
vice-president ;    Harrj-    Shlaudeman,    secre- 
tary and  treasurer. 

The  Stuart  Dry  Goods  Company  was  or- 
ganized in  1897.  This  store  is  located  in 
the  two  hundred  block  on  North  Water 
street,  in  an  elegant  three-story  brick  build- 
ing, by  Mr.  Fenton,  adapted  to  the  especial 
needs  of  this  company.  Besides  handling  a 
regular  dry  goods  business,  dress  making, 
cloak  making  and  remodeling  of  fur  gar- 
ments is  also  carried  on.  All  the  members 
of  this  firm  are  experienced  dry  goods  men, 
having  come  up  from  clerkships ;  the  suc- 
cess of  the  business  reflects  the  ability  of 
its  promoters.  About  forty  persons  are 
employed  in  this  store.  An  extensive  stock 


of  well  selected  millinery  has  also  been  car- 
ried in  store  by  the  firm  for  the  last  few 
years. 

The  Decatur  Lime  and  Cement  Com- 
pany, at  the  old  David  Martin  stand,  600 
North  Morgan  street,  the  oldest  lime  house 
in  central  Illinois,  is  now  owned  and  man- 
aged by  Dan  Macnet.  He  carries  lime,  ce- 
ment, flue-linings,  wall-copings,  fire-brick, 
fire-clay,  sewer-pipe,  hard  and  soft  coal. 
The  trade  is  about  equally  divided  between 
local  and  outside  territory,  reaching  fifty 
miles  in  every  direction  from  Decatur. 

The  Electric  Supply  and  Fixture  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  Mzy  31,  1898,  cap- 
ital stock,  $2,500.  This  company  does 
general  contracting  work;  jobbing  in  dyna- 
mos, motors,  watchmen's  time  detectors, 
and  manufactures  electrical  specialties. 
The  offices  are  in  the  Powers'  building.  The 
officers  are:  E.  E.  Gibson,  president  and 
treasurer;  E.  T.  Coleman,  vice-president; 
M.  M.  Holmes,  secretary. 

The  Standard  Manufacturing  Company, 
located  in  the  Columbia  Building,  on  North 
Main  street,  was  incorporated  in  July,  1901 ; 
capitalized  for  $12,000.  It  manufactures 
and  wholesales  flavoring  extracts,  perfumes 
and  toilet  preparations.  The  ofificers  are: 
F.  A.  Bushway,  president ;  C.  AI.  Goltra, 
vice-president;  J.  ^NI.  Eaton,  secretary;  C. 
W.   Hastings,   treasurer   and   manager. 

The  J.  L.  Drake  Hardware  store,  the 
former  site  of  the  Griswold  store,  at  the 
corner  of  South  Water  and  East  Main 
streets,  the  oldest  hardware  stand  in  De- 
catur, carries  a  general  line  of  hardware, 
paints  and  sporting  goods.  He  manufac- 
tures special  lines  of  metal  work. 

The  F.  H.  Cole  Shoe  Company  is  located 
in  the  100  block  on  East  Main  street.  They 
carry  a  full  line  of  men's,  ladies'  and  chil- 
dren's shoes,  also  a  complete  line  of  rub- 
ber goods  usually  carried  with  a  well  se- 
lected stock  of  this  magnitude.  Their  stock 
has  thus  far  assured  them  a  remunerative 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


l)usiiicss.  'llie  ofticiTs  an.-;  Jii^fpli  l,ap- 
hani,  prcsiileiit ;  L.  K.  Lapliain,  vicc-prcsi- 
dciit;  CliarUs  E.  Martin,  secretary;  Cliarlcs 
D.  Jones,  trcasiinr. 

J.  i'.  ICcklcs  &  Company,  located  at  222 
North  Main  street,  carries  hardware,  tin- 
ware, paints  and  oils  and  nianiifactiires  spe- 
ciahies  in  sheet  metals. 

C.  J.  Fiirgcson,  located  at  054-C58,  car- 
ries a  general  line  of  hardware  and  furni- 
ture, and  :d-^i)  iii.uiiifacturis  tinner's  sup- 
plies. 

B.  M.  Dennis,  located  at  Oil  Xurlli  \\  ater 
street,  carries  on  a  general  hardware  busi- 
ness, and  manufactures  sheet  metal  sup- 
plies. 

A.  F.  Gcbhart,  located  at  1135-1139  North 
Water  street,  does  a  general  hardware  bus- 
iness, and  manufactures  special  supplies  for 
the  trade. 

Michael  Fahay,  located  at  1102-1106  East 
Eldorado,  does  a  general  hardware  busi- 
ness, and  manufactures  his  supplemental 
supplies. 

The  Decatur  Gas  and  Electric  Company 
supplies  the  citizens  of  Decatur  with  elec- 
tric and  gas  light,  also  electric  power  and 
fuel  gas.  The  first  plant  was  instituted  in 
1868;  it  was  originally  known  as  the  Deca- 
tur Gas,  Light  and  Coke  Company,  and 
later  as  the  Decatur  Light,  Heat  and  Power 
Company.  When  purchased  by  Messrs. 
Danforth  and  McCoy  and  united  with  the 
Culver  Electric  Light  Plant,  it  assumed  its 
present  cognomen,  and  was  incorporated 
for  $400,000.  In  iS*)()  an  eastern  syndicate 
bought  the  plant.  The  officers  of  the  com- 
pany are:  J.  Manchester  Hayncs,  of  .'\u- 
gusta.  Maine,  president ;  George  E.  Macom- 
bcr,  of  Augusta,  Maine,  treasurer;  W^.  A. 
Rixby,  manager.  Since  going  into  the 
hands  of  these  parties  many  thousands  of 
dollars  have  been  expended  in  its  better- 
ment. The  lower  water  gas  system  has 
been  introduced,  and  the  plant  on  East 
Wood  street  has    been     increased     to    the 


I  .ip.uily  (i|  4(  K(,m)< )  ciiliK'  url  iil  yas.  About 
twenty-live  miles  of  gas  mains  are  in  use. 
A  storage  capacity  of  300,000  cubic  feet  and 
a  daily  manufacturing  capacity  of  4CXj,ooo 
cubic  feet. 

The  electric  plant  at  the  corner  of  West 
Cerro  Ciordo  and  North  Edward  streets,  is 
practically  new  and  cntirel}-  moilern  in 
every  respect.  Most  of  this  plant  is  in 
duplicate  and  protected  against  accidents 
nf  all  kinds.  The  linn  has  about  forty  per- 
sons in  its  employ  regularly,  besides  the 
force  on  construction  and  rejjair  work. 

William  Hold's  machine  shop,  located  on 
State  street,  is  three  stories  high  and  covers 
a  space  120  by  70  feel.  .\11  kinds  of  spe- 
cial machinery,  hydraulic  elevators,  boilers 
and  steam  pumps  are  hantlled;  repair  work 
is  also  done.  Six  men  are  employed  con- 
titnially.  William  I'old,  who  has  been  in 
the  business  for  eighteen  years,  is  the  sole 
owner  and  manager  of  the  plant. 

The  firm  of  George  S.  Lyon  &  Sons,  lo- 
cated at  546  East  Cerro  Gordo  street,  was 
started  by  George  S.  Lyon  on  the  same 
corner  about  twenty  years  ago.  He  had 
the  first  planing  mill  in  the  city,  and  the 
other  lumber  yards  brought  him  their  lum- 
ber to  dress.  A  few  years  ago  the  building 
was  destroyed  liy  lire.  Not  daunted,  how- 
ever, the  firm  erected  a  large  two  story 
brick  bnildmg,  286  by  134  feet,  extending 
to  the  Wabash  Railroad,  facing  both  North 
r.roadway  and  East  Cerro  Gordo  streets ; 
since  that  time  the  entire  yard  has  been  en- 
closed by  a  brick  wall  the  height  of  one 
story.  The  firm  docs  a  general  lumber  and 
planing  business,  manufacturing  sashes, 
doors,  door  and  window-casings,  and  fur- 
nishings for  stores  and  public  buildings ; 
all  kinds  of  fitiishing  lumber  known  to 
the  trade  are  kept  in  stock.  The  plant  is 
equipped  with  the  latest  make  of  machinery 
throughout,  and  employs  fifty  men  nearly 
all  the  year ;  five  wagons  are  continually 
in  use.     The  officers  arc:     Clyde  R.  Lyon, 


98 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


president ;  James  C.  Sullivan,  secretary ;  J. 
B.  Robertson,  treasurer. 

The  lumber  firm  of  Colby  Brothers,  at 
419  W'abash  avenue,  was  organized  in  1891 
on  the  same  site  occupied  by  a  lumber  yard 
for  the  past  thirty  years.  They  do  an  out 
and  out  lumber  business ;  handling  all  kinds 
of  wood  usually  kept  in  stock  for  this  mar- 
ket. They  also  manufacture  doors,  sashes, 
window  and  door  casings,  furnishings  for 
stores  and  public  buildings;  all  kinds  of 
finishing  lumber  carried.  The-  plant  is  ad- 
mirably equipped  for  their  \aried  work. 
They  employ  from  si.x  to  ten  men.  The 
firm  is  composed  of  C.  L.  Colby,  H.  D.  Col- 
by and  L.  S.  Colby. 

The  Mills  Lumber  Company,  located  at 
763  East  Eldorado  street,  is  one  of  the  old 
lumber  yards  of  the  city.  This  company 
carries  all  grades  and  all  woods  in  the  gen- 
eral market  such  as  white  pine,  yellow  pine, 
chestmit,  cypress,  sycamore,  walnut,  cherry 
and  quarter-sawed  oak.  They  turn  out  mill 
work  of  all  kinds ;  doors,  sashes  exterior 
and  interior  finishings,  office  fixtures,  stairs 
and  furnishings  for  public  buildings.  Jo- 
seph Mills,  the  founder  of  the  enterprise, 
has  been  in  the  lumber  business  over  fifty 
years ;  more  than  twenty  years  of  this 
time  has  been  devoted  to  the  interests  of 
this  company.  The  officers  are :  Joseph 
Mills,  president;  Edgar  Shellabarger,  sec- 
retary and  treasurer. 

Irwin,  Kirkland  &  Company,  manufac- 
turing pharmacists,  located  at  128-32  West 
William  street,  occupy  two .  entire  build- 
ings, giving  a  frontage  on  both  William 
and  Main  streets ;  both  buildings  are  well 
built  attractive  brick;  the  one  facing  Main 
street  has  just  recently  been  completed. 
This  business,  established  in  1886  by  Smith, 
Hubbard  &  Company,  was  purchased  by 
the  present  owners  in  1892.  They  manu- 
facture non-secret  preparations,  fluid  ex- 
tracts, elixirs,  medicated  syrups  and  com- 
pressed tablets.  They  have  their  own  heat- 


ing plant,  do  their  own  grinding  and  print- 
ing, giving  employment  to  eighteen  per- 
sons in  the  laboratories.  From  five  to  eight 
people  are  on  the  road,  and  they  cover  ter- 
ritory from  Minneapolis  to  New  Orleans, 
west  as  far  as  Denver  and  east  as  far  as 
eastern  Indiana. 

V.  H.  Park  &  Son,  on  North  Main  street, 
next  to  the  Wabash  Railroad,  occupy  a  half 
block  at  this  point.  V.  H.  Park  has  prob- 
ably been  in  acti\e  business  in  Decatur 
longer  than  any  other  man;  in  1852  he  en- 
gaged in  the  livery  business,  ne.xt  in  the 
implement  business  until  1887,  he  then  pur- 
chased his  present  business.  They  are  en- 
gaged more  cxtensi\'ely  in  the  lime  busi- 
eess  than  any  other  firm  in  central  Illinois. 
They  handle  limes,  cements,  sewer-pipes, 
fire-clay  goods,  as  well  as  operating  an  ex- 
tensive plant  for  the  manufacture  of  this 
product.  They  have  this  year  erected  a 
connnodious  brick  building  for  the  storage 
of  hard  plaster.  They  purchased,  a  few 
years  ago,  the  transfer  and  storage  business 
of  another  firm,  which  has  brought  them  an 
extensive  storage  business ;  they  are  well 
equipped  for  this  line,  having  four  large 
warehouses.  They  are  also  distributors  for 
a  half  dozen  manufacturers  of  agricultural 
implements ;  these  are  sent,  by  car-load  lots, 
to  all  points  within  a  radius  of  seventy 
miles  of  Decatur. 

The  Neisler-Burwell  Drug  Company,  at 
the  corner  of  North  Main  and  William 
streets,  does  a  wholesale  and  retail  drug 
business.  The  firm  carries  a  complete  line 
of  drugs,  chemicals  and  physicians'  sup- 
plies, surgical  instruments,  also  a  fine  line 
of  photographers'  supplies ;  extra  pharma- 
ceutical preparations  are  also  manufac- 
tured. Their  traveling  men  make  all  the 
leading  towns  in  northern  and  central  Illi- 
nois. The  company  consists  of  W.  F.  Neis- 
ler  and  Dr.  E.  A.  Burwell. 

The  Globe  Cornice  Works,  at  224-26 
West  Wood  street,  occupies     two     rooms. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACON  COUNTY. 


99 


The  tinn  has  done  nuicli  of  the  tin  ami  gal- 
vanized iron  work  on  the  buildings  of  the 
city  since  its  organization  some  years  ago. 
They  manufacture  galvanized  iron  corn- 
ices, skylights,  metal  ceilings ;  put  on 
slate,  tin  and  gravel  rooting;  sell  and  set 
hot  air  furnaces.  Quite  an  extensive  busi- 
ness lias  been  built  up  outside  of  the  city. 

The  Decatur  Brick  Coin|)any  was  organ- 
ized in  Eebruary,  1898,  by  combining  the 
several  brick  companies  then  in  existence ; 
thus  involving  a  capital  of  ^125,000.  The 
brick  industry  has  grown  to  very  large  pro- 
portions in  this  place.  The  brick  for  all  the 
street  paving  and  lor  nearly  all  the  walks 
are  of  home  make,  and  a  very  large  per 
cent  of  the  brick  used  in  the  construction 
of  Decatur's  brick  buildings  also  comes  from 
home  manufacture.  Since  its  organization 
much  improvement  in  both  paving  and 
building  brick  has  been  made.  The  com- 
pany has  live  plants,  two  west  and  three 
cast  of  the  city,  with  a  capacity  of  25,000,- 
000  brick  per  annum  ;  with  only  part  of  the 
plants  in  use,  the  company  furnishes  work 
for  about  120  skilled  workmen,  with  a  pay- 
roll of  about  $1,000  per  week.  .\  very  re- 
munerative trade  has  been  built  up  outside 
of  the  city,  even  outside  the  state.  They 
make  a  specialty  of  re-pressed  paving  brick, 
glazed  side-walk  brick,  side-cut  building 
brick ;  also  end-cut  building  brick.  The 
officers  are:  J.  F.  Mattes,  president;  Marry 
A.  Shiaudcman,  vice-president;  S.  A.  Tut- 
tlc,  secretary  and  treasurer;  K.  D.  Mattes, 
general   superintendent. 

The  Decatur  bakery  of  the  National  Bis- 
cuit Company,  was  organized  about  a  dozen 
years  ago,  and  has  done  a  paying  business 
from  the  start.  It  uses  four  floors  on  the 
cast  side  of  the  Library  block ;  it  runs  day 
and  night  the  year  round,  furnishing  em- 
ployment for  forty  men.  A  full  line  of 
crackers  and  fine  buscuits  arc  turned  out, 
no  different  kinds  of  goods  are  made  at 
this  bakery.     The  bread  is  baked  at  night. 


while  the  cakes  and  sweet  g(.>ods  are  baked 
in  the  daytime.  Shipments  are  made  to 
325  towns  in  Illinois  and  to  about  twenty- 
five  in  Indiana  and  at  the  same  time  a  very 
large  local  trade  is  supplied.  The  plant  has 
at  all  times  since  its  origin  been  kept  run- 
ning to  its  full  capacity.  Its  business 
reaches  the  surprising  sum  of  $200,000  per 
year.     A.  W.  Conklin  is  its  manager. 

The  L'nited  States  Wire  .Mat  Company 
is  one  of  the  iinicjue  institutions  of  the  city. 
Its  goods  have  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
civilized  world.  The  factory,  located  at 
341-43  Wabash  avenue,  was  incorporated  in 
i8y2  with  a  capital  stock  of  $20,000.  The 
capacity  of  the  plant  is  500  feet  of  matting 
per  day.  The  United  States  government  is 
an  extensive  patron  of  this  firm  ;  with  the 
exception  of  the  recently  constructed  boats, 
every  man-of-war  in  the  navy  is  fitted  out 
with  wire  matting  from  this  factory.  The 
battle  ship  Texas  has  $1,000  worth  of  this 
malting  lying  upon  her  decks.  The  pro- 
duct of  this  factory  goes  to  South  .America, 
South  Africa,  .\ustralia,  Russia,  England 
and  the  continent.  Tlie  olTicers  are:  C.  M. 
Hurst,  secretary;  1'.  1'.  Wills,  ire.isurer ;  J. 
L.  Bennett,  manager. 

The  Wliitmer  heating  plant  covers  seven 
blocks  of  the  city;  has  15,000  feet  of  mains 
and  50,000  feet  of  radiators.  Seven  boilers, 
with  a  total  cajiacily  of  740  liorse-])ower, 
are  used.  Ordinarily,  only  five  boilers  arc 
in  use,  two  being  held  in  reserve  for  emer- 
gencies. There  are  two  Oakes  100  horse- 
power fire-tube  boilers  and  two  Babcock 
and  Wilcox  water-tube  boilers  of  150  horse- 
power each ;  the  average  pressure  carried  is 
from  100  to  115  pounds.  The  plant  was  es- 
tablished in  1892  with  a  Ck)  horse-power 
boiler.  The  business  developed  so  rapi<lly 
that  in  1894  the  two  large  boilers  were  put 
in.  It  requires  the  use  of  four  large  pumps 
to  supply  the  boilers  with  water;  two  teams 
are  constantly  hauling  coal,  the  plant  using 
thirty   tons   per   day.     .'\    double   system   is 


100 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


used  so  in  case  any  part  of  the  plant  is  in 
need  of  repairs  the  other  can  be  brought 
into  vise ;  there  are  four  regular  firemen  and 
one  extra  employed.  The  boilers  are  four- 
teen feet  below  the  street  grade  line.  F.  H. 
Whitmer  is  the  manager. 

The  R.  S.  Bohon  Company  was  incorpo- 
rated about  six  years  ago  with  a  capital 
stock  of  $25,000.  The  firm  is  located  at  the 
corner  ot  North  Broadway  and  East  Eldo- 
rado streets,  in  one  of  the  best  arranged 
three  storj'  business  blocks  in  Decatur. 
Three  rooms,  a  large  basement  and  a  bal- 
cony are  used  for  their  stock,  which  in- 
cludes clothing,  dry  goods,  notions,  hats, 
caps  and  carpets.  The  officers  are :  R.  S. 
Bohon,  president ;  S.  C.  Bohon,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  F.  P.  Roach,  secretary  and  treasurer ; 
R.  S.  Bohon,  manager. 

The  Race  Clothing  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, established  in  1856,  located  over  the 
Race  clothing  store,  makes  farmers'  and 
mechanics'  shirts,  overalls,  jackets,  duck 
coats  and  covert  coats.  Over  one  hundred 
power  machines  are  constantly  running  in 
this  factory  and  over  one  hundred  persons 
are  employed ;  seven  salesmen  are  kept  on 
the  road.  They  not  only  supply  the  home 
demand,  but  ship  goods  to  Colorado,  Ne- 
braska, Kansas,  Oklahoma,  Arkansas,  In- 
dian Territory,  as  far  east  as  Indiana  and  as 
far  north  as  Michigan.  The  officers  are: 
J.  W.  Race,  president  and  treasurer;  Frank 
Elwood,  secretary.  Directors,  L.  L.  Race, 
Frank  Elwood  and  James  W.  Race. 

The  Decatur  Extract  Company,  located 
at  243-47  South  Water  street,  manufactures 
flavoring  extracts,  baking  powder,  perfume 
and  toilet  articles.  The  products  are  sold 
directly  to  the  customers  through  local 
agents.  The  company  was  established 
over  six  years  ago  at  725  North  Water 
street,  but  in  1898,  on  account  of  the  grow- 
ing business,  they  moved  to  larger  quarters 
and  better  shipping  facilities.  The  busi- 
ness has  shown  such  a  flattering  increase 


that  a  few  years  ago  they  were  compelled 
to  build  a  large  two  story  brick  structure  in 
addition  to  the  spacious  one  already  occu- 
pied. The  officers  are:  C.  W.  Hastings, 
president ;  C.  AI.  Goltra,  secretary  and 
treasurer.     Capitalization,  $10,000. 

The  Decatur  Packing  &  Provision  Com- 
pany, formerly  the  Levy  Packing  Com- 
pany, was  incorporated  in  June,  1900.  They 
have  a  modern  slaughter  and  packing  house 
located  south  of  the  city.  They  carry 
dressed  meats,  lard,  tallow  and  other  meat 
products  and  manufacture  sausages,  and 
deal  in  hides.  The  company  is  incorporated 
for  $10,000.  The  ofificers  are :  A.  Wait, 
president ;  M.  Levy,  vice-president ;  C.  A. 
Wait,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  board 
of  directors  are:  A.  AA'ait,  AI.  Levy,  C.  A. 
Wait.  .Arthur  AA'ait.  and  Felix  Levy. 

The  Decatur  Refrigerator  and  Manufac- 
turing Company  occupies  a  block  of  ground 
bounded  by  the  AVabash  Railroad,  Morgan 
street,  Wabash  avenue  and  North  Broad- 
way.  This  company  was  organized  in 
1901  ;  it  manufactures  butchers'  coolers, 
blocks,  racks,  show  cases  and  fixtures.  In 
the  latter  they  make  all  kinds  of  store  and 
bank  fixtures.  Their  goods  are  shipped  in 
car-load  lots  to  the  jobbers,  covering  a  very 
large  territory.  The  officers  are:  Robert 
Faries,  president ;  W.  E.  Surface,  vice-pres- 
ident ;  E.  P.  Irving,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer; John  Schweinbold,  manager  and 
superintendent. 

The  .'N.kers  and  AVilson  Furniture  Com- 
pany, consisting  of  a  system  of  stores,  lo- 
cated in  the  following  towns:  Decatur, 
Clinton,  Lincoln,  Bloomington,  Streator, 
Pontiac,  Canton,  Champaign,  and  Alattoon, 
has  been  in  business  during  the  past  twelve 
years.  The  Decatur  store  is  located  in  the 
300  block  on  North  Main  street  and  carries 
a  complete  stock  of  house  furnishing 
goods.  From  one  store,  judiciously  man- 
aged, has  sprung  this  vast  volume  of  busi- 
ness.    From  the  time  the  first  outside  store 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


101 


was  starltil,  the  linn  has  iiraclically  atUlcil 
a  store  each  year.  Tlic  officers  arc :  C.  E. 
Akers  ami  A.  G.  Wilson,  who  arc  the  sole 
owners  and  general  manasiers  of  the  entire 
system  of  stores. 

The  P.railley  l?rulhers'  Dry  liooils  Store 
is  among  the  largest  stores  in  the  city  in 
this  line  of  bnsincss.  Two  Hoors  and  the 
basement  of  the  two-story  liriek  building 
at  the  corner  of  William  and  North  Water 
streets,  known  as  the  Fenton  building,  are 
occupied  by  this  stock  of  goods.  In  addi- 
tion to  a  general  stock  of  dry  goods  they 
carry  on  a  very  elaborate  dressmaking  de- 
partment, also  as  large  and  fine  an  assort- 
ment of  millinery  stock  as  yon  will  find  in 
the  city.  The  domestic  goods  department 
is  in  the  basement,  the  main  sales  room  is 
on  the  first  floor  and  the  dressmaking  de- 
partment on  the  second  floor.  The  build- 
ing is  e(|ni])ped  with  all  the  latest  furnish- 
ings, and  contains  toilet  rooms  and  rest 
ri.x»ms  for  ladies  and  employes.  The  firm 
has  a  large  mail  order  business ;  three  de- 
livery wagons  are  kept  busy  early  and  late 
and  ninety  people  arc  employed  all  the 
year.  IJernard  Bradley  and  Dennis  Brad- 
ley are  the  proprietors. 

William  ( iusiiard  &  Company  have  one 
of  the  most  enterprising  dry  goods  stores 
in  the  city ;  it  is  located  at  207  North 
Water  street.  It  was  established  in  1895 
when  it  was  thought  that  the  competition 
in  that  line  was  too  strong  to  admit  of  an- 
other slock  of  dry  goods ;  yet  this  business 
was  a  success  from  the  start.  The  firm, 
practically  occupies  the  entire  building;  a 
general  line  of  dry  goods  with  a  well-as- 
sorted line  of  millinery  and  domestic  goods 
is  carried  ;  also  a  well-equipped  dressmak- 
ing department  is  maintained.  It  now  en- 
joys a  very  large  city  trade  besides  a  large 
patronage  from  the  surrounding  country 
and  nearby  towns  and  villages. 

The  Charles  T.  Johnston  Dry  Goods 
Store  on  North  Water  street  is  thoroughly 


modern  in  all  its  ilcpartments.  The  busi- 
ness occupies  two  floors  and  comprises  the 
manufacture  of  ladies'  cloaks,  suits  and  fur 
garments  in  connection  with  a  general 
stock  of  dry  goods.  Dressmaking  is  also 
extensively  carried  on  as  well  as  a  finely 
eijuipped,  u])-to-dale  millinery  establish- 
ment. This  store  soon  outgrew  its  original 
(juarters  and  it  became  necessary  to  seek 
nmre  commodious  apartments,  which  were 
furnished  by  remodeling  the  Funis  build- 
ing of  three  floors,  making  as  fine  quarters 
as  that  of  any  of  its  size  in  Decatur.  Forty- 
five  people  are  in  the  employ  of  this  firm 
from  one  year's  entl  to  the  other. 

The  Decatur  Milling  Company,  on  the 
corner  of  East  Main  and  South  Broadway, 
was  incorporated  in  1888.  For  a  number 
of  years  previous  to  this  it  was  known  as 
the  Hatfield  mill,  at  which  time  the  late 
David  Carver,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Ma- 
con county,  was  largely  interested.  It  is  a 
large  brick  building  fully  equipped  with 
modern  machinery  adapted  to  the  manu- 
facture of  flour,  meal  and  brewers'  grits. 
Tlu'  mill  consumes  one  thousand  bushels 
of  wheat  and  about  two  thousand  bushels 
of  corn  per  day.  The  products  of  the  mill 
are  sold  in  the  general  markets  as  well  as 
tn  the  home  trade.  ,\bout  twenty  men  are 
continuously  employed.  The  officers  are: 
Frank  .Shlaudeman.  president ;  O.  B. 
Ciorin,  vice-president ;  J.  W^  Carter,  secre- 
tary ;  W.  C.  .\rm  strong,  treasurer  and 
manager. 

The  Danzeiscn  Packing  Company,  lo- 
cated on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  on 
South  Main  street,  in  one  of  the  most  ex- 
tensive brick  houses  in  the  city  adapted  to 
that  purpose;  it  is  modern  in  every  detail. 
Tliis  company  does  a  general  pork  and 
beef  packing  business,  besides  a  wholesale 
and  retail  line.  Tn  addition  they  manufac- 
ture and  sell  ice.  This  company  was  or- 
ganized in  May,  1903.  The  capitalization 
is  $50,000,  of  which  the  following  persons 


102 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


hold:  George  J.  Danzeisen,  $37,000;  Wil- 
liam Danzeisen,  $5,000;  Oscar  J.  Danzei- 
sen, $5,000;  Alfred  J.  Danzeisen,  $3,000. 
These  four  gentlemen  are  named  as  the 
directors  of  the  company. 

The  Linn  and  Scruggs  Dry  Goods  and 
Carpet  Company,  occupying  three  floors  in 
a  half  block  of  the  Orlando  Powers  build- 
ing, is  the  largest  and  best  equipped  store 
in  the  state  outside  of  Chicago.  The  city 
of  Decatur  may  well  feel  proud  of  the  ele- 
gance and  vastness  of  the  stock  and  the 
completeness  and  convenience  of  its  ap- 
pointments. While  Chicago  has  much 
larger  stocks  of  goods,  it  has  few  stores 
that  surpass  it  in  the  equipments,  number 
of  departments,  cash  carriers  and  modern 
facilities  for  displaying  goods  nor  in  the 
adaptation  of  its  varied  stock  to  the  wants 
of  the  trade.  William  PI.  Linn  and  Wil- 
liam R.  Scruggs  founded  the  business  in 
1869;  it  was  prosperous  from  the  start  and 
has  constantly  increased  until  to-day  any 
one  of  these  great  floors  is  equal  in  floor 
space  to  a  half  dozen  ordinary  stores.  The 
store  is  metropolitan  in  its  management, 
being  separated  into  thirty  separate  de- 
partments, eacli  under  a  superintendent 
who  is  its  sole  manager.  The  management 
of  each  department  is  as  vigorously  prose- 
cuted as  though  it  were  an  individual  store. 
An  electric  passenger  elevator,  a  Bostedo 
pneumatic  tube  cash  carrier  with  twenty- 
one  stations  is  installed  in  the  store.  They 
have  retiring  and  rest  rooms  for  the  cus- 
tomers and  employes,  separate  lockers  for 
each  employe,  convenient  workrooms  for 
the  mechanics  and  porters ;  large  marking 
rooms  for  marking  new  goods,  sample 
rooms  for  display  of  goods  by  traveling 
men,  and  numerous  other  conveniences  for 
their  employes  and  customers.  Not  less 
than  160  persons  are  on  its  pay  rolls. 

The  Moorehouse  &  Wells  Company,  at 
134-40  on  East  Main  street,  was  estab- 
lished  by    Messrs.    Moorehouse    and   Wells 


in  1859  on  the  present  site  of  their  build- 
ing, and  is  one  oi  the  oldest  firms  in  the 
city.  The  present  quarters  consist  of  a 
six-story  building  including  a  basement, 
built  of  brick  with  a  brown  stone' front;  it 
contains  all  the  modern  appliances  and 
conveniences  necessary  to  accommodate 
their  rapidly  increasing  business.  This 
building  was  erected  in  1896  at  a  cost  of 
$80,000.  They  have  in  stock  everything 
known  to  the  modern  hardware  trade,  and 
do  an  enormous  wholesale  as  well  as  retail 
trade.  Their  business  territory  covers  Il- 
linois and  part  of  Indiana,  Iowa,  and  Mis- 
souri. They  handle  house  furnishing  goods, 
glass,  stoves,  mantels,  paints,  varnishes, 
ammunition,  sheet  metals,  tinplate,  iron, 
mechanics'  tools  and  builders'  hardware. 
Twenty-five   men  are   employed. 

Bixby,  Pitner  &  Company  organized  in 
1895,  Joseph  G.  Bixby  and  Frank  S.  Pitner 
holding  the  majority  of  the  stock ;  at  the 
death  of  Frank  S.  Pitner,  which  occurred 
in  1902  Thomas  Pitner  took  his  place  in  the 
firm.  The  company  manufactures  a  patent 
burial  slipper  and  the  Dilt's  patent  Com- 
bination Shade  Roller  and  Curtain  Pole 
Fixture.  The  plant  making  the  burial  slip- 
per is  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Stoner 
building ;  it  employs  about  twenty-five 
men  and  girls.  These  goods  are  sold  to  the 
wholesale  trade  only ;  their  market  extends 
even  beyond  the  United  States.  The  origi- 
nality of  design  and  neatness  of  adjustment 
commends  them  to  the  trade.  They  also 
make  a  shade  roller  and  curtain  pole  fix- 
ture :  the  fixture  is  known  to  the  trade  as 
the  "  Itsa  "  Fixture.  This  article  is  in  its 
infancy  but  seems  to  be  growing  very  rap- 
idlv.  It  is  very  simple  compared  with  the 
ordinary  fixtures  used  for  this  purpose,  re- 
quiring no  taking  out  of  screws  when  re- 
moval is  necessary.  Its  simplicity  com- 
mends itself  to  the  public. 

The  Pratt  Cereal  Oil  Mill  Company  was 
organized   in    1902.   with   a  cajiital   stock  of 


PAST  AiND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


103 


$450,000,  lor  the  purpose  of  extracting  oil 
from  corn.    The  plant  consists  of  five  large 
buildings,   locateil   in   the   east   part  of  the 
city    witli    a    frontage    of   450    feet    on    the 
W'abasli     Railroad;    next    to    the    Millikin 
University  it  is  tlie  largest  grou|)  of  Imiid- 
ings  in  Decatur.     'l"liis  is  the  first  and  only 
mill  of  its  kind  in  the  world.     Tiie  surface 
covered    hy     these    buildings    is    ecpial    to 
about  two  blocks  in  the  city.     (  >ne  hundre<l 
cars    of    machinery    were    place<l    into    the 
plant.     Two  miles  of  pipe  and  four  hundred 
and  fifty   valves  were  used.     Storage  room 
for  600,000  gallons  of  oil.  and   100,000  gal- 
lons of   naphtha   is   provided.     The  output 
daily  is  25,000  gallons  of  oil  and  300  tons  of 
feed.     The  process   with   its  accompanying 
result  has  retjuired  seven  years  for  its  |>er- 
fection.      .Mr.    Pratt    is    largely    res|)onsible 
for  its  evolvement.    The  raw  material  used 
is   the   waste   from    the   hominy    mills;    the 
hominy  chops  and   the  germ   of  the  grain. 
The  hominy  chop  is  about  leu  |)er  cent  oil 
and  the  germ  is  about  twenty-four  per  cent 
oil.     .\bout  300  tons  or  ten  carloads  of  raw 
material     is    consumed    every    twenty-four 
hours.     The  oil  is  extracted  from  the  corn 
by    first    grinding  it,   then   steeping  it   in   :i 
solvent  that  assimilates  the  corn  oil;    then 
drawing  the  solution  oft'  at   the  bottom  of 
the  percolating  tanks.     The  corn  oil  is  then 
separated  from  the  solution  by  <listillation. 
The    solvent    is   condensed    and    stored    for 
future    use.    while    tile    corn    oil    is    passed 
through    filter  ))res.scs  to  remove   starch  or 
any    foreign    substances    that    may    remain 
after  which  it  is  ready  for  the  market.    This 
oil  is  usee!  for  painting,  for  soapmaking,  to 
give  botly  to  varnish,  also  in  making  salads. 
The   officers   are:     V.    M.    Pratt,    president, 
treasurer  and  manager;    C.  Krisman,  secre- 
tary;   R.    F'".    Pratt,   vice-president. 

The  Macon  County  Telephone  Conij)any 
is  owned  and  o|)erated  by  local  ca))ital  and 
is  ](urely  a  home  enterprise.  It  occupies 
the  front  half  of  the  third  floor  of  the  Ar- 


cade building  with  its  offices  and  exchange 
and  shops;  eight  rooms  are  used.  It  has  a 
switch  board  of  nine  hundred  drops  and 
stalls,  bourteen  operators  employed ;  five 
men  are  given  regular  employment,  while 
fre(|uently  a  large  number  u{  extra  men  are 
used.  The  company  has  nine  hundred  sub- 
scribers; two  huiulred  and  forty  loll  line 
conned  ions,  covering  :dl  the  central  i)art  of 
the  slate.  .\II  the  business  part  of  the  city 
from  the  \\  abash  to  Wood  street  and  from 
Church  street  to  liroadway  is  being  sup- 
])lied  with  an  underground  system,  at  an 
exjiense  of  about  ijiio.ooo.  The  company 
manufactures  all  its  own  telephones  and 
controls  a  number  of  important  patents. 
All  its  instruments  and  appliances  of  all 
kinds  are  of  the  latest  approved  patterns. 
This  company  connects  with  the  business 
and  professional  men  as  well  as  the  farmers 
throughout  the  localities  which  it  traverses. 
This  comi)any  was  organized  in  1894  and 
cai)italized  for  $200,000.  The  officers  arc : 
C.  S.  Mankins,  presi<lenl ;  .M.  .\.  llankins, 
secretary.  The  directors  are:  C.  S.  llan- 
kins. .M.  .\.  Hankins  and  W.  P.  Shade. 

The  business  of  (ieorge  R.  Bacon  &  Com- 
l)any  was  organized  December,  1881,  then 
known  as  the  Itacon  &  Saxton  Comjiany, 
but  later  Mr.  Saxton  droiijied  out  of  the 
firm  and  it  assumed  its  present  name.  The 
present  firm  bought  the  land  and  erected 
the  two-story  brick  buibling,  located  at  the 
corner  of  North  Main  and  I-lldorado  streets, 
in  which  the  btisiness  is  now  conducted. 
They  carry  a  large  slock  of  stationery, 
wrapping  pai>er  and  bags,  twines  and  a 
varied  assortment  of  showcase  articles  such 
as  are  usually  displayed  in  retail  stores  of 
all  grades.  A  wholesale  jobbing  business 
with  the  general  merchant  is  the  work  <lonc 
by  this  firm.  A  jirinting  eslablisiiment  is 
conducted  in  conjunction  with  their  other 
line.  The  territory  covered  by  them  prac- 
tically includes  all  of  central  Illinois,  or  it 
is  the  adjacent   locality   within  a  radius  of 


104 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


a  Inindred  miles  of  Decatur.  When  this 
business  house  was  built  it  was  the  only 
business  house  on  North  Main  street  ex- 
cept the  one  on  Prairie  street,  now  used  by 
the  American  Express  Company.  During 
the  last  ten  years  this  kind  of  business  has 
undergone  a  great  change ;  the  qualities  of 
paper  have  become  so  varied  and  numerous 
that  it  requires  a  very  large  stock  to  ac- 
commodate the  custom.  Ball  twine  only 
was  then  used ;  now  ball,  cone  and  tube 
must  be  in  stock ;  while  in  wrapping  paper 
the  colors  in  vogue  necessitate  carrying  an 
extensive  stock. 

The  Leader  Iron  Works,  incorporated  by 
William  C.  Field,  William  A.  Shorb  and 
\\'.  T.  Delahunty  in  July,  1903,  for  $40,000, 
succeeds  the  Leader  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, which  was  organized  in  1895.  The 
plant,  consisting  of  a  substantial  brick 
building  covering  an  area  of  over  14,000 
feet  of  floor  space,  is  located  one  mile  west 
of  Lincoln  Square  and  adjacent  to  Fair 
Mew  Park.  The  firm  makes  a  complete 
list  of  brick-making  machinery  and  con- 
templates making  and  repairing  of  boilers 
and  engines.  Leader  machinery  is  well  and 
favorably  known  throughout  the  United 
States  and  even  in  South  and  Central 
American  countries.  The  mechanical  con- 
struction of  the  machinery  is  under  the 
supervision  of  H.  J.  Votaw,  who  has  been 
with  the  company  since  its  organization. 

The  Suffern  &  Hunt  Company  was  or- 
ganized under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Il- 
linois December,  1892 ;  incorporators,  Wil- 
liam H.  SufTern  and  Robert  I.  Hunt ;  capi- 
tal stock,  $50,000.  They  are  exporters  and 
manufacturers  of  kiln  dried  white  corn 
goods,  and  jobbers  and  exporters  of  corn 
and  oats.  They  operate  one  mill  of  10,000 
bushels  capacity  in  Decatur  and  one  of 
4.000  bushels  capacit}-  in  Lafayette,  Ind. 
Their  plants  are  thoroughly  equipped  with 
the  latest  machinery  known  to  the  millers' 
trade.      Any    innovation    tending   to   better 


their  product  or  economize  time  or  labor 
finds  a  ready  trial  by  them  and,  if  success- 
ful, is  immediately  installed.  Their  excel- 
lent manufactured  goods  find  a  ready  mar- 
ket in  the  United  States,  England,  Scot- 
land, Ireland,  Denmark,  Holland,  Norway, 
Sweden,  and  South  Africa.  They  export 
large  quantities  of  corn  and  oats  to 
continental  Europe,  shipping  principally 
through  the  port  of  New  Orleans,  and  in 
all  do  an  aggregate  business  of  about 
$4,000,000  per  year.  They  employ  seventy- 
five  people  in  their  plants,  forty-two  being 
in  the  Decatur  mill.  The  company  has  re- 
cently transformed  the  mill  in  this  city 
from  a  frame  to  a  complete  brick  structure, 
spending  $20,000  in  improvements,  which 
increased  its  capacity  from  7,000  to  10,000 
bushels  per  day.  They  are  the  largest  in- 
dependent corn  millers  in  the  United 
States.  The  officers  are :  William  H.  Suf- 
fern, president;  Robert  I.  Hunt,  secretary 
and  treasurer. 

The  H.  H.  Brown  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, located  at  320-24  East  Main  street, 
dates  from  the  70s  as  "  H.  H.  Brown  & 
Co."  In  1893  it  was  incorporated  under  its 
present  name  and  capitalized  at  $20,000. 
The  company  manufactures  a  patent  fas- 
tener for  caskets  and  a  cattle  de-horner. 
The  casket  fastener  is  sold  direct  to  all 
coffin  manufacturers  in  the  country.  The 
de-horner  is  sold  throughout  the  United 
States,  and  all  the  cattle-growing  sections 
of  South  America,  Africa,  Australia,  New 
Zealand,  Mexico,  Scotland,  and  Cuba.  In 
the  United  States  the  sales  are  made 
through  jobbers ;  in  the  outside  countries 
are  sold  through  their  New  York  corre- 
spondent. Their  advertising  catalogue 
reaches  every  cattle  country  in  the  civilized 
world.  The  manager  and  principal  owner 
of  this  company  is  C.  H.  Brown ;  the  other 
stockholders  are  members  of  his  family. 

J.  G.  Starr  &  Son  (W.  H.  Starr,  pro- 
prietor; C.  .-\.  Starr,  manager).  No.  113-117 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lt»f 


South  Main  street.  Lincoln  .St|narc.  J.  li. 
Starr  &  Son  Harness  Company  was  in- 
corporatid  iS«M.  W.  II.  Starr,  president  : 
E.  .\l.  Starr,  vice-president ;  Hahlwin  Starr, 
secretary.  Located  No.  801-805  North 
liroadway,  wholesale  manufacturers  of 
harmss  and  .saddlery.  Tiie  largest  mail 
order  harness  house  (to  dealers  only)  in 
the  Tnited  Stales.  The  Starr  trademark 
is  a  synonym  of  excellence.  This  house 
was  founded  by  Joseph  (1.  Starr  nearly 
fifty  years  ajjo.  and  has  continuously 
occupied  the  same  location.  They  carry  a 
fully  line  of  harness  an<l  vehicles.  This 
firm  is  so  well  known  in  .Macon  and  a<ljoin- 
iny  ■•iiiiiitii-.  that  Starr's  harness  leads  them 
all 

The  .\.-l>ur\  L.xiracl  Company,  localeil 
on  North  Water  street,  just  north  of  the 
\\  ahash  railroad,  was  organized  in  1898. 
The  firm  manufactures  a  full  line  of  ex- 
tracts, |)ancake  Hours,  shoe  i)olish :  als<i 
crushed  fruits  for  soda  fountains.  Its  prod- 
ucts are  wholesaled  to  the  jobber  and  re- 
tailer throusihout  Illinois,  Mis.s«juri  and  In- 
iliana.  A.  A.  Hunter  is  sole  owner  and 
manager. 

The  Hosteller  IVintin};;  House  was  es- 
tablished Novcniber  1.  1900.  It  is  located 
at  ill)  ami  221  South  Tark  street.  W.  J. 
Hosteller  is  its  manager  an<l  pr<i|)rietnr. 
He  does  a  line  of  commercial  printing, 
b<H)kbinding,  compiling  of  catalogues,  and 
manufactures  a  general  line  of  commercial 
blank   books  and   office   sui>plies. 

The  Decatur  Tent  &  Awning  Company, 
located  at  1 18  b'ast  William  street,  was  or- 
ganized by  W.  D.  I'hamberlain  in  iS8().  for 
the  manufacUire  of  tents,  awnings  and  mat- 
tresses. The  present  company  is  composeil 
of  W.  1).  Chamberlain  ancl  H.  W.  .\veretl. 
Sales  are  made  tlirough  traveling  men 
throiigiiout    Illinois. 

Downey  &  Son.  located  at  344  North 
Water  street,  established  in  business  Octo- 
ber. i<>ii.     Thev  carry  on  a  retail  business 


in  marble  ami  granite  moniunents.  Their 
trade  is  principally  local. 

C-Neal  Manufacturing  Company  was  es- 
tal)lished  July.  Mpi,  for  the  manufacture  of 
a  skirt  and  waist  holder.  Alice  II.  I'arber 
is  its  manager. 

E.  \\  .  \\ Doil  .Manufacturing  riiarmacv, 
located  at  214  and  Ji8  West  .Main  street, 
was  established  1-ebruary  10,  i8<yi,  by 
I'anglu  &  I'lint :  on  the  10th  of  .\pril.  i8»>o, 
.Mr.  I'aught  sold  his  interest  to  1"!.  W. 
\\  ood.  They  make  bulk  goods  for  ]>hysi- 
cians :  such  as  tluids.  tablets,  ointments, 
and  |)owders.  \\\\\k  goods  are  also  sold  to 
smaller   manufacturers. 

(  )sgood  &  Heiner  .Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, located  at  5i()  and  520  Towers  build- 
ing, was  established  .\ugust,  njoi.  for  the 
manufacture  of  ladies'  petticoats  and  night 
dresses.  Since  its  organization  the  busi- 
ness has  more  than  <loul)le<l  itself  and  is 
still  increasing  so  that  ihe  company  con- 
tem|)latcs  adding  more  room  and  machin- 
ery at  once.  Their  goods  are  sold  by  trav- 
eling salesmen  in  the  following  territory : 
Illinois,  Indiana,  Missouri,  North  Dakota, 
.Mimusota.  and  to  some  extent  in  many 
other  adjoining  states. 

Herman  Speis'  Hookbindery,  located  at 
127  South  Water  street,  was  established 
(  )ctober,  1885.  He  does  a  large  local  busi- 
ness in  bookbinding  and  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  commercial  blank  books. 

The  Heall  Improvement  Company,  lo- 
cated at  C\\U  and  TnS  .Millikin  building,  was 
organized  in  nx^o  for  the  purpose  of  manu- 
facturing corn  and  Hour  milling  machinery. 
Ihe  factory  is  located  at  316  East  Decatur 
street.  Their  goods  are  sold  through 
agents  Iocate<l  at  different  points  through- 
out the  country:  an  agent  is  maintained  at 
Liverpool,  b'ngland,  one  in  Ontario,  Can- 
ada, and  others  throtighout  the  United 
States  and  in  Mexico  anri  South  ,\merica. 
The  officers  are:  C.  D.  White,  secretary 
anil    manager:   Hugh   Crea,   president. 


lot! 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


The  Decatur  Trunk  Factory,  located  at 
308  North  Water  street,  was  estabhshed  in 
1890  as  a  stock  company,  but  at  the  end  of 
the  lirst  year  was  sold  to  J.  R.  Aloore,  who 
has  since  conducted  the  business  as  a  pri- 
vate enterprise.  He  manufactures  trunks, 
suit  cases,  telescopes,  sample  cases,  and 
other  lines  of  smaller  articles.  His  sales 
are  to  the  local  trade  as  well  as  the  follow- 
ing outside  territory:  Illinois,  Indiana,  Mis- 
souri, Kansas,  and  in  specialties  much  con- 
tiguous territory,  worked  by  traveling 
salesmen. 

The  Review  Publishing  Company,  lo- 
cated at  365  North  Main  street,  was  incor- 
porated September  28,  1887.  Capital  stock, 
at  present,  $100,000.  Officers:  Howard  C. 
Schaub,  president ;  Inez  J-  Bender,  vice- 
president  ;  Jerry  Donahue,  secretary ;  J.  P. 
Drennan,  treasurer  and  manager.  This 
company  publishes  the  dail}-,  weekly,  and 
Sunday  Review. 

The  Review  Printing  and  Stationery 
Company,  located  at  365  North  Main  street, 
was  incorporated  September  4,  1895.  Of- 
ficers :  Howard  C.  Schaub,  president ;  V. 
W.  Henley,  vice-president ;  J.  P.  Drennan, 
treasurer;  E.  \^  Huston,  secretary;  C.  E. 
Uhler,  manager.  This  company  does  a 
general  line  of  job  printing  and  bookbind- 
ing and  manufactures  a  staple  line  of  com- 
mercial blank  books  and  office  supplies. 

The  Herald-Dispatch  Company,  located 
at  222  East  Main  street,  was  incorporated 
in  March,  1890.  It  was  capitalized  for 
$26,000.  Officers:  W.  F.  Calhoun,  presi- 
dent; C.  N.  Wagenseller,  vice-president; 
B.  K.  Hamsher,  secretary ;  Owen  Scott, 
treasurer  and  manager.  This  company 
publishes  the  Daily  and  Semi-Weekly 
Herald. 

The  Herald  Printing  and  Stationery 
Company,  located  at  222  East  iNIain  street, 
was  incorporated  November  20,  1899.  It 
was  capitalized  for  $15,000.  Officers:  W. 
F.  Calhoun,  president;  Owen  Scott,  secre- 


tary- and  treasurer;  B.  K.  Hamsher,  vice- 
president  and  manager.  This  company 
does  a  general  line  of  printing  and  book- 
binding and  manufactures  a  full  line  of 
commercial  blank  books  and  office  supplies. 

The  Baker  Company,  at  905  West  Main 
street,  was  established  in  1900.  They  man- 
ufacture Baker's  Cascara  Pepsin  Tablets 
and  Baker's  Lotion. 

The  Cerrodine  Company,  located  at  141 
East  Main  street,  established  in  1890,  man- 
ufactures the  Cerrodine  LaGrippe  Cure,  Ca- 
tarrh Cure,  Headache  Cure,  and  Laxation 
Tonic ;  also  a  specialty  for  Albaugh  Broth- 
ers, Dove  &  Company.  These  goods  are 
made  from  formulas  owned  and  controlled 
by  S.  H.  Jameson. 

C.  F.  Savage,  wholesale  and  jobbing,  es- 
tablished in  1894,  located  at  258  North 
Park  street.  A  general  wholesale  grocery 
business  is  carried  on. 

The  Mueller,  Piatt  &  Wheeland  Com- 
pany, located  at  326  and  328  North  Water 
street,  was  incorporated  in  August,  1896, 
capitalized  for  $70,000.  E.  M.  Piatt,  presi- 
dent ;  C.  E.  Wheeland,  vice-president ;  C.  M. 
Luling,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  G.  W. 
^lueller,  manager.  This  company  does  a 
wholesale  grocer}-  and  grocery  fixture  busi- 
ness, over  a  territory  embracing  a  radius  of 
about  seventy-five  miles. 

Bachman  Bros.  &  Martin  Company,  lo- 
cated at  359  and  363  North  \\'ater  street, 
was  incorporated  in  1892.  Capital  stock, 
$20,000.  Officers:  W.  G.  Bachman,  presi- 
dent ;  Charles  F.  Bachman,  treasurer ; 
Luther  F.  Martin,  secretary.  This  com- 
pany handles  a  general  line  of  furniture  and 
house  furnishing  goods.  Their  territory 
covers  a  very  large  radius   about  Decatur. 

The  Henry  Bachrach  Company,  at  100 
and  104  Merchant  street,  was  incorporated 
in  March,  1902.  Capital  stock,  $30,000. 
Henry  Bachrach,  president;  Albert*  Bach- 
rach. vice-president  and  secretarj- ;  Mrs. 
Tillie    Bachrach.   treasurer.      The    firm    car- 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


rics  a  lull  line  of  clothing  and  gentlemen's 
furnishing  goods. 

The  Central  .Malleable  Iron  Company, 
located  at  (i<>5  North  I.owber  street,  was 
incoriKirated  in  H)02.  Capital  stock,  $(x),- 
CXK).  This  company  manufactures  malle- 
able and  gray  iron  castings. 

The  Cidver  lilectric  Company,  in  the 
i<X)  block  on  East  .North  street,  was  incor- 
porated in  January,  1S93.  Capital  stock, 
$25,(.K)0.  Officers:  John  H.  Culver,  presi- 
dent and  treasurer;  Florence  11.  Culver, 
secretary.  This  compSiny  does  general  con- 
tracting for  electric  light  and  water  works 
]>lants. 

The  lihrman  Laundrj*  Company,  located 
at  IJJ  and  IJ4  West  Prairie  street,  was  in- 
corporated in  n)oo.  Capital  stock,  $3,500. 
Officers:  1.  W.  Khrman,  president  and 
manager:  Harry  l'\  Khrman,  secretary  and 
treasurer.  This  company  docs  a  general 
laundry  business. 

The  Decatur  Bridge  Com|)any,  located  at 
the  corner  of  I%ldora(lo  and  C.  H.  &  D.  Ry., 
was  incorporated  October,  1902.  Capital 
stock,  $30,000.  Officers:  Thomas  I-.  Black- 
burn, president ;  George  .\.  Caldwell,  vice- 
president  and  superintendent ;  William 
Melville  Wood,  treasurer  and  chief  engi- 
neer ;  Fdgar  B.  Tyler,  secretary  and  gen- 
eral manager.  This  company  manufactures 
and  contracts  steel  bridge  supplies. 

The  Decatur  lillevator  Company,  located 
at  257  North  Main  street,  was  incorporated 
in  F-'ebruary,  KXJ3.  r)fficers :  D.  S.  Shella- 
barger,  president;  B.  G.  Iludnut,  vice-pres- 
ident; Oscar  N.  East,  treasurer;  Charles 
W.  Cooper,  secretary  and  general  man- 
ager. Tin's  company  owns  a  line  of  ele- 
vators and  carries  on  a  general  grain  busi- 
ness. Their  elevators  are  located  in  central 
Illinois. 

The  Decatur  Furniture  Company,  located 
at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and  East  William 
streets,  was  incorporated  in  1882.  Capital- 
ized at  $100,000.     Officers :   J.  Bering  Bur- 


rows, vicc-presi<lent ;  John  B.  Priestley, 
secretary  and  treasurer.  i'his  company 
was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  manufac- 
turing a  special  line  of  furnilure. 

ihe  Decatur  Harrow  Works,  located  at 
1459  and  1461  East  Eldorado  street,  was  in- 
corporated in  Novend>er,  1902.  Capital 
stock,  $12,000.  C.  A.  Wilson,  ])resident ; 
O.  K.  Oppen,  vice-president ;  C.  P.  Thatch- 
er, secretary  and  treasurer.  This  company 
was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  Muuiufac- 
luring  a  patent  harrow. 

The  Decatur  Model  Laundry,  located  at 
147  South  Water  street,  was  incorporated 
in  1899.  Capital  stock,  $2,500.  E.  C.  Stein, 
president;  Lulu  Whitmcr,  vice-president; 
I'raiik  11.  Whitmer,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer. This  company  does  a  general  laun- 
dry business  in  and  about  Decatur. 

The  Decatur  Phnnbing  and  Heating 
Company,  located  at  300  North  Water 
street,  was  incorporated  June  3,  1896.  Cap- 
ital stock,  $20,000.  W.  H.  Elwood,  presi- 
dent; J.  B.  Bullard,  vice-president;  H.  E. 
Kizer,  secretary  and  treasurer ;  W.  E. 
.\dams,  general  superintendent.  This  com- 
pany does  a  general  line  of  contract  and 
repair  work  and  carries  a  full  line  of  plumb- 
ers' goods. 

The  Decatur,  .^|)ringlield  and  St.  L(.)uis 
liailway  Company,  Inlerurban,  was  incor- 
])orated  in  .May,  i<A\V  f'lr  the  purjjose  of 
ojustrucling  an  inlerurban  railway  from 
Decatur  to  St.  Louis.  Officers:  W.  B. 
.McKiidey.  jiresident ;  W.  .\.  Bixby,  local 
manager. 

The  Field  &  Shorb  Cc^mpany,  located  at 
213  North  Main  street,  was  incorporated 
.\pril  2J,  1902.  Capital  stock,  $25,000. 
William  C  Field,  president;  W.  T.  Dila- 
hunty,  vice-president ;  William  .\.  .Shorb, 
treasurer:  Wilbur  R.  Batchelder,  secretary. 
This  company  does  a  general  line  of  con- 
tracting and  repair  work  and  carries  a  full 
line  of  plumbers'  goods. 

The  Harrington-Monnett  Company,  9  to 


108 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


12  Columbia  block,  was  incorporated  in 
January,  1903.  Capital  stock,  $60,000. 
Walter  Harrington,  president ;  Jasper  J. 
Monnett,  vice-president:  John  C.  F.  Har- 
rington, secretary  and  business  manager 
and  treasurer.  This  company  does  a  gen- 
eral line  of  manufacturing  and  wholesale 
jewelry. 

The  Macon  County  Title  and  Trust 
Company,  at  148  South  Water  street,  was 
incorporated  May  14,  1902,  for  the  purpose 
of  carrying  on  a  general  abstract  business 
in  Macon  county.  Capital  stock,  $50,000. 
W.  C.  Outten,  president ;  John  Crocker, 
vice-president ;  B.  O.  ]McReynolds,  treas- 
urer ;  Thomas  B.  Jack,  secretary ;  Charles 
T.  Kellum,  manager ;  S.  E.  Kenne}-,  assist- 
ant manager. 

The  Manufacturers'  and  Consumers'  Coal 
Company,  office  248  North  Water  street, 
was  incorporated  1901.  Capital  stock, 
$100,000.  Officers:  D.  S.  Shellabarger, 
])residcnt :  J.  F.  Mattes,  vice-president ; 
Robert  I.  Hunt,  secretary:  B.  O.  McRey- 
nolds,  treasurer ;  S.  A.  Tuttle,  general  man- 
ager. 

The  J.  M.  Miller  Broom  Manufacturing 
Compan}-,  213  East  Marietta  street,  was  in- 
corporated in  February,  1903.  Capital 
stock,  $10,000.  H.  H.  Crea,  president ; 
James  M.  Miller,  vice-president  and  gen- 
eral manager ;  W.  Frank  Godwin,  secretary 
and  treasurer.  This  company  does  a  large 
business  in  the  manufacture  of  brooms  and 
wholesaling  and  retailing  the  same. 

The  Ryan  Clothing  Company,  239  North 
Water  street,  was  incorporated  in  1898 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $7,500.  M.  Ryan, 
president ;  Jerome  B.  Longeni,  secretary 
and  treasurer.  This  company  carries  on  a 
clothing  and  gentlemen's  furnishing  supply 
house. 

The  Scovill  Company,  corner  North  Park 
and  Water  streets,  was  incorporated  in 
1898.  Capital  stock.  $15,000.  George  ,\\'. 
Scovill,    president;    Guy    N.    Scovill.    vice- 


president  ;  J.  J.  Scovill,  treasurer ;  E.  A. 
Scovill-Carpenlcr,  secretary.  This  company 
carries  on  a  general  trade  in  furniture  an'd 
house  furnishing  goods. 

The  B.  Stine  '  Clothing  Compan}^  102 
East  Main  street,  was  incorporated  in  1890. 
Capital  stock,  $32,000.  Officers:  B.  Stine, 
])resident :  Leo  G.  Heilburn,  secretary  and 
treasurer.  This  company  carries  a  general 
line  of  gent's  furnishing  goods  and  ready 
made  clothing. 

B.  S.  Tyler  &  Company,  108  East  Wil- 
liam street,  was  incorporated  in  January, 
1897.  Capital  stock,  $15,000.  Officers: 
T.  A.  Bone,  president  and  treasurer;  Frank 
L.  Evans,  secretary  and  general  manager. 
This  company  does  a  general  grain  busi- 
ness :  they  own  a  line  of  grain  elevators  in 
central    Illinois. 

D.  W.  Brenneman  &  Company,  148  and 
152  North  Franklin  street,  was  established 
thirty  years  ago,  and  reorganized  in  1892 
with  D.  W.  Brenneman,  M.  G.  Brenneman 
and  \^^  P.  Shade  as  owners.  This  company 
is  engaged  in  the  wholesaling  of  liquors 
throughout  Illinois  and  Indiana. 

The  American  Hominy  Company,  of 
which  the  Shellabarger  Mill  and  Elevator 
Company  and  The  Pratt  Cereal  Mill  Com- 
pany form  a  part,  was  incorporated  in  May, 
Tgo2.  Capitalization,  $3,500,000.  The  daily 
capacity  of  their  combined  plants  is  85,000 
bushels  of  corn.  The  capacity  of  the  two 
Decatur  plants  is  22,000  bushels.  This 
company  makes  corn  meal  and  flour,  hom- 
iny, grits,  cerealine  flakes,  flaked  hominy 
and  corn  oil.  Their  territory  is  America, 
Europe,  Africa,  Australia,  China  and  Japan. 

The  Riddell,  Stadler  and  McClelland 
Company,  140  and  146  North  Franklin 
streets,  was  established  in  1902.  J.  Sher- 
man McClelland  is  its  manager.  This  com- 
jiany  does  a  wholesale  grocery  and  grocers' 
fixtures  business  covering  an  adjacent  ter- 
ritory of  about  100  miles  in  radius. 

The    ^^'illiams    Manufacturing   Company, 


PAST  AXU  TRKSKNT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


W.I 


icpi  NDrlli  Main  street,  inamifacturcs  ci>rii- 
pliiDliTs  .iiiil  iLjraiii  weighers ;  also  floes  a 
general  repairing  business. 

Teiiney  i"t  Sikking,  147  and  i'>,s  .^^muli 
.Main  street,  niannfaclure  shoveling  hoards 
and  handle  farm  injplenients. 

The    .Maris    Candy    Company    maiiuiac 
tiires  the  latest  novelties  in  candies  as  well 
as  the  staple  brands.    John  .M.  .Maris  is  its 
manager. 

ihe  Home  .Manufacturing  L'ompany,  yoi 
Kast  Kldorado  street,  makes  ladies'  wrap- 
pers, sunbonnets,  dressing  sac(pies,  and 
mittens.  Charles  M.  .Mlison  is  the  pro- 
prietor. 

The  Decatur  .Mattress  Factory,  629  East 
I-".ldorado  street,  confines  itself  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  mattresses. 

riie  .MafHit  &  .McCorrey  Ice  Company, 
200  and  J04  North  r.roadway.  manufac- 
tures artificial   ice  and  handles  natural  ice. 

The  Combination  rountain  Company, 
70J  Fast  Division  street,  manufactures  soda 
fountains  and  refrigerators. 

The  Northwestern  Feed  Mill,  539  West 
fireen  street,  manufactures  and  handles  all 

kinds    of    mill    >' '       i;,.. ,rgc    ,'^.    I. yon-;    is 

proprietor. 

I'he  Decatur  Hard  i'laster  Company,  341 
and  343  Wabash  avenue,  manufactures 
wall  i>laster,  and  tleals  in  cement,  lime, 
|)laster  paris,  fire  brick,  and  roofing  gravel. 
John  11.  Uren,  proprietor. 

r.rucc  S.  Woodruff,  786  East  Cantrell 
street,  manufactures  cigar  boxes. 

Ammann  i^-  Company,  composed  of  \\  . 
<  i.  .\mmaiin,  Martin  ( iahring  and  l*"retl 
Hlack.  do  a  general  line  of  brickmaking  for 
the  outside  as  well  as  the  local  trade. 

James  II.  Hall,  i-,<)  East  -Main,  carries 
on  a  general  gent's  furnishing  and  ready 
maile  clothing  establishment.  His  line  is 
complete  and  up-to-date. 

.\aron  Kaufman,  245  to  249  North  Water 
street,  docs  a  general   line  of  business   in 


the  gent's  furnishing  and  ready  made  cUnli- 
iiig.     He  carries  a  large  stock. 

(  itteiiheimer  &  Company,  258  to  260 
.N'orih  Water,  carries  a  stock  of  clothing 
anil  gent's  furnishing  goods.  His  stock  is 
large   ami   select. 

Josejih  C.  .^ummerlielii,  147  I'.asl  .Main, 
carries  an  assorted  stock  of  gent's  furnish- 
ing goods  and   clotliing. 

THE   BENCH   AND   BAR. 
The  Bench. 

The  lirsi  L'ircuit  Court  held  in  Decatur 
was  in  .May.  1830,  S.  I).  Fockwood  of  the 
!~^ui)reme  Court  presiding.  In  1835  a  l:iw 
was  i)assed  by  the  State  Legislature  separ- 
ating the  Circuit  Court  from  the  Supreme 
Court. 

Judge  Lock  wood  came  to  Illinois  in  an 
early  day  and  was  (|uite  a  factor  in  its  early 
history.  He  presided  as  Circuit  Judge  from 
1830  to  1835.  In  the  same  year  the  Slate 
Legislature  elected  Stephen  T.  Logan  of 
Springfield,  Illinois,  to  succeed  Mr.  Lock- 
wood  as  Circuit  Judge.  This  county  then 
formed  jiart  of  the  First  Judicial  District. 
Judge  Logan  resigned  his  position  in  1.S37 
and  William  Brown  of  Jacksonville  was  ap- 
pointed by  Covernor  Duncan  to  fill  the 
vacancy.  He  was  followed  by  Jesse  1!. 
Thomas,  who  in  a  very  short  time  was  suc- 
ceeded by  S.  H.  Treat,  who  held  the  office 
from  1839  to  1848.  David  Davis  of  lUoom- 
ington  succeeded  him  and  held  the  position 
from  1849  to  1853.  In  1854  Charles  Ivmer- 
son  of  Macon  county  became  his  successor, 
and  held  the  j)osition  until  18(17.  wluii  he 
was  succeeded  by  .\rtluir  j.  ( iallagher,  who 
served  until   1873. 

C.  B.  Smith  was  elected  Circuit  Judge  in 
1873  to  succeed  .\.  J.  (iallagher.  He  was  re- 
elected in  1879,  his  term  ending  in   1889. 

In  the  meantime  another  judgeship  was 
create<l    in    this   judicial    district,    to   which 


110 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


W.  E.  Nelson  was  elected  in  1877  and 
served  two  years  in  the  position. 

E.  ]'.  \'ail  was  elected  as  successor  to 
C.  B.  Smith  in  1889  and  held  the  position 
until  1903. 

In  1903  W.  C.  Johns  was  elected  to  suc- 
ceed E.  P.  Vail.  Mr.  Johns  is  the  present 
incumbent. 

The    Bar. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  lawyers  who 
have  at  various  times  practiced  law  in  Ma- 
con county,  including  the  present  members 
of  the  Macon  County  Bar : 

Sheridan  Wait,  member  of  the  firm  of 
Gallagher,  Wait  &  Oglesby,  cafne  to  De- 
catur in  1852.  He  was  General  Oglesby's 
adjutant  general  in  the  Civil  war. 

Colonel  Nathan  W.  Tupper  of  Washing- 
ton, New  York,  removed  to  Decatur  in  1854 
for  the  purpose  of  practicing  law.  In  1862 
Mr.  Tupper  was  commissioned  as  colonel 
of  the  ii6th  regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers. 
Colonel  Tupper  died  at  Decatur,  from  ex- 
posure and  hardships  of  army  life,  I\Tarch 
10,   1864. 

George  W.  Powers  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1843  and  died  in  1848. 

Kirby  Benedict,  from  the  state  of  Con- 
necticut, located  in  Decatur  in  1836,  he 
being  the  second  resident  lawyer  in  the 
county,  Charles  Emerson  being  the  first. 

James  B.  Boyd,  a  native  of  Ohio,  came  to 
this  county  in  1855  and  was  shortly  after 
elected  county  surveyor.  In  i860  he  was 
elected  prosecuting  attorney,  serving  until 
1862,  when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  posi- 
tion as  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  ii6th 
regiment  of  Illinois  A^olunteers.  He  was 
wounded  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  from 
the  effects  of  which  he  died  in  1869. 

The  Hon.  John  R.  Eden  of  Sullivan  prac- 
ticed in  Macon  county  a  short  time. 

Captain  Joel  S.  Post  was  born  in  Wayne 
county  April  27,  1816.  In  1839  't^  removed 
to  Decatur  and   the  next  vear  entered  the 


office  of  Charles  Emerson  as  a  law  student. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841. 

In  1846  he  became  a  soldier  in  the  Mexi- 
can war,  a  member  of  the  4tli  regiment  of 
Illinois  Volunteers,  commanded  by  Col. 
E.  D.  Baker.  In  1856  he  was  elected  to  the 
state  Senate,  serving  two  terms.  While  a 
legislator  he  championed  the  bill  establish- 
ing the  State  Normal  University  at  Normal, 
Illinois. 

John  W.  Smith  was  born  in  this  county 
in  February,  1843.  ^^  graduated  at  Al- 
bany Law  School  in  New  York,  beginning 
the  practice  of  law  here  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Emerson  &  Smith.  He  is  the  author 
of  a  history  of  Macon  county ;  he  now  re- 
sides in  Chicago. 

A.  B.  Bunn,  a  native  of  Ohio,  settled  at 
Mt.  Pulaski  in  1844.  In  July,  1850,  he  lo- 
cated in  Decatur,  entering  the  office  of  Joel 
S.  Post,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1851. 
He  was  elected  to  the  state  Legislature  in 
1866.  He  held  the  office  of  assessor  of  in- 
ternal revenue  and  also  served  as  city  clerk 
and  attorney  of  the  city  of  Decatur. 

S.  G.  Malone,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  Indiana  in  1848.  He 
came  to  Decatur  in  1856,  entering  the  firm 
of  W.  S.  Freese  and  Judge  Prather. 

Hon.  Richard  J.  Oglesby  was  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1824.  He  came  to  Decatur 
with  his  uncle,  Willis  Oglesby,  in  1836.  In 
1844  he  began  the  study  of  law  in  Spring- 
field and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1845. 
He  opened  an  office  in  Sullivan  and  re- 
mained there  until  1846.  He  then  enlisted 
for  the  Mexican  war,  being  commissioned 
first  lieutenant  of  Company  C,  4th  regiment 
of  Illinois  Volunteers.  On  his  return  home 
he  again  took  up  his  practice,  locating  at 
Decatur.  In  1849  ^^  took  a  trip  to  Cali- 
fornia as  a  result  of  the  "  gold  fever."  Re- 
turning in  1852  he  again  resumed  his  law 
practice.  In  1856  he  made  a  tour  of  Europe, 
Asia  and   Africa;  returning  he  entered  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


law  linn  ut  Ciallayhcr,  Wail  &  ( )glcsl)y.  In 
i8<o  lie  was  clcclcil  stale  senator.  In  1861 
lie  was  elected  colonel  of  the  8th  Illinois 
Infantry.  At  the  battle  of  I'ort  Donelson 
he  was  in  command  of  a  brigade.  .\l  Cor- 
inth he  was  wounded,  lie  had  been  pro- 
moted brigadier  general  in  .\pril.  .\fter 
partial  recovery  he  was  promoted  to  major 
general,  for  bravery.  His  commission  dated 
from  November,  1862.  Owing  t<i  inability, 
on  account  of  his  wound  to  ilo  field  work, 
he  lentlered  his  resignation,  which  was  not 
acceptetl,  howexer,  and  he  was  detailed  on 
court  martial  duty  at  Washington.  In  May, 
i8()4,  on  his  return  home,  he  was  elected 
governor  of  Illinois.  In  187J  he  was  re- 
elected to  that  office,  but  resigned  to  accept 
the  United  States  senatorship  in  1873.  In 
1882  he  was  again  elected  governor  of  Il- 
linois, this  being  the  last  pidilic  position 
heltl  by  him. 

Samuel  F.  (irecr.  a  native  of  Ohio,  was 
electeil  county  judge  in  i8<'ii.  lie  came  to 
Decatur  in  1854.  brinu'  admitted  to  the  bar 
in   iSiij 

Tluimas  Lie,  a  native  of  County  Limer- 
ick, Ireland,  came  to  .\merica  in  1855.  He 
graduated  from  the  Springfield  high  school, 
studied  law  in  Decatur  with  S.  F.  Murphy, 
and  in  .\ugust.  1869.  was  admitted  to  the 
bar. 

Charles  A.  Emerson  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky, but  came  to  Illinois  in  1850.  He 
graduated  from  the  .Mbgny  Law  School  in 
i860.  The  same  year  he  began  the  practice 
of  law  in  Decatur,  being  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Crea,  Ewing  &  Walker. 

1'-.  K.  Eldridge,  a  native  of  Inrliana,  came 
to  Ta/ewell  county,  Illinois,  in  1856.  Grad- 
uating from  Eureka  College  in  i8<i9,  he  re- 
moved to  Decatur  in  May.  1870,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  Macon  County  Bar. 

I.  D.  Walker,  a  native  of  Ohio,  came  to 
Illinois  in  1861.  He  graduated  from  the 
nioonnngton  Law  School  in  1875,  this  being 


its  first  graduating  class.  Coming  tu  De- 
catur in  i87(),  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Thomas  Lee,  later  entering  the  firm  of  Crea, 
I-lwing  &  Walker. 

Judge  .\nthony  Thornton  was  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1815.  He  graduated  from  the 
.Miami  College  in  Ohio  in  1835.  He  studied 
law'  at  Paris,  Kentucky,  and  w;as  granted  his 
license  by  the  Court  of  .\ppcals  in  1836. 

In  1837  he  removed  to  Shelby  County, 
Illinois.  He  was  appointed  a  member  of 
the  Constitutional  Convention  of  Illinois  in 
1848.  In  1850  he  was  elected  to  the  state 
Legislature.  In  ]Sfi^  Mr.  Thornton  was 
elected  to  the  Thirty-ninth  Congress.  In 
July,  1870.  he  was  elected  to  the  Supreme 
Court  of  this  state  and  served  until  the 
first  Monday  in  June,  1873,  when  he  re- 
signed.   He  removed  to  Decatur  in  1879. 

James  T.  Whitley,  born  in  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  March  19,  1871.  His  primary  edu- 
cation was  acquired  in  the  public  schools  of 
Nevada,  Missouri.  After  completing  the 
ward  and  high  school  curriculum  at  this 
place  he  completctl  a  course  at  the  Kansas 
State  Normal  College  at  Ft.  Scott,  grad- 
uating in  1889.  He  began  reading  law  in 
1891  with  Buckingham  &  Schroll,  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  August,  1893. 

.Marshall  C.  Criffin  was  born  and  reared 
in  .\rgent;'..  He  finished  the  public  school 
course  in  .\rgcnta  in  1888.  Graduating 
from  the  Indiana  State  Normal  School  in 
1891,  he  taught  school  in  Sanganum  and 
in  Oakley  for  several  years  during  which 
time  he  pusucd  the  stiuly  of  law,  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  November,  1897.  In 
1898  he  entered  the  office  of  Lee  &  Le- 
Forgee.  Three  years  later  he  went  into 
business  for  himself. 

James  M.  Gray  was  born  in  Fayette  coun- 
ty June  I,  1862.  After  finishing  the  coun- 
try school  and  high  school  cotirsc  he  grad- 
uated from  the  Indiana  .State  Normal  School 
at  Valparaiso,  receiving  the  degrees  of  B.  S. 


112 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  L.L.  B.  In  1890  he  located  in  Decatur 
for  the  practice  of  law.  He  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  the  state  Legislature,  having  been 
twice  elected  to  that  position  from  the 
Twenty-eighth   senatorial  district. 

W.  E.  Redmon  was  born  on  a  farm  in 
Jasper  county,  where  he  grew  to  manhood. 
He  attended  the  country  schools  and  later 
the  Normal  University  at  Carbondale,  Il- 
linois. He  taught  school  in  Cumberland, 
Richland  and  Jasper  counties,  at  the  same 
time  jnirsuing  the  stud)'  of  law,  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  March,  1888:  After 
practicing  four  years  in  Logan  county  he 
located  in  Decatur  in  1893.  He  was  elected 
to  the  states  attorneyship  in  November, 
1900,  which  office  he  now  holds. 

I.  R.  JMills  was  born  September  5,  1853, 
and  reared  on  a  farm  near  Magnolia,  Put- 
nam county,  Illinois,  acquiring  his  prelim- 
inar}'  education  in  the  country  schools.  He 
graduated  from  the  Lincoln  University  in 
1876.  He  went  to  Chicago  and  pursued  the 
study  of  law  three  years,  being  admitted  to 
the  bar  at  Chicago  in  1879,  and  during  the 
same  year  he  established  a  law  office  in 
Decatur.  He  served  as  city  attorney  from 
1886  to  1889,  was  appointed  state  attorney 
by  the  board  of  supervisors,  to  fill  the  unex- 
pired term  of  E.  P.  Vail,  who  was  elected 
circuit  judge  in  1888.  He  served  in  this 
capacity  until  1900.  In  May,  1901,  Mr.  Mills 
was  appointed  internal  revenue  collector, 
which  office  he  now  fills.  Mr.  Mills  is  a 
member  of  the  board  of  managers  of  the 
Millikin  University.  For  eighteen  years  he 
has  been  in  partnership  with  his  brother, 
A.  H.  Mills,  under  the  firm  name  of  Mills 
Brothers. 

John  .1.  Montgomery  is  a  native  of  Ohio 
and  was  educated  in  Philadelphia.  Fie 
graduated  from  the  law  department  of  the 
Michigan  University  at  Ann  Arbor,  in  1900. 
Since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law  in  Decatm". 

D.  L.  Bunn  is  a  native  of  McLean  coun- 


ty, Illinois.  In  1844  he,  with  his  parents, 
removed  to  Macon  county.  His  education 
was  completed  in  Lombard  College,  Gales- 
burg.  In  1855,  on  coming  to  Decatur,  he 
secured  a  position  in  the  public  schools  of 
the  cily  which  he  held  until  1859.  ^^  read 
law  with  J.  S.  Post  and  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  the  fall  of  1862.  In  the  same  year 
ho  was  appointed  states  attorney  by  Rich- 
ard Yates,  father  of  the  present  governor, 
serving  under  that  appointment  two  years. 
In  1864  he  was  elected  state's  attorney  and 
served  four  years.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
Civil  war  he  was  appointed  collector  of  in- 
ternal revenue  by  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Edwin  Park,  a  native  of  New  York,  came 
to  Bellville  in  1856.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  at  Bellville  the  same  year  he  came 
to  Illinois,  but  taught  school  several  years 
before  entering  upon  his  practice.  After 
coming  to  Decatur  he  was  engaged  as 
teacher  in  its  public  schools  for  four  years 
and  was  then  elected  superintendent  of  the 
Macon  county  schools,  filling  that  office 
from  1863  to  1869.  In  1870  he  took  up  the 
])ractice  of  law,  continuing  until  1876  when 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  D.  L.  Bunn 
which  still  exists. 

O.  W.  Smith  was  born  and  grew  to  man- 
hood in  Jasper  county,  Illinois.  After  com- 
pleting the  country  school  course  he  took 
up  the  profession  of  teaching.  During  the 
intervals  of  his  teaching  he  attended  Mc- 
Kendree  College  at  Lebanon,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  June,  1891,  in  the  law  de- 
partment. He  practiced  law  in  Newton 
two  years  before  coming  to  Decatur.  He 
was  elected  county  judge  in  1902,  which 
office  he  now  holds. 

J.  R.  Fitzgerald  was  born  in  Moultrie 
county.  Illinois.  He  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Bethany,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1890,  after  which  he 
attended  Lincoln  University  and  also  the 
University  of  Illinois.  He  read  law  with 
W.     G.    Cochran,    and    completed    his    law 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


1 


course  in  llic  L'nivcrsiiy  oi  Micliigan,  grad- 
iiating  in  i8*;5.  He  then  came  to  Decatur 
and  entered  tlic  law  office  of  Mills  ilroiliers, 
witli  whom  he  remained  until  May,  i8i)<>, 
after  which  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
L.  A.  Mills. 

James  ).  I'inn  located  in  Decaliir  in  1S71. 
I'ifteen  years  ago  he  w'as  apj)oiiited  master 
in  chancery,  having  just  hecn  succeeded  by 
\\  .  11.  Klack.  lie  has  recently  fi>rmed  a 
partnership  with  Alexander  .Mcintosh  for 
the  practice  of  law. 

John  t".  Lee  is  a  nati\e  of  Macon  county. 
His  early  education  was  acquired  in  the 
.Macon  county  schools,  later  attending  the 
Indiana  Slate  .Normal  School  at  \ 'al])araiso. 
lie  taught  school  a  few  years,  after  which 
he  read  law  with  l*"inn,  McDonald  iS:  l.e- 
I'"orgec,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  iSt>2. 
He  formed  a  partnershi))  with  C.  C.  1-e- 
P'orgee  which  continued  five  years;  at  the 
exj)iration  of  this  time  a  partnershi])  with 
David  Ilutchin.son.  Recently  he  has  formed 
a  partnership  with  his  brother,  Morris  Lee. 

William  l".  Johns  was  born  in  Ohio,  but 
when  two  years  old  his  parents  removed  to 
I'iatt  county,  ami  in  i8-y  locate<l  in  the  city 
of  Decatur.  He  was  educated  in  the  De- 
catur schi^ols  an<l  in  the  I'niversity  of  Mich- 
igan, from  which  he  graduated  in  iS(x)  and 
from  the  .Mbany.  New  York,  School  of  Law 
in  1870.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  New 
York  in  1S70,  and  to  the  bar  of  Illinois  in 
September  of  the  same  year,  at  once  enter- 
ing upon  his  chosen  profession  in  this  city. 
In  18.S0  he  was  elected  states  attorney;  he 
also  served  as  state  senator  from  1S87  to 
i8<>i.  In  ic/o.^  lie  was  elected  circuit  judge 
to  succeed  Judge  L.  I'.  \'ail.  which  office  he 
now  holds. 

L.  H.  .Shelley  was  born  in  .Maroa  town- 
ship of  this  coimty  and  educated  in  the 
schools  of  this  city,  graduating  from  the 
Decatur  high  school  in  i88_v  He  gra<luated 
from  the  law  clepartment  of  the  I'niversity 
of  Minnesota  in   1894  and  was  admitted  to 


the  bar  of  Illinois  in  the  same  year.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Shelley 
lirolhers. 

W.  W.  Shelley  was  born  in  Maroa  town- 
ship and  educated  in  this  city,  graduating 
ir'im  the  Decatur  high  school  in  1889.  .\fter 
rea<ling  law  both  in  Decatur  and  in  St. 
Louis  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Illinois 
in  i8<)5.  He  is  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of 
Shelley   Hmthers. 

W.  (.'.  <  lutten  was  born  in  Cass  countv, 
Illinois.  In  iW)^  his  i>areiUs  moved  to 
.Macon  county.  He  attende<l  the  country 
schools,  later  the  W  esleyan  L"niversily  at 
I'llooirington  and  Ann  .\rbor.  Michigan, 
graduating  from  the  latter  in  1875.  In  the 
same  year  Mr.  <  )utten  located  in  Decatur 
and  began  tin-  |)ractice  of  law.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  <  )utten  &  Roby. 
brank  C.  R<jby  is  a  native  of  Decatur. 
.\fter  completing  the  curriculum  of  the  De- 
catur schools  he  attended  Harvard  College 
from  which  he  holds  a  degree.  He  prac- 
ticed several  years  in  Chicago  before  locat- 
ing permanently  in  Decatur.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  ( )utten  &  Roby. 

.\.  11.  Mills  was  born  in  Putnam  county, 
Illinois,  ( )ctober  5,  1851.  In  his  boyhood  he 
.•itteiuled  the  country  schools,  later  entering 
the  Lincoln  I'niversity,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1875,  receiving  the  degree  of 
.\.  P.  Two  years  later  at  the  termination 
of  a  ])ost-graduate  course  he  added  the  de- 
gree of  A.  M.  b'or  two  years  he  remained 
as  instructor  in  his  alma  mater.  The  next 
three  years  were  spent  as  superintendent 
of  the  Waverly  schtiols,  in  .Morgan  county. 
During  this  time  he  also  read  law,  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1881.  In  the  same  year 
he  formed  a  partnershi])  with  his  brother 
Isaac  R.  .Mills,  the  firm  name  being  Mills 
Prothers.  l-rom  1888  to  1900  he  was  assist- 
ant states  attorney  for  Macon  county. 

William  !•".  Nelson  w;<;  born  in  White 
county.  Tennessee.  Jmie  4,  1824.  Remain- 
ing in  the  county  of  his  birth  until  coming 


114 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


to  Decatur  in  1857,  his  education  was  ac- 
quired in  subscription  schools.  At  the  age 
of  sixteen  he  began  the  study  of  law  with 
his  father.  In  August,  1844,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  his  native  state.  In 
1857  he  opened  a  law  office  in  Decatur  and 
has  ever  since  been  an  active  practitioner, 
irie  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  Consti- 
tutional Committee  for  the  revision  of  the 
statutes;  was  also  elected  a  memTier  of  the 
Twenty-seventh  General  Assembly  of  II- 
Imois,  which  convened  immediately  after 
the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  1870. 
He  was  elected  circuit  judge  of  the  Four- 
teenth circuit  in  June.  1877,  filling  the  office 
one  term.  He  was,  in  1886,  elected  county 
judge,  serving  in  that  capacity  during  eight 
years. 

Felix  B.  Tait  was  born  in  Macon  county 
November  29,  1850.  He  attended  the  dis- 
trict schools  until  maturity,  when  he  en- 
tered the  Normal  University  at  Normal, 
Illinois,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1873. 
He  was  a  teacher  in  Woodstock  Seminary 
tlie  year  following  his  graduation.  On  his 
return  to  Decatur  he  took  up  the  study  of 
law  with  Smith  &  Clokey,  being  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1876.  He  was  associated  with 
John  A.  Brown  for  the  practice  of  law  but 
on  account  of  failing  health  he  abandoned 
the  practice  in  1880,  turning  his  attention  to 
the  manufacture  of  check-rowers  and  corn- 
planters. 

John  A.  Brown  was  born  July  32,  1843,  in 
Abington,  ^Massachusetts.  At  an  early  age 
he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Vermont, 
then  to  Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  1857. 
In  that  year  he  came  to  Hannibal,  Missouri, 
where  he  completed  his  education  in  the 
])nhlic  schools.  He  started  out  for  himself 
at  the  age  of  sixteen.  Later  he  was  em- 
ployed as  ticket  agent  for  the  Hannibal  & 
St.  Joseph  Railway  at  Chillicothe,  Missouri. 
He  was  thus  emplo3'ed  when  the  war  broke 
out.  In  1861  he  resigned  his  position  and 
rvent  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  where  for  four 


years  he  engaged  in  teaching.  In  the  spring 
of  1865  he  drove  a  span  of  horses  to  De- 
catur, where  he  has  since  resided.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  was  connected  with  the 
newspapers  of  Decatur.  Being  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1875  he  entered  into  a  partner- 
ship with  F.  B.  Tait  for  the  practice  of  law. 
In  1875  he  was  appointed  master  in  chan- 
cery of  Macon  county  by  Judge  C.  B.  Smith. 
This  position  he  held  for  fifteen  years. 

Henry  P.  Page  was  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts, spending  the  first  thirteen  years  of 
his  life  in  the  state  of  his  birth  and  in  its 
public  schools,  where  he  acquired  his  pri- 
mary education.  After  removing  to  ;\Iichl- 
gan  he  became  a  student  at  Ann  Arbor  in 
the  University  of  Michigan,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1883.  Immediately  afterward 
he  came  to  Decatur  and  taught  in  the  De- 
catur high  school  for  four  years.'  \Miile 
teaching  he  pursued  the  study  of  law,  being 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1887.  Mr.  Page  was 
a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Outten  &  Page. 

Josiah  M.  Clokey  is  a  native  of  Ohio  who 
in  i860  came  to  Aledo.  Mercer  county,  Il- 
linois. He  read  law  in  Springfield,  Ohio, 
and  attended  law  lectures  at  the  University 
of  Michigan,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
March,  1868.  In  September,  1873,  he  be- 
came a  member  of  the  Macon  County  Bar. 

J.  C.  Hostetler  is  a  native  of  Indiana, 
coming  to  Decatur  in  1857.  He  graduated 
from  Union  College,  New  York,  in  the  class 
of  1 87 1.  He  read  law  with  Eden  &  Odor  in 
this  place  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1875.  He  formed  a  partnership  with  E.  K. 
Eldridge  for  the  practice  of  law. 

Albert  G.  Webber  is  of  German  extrac- 
tion, being  a  native  of  Wurtemburg,  and 
coming  to  America  in  1863.  He  read  law 
four  years  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1879.  He  has  since 
practiced  his  profession  in  Decatur. 

D.  C.  Corley  received  his  education  at  the 
Wesleyan  University  of  Bloomington.  Il- 
linois,  from   which   he   holds   a   diploma   of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ii:* 


graduation.  Eor  a  time  he  read  law  in  Sliel- 
byvillc  afterward  completing  liis  reading 
witli  A.  r>.  Uunn  of  this  place.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  tlie  bar  in  June.  iS<)().  and  lias  since 
practiced  in  Decatur. 

Harvey  Pasco  became  a  resilient  ui  De- 
catur in  i80J.  He  is  a  graduate  of  tlic  L'ni- 
v.!rsity  of  Michigan,  class  of  1871.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  on  his  diploma.  Soon 
after  he  opened  an  office  in  Decatur  and 
has  since  been  a  regular  practitioner  of  this 
place. 

Charles  M.  Rorchcrs  was  born  in  Lock- 
ville,  I'airficld  county,  (Jliio,  November  18, 
1869.  After  completing  the  schools  of  Ma- 
con county  he  took  up  the  profession  of 
teaching,  which  he  ])ursue(l  for  eight  years, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  at  his  leisure 
studiously  applied  himself  to  the  study  of 
law,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  February, 
1897.  The  g"-cater  part  of  the  last  year,  pre- 
vious to  his  admittance  to  the  bar.  he  read 
in  the  office  of  A.  G.  Webber.  During  the 
last  si.x  years  he  has  practiced  at  the  Macon 
county  bar. 

L  harles  .\.  I-'wing,  Jr.,  was  born  in  De- 
catur, .\pril  18,  1878.  He  graduated  at  Lake 
I-'orest  .\cademy  at  Lake  Forest,  then  at- 
tended Princeton  for  a  lime,  after  which  he 
entered  the  law  department  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  University  at  Rloomington.  Illinois, 
at  the  same  time  reading  with  James  Mw- 
ing  of  Bloomington.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  ^^^y  7,  1903.  He  is  associated  with 
William  G.  McCullough  for  the  practice  of 
law. 

William  G.  McCullough  was  born  on  a 
farm  near  Wayncsville,  DeWitt  county,  Il- 
linois, graduating  from  the  Wcsleyan  Uni- 
versity in  1901  and  from  the  law  depart- 
ment in  190.V  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
May  7,  1903.  In  September  he  associated 
himself  with  Charles  A.  Ewing  for  the  prac- 
tice of  law. 

Maurice  Lee,  born  August  23,  1865.  in 
Sangamon    county,    Illinois,    received    his 


primary  education  in  the  country  schools, 
after  which  he  graduated  from  the  \'al- 
paraiso  Normal  of  Indiana  in  189a  He  read 
law  with  Thomas  Lee  in  Decatur  anil  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1890.  He  practiced 
law  in  Omaha  and  in  Pender,  Nebraska,  for 
a  time,  but  hps  recently  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  his  brother.  John  C.  Leo.  in  the 
practice  of  law. 

K.  H.  Roby  was  Ijurn  in  Xcw  Hampshire 
and  came  to  Illinois  in  185S.  first  locating 
at  Salem,  in  Marion  county,  where  he 
studied  law  with  llryon  &  Shaffer.  Com- 
ing to  Decatur  in  \Hr<o.  he  continued  the 
study  of  law  with  Tupper  &  Nel.son,  being 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1862.  .After  .Mr. 
Tnpper's  withdrawal  from  the  firm  Mr. 
Roby  remained  as  a  partner  of  .Mr.  Nel- 
son's. Mr.  Roby  is  at  present  engaged  in 
the  banking  business,  being  the  president  of 
the  Decatur  National  P.ank. 

Edward  P.  \'ail  was  born  in  this  state, 
read  law  at  Rushville  in  1868-9,  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1870.  He  practiced 
seven  years  in  Rushville,  during  four  years 
of  which  he  was  state's  attorney  of  Schuy- 
ler county.  In  1877  he  located  in  Macon 
county,  and  in  1889  he  was  elected  circuit 
judge,  which  place  he  held  until  1903.  .After 
the  close  of  his  extended  term  of  office  he 
removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  is  now  pur- 
suing the  practice  of  law 

William  II.  Black  was  born  in  Chicago, 
Illinois.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Champaign  county,  afterward 
pursuing  a  select  literary  course  in  Chad- 
wick  College  at  Quincy,  Illinois,  and  the 
Wesleyan  University  of  Bloomington.  He 
graduated  from  the  law  department  of 
the  Wcsleyan  University  in  Jtme,  1892, 
He  came  to  Decatur  June  18  of  the 
same  year  for  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
He  was  elected  chairman  of  the  Macon 
County  Republican  Central  Committee  in 
i')oj.     He  was  appointed   master  in  chan- 


lie. 


PAST  AXJ)  J'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


cen-  of  Macon  county  October  5,   1903,  by 
the  circuit  judge,  W.  C.  Johns. 

lames  S.  ilaUiwin  was  born  September 
14.  1^74-  After  completing  the  common 
school  course  he  entered  the  New  Albany 
high  school,  from  which  he  graduateil  in 
18^3.  ITe  graduated  from  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Michigan  in  1896. 
He  located  in  Decatur  January,  1897,  in 
l)artnership  with  l^dward  Wilson  for  the 
practice  of  law.  In  September,  1897,  he 
withdrew  from  the  firm  and  practiced  alone 
until  October  i,  1898,  when  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Frank  Ewing  until  Janu- 
arj-  I,  1903,  when  this  firm  was  dissolved. 
Since  then  he  has  been  alone.  He  is  at 
present  secretary  of  the  Macon  County  Re- 
publican Central  Committee. 

Louis  A.  Mills  was  born  October  15,  1864, 
in  Magnolia,  Putnam  county,  Illinois.  He 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Putnam  county,  the  high  school  of  Deca- 
tur and  Lincoln  University.  He  read  law 
with  Mills  Brothers,  being  admitted  in  May, 
1890.  He  remained  with  Mills  Brothers 
three  years  after  he  was  admitted.  The 
three  years  following  this  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Columbia  Manufacturing  Company 
of  Decatur.  In  Way.  1896,  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  J.  R.  Fitzgerald  for  the 
practice  of  law,  of  which  firm  he  is  now  a 
member. 

Robert  E.  Gray  was  born  August  29, 
i860,  on  a  farm  in  Fayette  county,  near 
Ramsey.  Illinois.  Fie  completed  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  county,  also  the  high 
school  at  Ramsey,  later  attending  the 
Southern  Normal  at  Carbondale.  He  taught 
school  one  year  after  which  he  took  a  course 
at  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  from  which  he  grad- 
uated in  1 891.  Fie  next  read  law  with 
Farmer  &  Brown  of  Vandalia,  four  years 
after  which  he  took  a  law  course  in  the 
same  school.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  1896  immediately  establishing  an  office 
in  Decatur  for  the  practice  of  law. 


W.  Xay  Boggess  was  born  February  20, 
1873.  in  Marion  county.  West  Virginia,  and 
educated  at  the  West  Virginia  Academy 
and  the  Decatur  high  school.  He  read  law 
with  the  law  firm  of  Mills  Brothers  of  this 
city  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  May  3, 
1894,  at  once  entering  upon  the  ])ractice  of 
his  profession. 

John  J.  Hogan  was  born  near  Mt.  Zion, 
Illinois,  in  Macon  county,  .\.])ril  19,  1875. 
He  obtained  his  literary  education  in  the 
University  of  Notre  Dame  and  his  legal 
education  in  the  .Xortlnvestorn  L'niversity, 
graduating  from  the  latter  in  1896,  at  which 
time  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  prac- 
ticed in  Chicago  two  years.  In  1898,  on 
coming  to  Decatur,  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  W.  E.  Redmon.  When  Mr.  Red- 
mon  was  elected  state's  attorney  in  1900 
Mr.  Hogan  became  assistant  state's  attor- 
ney, which  position  he  now  holds. 

Brice  I.  Sterrett  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  secured  his  literary  education  at 
Dickenson  College,  Carlisle,  from  which 
school  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1867. 
In  the  same  year  he  took  up  the  study  of 
law  at  Carlisle,  but  a  few  months  after  he 
came  to  Decatur  where  he  continued  his 
studies  with  the  firm  of  Emerson  &  Smith, 
being  admitted  to  the  bar  in  August,  1868. 

David  Hutchinson  was  brought  up  at 
Andover,  Massachusetts,  and  prepared  for 
college  at  Philips'  University  of  that  place, 
graduating  from  the  Albany  Law  School  of 
that  place  May  15.  1877.  On  July  25  of  the 
same  year  he  came  to  Decatur,  when  he  be- 
gan the  practice  of  law  in  Macon  county. 

Robert  P.  Vail  was  born  November  13, 
1877,  at  Frederick,  Illinois.  After  securing 
his  primary  education  in  the  Decatur 
schools  he  attended  Harvard  College.  He 
then  entered  his  father's  law  office  as  a  law 
student,  where  he  remained  for  four  years. 
During  these  four  years  of  reading  he  held 
the  position  of  court  stenographer  of  ATacon 
county.      He    was    admitted   to   the   bar    in 


PAST  AM)  rRI'.Sl'.NT  OF  MACOX  COIXIA. 


117 


May.  I0O2,  since  wliicli  time  lu-  lias  luiii 
i-nj;aj;eil  in  tlic  ])racticc  of  law  in  lliis  city. 

John  !'..  Moffcit  was  born  and  reared  in 
.M:icon  county.  After  coniplctinjj  his  pri- 
mary education  he  attended  the  Lincoln 
I'niversity  and  tlie  University  of  Illinois, 
wiiere  he  secured  his  literary  education. 
Later  he  attcmled  the  law  department  of 
the  W'esleyan  I'niversity  at  lUoominpton 
and  the  Albany  Law  .^cliool  at  Albany, 
New  York,  rrraduating  from  the  latter  in 
1SS4,  and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  18S5.  Fn  m 
1885  to  1892  he  was  located  in  Dodge  City, 
Kansas,  and  from  1892  to  1897  was  in  King- 
fisher, ( )kIahoma.  While  there  he  served  as 
prosccutintj  attorney  one  term.  I  le  opened 
an  office  in  Decatur  in  189S  where  he  is  now 
located. 

I--dmund  S.  ^[cDonaId'was  born  in  Wood 
county.  West  Virginia,  September  2,  1851. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Macon  I'ounty.  Illinois,  obtaining  his  liter- 
ary education  in  the  Northwestern  I'ni- 
versity at  I-lvanston,  Illinois.  lie  read  law 
three  years  with  Nelson  &  Roby  and  two 
years  with  trea  &•  lowing,  being  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  the  Centennial  class  of  1876. 
lie  opened  an  (tifice  in  Decatur  in  1878  for 
the  ))ractice  of  law.  He  has  since  practiced 
continuously  in  this  city,  lie  was  elected 
city  attorney  in  i88(>  and  re-elected  in  iS<)i, 
serving  two  terms.  In  181)2  he  was  ad- 
mit terl  to  the  bar  of  the  .*^upreme  Court  of 
the  United  States,  in  which  he  has  since 
hail  a  good  practice. 

Clement  C.  Walter^  w.i-  born  near 
Lafayette.  Indiana,  .September  22.  i8<)7.  lie 
was  educated  in  th"  common  schools,  after 
which  he  took  up  teaching  for  several  years. 
During  this  ])eriod  of  teaching  he  attended 
Hnshncll  C'ollegc  at  intervals;  he  also  read 
law  with  ( )utten  i1-  Page,  anri  later  with 
(  >utten  &  Kobey  :  altogether  two  years  rcail- 
ing.     He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  June   10, 


i8</>.  He  was  elected  city  attorney  of  De- 
catur May  I.  i8<>8.  and  re-elected  May 
I.  \i)02.  serving  two  terms.  He  formed  a 
partnership  with  Jacob  Latham  <  )ctober  15, 
HKX3.  which  parlnership  still   exists. 

Hugh  W.  Housum  was  born  .March  25, 
1878,  in  Decatur,  llliiu)is.  .\fter  comiilet- 
ing  the  city  schools  of  Decatur,  graduating 
from  the, high  sclun)l  in  June,  i8t>3,  he  com- 
|)leled  a  business  course  at  I'.rown's  Busi- 
ness College  of  Decatur  in  June.  i8(/j.  He 
studied  law  with  Judge  W  .  L'.  Johns  from 
September  1.  1896,  to  September  i,  1901. 
The  year  following  he  finished  the  course  of 
reading  with  the  Hon.  Hugh  Crea,  being 
admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  .'^uitreine  Court 
I  if  Illinois  December  ().  1902. 

I  )ouglas  D.  Hill  was  born  in  I'lark  cmm- 
ly,  .Missouri,  near  .Mexandria,  September  5, 
|W)0.  He  secured  his  primary  education  in 
the  common  schools  and  later  enlarged  u])on 
this  by  attending  the  Valparaiso  Normal  of 
Indiana.  He  read  law  at  Robinson,  Illinois, 
with  Callahan  &  Jones,  being  admitted  to 
the  I)ar  .n   188(1. 

He  taught  school  two  years  before  enter- 
ing the  Normal  at  \'alpar;iiso,  after  which 
he  taught  four  more  years,  all  of  which  was 
in  Crawford  county.  Illinois.  The  same 
year  in  which  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Max- 
well i\:  Hill  at  Robinson.  This  partnershi]) 
continued  until  1892.  During  his  practice 
he  served  as  city  attorney  of  Robinson  tw'o 
years.  In  1892  he  located  in  Decatur  where 
he  liPs  established  a  very  successful  i)rac- 
tice. 

C.  C  Lel-'orgee  was  born  in  Decatur,  Il- 
linois, July  7,  \Stt~.  He  recei\ed  his  liter- 
ary education  in  the  city  schools  of  De- 
catur, and  completed  a  law  course  in  the 
Northwestern  University,  graduating  from 
that  school  in  i88<j.  He  |)racticed  law  with 
.Mason    l^rothcrs    in   Chicago   the   year    fol- 


lis 


1'y\ST  and -present  OE  MACUN  CUUxXTY. 


lowing  his  graduation.  He  then,  in  1890, 
associated  himself  with  E.  S.  McDonald  in 
Decatur,  Illinois,  for  the  practice  of  law. 
After  dissolving  this  partnership  he  was 
alone  for  a  time,  when  he  entered  into  part- 
nership with  J.  C.  Lee.  This  was  after  a 
time  also  dissolved,  and  since  1897  he  has 
been  alone  in  his  practice. 

C.  E.  Schroll  was  born  Uctober  5,  1863, 
in  Macon  county,  Illinois.  Graduated  from 
the  Decatur  schools  in  1885,  carrying  the 
honors  of  his  class  through  the  entire  four 
years  of  the  course,  tie  secured  his  higher 
literary  and  law  education  in  Harvard  Uni- 
\ersity  from  which  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  August  30,  1889.  In  September  of  the 
same  year  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Buckingham  &  Schroll  for  the  practice 
of  law.  This  partnership  was  dissolved  at 
the  end  of  six  years,  since  which  time  he 
has  practiced  alone. 

Benjamin  F.  Shipley  was  born  near  Van- 
dalia  in  Fayette  county,  Illinois,  February 
14,  1850.  After  completing  the  V'andalia 
schools  he  took  up  the  study  of  Jaw.  While 
pursuing  his  law  studies  he  was  elected 
county  superintendent  of  schools  of  Fay- 
ette county,  Illinois,  which  position  he  held 
ten  years.  In  1886  he  came  to  Maroa  and 
was  elected  superintendent  of  the  Maroa 
schools,  holding  the  position  seven  years. 
In  1893  he  began  the  practice  of  law  in 
Aiaroa,  having  been  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1889. 

Hugh  Crea  is  one  of  the  oldest  practition- 
ers in  Decatur,  and  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful. For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  Crea,  Ewing  &  Walker. 
While  he  has  never  held  office  he  has  al- 
ways been  considered  safe  counsel  in  a  po- 
litical campaign.  H.  H.  Crea  is  a  son  of 
Hugh  Crea  and  is  also  well  estalalishcd  in 
his  practice.  Some  time  after  he  took  up 
the  jiractice  of  law  he  located  in  Monticello, 
where  he  remained  for  some  years,  but  a 
few  years  ago  he  re-located  in  Decatur. 


OUR    HONORED    DEAD. 

Macon  county  was  favorably  represented 
in  the  Civil  war,  as  the  appended  list  of 
brave  soldiers,  who  never  survived  the  or- 
deal so  silently  testify.  The  name  of  Our 
Abraham  Lincoln,  who  was  among  us  in 
his  youth  and  early  manhood  and  whose 
early  law  practice  as  well  was  also  among 
us,  will  naturally  head  its  list,  in  1832  he 
was  chosen  captain  of  his  company  in  the 
Black  Hawk  war.  In  1834  he  was  honored 
by  being  elected  to  the  Illinois  Legislature. 
By  his  successive  elections  he  served  in  the 
House  continually  until  1842.  He  next 
served  as  representative  in  the  Thirteenth 
Congress  from  1847  to  1849.  ••■"  ^^^°  '^^ 
was  elected  President  of  the  United  States 
and  re-elected  in  18O4. 

Richard  J.  Uglesby  was  commissioned 
lieutenant  ot  the  Fourth  Regiment  Illinois 
Volunteers  and  served  through  the  Mexican 
war,  taking  part  in  the  battles  of  Vera  Cruz 
and  Cerro  bordo.  In  i860  he  was  elected 
to  the  state  Senate  but  resigned  to  accept 
the  colonelcy  of  the  Eighth  Illinois  Volun- 
teers. Ihrough  gallantry  at  Ft.  Henry,  Ft. 
Donelson  and  Corinth,  he  rose  to  be  major 
general,  being  wounded  at  the  latter  place. 
He  resigned  his  commission  on  account  of 
disability  in  May,  1864,  and  the  following 
November  was  elected  governor  oi  Illinois, 
in  1872  he  was  re-elected  governor,  but  two 
weeks  after  his  inauguration  he  resigned  to 
accept  a  seat  m  the  United  States  Senate, 
to  which  he  was  elected  by  the  State  Legis- 
lature in  1873.  In  1884  he  was  elected  gov- 
ernor for  the  third  time,  being  the  only  man 
in  the  history  of  the  state  who  was  thus 
honored. 

1.  C.  Pugh  served  as  captain  in  the  Black 
Hawk  war.  He  was  captain  of  Company  C 
in  the  Mexican  war,  taking  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  Vera  Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo;  his 
company  captured  Santa  Anna's  cork  leg. 
He  was  colonel  of  the  Forty-first  regiment 


TAST  AXIJ  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


1  I!) 


ill  the  Civil  war  aiul  lor  bravery  was  [)ro- 
niotcil  to  brigadier  general. 

Joel  S.  Post  in  1846  entered  the  service 
as  a  Mexican  soldier  and  was  niaile  (]uarter- 
niasler  witb  the  rank  of  captain,  l-'roni  1S50 
to  i860  he  was  a  representative  in  the  state 
Lcpislattire  from  Macon  county. 

.Arthur  |.  ( iallai,'luT  was  a  soldier  in  ilic 
Mexican  war.  in  the  command  of  Colonel 
Bissell,  later  governor  of  Illinois.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista.  In 
1862  he  raised  a  company  of  cavalry  for  the 
Civil  war,  remaining  in  the  army  one  year. 
In  1869  he  was  elected  circuit  judge  of  the 
old  Sixteenth  circuit,  which  position  he  held 
until   1873. 

William  Cirason  enlisteil  in  the  army  in 
1S62  and  was  elected  sergeant  of  Company 
A,  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. The  regiment  formed  part  of  the 
Second  Division,  Fifth  Army  Corps,  under 
General  Sherman.  He  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  Tallehoochee.  was  in  the  first  at- 
tack on  \'icksburg  and  the  siege  of  the  city; 
also  at  .\rkansas  Post.  In  the  charge  at 
Ft.  Hill  he  was  shot  in  the  left  lung.  He 
was  in  the  charge  at  \'icksburg  May  19 
which  almost  annihilated  his  company,  hut 
thirteen  of  them  returning  from  the  charge. 
He  was  again  wounded  at  Joncshoro,  .Ma- 
bama.  He  was  in  the  "  March  to  the  Sea." 
taking  part  in  the  grand  review  at  Wash- 
ington. He  was  made  lieutenant  .April  28, 
i86_^,  and  mustered  out  captain  lunc  7, 
1865. 

William  H.  Shorb  entered  the  army  in 
t86i  from  Green  Castle,  Pennsylvania.  He 
was  at  once  made  orderly  sergeant  of  Com- 
pany C,  Second  Pennsylvania  Regiment, 
which  he  himself  had  raised.  He  took  part 
in  the  Ranks  expedition.  During  his  serv- 
ice he  was  made  sergeant  major;  later  sec- 
ond lieutenant,  and  soon  after  first  lieuten- 
ant. He  was  wounded  in  front  of  Peters- 
burg by  the  explosion  of  a  shell.     Being  dis- 


abled for  duty  Ik-  \\.i>  made  i|ii;u  U  r-iiia?-ur, 
serving  in  this  position  until  his  discharge. 
Ansel  Tujjper  enteretl  the  army  in  1861 
and  was  made  licuten:int  colonel  of  the 
h'orty-lirsl  Illinois  Infantry.  In  the  same 
ycjir  he  took  |);»rt  in  llie  b:ittli-s  of  l'"t. 
Henry,  h't.  Donelson,  and  Pittsburg  Laud- 
ing, losing  his  life  at  the  latter  jdace.  April 
fi,   iSd.'. 

Jesse  H.  Moore  entered  the  service  in 
i8r)2  as  colonel  of  the  ( )ne  Hundred  and  Fif- 
teenth Regiment  Infantry.  He  was  in  the 
battles  of  luka,  Chickamauga,  charge  at 
Tunnel  Hill,  Georgia;  Resaca,  Georgia.  His 
regiment  Iuli)ed  drive  General  Bragg's 
army,  then  in  command  of  Hood,  out  of  the 
valley  of  the  Cumberland.  In  1805  he  wa« 
promoted  brevet  brigadier  general. 

.\'.  W.  Tu])per  enlisted  in  the  army  in 
i8()2,  was  made  colonel  of  the  (  )ne  Hun- 
dred and  .Sixteenth  Infantry.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  the  battles  of  Chickasaw.  .Arkansas 
Post,  the  charge  at  \'ickslnirg.  and  was 
present  at  its  surrender ;  was  at  Jackson, 
Mississippi:  Missionary  Ridge,  Resaca, 
Georgia;  Dallas,  Big  Shanty,  Kenesaw 
Mountain.  Stone  Mountain,  Ezra  Chapel, 
Atlanta.  Jonesboro,  "  Sherman's  March  to 
the  Sea,"  Ft.  McAllister,  Pocatalgo,  and 
Bentonvillc.  North  Carolina.  The  citizens 
of  Macon  county  have  erected  in  Green- 
wood cemetery  a  monument  to  the  memory 
of  the  two  Colonels  Tupper's  patriotic  serv- 
ice. 

George  R.  .Steele  went  into  the  army  as 
lieutenant  of  the  r-'orty-first  and  was  pro- 
moted to  major  on  General  McPherson's 
staff. 

W.  D.  Blackburn  was  promoted  lieuten- 
ant colonel  in  iSTi^  :  he  took  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  luka   and   Corinth. 

Z.  Appleton.  promoted  to  major  in  1861 ; 
killefl  in  battle,  1861. 

W.  F.  Clark,  ^rst  sergeant-  Willed  n  bat- 
tle in  18^2. 


120                            PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 

George  W.  Kavlor,  corporal ;  killed  in  bat-  Jackson    A.    Alelick,    second    lieutenant; 

tie  in  1862.  died  at  Mound  City  in  1862. 

Marion  Ashniead.  corjioral  ;  killeil  in  hat-  W.   S.   Oglesby,  captain  ;   killed   in   battle 

tic  in  1862.  in   1862. 

Abner  H.   lordon.  corporal:  killed  in  bat-  Joseph  Yick,  sergeant;  died  in  1862. 

tie  in  1862.  Jacob  Graham,  corporal :  killed  at  Shiloh 

Frank    Leeper.    captain ;    first    man    from  in  1862. 

Macon  county  killed  in  battle.  John   C.   Co.x,  second  lieutenant;  died  in 

D.  ^^'.  Greenwalt,  sergeant ;  died  at  Bird's  1862. 

Point,  Missouri,  in  1861.  |ohn  H.  Huffner,  captain;  killed  in  battle 

Michael  Mathews,  corporal:  killed  at  Ft.  j,^  1862. 

Donelson  in  1862.  Chris  Cornelly,   second   lieutenant ;  killed 

George  S.   Leach,  corporal :  killed   at    Ft.  j„  ij^ttle  in  1863. 
Donelson  in   1862.  y    },I    b.  Peterson,  corporal ;  died  at  Jack- 
John  B.  Lowell,  corporal ;  died  at  Bird's  g^,^^  Tennessee,  in  1862. 
Point,  Missouri,  in  1861.  David  Robinson,  corporal;  died  at  Jack- 

^larcellus    Warner,    corporal :    killed     at  ^^^^^  Tennessee,  in  1862. 

Raymond,  Mississippi,  in  1863.  William      Kinman,      lieutenant      colonel; 

H.  J.  Marsh,  second  lieutenant:  killed  at  ^.jjj^^,  -^^  ,3^^^^^  j,^  ^^^^ 

I-"t.  Donelson  in  1862.  j     ^     Jones,    second    assistant    surgeon; 

C.  P.  A.  Goddard.  corporal;  died  in  1863.  j.^jj^^   bv"  guerrillas.   Tunnel   Hill.   Georgia, 

Charles     Fechner,     corporal;     killed     at  j,^  186-I 

Shiloh  in   1862.  y^^^^    Freeman,    first    lieutenant:   died    in 

T.  W.  Alexandre,  colonel :  killed  in  battle  „, 

1863. 

'"  ^^^-  Jacob    Porter,    first    lieutenant:    killed    in 

Joseph     C.     Alvord.     second     lieutenant  \  ,    '   ,     ■       or 

.,;,,.       „^  battle  m  1864. 
killed  m  battle  m  1862. 


David    Reed,    second    lieutenant ;    died    in 

1862. 

Anderson     Froman.     lieutenant     colonel; 

„,  died  in  1864. 

amauga  in  1803.  ^,             t-    i  r      1             ^   •        i-    1  •     -.or , 

T  ,       ,.  T      •            ■        I  -11   J  .  T^                       Guston  F.  Hardv,  captam ;  died  in  1863. 

John  Alclwain.  major:  killed  at  Kenesaw                     ,,    ^^      ,     '    ,-        ,•     ,          ^     j-    1   • 

.     .       „,         '  John   B.   Perdue,  first  lieutenant;  died  in 

Mountain  in  1864.  ■' 


Elijah    Smith,    corporal :    killed    at    Stone 
River  in   1862. 

John  F.  Weitzel.  captain  :  killed  at  Chick- 


George  F.  Deitz.  first  lieutenant ;  died  in 


1863. 


Of-        "  Samuel   Baty.   corporal :   killed   at    \  icks- 

F.    M.    Long,   major:   killed    in    battle    in      ''"''§  '"  ^^3- 


1863. 


John  S.  Taylor,  first  lieutenant :  killed  in 


Lewis  P>.  Morton,  first  sergeant;  died  at  ^"'^3- 

Paducah.   Kentucky,  in    1861.  Thomas   ^^•hite.  captain  ;  killed   in  battle 

Brvant  Kelsey,  sergeant;  died  in  1863.  '"  I063. 

David  S.  Morse,  sergeant;  died  at  Mos-  J"lin    W.    Ellis,    first    sergeant;    died    at 

cow,  Tennessee,  in  1863.  Young's  Point  in  1863. 

William    H.    Hecock,   corporal;   killed    at  W.  P.  Camp,  sergeant;  died  at  Millikin's 

Jackson.  Mississippi,  in  1863.  Bend  in   1863. 

Fred  O.  Spooner,  corporal ;  killed  at  Shi-  John     B.     Davidson,     sergeant :    died     at 

loh  in  1862.  Young's  Point  in  1863. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


I'JI 


Israel  W  .  Markcl.  corporal:  dioi.1  at  Mcni- 
pliis  in  1803. 

k.  G.  \\  aniick,  corporal;  died  al  Mem- 
piiis  in  1803. 

G.  \V .  Williams,  sergeant ;  died  on 
steamer  City  of  Memphis  in  1803. 

D.  E.  Armstrong,  corporal ;  died  al  St. 
Louis  in  1803. 

John  E.  Bowser,  corporal;  died  at  Cliai- 
lanooga  in    18O4. 

David  Gill,  corporal;  died  at  Chickasaw 
Bayou  in  186.2. 

J.  B.  btrecver,  corporal;  died  al  Annap- 
olis in    1803. 

J.  G.  Long,  corporal;  died  at  Richmond, 
a  prisoner  oi  war,  in  18O4. 

Lewis  J.  Eyman,  captain;  died  Jvuie,  18O3. 

Joseph  D.  Moon,  lirst  lieutenant;  died  in 
1805. 

John  l>.  lull,  iii>i  lieutenant;  died  in 
18O3. 

E.  R.  I'ratt,  second  lieutenant;  died  in 
18O3. 

J.  C.  Stanbury.  second  lieutenant;  died  in 
1803. 

.\lonzo  B.  Davis,  captain;  died  in  1803. 

Lafayette  Helm,  second  lieutenant;  died 
in  1803. 

Isom   Simmons,   first    lieutenant ;  died    in 

J864- 

Thetxlore   Sln,>rt,  second   lieutenant ;  died 

in  i8«.)3. 

X.  W  .  Wheeler,  secLind  lieulenani ;  killed 
at  siege  of  \icksburg  in  i8<j3. 

Thomas  McCann,  sergeant;  died  at  Milli- 
kins  Bend  in  i8^>3. 

John  I'urtroff,  corpor:iI  li.  ■!  it  .Mound 
City  in  1863. 

John  Herrin,  corporal;  died  at  Young's 
Point   in   1803. 

I'.y  referring  to  the  roster  of  the  com- 
panies raised  in  Maom  county,  you  will 
find  over  two  hundre<l  others  out  of  tlie  two 
thousand  and  over  from  Macon,  who  never 
wore   the  stripes,   that   gave  uj)   their   lives 


lor  their  country  and  their  homes,  that  we, 
their  descendants,  might  enjoy  the  blessings 
of  peace  and  prosperity. 


FORTY  YEARS  AGO. 
1892. 
Christmas  Reminiscences  for  the  Young 
People. 
It  is  just  forty  years  ago  this  blessed  day 
since  the  writer  lirst  set  foot  in  the  town  of 
Decatur.  On  the  6th  day  of  December,  1852. 
with  a  corps  of  eighteen  men,  wc  set  out 
from  ."Springfield,  Illinois,  to  make  a  survey 
tor  the  Wabash  (^then  called  the  Great 
Western)  Railroad,  and  reached  Decatur 
on  Christmas  day,  which  was  then  a  little 
hamlet  containing  scarcely  five  hundred 
souls.  The  country  was  sparsely  settled 
and  after  leaving  the  .Sangamon  river  at 
Riverton  (then  called  "Jim-town"),  a 
trackless,  treeless,  houseless  prairie  pre- 
sented itself  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
save  to  the  south  where  the  sangamou  tim- 
ber skirted  above  the  horizon  to  relieve  the 
monotony  of  the  scene,  and  to  a  yotmg  man 
fresh  from  the  hills  of  Xew  England  the 
pros])ect  was  one  of  intense  interest  and 
awftd  grandeur.  The  country  abounded 
with  deer,  wolf  and  countless  thousands  of 
geese,  duck  and  prairie  chickens.  The  deer 
were  so  tame  that  we  frequently  approached 
them  near  enough  to  see  their  large  and 
beautiful  eyes.  The  weather  was  quite  mild, 
similar  to  the  winter  weather  we  have  been 
having  recently,  so  wc  suffered  little  from 
cold.  The  party  was  composed  of  young 
men  full  of  ambition  and  enthusiasm  and, 
at  times,  we  made  the  lonely  prairie  ring 
with  shouts,  laughter,  and  song.  .Sometimes 
we  were  troublcti  to  get  enough  to  eat,  for, 
being  dependent  upon  the  settlers  along  the 
timber,  who  were  very  "  few  and  far  be- 
tween." and  though  the)-  were  very  hos- 
pitable and  never  turned  us  away,  they  were 


122 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


not  always  prepared  to  entertain  so  many 
hungry  men,  but  did  the  best  they  could  to 
appease  our  appetites  and  make  us  com- 
fortable for  the  night.  There  was  so  little 
change  in  the  natural  features  of  the  coun- 
try that  but  few  incidents  occurred  to  break 
the  monotony  of  the  scenery.  When  we 
reached  the  site  wdiere  Illiopolis  is  located 
we  found  some  stakes  that  had  been  set 
there  more  than  fifteen  years  before,  for  the 
purpose  of  marking  out  the  ground  for  the 
state  capital — that  point  having  been  de- 
cided upon  b}^  some  enterprising  specula- 
tors as  being  the  geographical  center  of  the 
state  of  Illinois,  and,  therefore,  the  proper 
place  to  locate  the  capital.  A  little  further 
east  and  we  were  on  the  land  of  the  future 
"King  of  Xiantic,"  Jesse  Lockhart,  Esq., 
and,  although  a  long  way  off,  "the  King" 
spied  us  and  hastened  to  see  who  it  was 
bold  enough  to  invade  his  domain  without 
his  royal  permission.  ^Ve  informed  him 
that  the  construction  of  a  railroad  through 
his  kingdom  was  contemplated,  and  that 
we  were  engaged  in  making  a  survey  for 
that  purpose ;  but  the  king  was  wroth  and 
declared  that  he  wanted  no  railroad  through 
his  ground,  and  that  if  we  set  stakes  on  his 
ground  for  that  purpose  he  would  pro- 
ceed to  pull  them  up.  A\'e  replied  that 
although  the  railroad  company  had  the 
right  to  make  the  survey,  it  was  liable 
for  an\-  damage  done,  and  hoped  he 
would  not  disturb  the  stakes.  But  Jesse 
was  inexorable  and  said  the  railroads  would 
ruin  the  country  by  scaring  away  the  stock 
and  destroying  the  range ;  that  he  had  just 
left  a  country  which  was  all  fenced  in  (Ken- 
tucky) to  come  to  a  country  where  there 
was  plenty  of  room.  But  as  we  had  no  time 
to  argue  that  point,  we  left  "the  King"  to 
act  as  he  thought  best.  But  on  our  return 
over  the  line  a  short  time  after,  sure  enough 
we  found  that  the  stakes  had  been  removed, 
and  went  to  Jesse's  cabin  and  there  saw 
them   lying   in   a   pile   near  his   door.      We 


again  expostulated  with  him,  saying  the 
stakes  certainly  could  do  no  harm.  So 
finally,  Jesse  became  ashamed  of  his  con- 
duct and  helped  replace  them,  and  ever 
afterward  was  a  good  friend  of  the  road. 
\\'hen  we  reached  the  place  where  Niantic 
now  is,  it  was  growing  dark.  A  light  snow 
had  fallen  during  the  day  and  the  ground 
was  covered,  ^^'here  we  were  to  stay  that 
night  we  knew  not.  Nothing  to  be  seen 
so  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  but  the  "beau- 
tiful." Our  only  refuge  was  to  "break  for  the 
timber"  four  miles  south  of  us,  which  we 
reached  in  about  an  hour,  striking  "  Ding- 
man's  Point  "  where  we  met  Mr.  Dingman. 
We  informed  him  who  we  were  and  what 
we  wanted.  He  cordially  invited  us  into 
his  house,  where  we  for  the  first  time  saw 
the  genial  countenance  of  our  since  illus- 
trious townsman,  Richard  J.  Oglesby,  who 
was  on  his  way  home  from  Springfield, 
horseback,  and  had  stopped  with  Dingman 
to  feed  his  horse  and  get  his  supper.  Of 
course  when  "  Dick  "  found  out  what  our 
business  was,  he.  as  well  as  ^Ir.  Dingman, 
became  much  interested  in  us.  ]\Ir.  Ding- 
man's  famih^  was  sick  and  though  he  could 
not  entertain  us  at  his  house,  he  supplied  us 
with  bread,  ham  and  potatoes,  and  directed 
us  to  an  inioccupied  cabin,  a  short  distance 
away,  in  wliich  was  a  large  fire-place,  and 
with  plenty  of  wood  and  straw  we  cooked 
our  supper  and  made  our  beds,  thus  pass- 
ing a  very  comfortable  night.  On  Christ- 
mas day  we  got  near  enough  to  Decatur 
to  make  the  town  our  headquarters,  and 
therefore  marched  in  with  the  whole  outfit ; 
the  arrival  of  the  Great  Western  Railroad 
Engineering  Corps  into  the  village  was  soon 
noised  about,  and  the  villagers  were  at  once 
astir,  for  it  was  not  only  a  very  unusual 
event,  but  marked  a  very  important  epoch  in 
the  history  and  progress  of  the  little  town. 
\\"e  quartered  with  Landlady  Harrell,  who 
kept  the  hotel  called  "  Social  Hall,"  which 
stood  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  St. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


J  28 


Nicliolas.  She  was  a- very  woriliy  woman 
and  knew  how  to  keep  a  hotel.  We  were 
lliat  nijjhl  t^iven  a  reception,  hall  and  snp- 
per.  The  late  James  .SlioatT,  Esq.,  publisher 
of  Shoaff's  Ciazctte,  was  the  leading  spirit 
of  the  occasion.  The  ball  was  held  in  the 
old  court  house,  which  stood  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  square  (now  Lincoln 
Park)  and  was  torn  down  about  twenty-live 
years  ago.  Some  of  the  peculiar  features 
of  the  ball  were  that  the  gentlemen  wore 
heavy  boots  with  pants  inside  the  legs  of 
them  ;  and  that  the  music  consisted  of  one 
fiddle  played  by  Matt  Johnson,  who  was  a 
character  in  those  days.  Me  disdained  to 
wear  a  coat,  and  sitting  in  a  chair  with  a 
■■  little  brown  jug"  by  his  side,  at  the  close 
of  each  "  cotillion  "  he  would  regale  him- 
self from  the  contents  of  the  jug.  .Among 
the  citizens  jircsent  at  the  reception  were 
Col.  Pngh,  Sheriff  Wheeler,  Henry  Prather, 
Wni.  Caulrall,  Col.  Carter,  S.  K.  Thomp- 
son, all  of  whom  are  long  since  dead;  lion. 
J.  J.  Pcdicord.  Gov.  Oglesby  and  perhaps 
a  few  others  still  living  were  also  present. 
These  men  were  the  active  business  men  of 
those  days,  men,  each  of  whom,  in  their 
respective  calling,  did  their  ])art  to  make  the 
city  of  Decatur  what  it  now  is.  They  were 
the  pioneers  and  laid  the  foundation  u]ion 
which  the  city  now  stands,  antl  to  them 
much  is  due  for  its  present  atid  future  ])ros- 
pcrity.  We  found  here.  1oo,  in  advance  of 
us  the  Illinois  Central  R.  R.  Co.,  resident 
engineers,  the  late  II.  C.  Plant  and  C.  A. 
Tnttle  and  their  assistants,  who  met  ns  cor- 
dially and  with  professional  etiipiette  ten- 
dered us  the  use  of  their  office,  which  was 
gladly  accepted,  and  they  also  gave  us  much 
valuable    information. 

In  the  spring  of  1854  the  cars  were  run- 
ning on  the  Wabash  to  NVylie's  Switch 
(now  called  Troutman),  an<l  got  into  De- 
catur in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  and  haided 
the  iron  for  the  Illinois  Central  from  the 
Illinois    river   to   lav    its   track    south :   the 


latter  road  got  into  Decatur  the  following 
winter  from  the  north.  To  the  casual  reader 
there  may  not  ajipear  anything  of  much  in- 
terest or  imi>ortance  in  the  simiile  narrative 
by  one  ol  the  pioneers  in  railroad  construc- 
tion in  this  state,  but  when  considered  in 
its  connection  with  the  beginning  of  a  great 
system  01  railroads  that  has  made  the  de- 
velojiment  of  the  resources  of  the  great  and 
powerful  state  of  Illinois  |)ossibIe,  and  has 
been  the  prime  cause  of  bringing  millions 
of  pei>ple  from  all  i)arts  of  the  civilized 
world  within  her  borders,  with  the  count- 
less millions  of  wealth  these  people  have 
create<l.  and  who  arc  the  most  prosperous, 
most  intelligent  and  haiipiest  people  on 
earth,  and  have  made  Illinois  the  ICmpire 
.*^tate  of  the  great  West,  and  which  will 
soon  be  the  first  state  in  the  Union,  as  its 
great  metropolis  on  the  lakes  of  the  north 
is  destined  to  become  the  greatest  and  most 
imiiortant  city  in  .\merica,  and  one  of  the 
greatest  in  the  world;  a  city  about  to  give 
unto  all  the  people  of  the  earth  the  grandest 
exhibition  as  a  result  of  labor,  art,  science 
and  literature  that  man  has  ever  looked 
upon.  When  considered  in  this  connection 
it  becomes  a  matter  of  nuich  importance  to 
all  interested  in  the  history  and  progress 
of  the  state  of  Illinois,  and  of  all  the  United 
.'^tales  of   America. 

i^ullivan    Kurgess. 
Decatur.    111..   Dec.  J^.    iS(j2. 

THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  OF 
DECATUR. 
By  Enoch   A.   Gastman. 
riu-  early  settlers  of  central   Illinois  were 
not  able  to  give  much  attention  to  popular 
education.      They    were    busy    in    i)roviding 
food   and   shelter  for   their   wives  and   chil- 
dren.    Hut  as  soon  as  the  immediate  neces- 
sities of  life  were  provided,  the  jiarents  be- 
gan to  seek  ways  to  secure  at  least  the  ele- 
ments  of   an    education    for   their   children. 
.\t    first    this    was    done    through    ]>rivate 


121 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


schools.  A  subscription  paper  would  be 
circulated  in  the  neighborhood  and  if 
enough  money  was  promised  to  pay  the 
teacher  a  very  moderate  salary  the  school 
would  be  opened.  The  teacher  generally 
boarded  around  among  tlie  families,  stay- 
ing a  week  or  longer  in  each  household,  ac- 
cording to  the  number  of  pupils  which  it 
furnished  to  the  school.  If  the  teacher  had 
a  home  of  his  own  he  would  be  paid  a 
somewhat  better  salary,  but  he  would  be 
expected  to  receive  in  payment  butter, 
eggs,  pork,  potatoes,  and  such  other  arti- 
cles as  he  could  use  in  his  own  family. 
ThQse  schools  usually  continued  in  session 
but  a  few  months  in  each  year.  Often  they 
were  so  inefficient  that  but  little  was  ac- 
complished during  the  term. 

Reading,  writing,  spelling,  and  arithmetic 
made  up  the  course  of  stud}'.  The  rod  was 
freely  used  not  only  to  correct  the  infrac- 
tions of  the  rules  of  good  behavior  but  to 
induce  the  better  preparation  of  assigned 
lessons. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  state  men  be- 
gan to  see  that  these  schools  could  not  pro- 
duce an  intelligent  citizenship  and  dilTerent 
bills  were  introduced  into  the  Legislature 
to  provide  for  a  system  of  free  public 
schools. 

The  present  school  law  of  Illinois  is  based 
upon  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  ap- 
proved February  15,  1855.  The  essential 
feature  of  that  act  was  that  of  taxing  all  of 
the  property  of  the  state  for  the  education 
of  all  the  children  of  the  state.  It  also 
made  it  obligatory  upon  all  districts  to 
maintain  schools  free  to  all  the  children  for 
at  least  six  months  in  the  year.  A  law 
passed  in  1849  allowed  the  people  to  vote 
that  .a  tax  should  be  levied  upon  the  prop- 
erty of  the  district  for  the  support  of  free 
public  schools.  Comparatively  few  districts 
in  the  state  took  advantage  of  this  permis- 
sion.     But    Decatur  earlv   organized   under 


the  provisions  of  that  act.  The  following 
is  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  county  clerk: 

At  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants,  legal  vot- 
ers, of  school  district  No.  i,  in  township  16, 
N.  R.  2  E.,  in  Macon  county,  held  at  the 
court  house  in  Decatur,  on  the  26th  day  of 
July,  A.  D.  1851,  in  pursuance  of  legal  no- 
tice given  b}'^  the  directors  of  said  school 
district  for  the  purpose  of  voting  for  or 
against  levj^ing  a  tax  for  school  purposes. 
It  is  certified  by  the  chairman  and  secre- 
tary of  said  meeting  to  the  directors  of  said 
district  that  at  said  meeting  there  was  cast 
for  levying  a  tax  of  ten  cents  on  the  one 
hundred  dollars  worth  of  taxable  property 
in  said  district  for  the  repairs  of  the  *  brick 
school  house  and  furnishing  same  30  votes, 
and  against  levying  said  tax  12  votes  and 
that  the  following  is  a  list  of  the  resident 
tax  payers  in  said  district : 

One  hundred  seventy  names  are  given. 
Wm.  Prather,  Clerk.     (Seal.) 

The  collector's  book  for  1851  is  lost  and 
it  is  impossible  to  say  that  the  tax  was  ex- 
tended and  collected,  but  the  probability  is 
that  the  wish  of  the  voters  was  carried  out. 
It  is  believed  that  this  is  the  first  school 
tax  that  was  paid  in  Decatur.  No  school 
tax  seems  to  have  been  levied  in  1852,  or  in 
1853.  but  the  collector's  book  of  1854  shows 
that  such  a  tax  was  collected. 

The  following  is  on  file  in  the  county 
clerk's  -office : 

We  the  undersigned  president  and  clerk 
of  the  board  of  directors  for  district  number 
one  in  township  16  N.,  R.  2  E.,  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Macon  and  state  of  Illinois,  do  hereby 
certify  that  the  said  board  have  estimated 
and  required  to  be  levied  for  the  year  1855, 
the  rate  of  fiftv  cents  on  each  one  hundred 


*  It  is  believed  that  this  refers  to  the  old  Masonic 
hall  which  stood  at  the  corner  of  North  Water  and 
North  Park  streets.  It  was  erected  in  the  earlv '40s 
by  an  arrangement  between  the  citizens  and  the 
Masons.  It  was  probably  the  first  school  house  in 
the  city 


PAST  AND  rRESENT  OF  MACON  COl'NTY. 


125 


dollars  valuation  of  all  the  taxable  property 
in  said  district  for  the  purpose  of  building 
a  school  house,  and  the  rate  of  five  cents 
on  each  hundred  dollars  valuation  of  tax- 
able property  in  the  said  district  for  general 
expenses  connected  with  schools  in  said  dis- 
trict. Given  under  our  hands  this  30th  day 
of  June,  1855.  Daniel  Barnes,  Pres. 

E.  G.  Falconer,  Clerk. 

Total  value  of  all  property  in  Decatur 
district,  $445,716.  Great  Western  R.  R.  ex- 
cepted. 

The  money  received  from  the  tirst  part 
of  the  above  levy  was  probably  used  in 
building  the  front  part  of  the  Church  street 
school. 

The  law  of  1855  gave  the  township  trus- 
tees power  to  levy  taxes  for  general  school 
purposes  and  the  following  is  on  file : 

We  the  undersigned  board  of  trustees  of 
township  number  16  north,  range  2  east,  in 
the  county  of  Macon  and  state  of  Illinois, 
do  hereby  certify  that  as  a  board  of  trus- 
tees we  have  estimated  and  required  to  be 
levied  for  the  year  1855,  for  general  school 
purposes  and  extending  terms  of  schools 
the  rate  of  three  mills  on  each  dollar's  valu- 
ation of  taxable  property  in  said  township. 
Given  under  our  hands  this  30th  day  of 
April,  A.  D.  1855. 

I.  C.  Pugh. 
Wm.  S.  Crissey, 

Trustees. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  1856,  the  .same  of- 
ficers certify  that  the  same  levy  is  required 
as  in  1855. 

On  the  19th  of  June,  1855,  Elisha  D.  Car- 
ter and  Christiana  his  wife,  conveyed  lots 
one,  two,  three,  four,  and  five,  in  block 
eight,  of  Piandy's  addition,  to  the  school 
trustees  of  town  16,  for  the  use  of  district 
number  one,  for  the  sum  of  eight  hundred 
dollars.  This  is  the  site  of  the  present 
Church  street  school  and   it  is  believed  to 


be  the  first  purchase  of  real  estate  for  the 
use  of  schools  in  the  city. 

On  the  14th  day  of  April,  1856,  David  L. 
Allen  and  Julia,  liis  wife,  Thomas  H.  Read 
and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  conveyed  to  the 
trustee  of  schools  of  town  16  in  trust  for  the 
benefit  of  the  inhabitants  of  school  district 
number  one  and  for  the  use  of  schools  there- 
in, for  the  sum  of  five  dollars,  all  of  lot 
number  one  in  block  throe  of  .\llen,  Mc- 
Rcynolds  &  Co.'s  addition  to  the  town  of 
Decatur,  and  ten  feet  off  of  the  west  side 
of  lot  four  in  the  same  block.  This  is  the 
corner  where  the  Scovill  furniture  company 
is  now  located.  So  far  as  is  known  this 
was  the  first  and  the  only  gift  that  has  ever 
been  made  to  the  public  schools  of  the  city. 

On  the  second  day  of  December,  1856, 
this  property  was  conveyed  to  Macon 
Lodge  No.  8,  .\.  1'".  and  --\.  M.,  for  one  thou- 
sand dollars. 

In  1856,  the  directors,  Jasper  J.  Peddc- 
cord,  Edward  O.  Smith,  and  Philip  B. 
Shepherd,  commenced  the  building  of  the 
south  part  of  the  Church  street  school. 
There  are  no  records  of  the  elections  that 
must  have  been  held  before  the  directors 
could  have  purchased  the  site  or  levied  the 
taxes  for  its  erection.  The  plan  of  the 
building  was  somewhat  peculiar.  The  up- 
per story  was  in  one  large  room  with  two 
small  recitation  rooms  which  now  make 
the  hall  in  the  center  of  the  house.  About 
140  pupils  could  be  seated  at  double  desks 
in  the  assembly  room.  Recitations  were 
held  in  the  three  rooms.  The  lower  story 
furnished  two  good-sized  school  rooins  with 
a  recitation  room  adjoining  each.  Each 
school  had  a  principal  and  an  assistant  who 
took  charge  of  the  recitation  room.  Seven 
teachers  were  employed  in  the  building. 
Since  that  time  two  school  rooms  have  been 
added  and  six  teachers  take  care  of  the 
pupils  in  the  whole  house. 

Simeon  Wright,  a  noted  school  man  in 
the  northern  jiart  of  the  state  and  the  gen- 


126 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


tleniaii  for  vvhoni  the  W'righlonian  society 
in  tJK'  State  Normal  University  was  named, 
said  that  he  visited  Decatur  when  the  found- 
ation walls  of  the  new  school  building  were 
just  ready  for  the  first  tier  of  joists.  He 
was  invited  by  one  of  the  directors  to  visit 
the  building.  After  looking  over  the  founda- 
tion walls  and  admiring  their  strength  he 
inquired  what  would  be  the  arrangement  of 
the  school  rooms.  The  director  replied, 
"  ]Mr.  Wright,  there  are  none  of  us  who 
know  anything  about  the  proper  arrange- 
ment of  a  schoo.l  house  and  we  have  de- 
termined to  put  up  the  outside  walls  and 
then  get  some  good  school  man  to  come  and 
divide  the  building  into  rooms  for  us." 

The  following  note  is  taken  from  the 
second  volume  of  the  Illinois  Teacher,  pub- 
lished in  Peoria.  Under  date  of  February 
25,  1856,  Daniel  AVilkins  of  Bloomington, 
writes :  "  A  few  days  since  I  visited  De- 
catur, the  county  seat  of  ]Macon,  containing 
two  thousand  five  hundred  inhabitants. 
They  are  making  arrangements  to  put  up  a 
large  brick  building  ne.xt  summer  for  the 
use  of  a  graded  school.  J.  H.  Remsberg  and 
lady  have  charge  of  a  flourishing  institute 
with  one  hundred  forty  pupils,  while  the 
high  school,  one  hundred  eighty  pupils,  is 
taught  by  John  W.  Coleman,  assisted  by  his 
wife  and  Miss  Ela.  There  is  also  a  female 
seminary  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  A.  A.  Pow- 
ers, and  a  school  taught  by  Miss  Gillespie." 

The  new  building  was  opened  in  the  fall 
of  1857  with  J.  H.  Remsberg  as  principal 
and  David  L.  Bunn  and  Miss  Helen  E.  Par- 
sons assistants  up  stairs.  No  record  has 
been  found  of  the  other  assistant  nor  of  the 
enrollment  of  pupils. 

On  July  3,  1857,  Jasper  J.  Peddecord  and 
Edward  O.  Smith,  directors,  certify  to  the 
county  clerk  that  they  require  a  levy  of 
sixty  cents  on  each  one  hundred  dollars  of 
taxable  property  for  general  purposes,  and 
forty  cents  for  paying  teachers  and  extend- 
ing schools.     They  submit  a  list  of  704  tax 


payers  in  the  district.  The  clerk  endorses 
on  the  back  of  the  certificate  tJiat  this  levy 
will  raise  $9,775.96. 

The  records  of  the  board  of  directors  are 
not  complete.  The  first  meeting  of  which 
the  minutes  have  been  preserved  was  held 
November  30,  1858,  and  the  members  pres- 
ent were  Messrs.  Alexander  T.  Hill  and 
James  P.  Boyd.  It  was  determined  to  open 
a  school  in  the  lower  room  of  the  Masonic 
building.  The  teacher.  Miss  Mary  C.  Bas- 
sett  of  Maroa,  was  to  be  paid  $35  per  month, 
but  she  was  to  build  the  fires  and  keep  the 
room  in  order. 

On  the  2d  day  of  December,  1858,  the 
same  directors  filed  the  earliest  report  of 
the  enrollment  in  the  schools  that  is  known 
to  exist : 

Scholars. 

First   Ward — D.    L,    Bunn 140 

First  Ward — Miss  M.  C.  Bassett 27 

Second  Ward — J.  A.  Johnson 150 

Second    Ward — x\ssistant.    Miss    Sarah 

Wilder    80 

Second  Ward — .\ssistant,   Miss   Ela...    105 
Pourth  W^ard — Miss  Juliet  M.  Bradley     30 
Second  Ward — Miss  Roe,  sick  and  un- 
able to  be  in  school. 

At  the  close  of  the  schools  in  the  spring 
of  1859,  the  directors,  Alexander  T.  Hill, 
Samuel  K.  Swingley  and  James  P.  Boyd, 
published  a  report  of  the  schools  showing 
an  expenditure  of  $2,780.50  for  the  year,  of 
district  No.  i,  town  16,  2  East. 

On  August  27,  1859,  the  following  order 
was  passed  by  the  directors,  A.  T,  Hill, 
S.  K.  Swingley,  and  James  P.  Boyd. 

We  hereby  certify  that  we  require  the 
rate  of  3  mills  to  be  levied  for  school  pur- 
poses on  all  the  taxable  property  of  our 
district  for  the  year  1859-60.  Also  i  mill 
on  each  dollar  for  fvirnishing  fuel  and  other 
incidental  expenses. 

The  valuation  of  property  in  the  district 
is  $89,960.70  as  furnished  by  the  clerk. 

September    7,    1859,    A.    T.    Hill,    S.    K. 


PAST  AND  I'RKSKN T  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


IL'7 


Swinglcy.  aiul  l^r.  \'..  \V.  .Moore  w^rc 
elided  directors  for  the  terms  of  one,  two, 
and  three  years,  respectively. 

l_)n  the  20th  of  .\iigust.  iS<xi,  the  follow- 
ing teachers  were  elected : 

Large  Brick  (Now  torn  down) — J.  K. 
I'ickett.  princiiial:  .Mrs.  J.  K.  1  ickitt,  as- 
sistant:  .Miss   1-Iorence   \'..   Daniels. 

Intermediate  Department — D.  .\.  Taw' 
ne\.  principal;  .Miss  .Mary  J.  Jordan,  assist- 
ant. 

Primary  Department — K.  .\.  Gastman, 
principal:   .Miss   May  Thomas,  assistant. 

•  .Marble  Shop — John  E.  Kinney,  princi- 
pal:  .Miss  Lucy  K.  C.reene,  assistant;  Miss 
Sallie  Taylor,  assistant. 

Masonic  Hall  (Scovills  Store) — .\ndre\v 
.M.  Heath,  principal;  .Miss  Mattie  .Miller,  as- 
sistant. 

Hoiick  House  (Present  P..  D.  i^;:  E.  freight 
depot) — Joseph  R.  Mosser,  principal. 

Risdon  House  (Western  part  of  city) — 
Edwin  Park,  principal. 

It  was  agreed  to  rent  of  Captain  David 
I..  Allen  his  two-story  frame  hnilding  situ- 
ated to  the  west  of  Jasper  J.  Peddecord's 
residence  (where  the  Woman's  chili  hnild- 
ing stands  now)  for  six  months  for  $ioo, 
the  said  Allen  tit  make  all  necessary  repairs 
and  to  have  the  house  reails  ><u  llu-  lotli 
of  September,  i860. 

.\  levy  of  4  mills  on  the  dollar  was  or- 
dered levied  oil  a  reported  valuation  of 
$1.0-1.168. 

The  following  text  books  wtr  alopt- ' 
for  use  in  the  schools:  \\  ebstcrs  Ele- 
mentary Sjielling  Rook,  McdufTcy's  New 
Series  of  Readers,  Wells's  English  (iram- 
mar.  Mitchell's  I'irst  Lessons,  Primary,  and 
Conmion  School  Geographies.  Lossing's 
Primary  anrt  Picti>rial  History  of  the  I'nitcd 
States.  Payton.  Dunton  and  Scribner's 
System  of  Penmanship. 


*Tlifsf  teaclHTs  »ero  tr.insfcrrcd  to  thi.s  liiiildiii); 
.iiid  tlic  marble  sluip  aban<lr>iu'(l. 


.\fter  calling  an  election  on  the  first  .Mon- 
day in  September,  i8()0,  to  choose  three  di- 
lectors  to  serve  for  one,  two,  and  three 
xears,  all  the  members  resigned. 

The  new  board  of  <lirectors  consisted  of 
.Messrs.  Lowber  Burrows,  president,  David 
L.  Muun.  clerk,  and  William  h".  Nelson.  It 
IS  a  remarkable  fact  that  at  the  end  of 
forty-three  years  these  three  men  are  still 
active  in  the  affairs  of  this  city.  These  gen- 
tlemen served  for  one  year  when  they  re- 
signed and  Enos  M.  llenkle,  Henry  P..  Dur- 
fee  and  David  L.  Punii  were  chosen  to  suc- 
ceed them.  (  >n  the  25th  of  .September, 
1861,  Mr.  r.umi  resigned,  and  in  \Xiij.  .Mr. 
.■saimiel  Ray,  then  county  clerk,  was  elected 
to  lill  the  vacancy.  Mr.  llenkle  acted  as 
president  and  Mr.  Durfee  as  clerk.  These 
three  men  contiiuied  to  serve  until  the  elec- 
tion of  the  board  of  education,  .\pril  4,  i8(}5. 
There  was  a  tacit  agreement  among  them 
that  Mr.  Rea  should  not  be  called  uiion  to 
attend  the  meetings  unless  Messrs.  llenkle 
and  Durfee  could  not  agree. 

There  was  but  one  school  building  in  the 
district  and  as  the  ]iopulation  was  ra|>idly 
increasing  the  directors  found  it  very  dif- 
licull  to  secure  rooms  in  which  to  open 
sclunds.  The  basements  of  the  Methodist, 
Presbyterian,  and  the  Baptist  churches  were 
rented  and  a  few  rooms  were  secured  in 
')ther  parts  of  the  city.  They  were  wln)lly 
unsuitable  for  school  rooms,  but  as  nothing 
better  could  be  found  the  teachers  had  to 
get  along  the  best  way  they  could. 

In  the  fall  of  i8(.i,  D.  C.  .McCloir  took 
charge  as  principal  of  the  liig  Brick  scIkkjI. 
He  was  a  very  fine  gentleman  liut  not  a  very 
successful  school  master.  There  was  a 
good  deal  of  di.sordcr  alxmt  the  school.  It 
fre<iuenlly  haj>penerl  that  when  the  bell  was 
rung  at  the  close  of  the  recess  in  the  after- 
noon most  of  the  boys  would  go  off  skating 
for  the  remainder  of  the  day.  ( )n  account 
of  this  lack  of  governing  power  on  the  part 
of   the   principal,   the   directors   received    a 


128 


i'AST  AND  I'RESENT  Ui"  MACUN  COUNTY. 


good  many  complaints  from  dissatisfied 
parents.  When  they  attempted  to  nnprove 
matters  by  caUing  upon  the  teachers  in  the 
lower  rooms  to  help  him  in  maintaining  dis- 
ci])Hne  they  were  met  with  the  statement 
that  these  teachers  did  not  regard  them- 
selves as  under  the  jurisdiction  of  "  the  man 
up  stairs."  A  little  examination  of  the  rec- 
ords showed  that  the  several  departments 
had  always  been  treated  as  independent 
schools  and  that,  therefore,  the  teachers 
were  right  in  their  contention.  The  direct- 
ors determined  to  have  a  different  organiza- 
tion the  next  year. 

(  )n  the  1 2th  of  June,  1862,  an  election  was 
held  at  the  court  house  at  which  it  was  or- 
dered that  a  site  for  a  school  house  should 
be  purchased  in  the  Third  ward  and  that  a 
special  levy  of  25  cents  on  the  $100  should 
be  made  to  build  it.  Plans  were  secured 
for  a  two-room,  one-story  house  from  G.  P. 
Randall,  architect,  of  Chicago,  at  a  cost  of 
fifty  dollars,  and  the  contract  for  building 
the  same  was  awarded  to  Messrs.  Mills  and 
Shockley.  These  men  are  still  doing  busi- 
ness in  Decatur.  But  on  the  30th  of  July 
following  the  directors  voted,  "  that  in  view 
of  the  present  unsettled  state  of  the  coun- 
try, it  is  ordered  that  the  levy  of  the  tax 
for  building  a  school  house  as  authorized 
by  vote  be  postponed  for  the  present  year 
and  the  building  of  the  house  be  sus- 
pended until  such  times  as  it  may  be 
deemed  more  expedient  to  make  the  levy 
authorized.  But  that  we  may  secure  a  de- 
sirable location  for  building  said  house  when 
more  prosperous  times  shall  again  visit  our 
land,  it  is  ordered  that  the  treasurer,  John 
F.  Miles,  procure  a  clear  title  to  lots  num- 
bers ID  and  II  in  block  number  10  in  the 
Western  addition  to  Decatur,  in  the  name 
of  the  township  trustees  for  the  use  of  dis- 
trict number  one,  and  that  he  be  authorized 
to  pay  therefor  the  sum  of  one  hundred  fifty 
dollars  in  currency,  to  procure  which  he  is 
authorized  to  sell  coin  belonging  to  the  dis- 


trict to  the  best  advantage,  giving  the  dis- 
trict credit  with  the  premium." 

The  house  was  erected  the  next  year  by 
Mills  &  Shockley.  It  is  the  two  lower  rooms 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Wood  street  school. 
The  president  of  the  board  of  directors,  Mr. 
E.M.  Henkle,  believed  that  no  school  house 
should  be  more  than  one  story  high  and 
that  the  front  entrance  should  be  right  at 
the  sidewalk  so  that  when  the  children 
came  out  they  could  at  once  disperse  to  their 
homes.  The  house  was  erected  to  conform 
to  his  ideas,  but  .both  have  been  discarded 
for  many  3''ears. 

At  a  meeting  held  on  the  12th  day  of  July, 

1862,  it  was  determined  to  elect  "  a  principal 
for  all  the  schools  "  who  should  also  be  the 
principal  of  the  high  school  which  was  to 
be  organized.  Enoch  A.  Gastman  was  elect- 
ed to  fill  the  position  at  a  salary  of  $80  per 
month  for  the  school  year  of  six  months. 
Miss  Frances  A.  Peterson,  a  teacher  in  the 
State  Normal  University,  was  elected  his 
assistant  at  a  salary  of  $30  per  month.  She 
did  a  large  part  of  the  work  of  organizing 
and  teaching  in  the  high  school  during  the 
first  year  of  its  history.  She  died  the  fol- 
lowing Februar}'  within  two  weeks  of  the 
close  of  the  year. 

At  an   election   held   on  the  8th  of  July, 

1863,  one  hundred  twenty-nine  votes  were 
cast  in  favor  of  having  nine  months  of 
school  and  six  votes  against  the  proposition. 

On  November  23,  1863,  the  electors 
authorized  the  directors  to  erect  a  school 
house  near  the  residence  of  E.  A.  Jones, 
north  of  the  city. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  directors  held  March 
23,  1863,  it  was  ordered  that  Messrs.  Mills 
and  Shockley  proceed  with  the  building  of 
the  school  house  in  the  Third  ward  upon 
the  contract  and  that  they  be  allowed  in 
addition  the  advance  on  material  and  labor 
as  per  liills  furnished  and  specifications  and 
plans.  Said  Mills  and  Shockley  to  keep  ac- 
curate  account  of  any  alterations  or  addi- 


PAST  AND  I*RHSi:\T  oF  M  \("(  >\  Col'XTV 


l-_",i 


tioilS  and  ilcdlicl  Iit  (Miiism>iii>  ;ihu  liiaryc 
tor  additiims  in  strict  pro]X)rlii)n  to  tlic 
original  hills  furnished  the  board. 

t)n  the  same  ilato  the  followin;^  note  was 
cntereil  on  the  record  after  a  list  of  teach- 
ers appointed.  "  The  above  appoininu-nts 
are  made  from  the  teachers  of  last  term  on 
account  of  their  success  and  apparent 
earnestness  in  their  vocation. 

On  the  "th  of  April,  i8<)4.  a  petition, 
signed  by  all  the  teachers  in  the  schools, 
was  presented  to  the  board  respectfully  ask- 
ing for  an  increase  of  salary  in  view  of  the 
great  advance  in  the  price  of  all  things.  An 
addition  of  five  dollars  per  month  for  the 
present  term  was  allowed  to  all  the  teach- 
ers. The  name  of  E.  A.  Gastman  appears 
as  clerk  for  the  first  time  on  the  records  of 
this  meeting. 

June  14.  1804,  the  electors  voted  for  or 
against  a  nine-months  school.  One  hundred 
sixty-seven  votes  were  cast  for  and  twenty- 
five  against  the  proposition. 

On  June  j8,  iX(<4,  the  directors  resolved 
that  the  teachers  would  not  be  appointed 
to  any  particular  position  but  that  they 
would  be  i)laced  wherever  the  interest  of 
the  schools  might  demand  when  it  should 
he  known  who  would  he  the  teachers  for 
the  coming  year. 

On  February  18,  i8<J5,  the  teachers  sent  a 
committee  requesting  the  directors  to  meet 
them  at  the  basement  of  the  I'aptist  church 
at  the  corner  of  Water  and  William  streets. 
.\  conimittee  appointed  at  a  previous  meet- 
ing of  the  teachers  reported  that  owing  to 
the  advance  in  prices  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  make  a  living.  They  respectfully 
asked  that  the  directors  make  such  an  ad- 
dition to  their  salaries  as  the  financial  con- 
dition of  the  treasury  would  allow.  After 
a  full  interchange  of  opinions,  it  was  or- 
dered that  an  addition  of  30  per  cent  be 
made  to  all  salaries  un<ler  S40  per  month, 
and  25  per  cent  to  all  above  that  amount. 

.\bout  this  time  it  became  evident  to  the 


mri(.i'ii>  iiMi  liie  p<i\\er>  wind)  the}'  were 
given  by  the  state  law  for  the  management 
of  the  schools  of  a  rural  district  were  not 
sufficient  to  enable  them  to  carry  on  ef- 
licieiitly  the  schools  of  a  rapidly  growing 
city.  It  was  difficult  often  to  purchase  a 
desirable  school  site  because  the  owners 
were  unwilling  to  have  it  publicly  adver- 
tised that  they  would  sell  i)ropert)'  to  be 
used  for  a  i)ublic  school  because  it  might 
injure  the  sale  of  other  adjacent  property. 
Another  class  of  owners  were  anxious  to 
have  a  school  house  erected  near  their  ad- 
ditions because  it  would  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  desirable  jjurchasers  to  their  lots.  A 
|)ublic  election  gave  such  persons  an  excel- 
lent op|>ortunity  to  work  for  the  advance- 
ment of  their  private  interests.  .Again,  the 
directors  had  no  power  to  borrow  money 
and  this  made  it  very  difficult  to  erect  need- 
ed school  buildings,  .\fter  a  good  deal  of 
discussion  and  inquiry  it  was  decided  to 
request  the  F.egislaturc  to  grant  the  district 
a  sjjecial  charter.  The  honorable  Xcwton 
liatcman,  state  superintendent,  was  asked 
to  recommen<l  a  charter  that  was  in  satis- 
factory use  in  the  state  that  the  board 
might  use  as  a  model.  He  recommended 
the  one  granted  to  the  Rock  Island  school 
district  in  1857.  It  was  carefidly  examined 
and  such  amendments  made  as  would  adapt 
it  to  the  wants  of  this  district,  .\lmost  the 
only  (|uestiou  that  caused  any  discussion 
related  t<i  the  amount  of  territory  to  be  in- 
cluded in  the  new  district.  Director  Hen- 
kle  favored  the  idea  of  luaking  the  bound- 
aries conterminous  with  the  city  but  Di- 
rector Durfee  thought  that  the  people  liv- 
ing in  the  present  district  and  outside  of  the 
city  limits  might  be  put  to  serious  trouble 
in  fin<ling  convenient  school  accommoda- 
tions for  their  children  if  they  were  cut  off 
from  the  privilege  of  attending  the  Decatur 
scIkmiIs.  I'inally,  it  was  decided  to  adopt 
the  boinidarics  of  tlistrict  one  as  then  ex- 
isting.     This    embraced    a    territory    three 


130 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


miles    wide    and    three    and    tliree-(|uarters 
miles  long.     It  is  described  as  follows : 

.\11  of  sections  one,  two,  three,  eleven, 
Iwche,  thirteen,  fourteen,  fifteen,  and  the 
north  half  of  sections  twenty-two,  twenty- 
three  and  twenty-four ;  and  also  the  north 
half  of  the  south  half  of  said  sections  twen- 
tv-two,  twenty-three  and  twcnt}--four.  all  in 
township  number  sixteen  north,  of  range 
number  two  east  of  the  third  principal  me- 
ridian, is  hereby  constituted  a  school  dis- 
trict to  be  known  as  "  Decatur  School  Dis- 
trict." 

The  bill  was  introduced  in  the  house  of 
representatives  by  (ieneral  Isaac  C.  Pugh, 
the  member  from  this  city.  It  passed 
through  the  Legislature  with  very  little  op- 
position and  was  approved  by  Governor 
Oglesby,  February  16,  1865.  See  volume 
2,  Private  Laws  of  Illinois,  1865,  pages  314- 
321,  and  City  Code,  1886,  pages  146-159.  It 
was  amended  in  1867  and  again  in  [869. 
Through  a  blunder  on  the  part  of  some  one 
section  ten  was  omitted  trom  the  act  as 
finally  passed  by  the  Legislature. 

On  June  15,  1865,  General  I.  C.  Pugh  and 
others  petitioned  the  board  of  education  to 
receive  into  the  Decatur  school  district  all 
that  portion  of  section  10,  which  is  not  in- 
cluded within  the  corporate  limits  of  the 
city  of  Decatur.  The  prayer  of  the  jietition 
was  unanimously  granted.  The  territory  of 
the  district  remained  the  same  until  No- 
vember I,  1895,  when  Salona  place  was  re- 
ceived by  a  petition  signed  by  Johnson 
Ende  and  others. 

In  1891  the  territory-  lying  between  Oak- 
land avenue  and  the  Wabash  railroad  south 
of  Decatur  street  was  annexed  to  the  city 
and  thereby  became  a  part  of  the  school 
district. 

In  1896  the'  territory  between  Fairview 
avenue  and  the  Wabash  railroad  was  re- 
ceived on  petition  of  J.  W.  P.arber  and 
others. 


Directors  from  1855  to  1865. 
Daniel  Barnes,  Enoch  G.  h'alconer,  Jas- 
per J.  Peddecord,  Edward  (  ).  Smith,  Philip 
B.  Shepherd,  Alexander  T.  Hill,  James  P. 
Boyd,  Sanniel  K.  Swingley,  Enoch  W. 
Moore,  Lowber  Burrows,  David  L.  Bunn, 
William  E.  Nelson,  Enos  M.  Henkle,  Henry 
B.  Durfec.  and  Samuel  Rea. 

Note. — It  is  probable  that  the  first  di- 
rectors were  elected  in  1850  or  T851,  but  it 
has  been  impossible  to  secure  the  names  of 
any  before  1855.  Mr.  Ebenezer  McNabb 
came  here  in  the  spring  of  1855  and  he  be- 
lieves that  Joel  S.  Post  was  a  director  at 
that  time.  ;\lr.  Lowell  Krohn  thinks  that 
Dr.  Benjamin  V.  A\'est,  General  Isaac  C. 
Pugh,  and  ^\'illiam  Prather  were  among 
the  early  directors.  Mr.  James  Carter 
thinks  that  Dr.  Ira  B.  Curtis  was  a  director 
about  1856. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  teachers  who 
taught  in  the  public  schools  previous  to  the 
organization  of  the  Board  of  Education.  It 
is  probable  that  there  are  a  number  of  omis- 
sions and  errors  owing  to  the  imperfect  con- 
dition of  the  early  records — corrections  will 
be  thankfully  received. — E.  A.   G. 

Mary  E.  Alderman.  Sarah  E.  Allen,  Lu- 
cinda  Babcock,  Mary  E.  Baker,  Mary  C. 
Bassett.  Mattie  Beman,  David  Bigelow, 
Juliet  ;\I.  Bradley,  Elizabeth  M.  Brown, 
David  L.  Bunn,  Nellie  Bunn,  Anna  E. 
Buttz,  Mary  A.  Clampit,  John  W.  Coleman, 
Mrs.  John  W.  Coleman,  Florence  E.  Dan- 
iels, Matilda  E.  Davis,  Maria  Ela,  Margaret 
Ellis,  Mrs.  A.  Everts,  Jennie  A.  Frazier, 
Mary  A.  Fuller,  M.  E.  Fullenwider,  Enoch 
A.  Gastman,  Frances  A.  Gastman,  ^liss  M. 
M.  Gillespie,  Ellen  Giles,*  Lucy  R.  Greene, 
Anna  P.  Grennell,  Helen  F.  Grennell,  Helen 
F.  Hale,  Homer  Hatch,  Andrew  'SI.  Heath, 
J.  A.  Johnson,  Mary  J.  Jourdan.  G.  W.  Kin- 
solving,  Mrs.  C.  S.  Kendall,  John  E.  Kin- 
ney, John  H.  Leidigh,  Elizabeth  Leeper, 
Margaret  Leeper,  Hannah  Mackey  (Car- 
many),  D.  C.  McCloir,  Mattie  ]\Iiller,  Eliza- 


PAST  AND  PRESKNT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


181 


beth  J.  Mitclull.  OUoria  Moellcr,  Joseph  K. 
Mosscr,  .Mrs.  .\mia  E.  Muri)liy,  II.  N'aiiman, 
.Mary  E.  I'ark,  KiKvin  Park,  Helen  K.  Par- 
sons, .Mrs.  J.  K.  Pickett,  J.  K.  Pickett,  John 
N.  Raiulall.  .Mattie  L.  Kee.ler.  .Mrs.  J.  H. 
Kemshery,  J.  11.  Kenisberg,  .Miss  L".  E.  Roe, 
Lucrctia  J.  Rooker,  Josie  J.  Robinson,  liiiza- 
betli  Sabm,  Caroline  S.  Sargent,  Isailore 
Sheldon,  Joseph  Shellabargcr,  J.  H.  R.  Sher- 
rick,  David  \.  Tawney,  Sallie  J.  Taylor, 
I)avid  M.  Traver,  May  Thomas.  .Mattie  1.. 
Weils.  .Sarah  E.  Winholtz,  Sarah  1).  Wilder, 
Mary  Wilder,  Prances  Wylic,  .M.  A..  Wylie, 
Kate   15.  Zorgcr. 

Board  of  Education. 
The  charter  {)rovidiHl  that  an  election 
should  be  held  on  .\pril  4,  1865.  The  di- 
rectors gave  notice  of  this  meeting  but  they 
positively  refused  to  become  candidates  for 
members  of  the  board  of  education.  Un 
.-\pril  10,  1865,  a  meeting  was  held  in  the 
courtroom  of  the  old  court  house  which 
stood  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  old 
square.  The  hillowing  is  a  copy  of  the  min- 
utes of  the  first  meeting  of  the  board  of 
cilucation  of  the  Decatur  school  district: 

Decatur,  111.,  .\pril  10,  iS<>5. 

The  oath  of  office  was  duly  administered 
to  the  members  by  John  K.  Warren,  Notary 
Public.  ( )n  motion  David  P.  P.uun  was 
unanimously  elected  i)resident  of  the  board 
and  I-'noch  A.  Gastman,  clerk. 

(  )n  motion,  ]>roceeded  to  draw  lots  for  the 
respective  terms  of  (iffin-.  wliirli  rc-iilicd 
as  follows: 

William  I,.  Hammer  drew  the  term  ol 
three  years.  ^ 

David  P.  I'unn  drew  the  term  of  two 
years. 

Caleb  C.  P.nrroughs  drew  the  term  of  one 
year. 

On  motion,  Jerome  R.  Gorin  was  unani- 
mously elected  treasurer  of  the  board.  The 
amount  of  his  bond  was  fixed  at  $^5,000, 
and    his    salary    at    one    and    one-half    per 


centum    on    all    moneys    received    and    dis- 
bursed. 

On  moti<^in.  the  clerk  was  instructed  to 
look  for  a  room  to  be  used  for  the  meetings 
of  this  board,  ami  as  an  office  for  the  super- 
intendent of  i)ul)lic  schools. 

( )n  motion,  atljourned  to  meet  next 
Thursday  evening  ;it  the  office  of  W'ni.  L. 
Ilainiiur.  cKik  nf  the  circuit  court. 

D,  P.  BUNN,  Pres. 

1:.  .\,  (,,.\SI  .MAX.  Clerk. 

The  folk)wing  extracts  from  the  minutes 
of  dirt'erent  meetings  will  show  that  the 
new  board  entered  with  vigor  upon  the  so- 
lution of  the  ))rol)lem  of  providing  better 
school  accommodations  for  the  children  and 
teachers  of  the  city  of  Decatur: 

May  6,  1865.  Ordered  that  the  teachers 
be  j)aid  at  the  end  of  each  month  insteati 
of  the  end  of  the  term  as  heretofore. 

.\  petition  was  received  from  J.  B.  R. 
Shcrrick  and  others  asking  for  a  school 
house  in  the  Ftuirth  ward.  It  was  discussed 
and  laid  over  for  future  action. 

.\pril  20,  1865.  The  first  office  of  the 
board  was  rented  of  ticorge  W.  Baker  for 
$50  i)er  year.  It  was  the  front  upstairs 
room,  number  144  East  Main  street.  .Mr. 
I'aker  had  a  real  estate  office  in  the  same 
room.  'J'his  arrangement  did  not  prove  sat- 
isfactory and  early  in  lS^>7  the  board  rented 
the  rear  room  of  the  second  story  of  the 
I  .  .M.  I  )viatt  building,  149  East  .Main  street, 
where  the  office,  remained  until  it  was  re- 
moved to  the  new  high  srli.w il  lniilillnL'  in 
the  fall  of  1869. 

June  20,  iH/tS.  Messrs.  Jacobs  and  Slain.^, 
representing  the  members  of  the  colored 
.M.  E..  church,  petitioned  the  board  to  give 
them  a  school,  an<l  tendered  the  use  of  the 
basement  of  their  church  for  that  purpose. 
Eloquent  speeches  were  made  by  the  two 
gentlemen  and  the  board  took  the  matter 
under  advisement.  In  iW)8.  $122.53  ^^'^^ 
spent  in  repairing  and  fitting  up  this  room. 

June    20.    1865,    plans    and    specifications 


131 


PAST  AXL)  PRRSEXT  OF  MACON  COL'XTV. 


were  received  from  G.  P.  Randall,  Chicago, 
for  a  new  school  house  to  be  erected  in  the 
First  ward.  Ordered  that  bids  for  erecting 
the  same  be  received  until  July  i,  1865.  It 
was  also  agreed  to  purchase  lots  i,  3,  and 
5,  in  block  i,  of  Oglesby  &  \Vait"s  addition, 
for  $600,  to  be  used  for  a  school  site  in  the 
Fourth  ward.  W.  L.  Hammer  was  appoint- 
ed a  committee  to  see  if  money  could  be 
borrowed  to  build  the  house. 

Tuly  5.  W.  L.  Hammer  reported  that  he 
could  not  find  any  person  willing  to  loan 
money  to  the  district  and  the  following  was 
unanimously  passed : 

Resolved.  That  for  the  want  of  funds  and 
in  view  of  the  exorbitant  prices  of  labor  and 
materials  this  board  deems  it  inexpedient  to 
build  this  year. 

July  25,  1865.  The  question  of  erecting 
a  school  house  in  the  Fourth  ward  was  dis- 
cussed but  it  was  finally  decided  to  repair 
the  one  room  building  now  occupied. 

August  12,  1865.  Resolved,  That  a  col- 
ored grade  of  school  be  established  to  which 
all  persons  of  African  descent  shall  be  ad- 
mitted. The  right  was  reserved  to  close 
the  school  and  dismiss  the  teacher  when- 
ever it  might  be  thought  best.  Mrs.  J.  H. 
Roell  was  appointed  the  teacher  of  the 
school  at  a  salarj^  of  $25  per  month. 

October  3,  1865,  it  was  ordered  that  the 
regidar  meetings  of  the  teachers  be  held 
once  each  month  instead  of  twice  as  had 
been  the  practice  heretofore. 

On  the  17th  of  October  the  following  was 
unanimously  passed : 

Resolved,  That  in  cases  of  suspensions 
from  the  schools  all  appeals  from  the  de- 
cision of  the  superintendent  shall  be  heard 
and  determined  at  a  meeting  of  the  board. 
This  action  was  taken  because  the  son  of  a 
prominent  citizen  had  been  suspended  for 
absence  as  the  rule  of  the  board  provided ; 
the  father,  to  whom  the  superintendent  was 
■'  per.sona  non  grata  "  determined  not  to  ask 
the  officer  to  reinstate  the  boy  but  finding 


two  memoers  of  the  board  in  a  private  office 
appealed  directly  to  them.  Without  think- 
ing what  effect  their  action  would  have 
upon  the  authority  of  the  superintendent 
they  reinstated  the  pupil.  When  their  at- 
tention was  called  to  the  matter,  the  above 
rule  was  at  once  passed.  It  is,  perhaps, 
fair  to  say  that  this  is  the  only  instance,  in 
thirty-eight  years,  where  there  has  been  any 
difference  between  the  board  and  the  super- 
intendent concerning  his  duties. 

Early  in  1866  the  superintendent  was 
authorized  to  buy  ink  for  the  use  of  the 
schools  and  to  spend  not  exceeding  five  dol- 
lars in  the  purchase  of  books  for  poor  chil- 
dren. He  was  also  directed  to  purchase 
five  globes  for  the  schools  at  a  cost  of  not 
more  than  $12  each. 

The  duty  of  beautifying  the  school 
grounds  was  early  recognized  by  the  board 
and  in  the  spring  of  1866  a  number  of  "  sil- 
ver maples  "  were  purchased  at  60c  each  of 
one  Smith,  a  Bloomington  man.  which  he 
set  around  the  Church  street  school.  C.  D. 
Humphreys  was  paid  the  same  price  for 
boxing  them. 

On  June  5,  1866,  Caleb  C.  Burroughs  was 
re-elected  a  member  of  the  board  for  three 
years. 

On  the  twenty-first  of  June,  1866,  the 
board  accepted  the  plans  prepared  by 
Ebenezer  McNabb  for  a  two-room  school 
house  in  the  Fourth  ward  and  ordered  that 
bids  should  be  received  imtil  July  7th  for 
its  erection. 

Bids  were  received  from  Messrs.  Whit- 
mer  and  Campbell,  and  E.  I\Ic>iabb  to 
whom  the  contract  was  awarded  for  the 
sum  of  $3,876.96. 

August  6,  1866,  ordered  that  the  board 
purchase  of  Messrs.  Durfee  &  Warren  lots 
II  and  12,  of  the  re-survey  of  block  7,  of 
Read  &  Co.'s  addition,  for  the  sum  of 
$2,400.  Also  lot  10  of  the  same  block  of 
Thomas  H.  Read  for  $1,000.  The  high 
school  stands  upon  these  lots. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


133 


September  14,  i8()6.  A  petition  was  pre- 
sented asking  that  German  be  made  a  part 
111'  tlie  ctiurse  of  study  in  all  the  ward 
scliDols.  The  question  was  fully  discussed 
and  it  was  decided  that  it  was  not  practica- 
ble to  tlo  this.  This  question  was  finally 
settletl  in  1874,  when  Miss  S.  Alice  Judd 
was  appointed  a  teacher  in  the  high  school 
with  the  understanding  that  one-half  of  her 
tune  would  be  given  to  the  teaching  of  Ger- 
man. This  has  proved  to  be  a  very  satis- 
factory solution  of  this  question.  The  Ger- 
mans are  pleased  and  the  district  has  been 
saved  the  expense  of  trying  to  introilucc 
another  subject  into  the  grades. 

(  Ictober  j8,  iSltCt.  (  )n  the  request  of  .Miss 
Mary  V..  I'.aker,  assistant  principal  of  the 
high  school,  the  superintendent  was  directed 
to  purchase  a  table  for  the  reference  books 
and  a  case  lor  geological  specimens.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  collection  of  speci- 
mens of  natural  history  for  the  illustration 
of  the  statements  made  in  the  te.xt  books. 
The  case  is  still  in  use  in  the  front  hall  of 
the  high  school. 

It  was  also  ordered  that  the  rent  re- 
ceived from  a  circus  companj'  for  the  use 
of  the  lots  purchased  for  a  site  for  a  high 
school  be  expended  in  securing  hooks  for 
the  use  of  poor  children. 

( )n  January  i,  1867,  the  superintendent 
was  auth(3ri/ed  to  introduce  I'nited  States 
history  into  the  u|)per  grades  of  the  gram- 
mar schools.  He  was  also  directed  to 
change  the  exercises  in  the  jirimary  depart- 
ment of  the  Church  street  school — Miss 
Mattie  I'eeman,  teacher — so  that  half  the 
children  would  attend  school  in  the  forenoon 
ami  the  other  half  in  the  afternoon.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  half-day  system  in 
the  first  primary  departments  of  our 
schools.  It  met  with  considerable  ojiposi- 
tion  at  first  but  for  many  years  no  com- 
plaints have  been  heard  against  the  plan 
from  thoughtful  parents. 

On  the  sixteenth  of  April,  1S67,  the  clerk 


was  directed  to  have  one  hundred  blank 
bonds  printed — forty  for  $500  each,  and 
thirty  for  S250  each,  and  thirty  for  $100 
each.  He  was  also  directed  to  have  a  bond 
book  made  and  to  register  in  it  all  bonds 
tliat  might  be  issued.  The  bonds  were 
printetl  and  the  book  made  by  the  late  Wil- 
liam J.  L'srey.  It  is  in  the  safe  in  the  office. 
It  contains  a  fidl  history  of  every  bond  ever 
issued  by  the  board. 

May  3,  18^)7,  the  sui)erintendent  was  di- 
rected to  introduce  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fall  term  Millard's  readers  in  place  of  Mc- 
tiuffey's.  if  the  teachers  favored  the  change, 
and  if  it  could  be  done  without  expense  to 
parents  and  children.  It  has  always  been 
the  policy  of  the  board  to  make  changes  in 
text  books  only  when  the  teachers  who  were 
using  such  books  favored  a  change. 

Mav  7,  1867.  bids  were  received  for  m  cl- 
ing a  school  house  in  the  I-irsl  ward  accord- 
ing to  plans  and  specifications  prepared  by 
G.  1*.  Randall  of  Chicago,  in  i8<>5.  The  con- 
tract was  awarded  to  11.  M.  Whitmer  on 
condition  that  he  give  a  bond  for  $5,000 
with  good  security  and  that  he  forfeit  $25 
|)er  day  for  every  day  after  September  i 
that  the  house  remained  unfinished.  He 
declined  to  comply  with  the  conditions  and 
the  contract  was  awarded  to  McNabb  & 
I'.ishop,  who  filed  a  bond  and  contract  con- 
ditioned as  above. 

May  _»9.  18A7.  ordered  liial  the  boar<l  pur- 
enase  of  Henry  1!.  1  )iirfee  lots  3,  4,  5,  6,  7, 
8,  9.  and  10  in  block  3  of  Durfee  &  King's 
addition  for  $2,400.  and  that  bon<ls  bearing 
10%  and  maturing  in  10  years  be  issued  to 
l>ay  for  the  same.  The  present  Marietta 
street  school  is  erected  on  a  part  of  this  pur- 
chase. No  use  was  made  of  the  lots  for 
seventeen  years. 

On  the  twentieth  day  of  June,  1867,  the 
first  class  graduated  from  the  high  school, 
having  comidetcd  a  three  years*  course. 
The  following  is  the  programme : 


13i 


I'AST  AND  i'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


PROGRAMME. 

Prayer By  Rev.  W.  C.  Dawson 

Music. 
Essay — "  The  Two  Hemispheres,"' 

^liss  Rachel  Hummell 

Essay — "  The  Works  of  Nature," 

Aliss  Emmaretta  ^Villiams 

Music. 
Essay — "  The  Fountain  of  Youth," 

Miss  Emma  Hummell 

Essay — "  Decatur  and  the  State  House," 

Miss  Alice  Roberts 

Music. 
Address  and  Awarding  Diplomas, 

Rev.  D.  P.  Bunn,  Pres.  Board  of  Edu- 
cation. 

Music. 
Benediction Rev.    F.    G.   Thearle 

On  June  ii,  1867,  President  David  P. 
Bunn  retired  from  the  board  after  having 
refused  to  be  a  candidate  at  the  election  held 
on  the  4th  instant.  Henry  B.  Durfee  took 
his  place  in  the  board.  The  following  was 
'  passed  by  the  old  board  before  adjourn- 
ment : 

Whereas,  a  great  amount  of  extra  labor 
has  been  required  of  the  members  of  the 
board  of  education  for  the  last  two  years — 
owing  to  the  selection  of  and  purchase  of 
suitable  grounds  upon  which  to  erect  the 
necessary  school  houses  as  well  as  to  super- 
intend the  erection  of  the  same — also  the 
fencing  of  said  lots  of  ground,  and 

Whereas,  The  charter  of  the  Decatur 
school  district  provides  that  the  board  of 
education  maj^  vote  themselves  reasonable 
compensation  for  such  extra  labor  per- 
formed by  them.    Therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars  be 
allowed  each  member  of  the  board  as  a 
compensation  for  extra  services  during  the 
past  two  years. 

William  E.  Hammer  was  unanimously 
elected  president  of  the  new  board  and 
E.  A.  Gastman,  clerk. 


Jul}-  4,  1867,  bids  were  opened  for  erect- 
ing an  addition  of  four  rooms  to  the  school 
house  in  the  Third  ward  according  to.  plans 
and  specifications  prepared  for  the  same  by 
Joseph  Aiills:  The  contract  was  awarded 
to  D.  C.  Shockley  and  he  filed  the  required 
contract  and  bond  on  July  16,  1867. 

July  25,  1867,  ordered  that  bonds  num- 
bered seventeen  to  thirty-six,  inclusive,  for 
$500  each  and  bearing  10%  semi-annual  in- 
terest, payable  in  two  years  from  August  i, 
1867,  be  issued  and  placed  in  the  hands  of 
J.  L.  ^Mansfield  for  sale  with  instructions 
that  the}-  must  net  at  least  96  cents.  Mr. 
JNIansfield  took  these  bonds  to  New  York 
and  offered  them  for  sale.  The  brokers 
laughed  at  him  and  offered  fifty  cents  for 
them.  He  finally  found  W.  P.  Hazelton, 
who  agreed  to  give  9Sc  for  them.  The  board 
accepted  his  offer  and  he  furnished  all  the 
money  the  board  wished  to  borrow  up  to 
the  time  of  his  deatli,  about  1890. 

C)n  April  16,  1868,  the  board  examined 
tracings  of  plans  for  a  high  school  building. 
The  clerk  was  directed  to  inform  the  archi- 
tect, G.  P.  Randall,  of  Chicago,  of  the 
changes  desired. 

May  18,  1868,  Mr.  C.  C.  Burroughs  ten- 
dered his  resignation  to  take  effect  when  his 
successor  was  elected.  At  an  election  held 
on  June  2.  1867,  Samuel  F.  Greer  was  elected 
for  one  year  and  Wm.  L.  Hammer  for  three 
years. 

On  June  13,  1868,  bids  were  submitted  for 
the  erection  of  the  high  school.  The  con- 
tract was  awarded  to  D.  C.  Shockley,  it 
being  understood  that  the  plastering  and 
painting  were  not  included  in  his  bid.  The 
building  was  first  occupied  by  the  school  in 
September,  1869. 

September  8.  1868,  the  superintendent 
was  authorized  to  purchase  such  books  as 
might  be  necessary  to  furnish  indigent  chil- 
dren in  a  proper  manner. 

The  Rev.  Soule  was  employed  to  teach 
vocal   music   in   the  high   school  at  $1   per 


PAST  AND  I'KKSENT  Ob"  MACON  COUNTY. 


135 


lesson  and  two  lessons  i)cr  week.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  musical  instruction  in  the 
schi>uls.  The  pupils  were  not  supplied  with 
properly  graded  books  and  the  exiuiiincut 
was  not  very  successful. 

Xoveuiber  14,  i><^^.  the  conirael  lor  plas- 
tering the  high  school  building  was  award- 
ed to  Messrs.  Soilars  &  Hanks  for  $850. 
They  were  the  lowest  of  five  bidders.  It 
is  but  proper  credit  for  work  well  done  to 
say  that  not  one  dollar  has  ever  been  spent 
for  repairs  on  the  plastering  of  the  old  part 
of  the  building  and  it  is  now  (,1903)  appar- 
ently as  good  as  when  it  was  first  done. 
This  applies  to  the  blackboards  as  well  as 
to  the  walls  and  ceilings. 

(  )n  the  jy\  of  January.  iS(k>,  the  board 
contracted  with  \\  .  A.  I'ennell  &  Co.,  of 
Normal,  to  deliver  an<l  sui)erintentl  the  set- 
ting of  four  of  llawleys  No.  4  air  w\-irniers 
in  the  new  high  school  for  $2,000,  the  board 
agreeing  to  |)ay  for  the  brick  work  and 
the   actual  expenses  of  the  superintendent. 

.\l)ril  Jtj,  i8<H),  the  following  was  unani- 
mously passed:  Ordered,  that  the  clerk  of 
this  board  go  to  New  York,  taking  with 
him  the  S43.OCO  worth  of  bond  ordered  to 
be  issued  .March  J9.  iS<n).  and  that  be  settle 
with  W.  I'.  Ila/leton.  taking  uj)  the  bonds 
now  held  by  saitl  llazelton  against  the  dis- 
trict amounting  to  $24,500;  also  tiie  bonds 
of  the  City  of  Decatur  amounting  to  $1  j.ooo, 
paying  any  interest  which  may  Ijc  right  fully 
due  on  said  bonds  an<l  receiving  the  l)alance 
in  cash,  which  balance  he  shall  de|)osit  to 
the  credit  of  J.  .Millikin  iS;  Co..  in  the  .Metro- 
]»olitan  National  Hank,  of  New  York,  this 
being  in  accordance  with  the  written  in- 
structions of  the  treasurer.  J.  K.  <  inrin. 

It  was  onlered  that  the  board  buy  lot  9, 
block  7.  Reed  &  (.o.'s  addition,  for  $820. 
This  purchase  comjdeted  the  high  school 
grounds  as  they  are  now. 

June  3.  lS6().  the  contract  for  painting  the 
high  school  was  awarded  to  M.  .\.  Myer 
for  $1,322. 


June  5,  i8(Kj.  the  followinj,'  entr\-  .ippears 
on  the  records : 

(  Irdereil.  that  Sallie  Rue.  Ijiiuui  Keeme, 
Carrie  Hubbard,  Katie  Jones,  llallie  buller, 
and  l-'rank  L.  llrooks  be  allowed  to  grad- 
uate frt>m  the  high  school,  they  ha\  ing  com- 
pleted the  course  of  study  in  a  satisfactory 
manner.  Fhis  seems  to  be  the  first  time 
that  the  board  authorized  the  graduation  of 
a  class  from  the  high  school.  The  other  two 
classes  were  graduated  by  a  vole  of  the 
teachers. 

(  )n  June  I.  i8<j«;,  Samuel  F.  Greer  re- 
ceived 350  votes  and  Joseph  Mills  26"  votes 
Inr  member  of  the  board  of  education. 

June  21,  i8<>9.  the  ])resident  and  clerk 
were  ajjpointed  a  committee  to  secure  furni- 
ture for  the  high  school.  It  was  also  or- 
dered that  an  addition  of  two  rooms  be  l)uilt 
to  the  l-'ourth  ward  school  house,  provided, 
parties  can  be  found  to  do  the  woik  and 
take  the  bonds  of  the  board  in  payment; 
))rcivided,  also,  that  the  cost  shall  not  exceed 
$4,500.  The  matter  was  left  with  the  presi- 
dent with  directions  to  report  bis  actions 
to  the  board.  <  )n  the  14th  of  July  follow- 
ing he  rei)orted  that  he  had  let  the  contract 
to  .Messrs.  .Myer  i*t  I'.randt  for  a  sum  not 
to  exceed  $4,500,  they  agreeing  to  take 
bonds  in  payment.  This  is  the  north  front 
ad<lition  to  the  ])reseut  Jackson  street 
school. 

During  the  summer  <>f  1S69  the  Second 
war<l  school  house  was  thomughly  repaired. 
The  large  up])er  room  was  divided  into  two 
modern  school  rooms.  A  new  foundation 
was  built  under  the  central  ])artition  and 
the  whole  building  was  replastered  and 
jiainted  throughout  The  work  was  done  by 
McNabb  &  Bishop  and  .Soilars  &  Hanks. 
The  expense  amounted  to  about  $2,000. 

.\ugust  14.  1869.  it  was  ordered  that 
Ciuyot's  geographies  be  introduced  in  place 
of  MitcheH's.  provided,  the  publishers 
would  exchange  book  for  book  during  the 
school    vear,   so   that   the   text   b(5oks   used 


13G 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


should  all  be  Guyot's ;  all  books  to  be  taken 
that  were  fit  to  be  used  by  the  pupils. 

The  superintendent  was  directed  to  buy 
pens  and  holders  for  the  use  of  the  children 
in  the  schools. 

November  9,  1869,  it  was  ordered  that 
the  physical  apparatus  used  in  the  Decatur 
seminar)'  be  purchased  for  the  use  of  the 
high  school  and  that  an  order  for  $150  be 
issued  to  the  estate  of  Henry  Prather  in 
payment. 

On  Januarjr  11,  1870,  the  clerk  was  di- 
rected to  meet  with  the  treasurer,  J.  R. 
Gorin,  and  to  destroy  all  orders  which  had 
been  paid  bj'  him  during  the  preceding  six 
months  and  to  mark  the  word  paid  upon  the 
record  of  the  issuance  of  such  order  in  the 
journal.  This  was  continued  for  several 
years  but  later  it  was  so  modified  as  to  pro- 
vide that  the  treasurer  should  return  month- 
ly to  the  clerk  the  orders  paid  by  him  and 
that  the  journal  should  be  marked  at  the 
regular  monthly  meeting  of  the  board.  This 
is  still  the  custom. 

On  the  8th  of  February,  1870,  Samuel  S. 
Jack  was  elected  the  principal  of  the  high 
school  at  a  salary  of  $1,500.  He  took  charge 
of  the  school  at  the  beginning  of  the  spring 
term.  On  February  10,  1871.  he  resigned 
to  go  into  business. 

May  10,  1870,  it  was  ordered  that  a  bond 
of  $800  be  issued  to  Edward  Sweeny  in 
payment  of  lot  14,  block  5,  in  Plant  &  Tut- 
tle's  addition.  This  lot  adjoins  the  site  of 
the  First  ward  school  house.  For  some  rea- 
son Mr.  Sweeny  declined  to  complete  the 
transfer  but  on  May  22,  1875,  he  conveyed 
the  same  lot  for  $650.  The  board  sold  the 
dwelling  house  on  the  lot  for  $100  to  Mr. 
Hughes. 

October  26,  1871,  the  treasurer,  J.  R. 
Gorin,  agreed  to  furnish  all  overdrafts  that 
the  board  might  wish  to  make  at  8  per  cent. 
It  is  believed  that  is  the  first  time  that  the 
board  could  negotiate  .short  loans  for  less 
than  10  per  cent. 


March  12,  1872,  it  was  ordered  that  Black- 
mer's  graded  songs  be  used  in  the  schools. 
This  was  the  first  text  book  in  vocal  music 
introduced.  The  president  was  authorized 
to  have  the  city  water  brought  into  the  high 
school. 

May  16,  1872,  Messrs.  Hamsher  and  Mos- 
ser  asked  that  they  be  furnished  with  a 
copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  board  to  be 
published  in  the  columns  of  the  daily  Repub- 
lican. The  clerk  was  directed  to  comply 
with  the  request. 

On  January  14,  1873,  the  following  reso- 
lutions were  unanimous!}-  adopted : 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  God  to  remove 
from  this  board  our  worthy  friend  and  fel- 
low-laborer, James  G.  Roach,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  we  feel  that  in  his  death 
the  cause  of  education  has  lost  a  true  and 
considerate  friend  and  the  board  of  educa- 
tion an  active  and  earnest  member. 

Resolved,  That  we  hereby  tender  to  the 
familv  of  the  deceased  our  deepest  sym- 
pathy, 

Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  spread 
upon  our  records  and  a  copy,  properly  at- 
tested, furnished  the  bereaved  family. 

Dr.  Enoch  W.  Moore  was  unanimously 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  board 
caused  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Roach  until  the 
time  of  the  regular  school  election  in  June 
next. 

June  12,  1873,  a  committee  of  the  board 
reported  in  favor  of  building  an  addition  of 
two  rooms  to  the  First  ward  school  house 
and  on  June  19th  the  contract  was  awarded 
to  D.  C.  Shockley  on  his  bid  of  $4,362.62. 

On  July  25,  1873,  the  following  was 
passed : 

Ordered,  That  the  proposition  of  Captain 
Ira  Harris.  Jr.,  to  sell  a  plat  of  land  in  the 
Fifth  ward  for  a  school  house  site  for  the 
sum  of  $1,500  be  accepted  and  that  bonds 
for  $1,000  and  $500  be  issued  in  payment; 
the  second  payable  February  i,  1874.  and 
the  first  April  I,  1876.     Both  bonds  to  bear 


r\ST  wn  TRESENT  OF  ^r Acov  rni-vTv 


iiitiTi'st  at  lo  per  cciii  jicr  aiiiuim  bill  ihc 
iiitiTcst  till  tlu-  first  is  nut  to  CDmnu'iici-  hi'- 
f«iri>  April  Hfxt. 

(  )n  Aiifiiist  S.  iSj,^  the  prisiticiU  .uul 
ikrk  wtTc  ilircctcil  to  certify  to  the  coum\- 
clerk  tliat  the  lioani  rec|iiiretl  that  the  sum 
•  >f  S45,<X)0  l)e  levied  as  a  s|)ecial  schnol  tax 
ill  the  Decatur  school  district.  Heretofore 
the  hoard  had  requircil  that  a  certain  per 
cent  he  levied  but  a  chanije  in  the  state  law 
made  the  present  action  necessary. 

Early  in  1874.  Messrs.  Lowber  lUirrows 
anil  others  asked  that  they  be  relieved  from 
the  payment  of  certain  school  taxes  which 
hatl  been  levied  iijioii  an  erroneous  asscs.s- 
mcnt.  On  .\|)ril  14.  1874.  Hon.  .Arthur  J. 
( lallaijher  reported  that  the  board  had  n.> 
power  to  relieve  any  one  from  the  ])ayment 
ol  taxes  which  had  been  turned  over  to  the 
projier  officer  for  collection. 

.May  iS,  1S74.  it  was  ordered  that  the  city 
water  should  be  supplied  to  the  schools  in 
the  ."second  and  Third  wards. 

(  )n  June  <).  1874,  \Vm.  L.  Hammer  retired 
after  servinp  nine  years  as  a  member  and 
seven  years  as  president  of  the  board.  Ik- 
was  succeeded  by   \\  111.  C  Johns. 

.Aujjust  27.  1875,  the  (piestion  of  adopting 
Krusi's  drawing;  books  for  use  in  the  schools 
was  carefully  discussed  and  laid  over  for 
future  action.  This  seems  to  have  been  the 
first  time  that  it  was  seriously  proposed  ti> 
introduce  tlrawinjj  as  a  rejjular  study  in  the 
scluxils.  The  board  was  not  ready  to  take 
that  step! 

Sept.  17.  1S75.  J.  K.  (Iiiriii  was  elected 
treasurer  on  condition  that  he  pay  3  ])er 
cent  interest  on  daily  balances  in  his  hands. 
The  payment  amounted  to  $161.4^1  for  the 
fiscal  year  and  it  was  the  first  ever  matle 
to  the  board.  The  treasurer  now  pays  2 
per  cent  on  ilaily  balances. 

(  )n  November  o,  1875.  it  was  ordered  that 
the  Hiijh  School  Hymn  an»l  Tunc  liook  be 
used  by  such  pujiils  as  were  williuK  to  |)ur- 
chase  it. 


Jan.  11.  i.S7(,.  .\lr.  K.  K.  IJuricc  .staled 
that  he  had  paid  a  school  lax  of  $17.03  which 
had  been  wroiifrfully  assessed  a^^ainst  his 
pni])erty  and  askeil  that  it  be  refunded.  The 
matter  was  referred  to  W.  ( ".  Johns.  Escj., 
for  investif^ation.  .\t  the  next  meeting  he 
reported  that  the  amount  oujjht  to  be  re- 
turned to  Mr.   Durfee  and  it  was  done. 

J.  11.  .Maiizy  aiitl  others  askeil  the  board, 
.March  15.  |87<>.  to  build  a  high  board  fence 
amund  the  3rd  ward  school  yard  to  prevent 
persons  from  assembling  there  at  night  and 
ilistiirbing  the  neighborhood  by  <lisorderly 
conduct.  The  ])etition  was  read  and  placed 
on    file,   where   it   still    remains. 

( »ii  March  15.  1876.  the  superintendent 
was  directed  to  purchase  writing  pai>er  for 
future  examinations  so  tiiat  the  pu])ils 
might  have  constant  practice  with  pen  and 
ink,  instead  of  using  pencils  as  had  been 
the  practice  pre\iousiy.  IK-  was  also  direct- 
ed to  keep  the  account  of  the  recei|)ts  and 
expeiKlitures  of  the  tuition  fuml  in  the  regu- 
lar journal  and  ledger  of  the  board. 

President  William  .\.  Marnes  and  the 
clerk  were  directed.  December  II,  1876,  to 
see  what  would  be  the  cost  of  common 
tables  and  chairs  for  use  in  the  basement 
of  the  high  school  building.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  the  discussion  which  led  to  the 
establishment  of  the  high  school  labora- 
tory. Xotliing  was  done  until  the  fall  of 
1877  when  alxjut  Si 50  was  ap]iro|)riated  to 
secure  furniture  and  fit  up  the  room  now 
userl  for  coal  on  the  west  side  of  ilu-  iinttr 
part    of   the   building. 

On  .May  8,  1877.  Regent  John  .M.  ( ircgory 
of  the  Industrial  L'liivcrsity  at  L'rbana.  111., 
proposed  a  system  of  examinations  which, 
it  was  Iioj)ed,  would  bring  the  high  schools 
I  if  the  state  into  closer  connection  with  the 
university.  The  clerk  was  directed  to  in- 
form him  that  the  board  would  co-operate 
willingly  with  him  in  bringing  alxnit  so  de- 
sirable a  result.  This  was  the  Ijeginning 
">l  the  >vstfni  (if  "  accrediteil  biifh  schoiils" 


138 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


which  has  been  a  powerful  influence  in 
causing  boys  and  girls  to  attend  the  higher 
institutions  of  learning. 

On  the  9th  of  October,  1877,  Lovvber 
Burrows  was  elected  the  second  treasurer 
of  the  board  of  education.  He  succeeded 
Jerome  R.  Gorin  who  had  been  treasurer 
ever  since  the  organization   in   April,   1865. 

Messrs.  Volney  Barber  and  Edmiston 
McClellan  asked  permission,  November  24, 
1877,  to  send  their  children  to  tlie  high 
school  without  payment  of  tuition,  although 
they  lived  outside  of  the  school  district,  be- 
cause they  owned  property  and  paid  taxes 
in  the  Decatur  district.  It  was  agreed  that 
the  question  should  be  submitted  to  the  state 
superintendent  of  public  instruction.  In  a 
somewhat  lengthy  opinion,  which  is  filed 
among  the  "  valuable  papers  "  in  the  office, 
he  held  that  the  payment  of  taxes  did  not 
entitle  persons  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of  the 
schools  unless  he  had  a  bona  fide  residence 
in   that  district. 

On  the  same  date  it  was  agreed  that  the 
district  schools  might  be  closed  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  from  November  ist 
to  February  ist,  instead  of  4:30  o'clock  as 
in   the  past. 

April  9,  1878,  on  the  retjuest  of  the  high 
school  Alumni  association,  it  was  agreed  to 
hold  the  graduating  exercises  on  Thursday 
evening  so  that  the  association  might  hold 
the   annual   reunion   on   Friday   evening. 

May  21,  1878.  On  motion  of  H.  B.  Dur- 
fee,  it  was  agreed  that  in  the  future,  all 
teachers  must  secure  certificates  from  the 
county  superintendent  of  schools.  This  ac- 
tion was  taken  because  the  supreme  court 
liad  held,  in  a  case  involving  the  right  of 
boards  of  education  acting  under  the  gen- 
eral laws  to  issue  certificates,  that  the  lan- 
guage employed  did  not  give-  them  the 
power  to  dispense  with  the  certificate  of 
the  county  superintendent,  but  simply 
granted  the  power  to  hold  any  additional 
examinations  that  thev   might  deem   desir- 


able. As  the  language  used  in  our  special 
charter  is  almost  identical  with  that  em- 
]jloyed  in  the  state  law,  it  was  thought  not 
to  be  wise  to  rely  upon  it  for  authority  to 
issue  certificates  in  the  place  of  those  grant- 
ed by  the  county  supermtendent. 

Dec.  ID,  1878,  Messrs.  E.  McNabb,  Wm. 
B.  Harry  and  Michael  Troutman  presented 
the  following  report  which  was  received 
and  ordered  published : 

To  the  honorable  board  of  education : 
Your  committee  appointed  to  examine  the 
second  ward  school  house,  beg  leave  to  re- 
port that  on  examination  we  find  that  the 
building  has  been  so  repaired  that  we  con- 
sider it  as  safe  as  other  school  buildings 
m  the  city. 

The  following  are  the  minutes  of  a  meet- 
ing held  Jan.  20,  1879;  present,  Messrs. 
Barnes,  Ullrich   and   the    clerk : 

The  president  states  that  this  meeting 
was  called  to  consider  what  disposition 
should  be  made  of  the  bonded  debt,  all  of 
which  would  become  due  April  i,  next. 

After  a  full  discussion  it  was  decided  that 
$5,000  should  be  paid  April  i,  1879.  It  was 
further  ordered  that  the  remaining  $15,000 
should  be  refunded  and  that  $3,000  should 
be  made  payable  five  years  from  April  i, 
1879,  and  $3,000  on  the  first  day  of  April 
every  year  thereafter  until  all  the  debt  is 
paid.  The  president  was  directed  to  re- 
ceive propositions  to  take  the  new  bonds 
until  March  i,  when  they  will  be  issued  to 
the  parties  offering  to  take  them  at  the  low- 
est rate  of  interest ;  the  bonds  to  be  issued 
in  sums  to  suit  purchasers,  provided  that 
no  bond  be  for  a  less  sum  than  one  hundred 
dollars.  On  March  11,  1879,  these  bonds 
were  sold  to  \\\  P.  Hazelton,  of  New  York 
City,  at  par  and  6  per  cent  interest,  pay- 
able semi-annually  at  the  hanking  house  of 
Laidlaw  &  Co..  in  New  York.  The  lowest 
rate  of  interest  heretofore  paid  on  bonds  was 
9  ])cr  cent. 

July  8,  1879.  the  bid  of  Harrison  S.  Baker 


PAST  AND  PRESFiNT  OF  MACOX  CoLXTV. 


l:51t 


to  build  an  addition  of  two  rooms  on  the 
north  sitlc  of  the  second  ward  scliool  liouse 
according  to  plans  and  specifications  pre- 
])ared  l)>  <i.  I'.  Randall,  of  Ciiicago,  for 
tile  sum  of  $^,735.  was  accepted  and  his 
bond    approved. 

Sept.  1,  1879,  it  was  agreed  to  buy  of 
the  Champion  Iron  Fence  Company,  Ken- 
ton, C)hio,  one  hundred  tifty-three  feet  01 
Xo.  14,  two  rail,  -)ij  inch  round  picket  fence 
for  $.259  to  be  set  up  on  the  cast  and  south 
sides  of  the   third   ward   school. 

.\  proposition  was  received  from  the 
Western  Cnion  Telegraph  Company  lo 
put  telephones  into  five  schools  at  an  annual 
rental  of  $156.  It  was  laid  over  for  future 
consideration. 

Oct.  14.  1879,  the  thanks  of  the  boaril 
were  voted  to  Dr.  Silas  T.  Trowbridge,  of 
\'cra  Cruz,  Mexico,  for  his  present  to  the 
high  school  of  thirteen  beautiful  photo- 
graphs of  ancient  ruins  in  the  states  of  Yu- 
catan anil  Chiopas.  The  suiierintcndent  was 
directed  to  have  them  framed,  marked 
with  the  name  of  the  donor  and  hung  in 
the  high  school  building. 

Henry  1'.  Durfee,  ])resident  of  the  board 
of  education,  ilied  March  17,  1880,  after  an 
illness  of  about  two  weeks.  He  was  elected 
a  school  director  in  .\ugust,  iSTn,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  position  until  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  board  of  education  in  April, 
18^)5.  (  )n  June  4,  1867,  he  was  elected  a 
nuMidjer  of  the  board  of  education  and  re- 
elected in  June.  1870.  He  declined  a  re- 
election in  1873,  but  in  June,  1877,  he  was 
elected  lor  another  term  and  he  became 
president  of  the  board  in  1879.  The  special 
charter  of  the  Decatur  school  district  was 
obtained  largely  by  his  efforts.  He  was 
always  an  earnest  and  efficient  worker  for 
the  interests  of  the  schools. 

( >n  Feb.  Ii,  1881,  the  superintendent  was 
directed  to  see  on  what  terms  a  thoroughly 
com]>etent  teacher  of  drawing  couhl  be  se- 
cured f'"-  •'"■  remainfl-''  "''  ''"■  -••■''■"■!  \-onr. 


In  .\pril  following,  he  reported  that  he 
could  not  secure  ;i  good  teacher  for  a  part 
of  the  year. 

September  2.  1882,  the  Woman's  Chris- 
tian Tem|}erance  L'nion  was  granted  per- 
mission to  place  Kichanlson's  Manual  of 
Tem])erance  on  the  teachers'  desks.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  teaching  of  sci- 
entific temperance  in   the  schools. 

Oct.  II,  1882,  the  following  was  unani- 
mously   adoj)ted : 

Whereas.  The  6th  and  7th  grailes  in  the 
first  ward  are  greatly  crowded,  while  the 
same  grades  in  the  fourth  ward  are  not 
full ;    therefore 

Resolved,  That  the  superintendent  is 
hereby  directed  to  send  all  pupils  in  said 
grades  who  live  south  of  Eldorado  and  cast 
of  Jackson  streets  from  the  first  ward  to 
the  fourth    ward  school. 

This  tpiestion  of  the  proi)cr  assignment  of 
the  ])upils  to  the  various  schools  continues 
to  be  one  of  the  most  perplexing  problems 
of  the  board  and  the  superintendent.  It 
causes  more  dissatisfaction  every  year  to 
parents  and  ])upils  than  anything  else  con- 
nectefl  with  the  management  of  the  schools. 

May  19.  1882,  it  was  determined  to  erect 
a  four  room  school  house  on  the  lots  in 
the  fifth  ward  purchased  some  time  ago  of 
Ira   ll;irris,  Jr. 

July  17.  ordered  th.it  the  contract  for 
building  the  above  house  be  aw-arded  to 
.Meixille  (1.  Patterson  on  his  bid  of  $().7oo, 
;ind  Win.  P..  Chambers  was  appointed  su- 
])erintenilent  of  the  building. 

(  )n  (  )ctober  II,  1882,  the  contract  for 
seating  the  building  was  awarded  to  \.  II, 
Andrews  i*t  C'o.,  C'hicago,  at  an  average 
price  of  $2.38  for  single  ilcsks  set  up  in  the 
rooms  ready  for  use. 

.\]>ril  16,"  1883,  the  contract  for  heating 
was  awardetl  to  Messrs.  Ko^ni'v.-r  .V 
O'Xcill  for  the  .sum  of  $1,372. 

July  9,  1883.  the  city  was  requested  to 
put  •li'wii  a  brick  sidewalk  around  the  high 


140 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


school  lot  ill  place  of  the  board  walk  now 
in   use. 

It  was  ordered,  Sepiember  13,  1883,  that 
the  president  and  clerk  execute  a  convey- 
ance to  John  M.  Rainey  for  the  sum  of 
$212.50  for  the  following  described  lot  of 
land:  Commencing  211  feet  west  of  the 
southeast  corner  of  block  number  ten  in 
the  Western  addition  to  the  city  of  Decatur, 
thence  north  to  the  north  line  of  the  south 
half  of  said  block,  thence  west  to  the  east 
of  the  grounds  belonging  to  the  said  John 
yi.  Rainey.  eight  and  one-half  feet  more  or 
less,  thence  south  to  the  south  line  of  said 
block,  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning, 
being  a  part  of  lot  number  nine  of  said 
block;  provided  that  the  said  Rainey  shall 
build  a  good,  tight  board  fence  at  least  five 
feet  high  between  said  land  and  the  yard  of 
the  third  ward  school. 

Nov.  22.  1883.  the  superintendent  was  au- 
thorized to  employ  an  assistant  teacher  in 
one  or  two  of  the  primary  rooms  where  the 
schools  were  greatly  crowded  if  satisfactory 
arrangements  could  be  made ;  also  to  intro- 
duce drawing  into  the  schools  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  next  term  if  the  publishers 
will  give  satisfactory  terms  for  the  intro- 
ductory books. 

Jan.  8.  1884,  the  superintendent  was  di- 
rected to  have  telephones  placed  in  the 
schools  in  the  first,  second  and  fifth  wards. 

Feb.  12,  1884.  Prof.  Demorest  asked  per- 
mission to  teach  classes  in  music  in  the 
school  houses  after  the  close  of  the  schools 
in  the  afternoon.  The  pupils  to  pay  for  the 
instruction.  The  permission  was  not 
granted. 

Aug.  14,  1884.  the  superintendent  reported 
that  he  believed  it  best  to  introduce  the 
fir.st,  second  and  third  readers  of  the  Mod- 
ern series,  and  the  fourth  and  fifth  readers 
of  the  Franklin  series  in  the  place  of  Hil- 
lard's  now  in  use.  The  report  was  adopted 
and   the   introduction   ordered.     The   books 


are  still  used  in  the  schools  but  ought  to  be 
changed  for  better  ones. 

Sept.  9,  1884,  it  was  agreed  to  purchase  of 
Mary  E.  W'ortmaii  lot  one,  block  three  in 
Durfee  &  King's  addition  for  $2,500.  It  was 
ordered  that  the  lots  owned  b}^  the  board  in 
the  west  half  of  block  three  be  offered  for 
sale ;  also  the  buildings  now  standing  on 
the  lot  purchased  of  Mary  E.  Wortman. 
The  frame  house  was  later  sold  to  Hanson 
C.  Stultz  for  three  hundred  dollars  and  the 
brick  house  to  David  C.  Moffitt  for  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars. 

Sept.  22,  1884,  the  contract  for  building 
the  east  four  rooms  of  the  I^Iarietta  street 
school  according  to  plans  prepared  by  him 
was  awarded  to  ilelville  G.  Patterson  on 
his  bid  of  $8,990,  it  being  the  lowest  of  five 
submitted.  It  was  ordered  that  the  house 
should  be  heated  by  steam. 

.\ugust  18,  1885.  ordered  that  the  school 
houses    be    known    as    follows : 

First  ward.  Sangamon  street  school :  sec- 
ond ward.  Church  street  school :  third 
ward,  ^Vood  street  school :  fourth  ward, 
Jackson  street  school:  fifth  ward.  Jasper 
street  school,  and  the  new  building  the 
Marietta  street  school. 

Alarch  26,  1886,  the  superintendent  was 
directed  to  invite  the  president  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan  to  send  a  committee  to 
examine  our  high  school  with  a  view  to  ad- 
mitting our  graduates  to  the  university 
upon    their    diplomas. 

June  21.  1886.  Ordered  that  the  assem- 
bly room  in  the  high  school  be  changed  so 
that  the  teachers'  platform  should  be  on  the 
south  side  of  the  room.  Also  that  bay  win- 
dows be  put  in  the  four  old  rooms  in  the 
Sangamon  street  school  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  better  light. 

Feb.  9,  1887.  It  was  ordered  that  addi- 
tions of  two  rooms  each  be  built  at  the  Jack- 
son and  ^^^:)od  street  schools  and  that  four 
rooms  be  added  to  the  Marietta  street 
school. 


PAST  AM)  l'ki:SK\T  OF  MACDN'  a.>L'NTV 


141 


Mav  .'4.  1S87.  the  contract  (or  huililing 
tlio  two  rooms  at  the  Wood  street  school 
was  awarded  t<>  Harrison  S.  liaker  for 
:?4,5So;  the  two  rooms  at  the  Jackson  street 
schtK)!  to  J.  J.  Wilson  lor  $5,845.  and  the 
four  rooms  at  the  Marietta  street  school  to 
Melville   <  1.    Patterson   for  $8.i><>o. 

M\^:.  J}.  1S87.  The  superintendent  was 
tlirected  to  introduce  Pran^j's  drawing  books 
at  the  heijinninr;  of  the  schools  in  Septem- 
ber next. 

Nov.  ^2,  t8i<7.  A  committee  of  the  li.  .\. 
K.  asked  that  the  board  would  consider  the 
cases  of  worthy  t>M  soldiers  when  there 
should  be  any  vacancies  among  the  jani- 
tors in  the  schools.  Aildresses  were  deliv- 
ered bv  Messrs.  K.  H.  Koliy  and  ( ieo.  S. 
Durfee. 

March  i<).  1S8S.  .Samuel  Dickinson  jire- 
sented  a  tax  receipt  showing,'  that  he  had 
been  assessed  in  Decatur  school  district 
when  he  lived  in  district  No.  4.  town  i'>,  3 
east.  He  asked  that  $4.34  be  returned  to 
him.  The  request  was  not  granted  as  the 
board  had  no  power  to  correct  erroneous 
assessments. 

The  superintendent  was  directed  to  noti- 
fy all  parents  who  have  chililren  of  |>roper 
age  who  have  ntjt  attended  any  school  since 
September  last  that  if  they  were  not  sent  to 
school  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  term. 
March  2<>,  that  the  parents  would  be  lial>le 
to  a  line  under  the  provisions  of  the  com- 
indsory  education  law.  This  was  the  first 
action  taken  by   the  boanl  on  this  subject. 

July  5.  1888,  it  was  determined  to  put  bay 
wnxlows  into  the  four  front  rooms  of  the 
\\  ood  street  school  to  improve  the  lighting 
and  to  put  a  grate  into  each  rot>m  to  im- 
prove the  ventilation. 

I"eb.  17.  18S8.  The  supeniiiiMniem  w.is 
directed  to  furnish  ()racticc  paper  for  draw- 
ing the  same  as  other  supplies. 

Xov.  13.  1888.  It  was  ordere<l  that  the 
wells  be  closed  at  all  the  schools,  except 
Jackson    street,    and    that    water    from    the 


city    water    works   be    introduced    into   that 
schcx)l  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done. 

Dec.  18.  1888.  Misses  Judsoii,  I'.yman  and 
Anderson  subniitted  a  statement  recom- 
mending the  adojjtion  of  the  Normal  or 
Holt  system  of  vocal  music,  i'laced  on 
hie. 

Jan.  ij.  i8S(j.  Contract  for  digging  a  cel- 
lar under  the  (."liurch  street  school  was 
awarded  to  John  Williamson  at  30c  per 
cubic  yard,  $1.50  per  day  for  laborers,  and 
$2  per  day  for  himself.  Henry  Lunn  was 
engaged  to  do  the  brick  work  at  $4  per  day 
for  masons  and  $1.75  per  day  for  helpers. 
It  was  also  agreed  to  engage  .Mr.  l-A-ans 
to  do  the  cari)enter  work. 

( )n  Jan.  <>,  i8t/),  .Mr.  R.  H.  Johnson  was 
appointe<l  the  first  truant  officer  in  the  dis- 
trict at  a  salary  of  $1.50  jier  day. 

.March  11.  1890.  the  board  agreed  to  buy 
<pf  William  T.  and  Sarah  !•".  Smith  for 
82.357.  lot  2  in  block  3  of  Lake  &  Co.'s  ad- 
dition of  out  lots  on  Warren  street  for  a 
school  site 

( )n  May  29.  i8i;o,  the  contract  for  build- 
ing a  four  room  school  house  on  W  arren 
street  according  to  the  modified  plans  of 
.Messrs.  Kramer  iS;  Zoll,  I'"inillay,  (  )liio,  was 
awarded  to  John  J.  Wilson  for  $11,915,  his 
bid  being  the   lowest  of  five  submitted. 

The  board  directed  the  superintendent, 
August  25.  i8(/"),  to  corresp<ind  with  .Mrs. 
I,.  L.  Miller,  of  Mloomington,  and  see  on 
what  terms  she  would  teach  drawing  in  the 
schools  for  four  or  five  months. 

.Se|)t.   3.    i8<>o.      The    following  was    read 
and  ordered  placed  on   file.     No  action  has 
ever  been  taken  on  it  by  the  board : 
.Mr.    ]•..   A.  (iastman.  Supt.    Public   Schools, 
Dear  Sir:  ' 

tould  not  the  board  of  e<hicatioii  lure  be 
induced  to  open  night  sch«iols  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  large  number  of  young  men  and 
women  who  are  compelled  to  leave  the  dav 
schools  at  an  early  period  of  their  history 
to  earn  a  living?     It  seems  to  me  this  ele- 


142 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


meat  of  our  population  should  be  afforded 
an  opportunity  by  the  establishment  of 
night  schools  to  complete  their  public 
school  course. 

Respectfully, 

J.  G.  Badenhausen. 

Oct.  29,  1890,  ordered  that  lot  9,  block  i, 
cf  Powers'  second  addition  be  purchased 
of  Mrs.  Caroline  M.  Powers  for  $1,252.50. 
It  contains  1.67  acres. 

It  was  also  ordered  that  the  pupils  pur- 
chase the  musical  readers  the  same  as  other 
text  books. 

Jan.  19,  1891,  Mrs.  L.  L.  Miller  was  em- 
ployed to  teach  drawing  for  the  remainder 
of  the  year. 

Tulv  7,  1891,  the  contract  for  deepening 
the  cellar  and  heating  and  ventilating  the 
Sangamon  street  school  was  let  to  the 
Smead  Warming  &  Ven.  Co.  for  $i,S47- 

July  22,  1891.  The  superintendent  was 
directed  to  secure  a  good  teacher  of  draw- 
ing; also  to  confer  with  Miss  Elizabeth 
Kneiper  concerning  the  teaching  of  vocal 
music. 

Aug.  20,  1891,  the  rules  were  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows : 

Pupils  shall  attend  school  in  that  division 
of  the  district  in  which  they  reside,  except 
when  transferred  by  the  superintendent  of 
schools.  The  following  will  be  considered 
sufficient  grounds  to  warrant  a  transfer: 

1.  From  a  school  which  is  crowded  to 
a.  school  which  has  vacant  seats. 

2.  In  case  of  injury  to  health  from 
greater  distance  traveled,  the  injury  to  be 
determined  by  the  certificate  of  some  well 
accredited    physician. 

3.  When  in  the  judgment  of  the  super- 
intendent it  may  be  for  the  interest  of  the 
pupil  or  the  school  that  the  transfer  be 
made. 

On  October  21.  1891,  the  superintendent 
was  directed  to  purchase  such  flags  for  the 
schools    as    would    enable   the   teachers   to 


comply  with  the  provisions  of  the  flag  law 
lately  passed  by  the  legislature. 

The  board  directed  the  superintendent, 
April  28,  1892,  to  use  his  judgment  about 
closing  the  schools  on  circus  day  for  an 
hour  to  allow  the  pupils  to  see  the  parade. 
The  superintendent  has  struggled  with  this 
question  ever  since  and  he  is  not  sure  now 
what  ought  to  be  done.  Most  of  the  parents 
and  teachers  and  all  of  the  pupils  are  in 
favor  of  closing  to  see  the  show, 
few  of  the  parents  are  very  much  opposed 
to  the  practice.  At  this  writing,  the  s  iper- 
intendent  is  inclined  to  the  belief  that  the 
schools  should  not  be  closed  and  that  the 
parents  should  determine  whether  their 
children  shall  go  to  school  or  to  see  the 
circus. 

May  3,  1892,  the  contract  for  building 
an  addition  to  the  front  of  the  high  school 
house,  according  to  plans  and  specifications 
prepared  by  Melville  G.  Patterson,  was  let 
to  Harrison  S.  Baker  for  $16,484. 

The  contract  for  building  a  new  school 
house  at  the  corner  of  E.  Herkimer  and  N. 
Jasper  streets,  according  to  plans  and  speci- 
fications prepared  by  Elah  Terrill  &  Co., 
Columbus,  Ohio,  was  let  to  White  Bros.,  of 
Springfield,   Illinois,   for  $12,000. 

May  19,  1892,  it  was  voted  that  the  con- 
tracts for  building  two  room  additions  to 
the  Jasper  and  Jackson  street  schools,  ac- 
cording to  plans  and  specifications  prepared 
for  the  same  by  Melville  G.  Patterson,  be 
let  to  Messrs.  Krentel  &  Lyon  according 
to  their  bids  of  $6,325  and  $3,925,  respec- 
tively. 

July  ,5,  1892,  it  was  voted  unanimously  on 
the  motion  of  John  K.  Warren  that  the  new 
school  house  be  known  as  the  H.  B.  Durfee 
school  in  memory  of  the  late  Henry  B. 
Durfee. 

August  I,  1892,  it  was  ordered  that  forty- 
five  ten-twenty  year  five  per  cent  bonds  for 
Si, 000  each  be  is.sued  to  E.  H.  Rollins  & 
Sons   on   their   bid,    the  highest   of   ten,   of 


PAST  AMI  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


14.! 


S4(>,IJ5.  Uetun-  ilic  boiuls  were  tlclivcrcd, 
Messrs.  E.  H.  Rollins  &  Sons  conveyed 
their  interests  to  .Messrs.  N.  W.  Harris  & 
Co.,  of  New  York,  and  the  bonds  were  is- 
sued in  tlie  name  of  the  latter  firm. 

.\pril  13,  i8<>3,  it  was  decided  that  in  view 
i>f  the  fact  that  the  programmes  of  recita- 
tii>ns  and  studies  were  all  arranged  for  the 
present  term,  it  was  not  wise  to  attemjn  to 
introduce  physical  cidture  into  the  schools 
at  this  time — this  was  adopted  as  an  answer 
to  a  commimication  received  from  the  De- 
catur Turn    X'erein. 

The  hoard  ordered,  June  5,  1893.  that  the 
contract  for  erecting  a  ftiur  room  addition 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Warren  street 
school  he  awarded  to  Messrs.  Lyon  &  Will- 
iams  for  S7.400.  The  plans  and  specifica- 
tions as  i)reparcd  by  Mellville  G.  Patterson 
were  adopted. 

June  18,  1804.  the  contract  for  building 
a  two  room  atldition  to  the  Jasper  street 
school,  according  to  jjlans  prepared  by  Mell- 
ville ( i.  Patterson,  was  awarded  to  Thomas 
I..  Antrim  for  $2,276.  It  is  believed  that  this 
is  the  smallest  amount  ever  paid  for  two 
school   rooms  in   this  city. 

May  2.  1895.  it  was  ordercil  tiiai  jots  19, 
20,  21,  block  2,  of  P.  II.  lirueck's  adtlition 
be  [)urchascd.of  Edward  A.  Denz  for  $2,000. 
and  that  lots  17  and  iS  in  the  same  block 
be  purchased  of  P..  I,.  Roscbraugh  for 
$2,525. 

May  (>,  lSr)5,  it  was  ordereil  tiial  the  new 
school  house  to  be  built  at  the  corner  of 
N.  .Monroe  and  Pugh  streets,  be  known  as 
the  Pugh  school  in  grateful  recognition  of 
the  military  and  civil  servicer  •'''  '''•  '■■•'• 
(ien.   Isaac  C.  Pugh. 

It  was  voted  May  22,  1895,  to  i>>ue  to 
N.  W.  Harris  &  Co..  New  York,  forty 
twenty-year  four  per  cent  bonds  of  Si. 000 
each  on  their  bid  of  99  and  accrued  inter- 
est. 

May  20,  1895.  '''*■  contract  for  building 
an  addition  of  six  rooms  at  the  north   end 


of  the  high  school,  according  to  the  i)lans 
and  specifications  prepared  by  I.  D.  Stine, 
was  awarded  to  William  1".  <iebhart  on  his 
bid  of  $i5,3tK). 

The  contract  for  building  the  Pugh  school, 
according  to  the  plans  and  s|)ecifications 
l)rei)ared  by  .Melville  G.  Patterson,  was 
awarded  to  Thomas  I..  Antrim  on  his  bid 
of  S10.590. 

November  14,  i8<)5.  it  was  ordered  that 
the  superintendent  be  authorized  to  hire 
substitute  teachers  in  case  of  the  sickness 
of  the  regidar  teachers  and  to  pay  such  sal- 
aries as  their  experience  might  warrant  but 
m  no  case  to  exceed  $2.50  per  day. 

The  clerk  was  directed  to  pay  Miss  Clara 
E.  Eymau  lur  regtdar  salary  for  one-half 
of  the  time  she  was  kept  out  of  school  by 
order  of  the  board  of  health  on  account  of 
the  death  of  her  niece  from  diphtheria. 

Dec.  12,  1895,  the  supen'ntendcnt  reported 
that  several  parents  in  the  southwest  part 
of  the  city  had  asked  that  the  board  con- 
sider the  matter  of  closing  the  Wood  street 
school  on  accoimt  of  the  prevalence  of  diph- 
theria in  that  part  of  the  city.  He  also 
stated  that  he  had  held  a  conference  this 
morning  with  the  mayor,  D.  II.  Conklin, 
and  Dr.  Cass  Chcnoweth.  a  mcmbei;  of  the 
board  of  health,  and  that  it  was  the  opinion 
of  both  these  gentlemen  that  but  little  if 
any  good  could  come  from  closing  the 
schools.  .After  a  long  and  careful  di.scus- 
sion  of  the  subject,  the  superintendent  was 
directed  to  use  all  possible  care  to  keep  out 
children  who  might  be  in  danger  of  com- 
municating the  disease  to  others  and  to  re- 
i|uire  a  written  permit  from  Dr.  Ira  N. 
IJarnes,  chairman  of  the  board  of  health, 
before  admitting  chihlren  from  families 
where  the  disease  had  prevailc<l. 

On  March  13.  1896,  .Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ilar- 
wood  asked  that  a  uniform  flag  salute  be 
adopted  for  use  in  the  schools.  The  teach- 
ers were  requested  to  use  such  a  drill  in 
their  schools  as  often  as  they  might  deem 


144 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTS'. 


it  desirable.  Jlic  supcriiUeudcnl  was  di- 
rected to  try  diistless  oils  upon  the  school 
room    floors. 

On  the  161I1  uf  .\pril,  1896,  the  contract 
tor  huildint;-  llie  t)akland  school  according 
ti^>  tile  i)lans  and  specifications  prepared  by 
Melville  ( i.  I'atterson  was  awarded  to 
Messrs.  Iluniphrey  &  Brooks  for  the  sum 
of  $11,498,  their  bid  l)eing  the  lowest  of 
seven  submitted. 

June  9.  1896,  the  following  report  on  a 
drawing  exhibit  made  by  the  schools  was 
ordered    published; 

We  found  our  task  an  unenviable  one  and 
it  was  only  after  hours  of  conscientious 
work  that  we  allowetl  the  ribbons  to  be 
placed  in  their  respective  places. 

In  many  cases  we  found  more  than  two 
admirable  drawings  representing  the  same 
class  of  work,  but  as  it  was  deemed  advis- 
able to  honor  a  few  only,  we  could  by  no 
means  recognize  all  good  work,  but  select- 
ed those  which  ct)ntained  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  excellencies  from  an  artistic  stand- 
point. This  being  true,  we  wish  not  alone 
to  encourage  the  fortunate  few,  bvit  others 
who  have  shown  work  full  of  expression 
and  meaning,  and  which  show  talent  on  the 
right  road  to  development. 

We  believe  these  exhibitions  do  much  to- 
ward stimulating  art  education  in  the 
schools,  and  Ibis  we  believe  is  the  surest 
and  simplest  way  of  bringing  the  people  to 
that  state  of  development  where  they  can 
appreciate  and  enjoy  great  art. 

Some  one  has  truly  said  that  a  nation  as 
such  can  best  comprehend  and  express  its 
worthiest  ideals  in  art  form,  and  the  first 
practical  way  of  arousing  universal  inter- 
est in'  works  of  art  and  cf  discovering  abil- 
ity that,  once  developed,  will  produce  such 
work  is  by  making  art  education  as  com- 
pulsory as  the  more  common  lines  of  work. 
Only  a  few  years  have  passed  since  art 
education  was  a  privilege  of  the  rich,  but 
this    exhibition    alone    proves    it    otherwise 


now.  We  must  endeavor  to  make  art  a 
genuine  thing,  in  no  sense  an  affectation — 
a  fad.  it  affords  an  order  of  enjoyment 
and  growth  whicli  mathematics  and  ath- 
letics cannot  furnish,  and  a  nation  cannot 
reach  the  highest  state  of  civilization  with- 
out a  great  existing  art. 

Mrs.   Florence  Stookcy   Lutz, 

L.   Crunelle,   and 

K.   ().    Rosen, 

Committee. 

The  thanks  of  the  board  were  tendered 
to  the  members  of  the  committee  for  their 
valuable  report ;  also  to  the  Woman's  Club 
for  the  free  use  of  its  elegant  apartments, 
for  the  exhibit  and  for  the  helpful  interest 
its  members  have  manifested  in  the  educa- 
tional affairs  of  the  city. 

.August  13,  1896,  it  was  ordered  that  the 
system  of  vertical  penmanship  published  by 
Messrs.  Silver,  Burdette  &  Co.  be  used  in 
the  schools   for  the  coming  year. 

October  15,  1896,  the  petition  of  J.  \\'. 
Barber  and  others  asking  that  certain  de- 
scribed territory  west  of  Oakland  avenue  i^e 
received  into  the  district  was  granted  by  a 
unanimous  vote  of  the  board  and  the  clerk 
was  directed  to  notify  the  county  clerk. 

August   12,  1897,  the  following  was  read: 
Decatur,  111.,  Aug.  10,  1897. 
To  the  Board  of  Education  : 

Owing  to  the  uncertainty  of  my  return 
to  Decatur  to  reside  permanently,  and  feel- 
ing that  the  duties  of  the  office  require  the 
attendance  of  a  full  board,  I  hereby  resign 
my  position  as  a  member  of  the  board  of 
education. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Mary   E.  Haworth. 

On  motion,  the  resignation  was  accepted 
and  .Mrs.  .Minnie  P.  Hostetler  was  elected 
to  fill  the  vacancy  until  the  regular  election 
June  7.  1898. 

'i'lu'  fiillnwing  were  unanimously  adopt- 
ed: 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


1-ii 


\\  hcrcas,  1  he  removal  to  aiunhcr  city 
lias  necessitated  the  resignation  of  Mrs. 
.Mary  E.   Haworth  from  this  board,  and 

Whereas,  In  her  withdrawal  the  board 
feels  that  it  has  lost  a  very  wise  and  efficient 
member,  therefore  be   it 

Resolved,  That  in  tribute  to  her  wise 
counsel,  faithful  interest,  and  never  weary- 
ing labors  as  a  member  of  the  board  we  ex- 
press our  sincercst  regrets  in  her  resigna- 
tion, and  wisli  for  her  in  lier  new  home  a 
hap])y  contimiation  of  her  interest  and 
labors  in  liehalf  of  education. 

Xo\eniber  ii.  1897.  the  following  com- 
nnniication  was  read: 

To  the  Pioard  of  Education:  —  The 
Wcnuan's  Club  of  Decatur  hereby  petition 
vour  iinniirable  body  to  incor])orate  jshysical 
cnltm-e  in  the  public  schools.  W'c  beg  you 
will  in\-estigatc  this  matter  and  give  it  your 
aUenlinn,  as  the  niendiers  of  the  clul)  con- 
sider it  desirable.  This  subject  is  presented 
to  you  only  after  mature  consideration,  as 
we  appreciate  the  difficulties  to  be.  over- 
come, but  we  feel  that  the  welfare  of  the 
children  demands  that  some  efforts  be  made 
to  overcome  the  effects  of  such  continued 
mental  work  with  so  little  jihysical  relaxa- 
tion. 

Ida  \\'.   r.ak-er. 
Carrie   E.  Clokey, 
Susan  H.  Abel, 

Committee. 

It  was  ordered  that  the  re(|uest  be  re- 
ceived and  laid  over  for  future  considera- 
tion. The  opinion  prevailed  that  the  course 
of  study  in  the  schools  was  already  crowded 
and  that  jnipils  and  teachers  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  secure  sufficient  time  in  which  to 
jiroperly  do  the  work.  It  was  also  believed 
that  satisfactory  results  in  physical  train- 
ing could  not  be  secured  withiiut  the  em- 
ploj-ment  ot  a  special  teacher  and  the  cdii- 
dition    of   the    treasurv    would    not    warrant 


the  l)oaru  in  incurring  this  additional  ex- 
pense at   the  present  time. 

July  .21.  1898,  the  contract  for  making  im- 
provements at  the  Jasper  street  school  ac- 
cording to  plans  prepared  by  R.  O.  Rosen, 
architect,  was  let  to  Harrison  S.  iiaker  for 
!|52,540.     There  were  six  bidders. 

October  13,  1898,  the  superintendent  was 
directed  to  prepare  a  circular  and  send  it 
to  the  parents  ha\-ing  children  in  the  public 
schools  and  ask  iliein  to  fa\or  ihe  hoard 
with  their  wishes  concer.iing  physical  cul- 
ture in  the  schools.  On  ('ctobcr  251']  the 
superintendent  reported  the  form  of  ll^e  cir- 
cular sent  to  the  parents  and  th.'  answers 
which  had  been  recei\cd.  Twenty-one  hun- 
dred se\enty-four  circulars  were  sent  out. 
I'lnir  huiulred  eighteen  were  not  returned, 
SIX  hundred  and  thirty-eight  voted  against 
and  eleven  lutndred  eighteen  in  favor  of 
ha\ing  the  subject  taught  in  tlu-  schools. 

December  8,  1898.  Mrs.  Jumelte  L.  Tyler 
was   appointed   teacher  of  jjhysical   culture. 

On  June  23,  1899,  t'le  contract  for  build- 
ing a  two-room  addition  to  the  H.  B.  Dur- 
fee  school  according  to  the  plans  of  M.  G. 
Patterson,  architect,  was  awarded  to  Har- 
rison S.  Baker  for  the  sum  of  $3,628. 

At  the  January,  1900,  meeting  of  the 
board,  Mr.  Frank  Plamsher,  principal  of  the 
high  school,  asked  permission  to  change  the 
hours  of  study  and  recitation  in  the  school. 
The  plan  was  adopted,  but  he  was  directed 
to  send  lite  following  ballot  to  the  jiarents : 

Decatur  High  School,  Jan.   15,   1900. 
To  the  parents  of  the  pupils  of  the  Decatur 
High    School  : 

.\ccording  to  the  ineseni  arrangements 
the  program  of  the  lligh  School  is  as  fol- 
lows: .Morning  session  9  a.  m.  to  12:05 
p.  m..  htnch  12:05  to  12:30;  afternoon  ses- 
sion   12  :3o  to  2:30. 

I-"or  a  long  time  it  has  been  felt  that  the 
present  ])lan  in  regard  to  lunch  is  unsatis- 
factorv.      A   few    pupils  go  home   to  dimier. 


146 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


a  large  number  have  no  lunch  at  all,  sonic 
bring  a  lunch,  and  some  bring  money  and 
buy  their  lunch — a  lunch  for  the  most  part 
of  such  articles  as  pickles,  cheese  and  pie. 
That  present  conditions  are  unsatisfactory 
is  indicated  by  the  large  number  of  re- 
quests we  receive  from  parents  and  physi- 
cians that  special  privileges  in  regard  to 
lunch  time  be  granted  this  or  that  pupil. 

To  remedy  this  condition  various  plans 
have  been  considered,  ^^'e  submit  th'e  fol- 
lowing as  the  most  satisfactory : 

8:00  a.  m.  8:40  a.  m.  first  hour  recitation. 

8 :40  a.  m.  8 145  a.  m.  recess. 

8 :45  a.  m.  9  105  a.  m.  opening  exercises  and 
singing. 

9 :05  a.  m.  9 145  a.  m.  second  hour. 

9:45  a.  m.  10:25  a.  m.  third  hour. 

10:25  a.  m.  II  :o5  a.  ni.  fourth  hour. 

II  :o5  a.  m.  11  :i3  a.  m.  physical   culture. 

II  :i5  a.  m.  11  :55  a.  m.  fifth  hour. 

11  :55  a.  m.  12:35  P-  ™-  si>^th  hour 

12  :35  p.  m.  i  :I5  p.  m.  seventh  hour. 
According  to   this  plan   only  those   need 

come  at  eight  who  have  a  recitation  at  that 
hour;  others  need  not  be  present  mitil  8:45. 
Those  who  come  at  eight  may  be  excused 
at  12:35.  Those  who  came  at  8:45  may  be 
excused  at  i  :i5.  In  the  afternoon  of  cer- 
tain days  the  teachers  \vill  be  at  the  build- 
ing, at  which  time  the  pupil  may  be  required 
to  return  for  consultation,  or  to  make  up 
back  work. 

The  number  of  classes  in  each  subject 
enables  us  to  require  only  those  to  come  at 
eight  o'clock  who  prefer  to  come,  at  that 
time. 

By  beginning  earlier  and  gaining  the  time 
of  the  noon  recess,  we  are  enabled  to  have 
more  time  for  actual  school  work  and  yet 
dismiss  an  hour  and  fifteen  minutes  sooner 
than  by  the  old  plan. 

By  the  new  plan  500  children  may  be  at 
home  before  one  o'clock,  and  the  other  150 
soon  after  1:15. 

If  by  your  votes  you  approve  of  this  plan. 


it  will  be  adopted.  If  after  a  fair  trial  it 
proxes  an  unwise  change,  the  former  order 
will  be  resumed. 

E.  A.  Gastman,  Supt.  of  Schools. 

Frank  Hamsher,  Prin.  High  School. 

Please  write  your  name  on  the  line  that 
indicates  your  \ole. 
For    \gainsl    

Over  four  hundred  voted  for  it  and  less 
than  forty  against   it. 

June  18,  1900.  .Miss  Mora  B.  Smith  was 
elected  director  of  primar}-  methods  in  the 
first,   second,  third   and    fourth   grades. 

May  9,  1901,  the  Athletic  Association  of 
the  high  school  asked  that  Prof.  Charles 
Kent  be  excused  from  his  class  duties  on 
the  loth  instant  so  that  he  might  attend 
and  act  as  judge  at  the  meet  in  Lincoln, 
Illinois.  ""The  team  will  be  greatly  encour- 
aged and  the  chance  of  winning  the  pennant 
increased  by  his  presence."  The  request 
was  unanimously  granted.  This  is  the  first 
time  the  board  formally  recognized  athletics 
in  the  high  school. 

On  the  27th  of  :May,  1901.  Mr.  M.  G.  Pat- 
terson, architect,  was  directed  to  prepare 
plans  for  an  addition  of  two  rooms  to  be 
built  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  H.  B. 
Durfee  school.  On  June  13  five  bids  were 
received  for  erecting  the  same,  and  the  con- 
tract was  awarded  to  Mr.  A.  H.  Humphrey 
for  $4,694. 

Januar}'  16,  1902,  a  contract  was  made 
with  a  company.  Chicago,  for  apparatus  and 
material  with  which  to  thoroughly  fumigate 
the  school  rooms  in  cases  of  contagious  dis- 
eases. The  cost  was  $122.50.  Such  action 
had  never  before  been  taken  by  the  board. 

The  annual  election  of  teachers  w^as  held 
on  the  i6th  of  June,  1902,  and  the  salaries 
of  the  grade  teachers  were  advanced  $25 
each.  Fifty  dollars  was  added  to  the  sal- 
ary of  each  janitor  upon  the  understanding 
that  they  would  cut  the  grass  and  look  after 
the  yards  during  the  vacations. 


I'AST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


147 


The  superintendent  was  directed,  Aug- 
ust 21,  1902,  to  post  notices  in  all  the  school 
rooms  that  persons  damaging  the  property 
of  the  district  would  be  prosecuted  to  the 
full  extent  of  the  law. 

On  September  9,  1902,  the  superintend- 
ent reported  that  the  6th  and  "th  grades 
in  the  Marietta  and  the  Warren  street 
schools  were  greatly  crowded  and  thai  the 
same  rooms  in  the  H.  B.  Durfee  school 
were  not  full.  He  was  ordered  to  transfer 
pupils  living  on  or  east  of  Morgan  street 
to  the  H.  B.  Durfee  school  and  to  transfer 
enough  pupils  living  east  of  North  Edward 
street  and  north  of  West  Edmond  street  to 
the  Warren  street  school  to  equalize,  as 
nearly  as  may  be,  the  number  of  pupils 
in  the  sixth  and  seventh  grades  of  the  Mari- 
etta and  the  Warren  street  schools. 

Messrs.  Goodman  and  Maynard  peti- 
tioned the  circuit  court  for  a  writ  of  man- 
damus to  compel  the  board  to  allow  their 
children  to  remain  in  the  Warren  street 
school.  The  case  never  was  heard  by  the 
court.  Something  over  a  year  later  the 
petition  was  dismissed  by  the  complainants. 

In  December,  1902,  a  discussion  was  com- 
menced as  to  the  desirability  of  tearing 
down  the  Church  street  school,  the  oldest 
public  school  in  the  city,  and  building  a 
larger  and  better  edifice.  On  January  15, 
1903,  the  following  was  offered  by  Mr. 
James  F.  Roach  and  unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  we  erect  on  the  present 
Church  street  school  ground  a  school  house 
containing  ten  or  eleven  rooms.  The  build- 
ing to  be  two  stories  with  a  basement,  and 
an  attic  of  sufficient  size  to  be  used  as  an 
auditorium,  to  seat  not  less  than  600  per- 
sons, and  that  we  receive  from  various  ar- 
chitects sketches  for  floor  plans  and  eleva- 
tions to  be  used  as  a  basis  for  final  plans  to 
be  adopted  later. 

At  a  meeting  January  26,  1903,  sketches 
were   received   from    architects. 

Some  six  or  eight  meetings  were  held  to 


consider  these  sketches  and  the  discussions 
were  frequently  continued  until  nearly  mid- 
night. I'inally  the  plans  of  .M.  G.  Patter- 
son were  adopted  at  1 1  40  p.  m.,  February 
17,  1903.  He  was  elected  superintendent  of 
construction  March  18.  t)n  .\pril  14, 
1903,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  it  was  ordered 
that  the  building  be  named  the  E.  A.  Gast- 
nian  Schixil. 

The  contract  was  awarded  to  Swisher  & 
Jjrooks  for  $42,448.88,  but  this  amount  does 
not  include  the  heating  and  ventilating,  the 
gas  pipes,  the  electric  wiring  nor  the  con- 
crete floors  in  the  basement.  It  is  estimated 
that  the  total  cost  will  be  some  fifty-five  or 
sixty  thousand   dollars. 

On  April  15,  1903,  R.  O.  Rosen  was  di- 
rected to  prepare  plans  for  an  addition  of 
two  rooms  to  be  built  on  the  south  end  of' 
the  Jackson  street  school.  He  was  directed 
to  provide  for  using  as  much  of  the  old  ma- 
terial from  the  Church  street  house  as  could 
be  utilized.  Bids  were  invited  for  tearing 
down  the  old  Church  street  school. 

.\t  a  meeting  held  .\pril  24,  1903,  a  con- 
tract was  made  with  Messrs.  Swisher  & 
Brooks  to  tear  down  the  old  building,  as  no 
bids  had  been  received  to  do  it.  They  com- 
menced the  work  the  next  day,  and  the  total 
cost  was  $965.98.  Old  material  was  sold  to 
the  amount  of  $180.40. 

The  Church  street  school  building  was  the 
oldest  public  school  house  in  the  city.  It 
was  erected  in  1856-7  by  the  directors,  Ed- 
ward O.  Smith,  Jasper  J.  Pcdicord,  and 
Philip  B.  Shepherd.  An  addition  of  two 
rooms  was  made  to  it  in  1879.  No  record 
of  the  cost  of  the  original  house  has  been 
found,  but  tradition  says  it  was  about  $6-, 
000.     The  addition  cost  $2,883.75. 

On  July  8,  1903,  the  contract  for  building 
an  addition  of  two  rooms  to  the  Jackson 
street  school  was  awarded  to  Wm.  F.  Geb- 
hart   for  $8,547. 

At  a  meeting  held  on  July  14,  1903,  it 
was  ordered  that  the  Ward  system  of  teach- 


US 


PAST  A.\h  i'Ki':>i':\'r  of  macon  colwty. 


iiig  reading'  be  adoplcd  in  the  lirst  and  sec- 
ond grades  in  all  tiie  schools,  il  having  been 
tested  in  the  Warren  and  Chnrch  street 
schools  for  the  past  two  years. 

It  was  also  ordered  that  the  new  Hyde 
books,  one  and  two,  in  English,  be  adopted 
for  nse  in  the  fmirlh,  tifth.  sixth  ami  sev- 
entli  grades  and  that  the  third,  fonrth  and 
fifth  readers  of  the  (iraded  Literature  series 
he  useil  in  llie  third,  fourth  and  fifth  grades. 
This  is  the  third  change  of  readers  in  the 
Decatur  schools  since  1850. 

A  LIST  OF  TEACHERS 

employed  in  the  public  schools  from  the  or- 
ganization  of  tlic  board  of  education. 

April,  1865,  to  October  i,  1903. 

Edward  Adams,  Carlotta  Adams,  Louise 
Adams,  Zella  F.  Adams,  Josephine  Adams, 
Kate  Aikin,  Laura  Aikin,  Mrs,  Ottoria  Al- 
exander, Sarah  E.  Allen,  Blanche  Allsop, 
Harriet  M.  Amsden,  ISettie  Anderson,  Flor- 
ence .Able,  Amanda  J.  Affleck,  Lucy  J. 
Anderson,  Delia  Arthur,  Jennie  Badenhau- 
sen,  Mattie  Benian,  David  liigelow,  Bessie 
Baker,  Mattie  \',  Bean,  Ardelia  A.  Beach, 
A.  E.  Beardsley,  Mabel  \\'.  Barrett,  Mollie 
Bear,  Ella  Bear,  Olive  M.  Bear,  Edith 
Beamer,  .\annie  Beamer  William  O,  Betzer, 
Minnie  E.  Bigelow,  Clara  1!.  Bishop,  Adelia 
N.  Bishop,  Fannie  Bivans,  Maggie  C.  Boi- 
ler, Clara  W.  A.  Bowles,  Mary  A.  Bell, 
Sada  Beadles,  Hattic  Baker,  Alice  1\L  Bet- 
zer, Mary  E.  Baker,  John  T.  Bowles,  Ellen 
L  Bond,  Clara  B.  I'.othel,  Ella  D.  Boyer, 
Plorence  Tirand,  .Sallie  15rand,  ( Leffing- 
well),  Mary  R.  lirand,  Emma  M,  Beswick, 
Mrs.  Susan  .\.  Brockway,  Frank  P,  Bach- 
man,  L  luldie  Brown,  Fay  C.  Brown,  Mary 
E.  Earth,  Katharine  Brown,  Mary  E. 
Brooks,  F'rank  G.  Blair,  one  month  ;  Eva  M, 
Bixby,  Inez  Brunton,  Frances  'SI.  Bruce, 
(Strain),  .Anna  \L  Burnham,  Marietta  \V. 
Carson,  Maude  Calhoun,  Oka  Calvin,  .An- 
nette   H.    Carleton,    Nita    Clark,    Eda    AI. 


Clark,  Mary  Jackson  Clark,  May  Cochran, 
.\.  J.  Cole,  Nancy  Coleman,  Elizabeth  Con- 
dell,  .Margaret  Connor,  Lucy  Coolidge,  Ella 
Collrin,  .Mrs.  S.  L.  D.  Cortright,  Xancy  Cun- 
ningham, Emeline  E.  Crocker,  Jacob  H. 
Coonradt,  Rachel  Cook,  (.\lbeitz),  Kate  E. 
Crowley,  Bessie  X,  Cravath,  Emily  H.  Cot- 
ton, Mrs.  Xettie  Crosier,  Flora  .\,  Culp, 
Ruth  Culver,  Edith  Ray  Crapo,  Evaline  L. 
Cutler,  Buel  P.  Colton,  Julia  \'.  Criswell, 
Robert  I',  Davidson,  Harriet' A.  Davidson, 
Jude  E.  Davis,  Mary  Davis,  Xellie  Cole 
Danely,  Minnie  E.  Davis,  A.  .\lta  Dawson, 
Jvatherine  Dempsey.  Ruby  T.  Dc  Alotte, 
Laura  Dempsey,  Marianna  Deverell,  Katie 
R.  Dennis,  PZlizabeth  Dills,  Marian  Dills, 
Grace  Dills,  Inez  Dingman,  Cora  Di- 
van, Ella  Dixon,  Sophia  M.  Drebisch, 
C.  W.  Demmon,  Jennie  E.  Durfee, 
Lucy  Durfee,  Helen  Dean,  Miss  L.  AL  Dur- 
ham, Mollie  Ellis,  2  months ;  Mattie  E. 
Eaton,  Delia  M.  Eaton,  Ulric  C.  East,  Mary 
-M.  Edwards,  Walter  .A..  Edwards,  Sherry 
W.  Ehrman,  John  Eichinger,  Ida  Elder,  N. 
Olive  Enoch,  Mary  L.  English,  Tillie  Entler, 
Clara  Eyman,  Thomas  L.  Evans,  Mattie  H. 
Evans,  H.  E.  Flanagan,  Xellie  File,  Lura 
File,  Ada  Ferguson,  Irene  I-'erguson,  Marie 
Z.  Fleming,  Kitty  Fitzpatrick,  Ida  L.  Foss, 
.A.  Josephine  Freely,  Grace  Freeman.  J.  C. 
Fuller,  Mary  .A.  Fuller,  Belle  Fulton,  Laura 
Fulton,  Alary  W.  French,  Priscilla  E, 
Foulke,  Etta  Foster,  Philo  S.  Fenton,  Hat- 
tie  Falconer,  E.  A,  Gastman,  Frances  Gale, 
Alabel  C.  Gale,  Blanche  Gasaway,  Louise 
.A.  Gastman,  John  W.  Gibson,  Clara  S,  Gill- 
ham,  Theda  Gildmeister,  Frank  D.  Glover, 
Helen  E.  Green,  A,  S.  Gordan,  Hattie  Greer, 
Xannie  R.  Gray,  Ruby  C,  Gray,  Anna  AI. 
Granger,  Alary  E,  Grunendike,  Mollie  Gru- 
bel.  Alary  C,  Gregory,  Emma  Gregory,  Sue 
Gregory,  Alary  Gregory,  B.  Wilmah  Greene, 
Alary  B.  Hall,  Xettie  Hall,  Stella  M.  Hague, 
Flelen  F.  Hale,  Alida  R.  Handy,  Emma 
Harpstrite,  Alary  Hasbrouck,  Clara  X. 
Haw-kes,    Thomas    E.    Havward,    Alary    L. 


PAST  Axu  i'Ki:si:\r  of  macox  county. 


14& 


Hubbard,  Josephine  Ilarwood,  Annie  \\  . 
Hayden,  Xellie  I.  Hendricks.  Flora  E.  Hill. 
l>ertha  Hendricks,  Elizabeth  Hardy.  Anna 
E.  Haskell,  Herbert  C.  Hansen,  Henry  Han- 
son, George  A.  Henderson,  tirace  Hite, 
Belle  W.  Hobbs,  Ida  llockingbcrry,  lunma 
iirird.  Elizabeth  L.  Howes,  Grace  K.  Hutch- 
ison. Celeste  Hoft'man.  Clara  E.  Hoffman, 
Ruth  Hoffman,  FAa  Humphrey,  Jane  E. 
Hammond,  F'rank  Hamsher,  Lucy  Hollings- 
vvorth,  (Montgomery),  (Nelson),  Ethel 
Hopson,  Kate  Hamilton,  Robert  F\  Hoxie, 
.Mrs.  Stella  Hunter.  Leta  Hughey.  Bertha 
flull.  Rachel  Hummell,  .Martha  E.  Hughes, 
Ida  C.  Huft'man.  Victor  Hawthorne,  Sarah 
.M.  Imboden.  Euc\-  Irwin.  Samuel  S.  Jack. 
.\niia  Jack.  Lottie  A.  Jackson.  .Xoah  X. 
Jacobs.  l-"annie  Johns,  (Sedgwick).  Carrie 
.\.  JaniisiMi.  George  F.  James,  Alice  Jen- 
nings, Delia  Johnson,  Lucinda  A.  Johnson, 
.Martha  Johnson,  May  Johnson,  Lena  1!. 
Jones,  S.  .\lice  Judd.  Rosa  E.  Judson,  Mary 
Jordan.  Marcia  Kimball.  May  Keethes, 
Charles  W.  Kent.  .Margaret  Kelley.  Airs. 
.Mattie  V..  Kerr,  Margaret  G.  Kerr.  (Col- 
bert I.  Roberta  Keyes.  Elizabeth  Knei])er. 
Lulu  Laughlin.  Elizabeth  Leeper.  .Margaret 
Leeper.  Louis  B.  Lee.  Mary  E.  Lewis,  Fan- 
ny T.  Lecher,  Grace  L.  Lockett,  Clara 
Long.  (I'rown).  Xellie  H.  Love,  Elizabeth 
Lutrell.  Mark  A.  Lukens.  Ernest  B.  Lytle, 
Samuel  M.  Lake,  Jessie  W.  Locket,  John  i!. 
Loeftlcr,  Laura  Longenecker,  Dora  K. 
Longenecker,  Maude  A.  MacClurg,  A.  Marie 
Macpherson.  .\nna  Magee,  Carrie  Mallory. 
Eva  Malone.  Wallace  E.  Mann.  Laura  .Mar- 
tin, Lida  C.  Martin,  John  Marten,  Elizabeth 
Mathews.  Sallie  McCall,  Mary  McCullom. 
Cora  McGorray.  Katherine  McGorray,  Mar- 
garet AIcGorray.  Lizzie  McGuire,  Laura  W. 
McLain,  Mrs.  Lida  A.  McMurry.  Oscar  l'. 
McKim,  Alice  Mead.  J.  H.  Metcalf.  Mar- 
garet M.  Means.  .Anna  Mead.  Martha 
Mertz.  I-:ivira  K.  Mark.  Priscilla  Mill- 
burn.  Mrs.  L.  L.  Miller.  Julia  C.  Mil- 
ler.    Mary     .Miller.    Maude    E.   Mills.    Mi.ss 


L.  L.  .Mitchell.  .Mrs.  Jennie  .Montgom- 
er\ .  Lucv  W.  Miles,  one  month;  Edith 
.Montgomery.  Ida  Moffill.  Laura  Montgom- 
ery, Helen  F.  Moore,  Harriet  E.  Moore, 
Emma  Muthersbaugh,  Mabel  Muther.s- 
i)augh.  George  S.  Morris.  Mary  W. 
Moore.  Mary  E.  Moore,  Mrs.  Anna  E.  .Mur- 
lihy.  Chloe  Murphy.  C.  M.  McMahon, 
Charles  W.  .Mills.  l':va  T.  .Myers.  .Mary 
Xeil,  r.ertha  .Xorman,  Tillie  Xornian.  Vir- 
ginia .X.  Odor,  .Maria  Okey.  F.lizabeth  Ol- 
.son,  Bessie  Oshinsky,  Bettie  I'rather.  F.il- 
win  Park.  Henry  1".  I 'age.  Mary  A.  Perry, 
(Bradley),  ^^■nl.  L.  Page,  F.lizabeth  .M. 
Park.  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Park.  Minnie  Parker, 
.Mrs.  r.ell  Porter,  Minerva  M.  Pearce,  .Ar- 
thur L.  I'atton.  John  .A.  Peters,  Bertha 
I'illsbury,  ICdwin  I'hilbrook.  Ellen  C.  Phil- 
brook.  Florence  E.  Pitts.  John  H.  Powell, 
.Mrs.  Sue  C.  Philips.  Catherine  E.  Peck,  3 
months;  Calla  .M.  i'arker.  .Mary  Powers, 
Ada  S.  I'ritchett,  Helen  Perry.  Xettie  C. 
I'ritchett.  Ethel  Ouinlan.  Bertha  Reed.  Sal- 
he  Reeme,  Susie  .M .  Reddick.  G.  .Anna  Ray- 
mond. Sallie  Roe.  Lois  .M.  Roberts,  Lucre- 
tia  1.  Rooker,  Xeal  1).  Rcardon.  Carrie  .A. 
Record,  Mrs.  Agnes  Roddy.  Deete  Rolfe, 
iM-ederick  Rust.  .Anna  F.  Rus.sell,  Mrs.  J. 
11.  Roell.  Silva  Ross,  Elizabeth  Sabin, 
Lhristina  Sanderson,  Sarah  E.  Sanderson, 
Tillie  Schumacher,  Carrie  Scott,  Mrs.  Kate 
I'.  Si-vfer,  Sophia  1!.  Shaffer.  Fanny  C. 
Shepard.  James  J.  Sheppard,  Elizabeth 
Sherrick.  C.  \V.  Shleppy,  Kate  Sherrick, 
Gertrude  Shorb,  Orrillia  Sikes,  Margaret 
SoUars.  Anna  B.  Simms.  Frances  Simpson, 
Myra  A.  Smith.  Xellie  L.  Smith.  Oscar  F. 
Smith.  Fannie  L.  Smith.  Bruce  Smith.  J.  B. 
R.  Sherrick.  .Miranda  M.  Sargent,  Kather- 
ine Search,  .Mice  E.  Slocunib.  .\nna  .Sny- 
der, Flora  P>.  Smith,  Lennie  F.  Smith,  Ber- 
tha Sjiencer,  Harriet  Southwick,  Mosetta 
I.  .Stafford,  Clara  .Stare.  Jessie  Spencer,  Bell 
Sterling.  Mrs.  J.  M.  Sterrett,  Kate  Stickel, 
Lillie  \V.  Stewart.  Lurene  Seymour,  Susie 
Tucker,   \'esta  Terrell,   Ennna  Trull,   Mary 


150 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF 'MACON  COUNTY. 


Thuiiiiemann,  Lillian  Tabor,  A.  Anna  Tink- 
ler, Mary  ToUaday,  Elmer  R.  Towl,  Eliza- 
beth Tovvl,  Litta  Tobey,  John  Trainer, 
Berlha  Trautinan,  Prank  L.  Traverse,  Alice 
Tuttle,  Jeancttc  L.  Tyler,  Alice  Tyler,  Sallie 
J.  Taylor,  Lena  Ullrich,  Luetta  Ullrich,  Ella 
VanDeren,  2  months;  Mary  E.  Vaughan, 
Carl  Vertrees,  Anna  Vetterleit,  \Vm.  L. 
Westermann,  Margaret  E.  Wallace,  Edith 
M.  Wallace,  Myra  Belle  Wallace,  Josephine 
F.  Waggoner,  Medora  E.  Waughop,  (Yoa- 
cum),  John  W.  Weston,  E.  D.  Walker,  Bes- 
sie S.  Warren,  Henrietta  Watkins,  i  month ; 
Mattie  Weaver,  Pearl  W.  Weiennett,  Ma- 
tilda Wells,  Frank  W.  Westhoff,  Jasper  N. 
Wilkinson,  Nettie  Wiley,  Mollie  E.  Will- 
iams, Frederick  C.  Willson,  Mary  W. 
Wilder,  Anna  M.  Wilson,  Blanche  Wilson, 
Minnie  E.  Wilson,  Mabel  Wilson,  Josepha 
H.  Witte,  Alice  Witbcck,  Mary  Wood,  An- 
na E.  Woods,  J.  Edna  Worthley,  Sarah  Wil- 
son, Edith  Yeomans,  Bessie  L  Young,  Jen- 
nie Young,  Ella  W.  Yeager. 

THE  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

In  1862,  the  directors  decided  to  emploj- 
a  city  superintendent  of  schools  and  to  open 
a  high  school.  Nothing  of  the  kind  had  been 
done  before  in  Decatur.  On  July  12,  1862, 
E.  A.  Gastman  was  elected  principal  of  all 
the  schools  at  a  salary  of  $480  for  a  term 
of  120  days.  At  the  same  meeting  Miss 
Frances  A.  Peterson  was  elected  assistant 
in  the  high  school  at  a  salary  of  S30  per 
month. 

During  the  summer  Mr.  Gastman  and 
Miss  Peterson  were  married  and  the  high 
school  was  opened  under  their  management, 
September  22,  1862,  in  the  lower  east  room 
of  the  Church  street  school.  The  following 
pupils  were  enrolled  during  the  first  school 
year  of  six  months : 

Lois  Andrews,  Laura  Cornell,  Maggie 
Ellis,  Maggie  Flora,  Alice  Glore,  Hattie 
Greer,  Anna  Hargis,  .Mice  Harris,  Jane 
Hammond,    Almira    Kaufman,    Love    Kauf- 


man, Eliza  McClelland,  Jane  McClellan, 
Mollie  Mitchell,  Adelia  Murray,  Kate  New- 
ell, Sadie  Phelps,  Anna  Righter,  Alice  Shel- 
labargcr,  h'lora  Stuart,  Thomas  Boyce,  Wm. 
T.  Cussins,  W.  C.  Ellis,  Orville  B.  Gorin, 
Alonzo  Glore,  Albert  Henkle,  Hugh  Odor, 
Edwin  Miner,  William  Powers,  Benj.  H. 
Righter,  \\'clburn  Hiner,  Thomas  Henkle, 
Chas  M.  Durfee,  Carrie  Trowbridge,  Emma 
Trull,  .Mary  Hudnot,  Winnie  Branch,  Sarah 
Frazier,  Lizzie  Luttrell,  Jane  Elwood,  Mary 
titzpatrick,  Marcella  Greer,  Carrie  Jamison, 
Emma  Peddecord,  Kate  Stickle,  Elizabeth 
Trull,  Emmaretta  Williams,  Lydia  A. 
Smith,  Anna  Haworth,  Jennie  E.  Durfee, 
Mary  Falconer,  Mary  Stuart,  Thomas  Nich- 
ols, A.  Orr,  Patrick  Keely,  J.  C.  Hostetler, 
Frank  Priest,  Edward  Goodman,  Jay  J. 
Mansfield,  George  Routh,  Edwin  Stickle, 
Robert  R.  Montgomery,  Richard  Noble,  T. 
J.  Davis. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  the  school  was  moved 
to  the  basement  of  the  Baptist  Church  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  William  and  Water 
streets,  ilrs.  Gastman  having  died  just  be- 
fore the  close  of  the  previous  year,  Miss 
Mary  E.  Baker  became  the  assistant.  The 
school  was  carried  on  in  this  dark  and  dingy 
basement  for  six  years.  During  that  time 
Misses  Miranda  ]\I.  Sargent,  Helen  Dean, 
and  Nancy  Cunningham  were  assistants. 
At  an  election  held  July  8,  1863.  the  people 
ordered,  by  a  vote  of  129  to  6.  that  the 
schools  should  be  continued  for  nine  months 
in  each  year. 

In  the  first  years  of  its  history,  the  school 
had  no  regular  course  of  study.  Such 
classes  were  formed  as  would  best  suit  the 
wants  of  the  pupils  attending  the  school. 
Gradually,  however,  a  course  of  three  years 
was  adopted. 

There  was  very  little  interest  in  the 
school  among  the  people,  and.  probably,  less 
than  one  hundred  citizens  attended  the  first 
annual  exercises  and  saw  this  class  of 
four  girls  receive  their  diplomas.     But  these 


PAST  AND  I'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUXTY. 


15) 


very  exercises  had  a  very  decided  inlluencc 
in  awakening  a  strong  popular  sentiment  in 
favor  of  the  school. 

The  erection  of  a  building  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  school  was  frc(|nently  dis- 
cussed l)y  the  board  of  education,  but  no 
action  was  taken  until  August  9,  1866,  when 
Messrs.  Durfee  &  Warren  and  Dr.  Thomas 
H.  Reed  sold  to  the  board  lots  Jo.  1 1  and  u 
of  the  resurvey  of  block  7,  Reed  &  Co.'s  ad- 
dition, for  the  sum  of  $3,400.  In  May,  1869, 
lot  9  in  the  same  block  was  bought  of  Ab- 
■diel  T.   Risley.   for  $820. 

Owing  to  a  want  of  funds  nothing  was 
done  about  a  building  until  April.  i8f)8, 
when  Air.  (leo.  V.  Randall  of  Chicago  was 
employed  to  prepare  plans  and  specifications 
for  a  high  school  house.  On  the  twenty- 
sixth,  the  clerk  was  clirccted  to  advertise  for 
bids  for  erecting  the  building.  On  June  13th 
the  following  projjositiohs  were  submitted: 

Conn  &  Underwood.  .Sbelliyv  illc.  111.. 
$25,000;  A\'.  F.  Bushnell  &  Co.,  Mendola, 
111..  $25,000:  F.  .McXabb.  Decatur,  III, 
$19,980:  X.  J-  Campbell.  Decatur,  111..  $25.- 
000;  D.  C.  Shockley.  Decatur,  111.,  $ii).- 
192.58. 

Plastering  and  painting  were  not  includeil 
in  the  bids  of  Messrs.  McXabb  and  Shock- 
ley.  The  contract  was  awarded  to  Mr. 
Shockley. 

On  July  4.  1868.  the  lot  was  surveyed  ancl 
leveled  b\-  Charles  A.Tuttle.  The  erection  of 
tlie  building  was  commenced  soon  after,  D. 
McVey  being  in  charge  of  ibr  brick  work. 
During  the  summer  and  fall  the  house  was 
enclosed,  but  the  tower  was  not  built  until 
the  spring  of  1869.  The  house  was  plastered 
in  the  winter  by  Sollars  &  Hanks  for  $r,- 
098.60.  It  should  be  said  to  the  credit  of  these 
workmen  that  no  repairs  have  been  required 
on  the  plastering  from  that  time  until  now, 
except  under  the  stairways  in  the  halls.  The 
painting  was  done  by  M.  A.  Myer  and  A. 
C.  Corman  for  $1,046.60.  The  total  cost 
of  the  building  was  $24,577,46. 


The  first  session  of  the  high  school  was 
held  in  the  new  building  September  13, 
18O9.  with  these  teachers  in  charge  of  the 
several  classes : 

1''.  .A.  (iastman,  .Mary  W  .  iTrncli,  Mi- 
rantla    .M.   Sargent. 

The  first  story  and  one-half  of  the  second 
storv  of  the  building  were  occupied  by  chil- 
dren in  the  lower  grades  of  the  ward 
schools.  Misses  Martha  E.  Hughes  and 
Sarah  E.  Allen  taught  primar}'  classes  in 
the  rooms  on  the  lower  floor,  and  Miss 
Amanda  J.  Affleck  had  an  intermediate 
school  in  the  northeast  room  on  the  second 
tloor. 

<  )n  the  8th  i)f  l'\bruary.  1870,  Samuel  S. 
Jack,  of  Latrobe,  Pennsylvania,  was  unani- 
mously elected  ])rincipal  of  the  high  school 
at  a  salarv  of  $1,500  ])er  annum.  The  aver- 
age daily  attendance  in  the  school  that  year 
was  1 10.  The  following  class  graduated 
in  June.  1870:  .Maggie  Sollars,  Mabel  Car- 
penter, Carrie  I'llson,  Rachael  F,.  Cook, 
Robert  B.  Hostetler,  Charles  M.  P.arnes, 
Truman    S.    Crissey,  John    L.    Ridenour. 

It  is  believed  that  this  is  the  only  class  in 
the  history  of  the  school  in  which  the  nuin- 
ber  of  boys  was  equal  to  the  number  of  .girls. 

(In  February  10,  1871,  Mr.  .Samuel  S. 
Jack  tendered  his  resignation  of  the  prin- 
cipalshi]),  wliich  was  accepted  and  F.  A. 
Ciastnian  was  directed  to  take  charge  of 
tin-  school  mitil  a  new  princqial  could  be 
secured. 

In  1871  the  course  of  stitdy  was  extended 
to  four  years  and  no  class  graditated  that 
year  on  account  of  this  change. 

The  growth  of  the  school  was  slow  in 
those  days.  In  1875  there  were  five  teach- 
ers, and  the  average  daily  attendance  was 
155  fiir  the  year.  In  1880  the  number  of 
teachers  was  the  same  and  the  average  at- 
tendance was  152.  In  1885  the  attendance 
advanced  to  220.  and  the  number  of  teach- 
ers remained  as  before.  In  1890  the  aver- 
age daily  attendance  was  244  and  the  num- 


15i 


PAST  A.XIJ   I'RKSKXr  ol'    .MACoX  rol'XTY 


her  of  teachers  increased  to  seven.  At 
])resent  there  are  nineteen  teachers  at 
work. 

The  gradual injT  class  of  1875  numbered 
thirteen,  two  boys  and  eleven  girls.  In  1880 
there  were  twenty-two  graduates,  six  boys 
and  sixteen  girls.  In  1885  the  class  was 
coiuposed  of  eight  boys  and  twenty  girls, 
or  twenty-eight  in  all.  In  1890  the  class 
consisted  of  thirty-six  members,  thirteen 
boys  and  twenty-three  girls.  In  1894  there 
were  forty-nine  members  in  the  class,  of 
whom  seventeen  were  boys  and  thirty-two 
girls.  The  graduating  classes  since  1894 
have  been  as  follows:  "95,  76;  '96,  80;  '97, 
87:  98,  55;  '99,  70;  1900.  84.  The  number 
of  pupils  enrolled  during  the  year  1899- 
1900  was  731. 

From  the  above  figures  it  w-ill  be  seen 
that  the  growth  of  the  school  and  of  the 
classes  annually  graduated,  commenced 
about  1885  and  has  steadily  continued  until 
the  present  time,  .\nother  fact  shows  the 
same  condition  of  affairs.  From  1869  to 
1892  the  old  building  proved  ample  for  the 
wants  of  the  school.  In  the  latter  year  the 
capacity  of  the  building  was  substantially 
doubled  bv  the  erection  of  an  addition  in 
front.  It  was  thought  that  this  would  make 
the  building  adequate  for  a  long  time  to 
come,  but  ])y  1895  '^  second  addition  of  six 
rooms  on  the  rear  was  required. 

The  building  as  it  now-  stands  has  thir- 
teen session  rooms,  witli  a  combined  ca- 
pacity for  about  800  ]iui)ils.  three  recitation 
rooms,  two  large  well-equipped  labora- 
tories, a  drawing  room  and  a  library  room. 
It  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  high  school 
buildings  in  the  state. 

The  expansion  of  the  High  School  in 
point  of  numbers  and  building  accommo- 
dations has  been  paralleled  in  its  cotirse  of 
study.  It  has  expanded  in  two  directions ; 
in  the  addition  of  new  subjects,  and  in  the 
more  extensive  study  of  subjects  already 
in  the  course.      Ptipils  today  may  pursue  a 


tour  years'  course  of  stud}-  in  l'",nglislu 
mathematics.  Latin,  (ierman.  history  and 
science.  Their  course  of  study  is  deter- 
mined for  the  most  part  by  their  own  in- 
tellectual tastes,  the  only  subjects  particu- 
larly required  being  English  and  a  certain 
amount  of  malhem;itics.  This  freed(jm  of 
election  of  studies  is  of  recent  introduc- 
tion, but  thus  far  ])romises  much  in  making 
school  work  a  matter  of  serious  purpose. 

( )ur  large  and  well  equipped  chemical 
and  physical  laboratories  and  our  generous 
supply  of  microscopes  and  other  biological 
apparatus  put  our  work  in  science  on  a  true 
scientific  basis,  and  enable  our  pupils  to 
gain  real  insight  into  scientific  method. 

A  great  deal  might  be  written  in  descrip- 
tion oi  the  work  in  English,  mathematics, 
the  languages  and  various  other  subjects, 
but  space  forbids  to  say  more  than  that 
these  subjects  are  taught  from  the  latest 
and  most  approved  text  books  by  men  and 
women  whose  training  has  made  them 
specialists  in  their  department. 

There  are  two  sul>jects  now  taught  in 
the  High  School  that  deserve  special  men- 
tion ;  music  and  drawing.  To  those  wdio 
are  acquainted  with  the  aims  and  results 
of  the  work  along  these  lines  nothing  need 
be  said  to  show  their  value.  These  subjects 
have  won  their  place  in  the  schools  in  spite 
of  long  ojipcisition.  and  their  jaossibilities 
and  value  are  constantly  coming  to  greater 
appreciation. 

^\'hen  we  reflect  on  the  fact  that  over 
se\en  hundred  girls  and  boys  were  enrolled 
in  the  High  School  during  the  year,  that 
the  four  vears  of  the  High  .School  life  are 
the  formati\-e  years  of  their  character,  the 
\ears  when  they  begin  to  awake  from  the 
dreams  of  childhood  \.o  know  the  world  as 
it  is.  the  years  when  many  of  them  are 
meeting  the  sterner  realities  of  life,  wdnen 
we  think  on  these  facts,  we  begin  to  realize 
what  a  ]iosition  of  influence  in  the  com- 
munity tlie  I  ligli  School  holds.   W'e  are  wont 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


153 


to  forget  that  the  children  of  today  are  the 
men  and  women  of  tomorrow.  But  such 
is  the  ever  recurring  fact.  The  money  then, 
and  the  time  and  thought  that  are  expended 
in  maintaining  this  institution,  which  re- 
ceives its  pupils  as  children  and  graduates 
them  as  men  and  women,  is  well  and 
wisely  spent. 

GRADUATES     OF    THE     DECATUR 
HIGH   SCHOOL  BY   CLASSES. 

The  High  School  was  organized  in  Sep- 
tember, 1862.  The  following  is  a  complete 
list  of  the  graduates.  In  1871  no  class  grad- 
iiated,  as  the  course  was  changed  from 
three  to  four  years. 

Class  of  1867. 

Emma  Hummell  (GarverJ,  Rachel  Hum- 
mell  (Bear),  Alice  Roberts,  Emmaretta 
Williams   (Hopkins). 

Class  of  1868. 

Clara  Allison  (Imboden),  Theodore  Cole- 
man' (Yellow  Pine),  Ruth  Crissey  (Cor- 
nell), Fannie  Johns  (Sedgwick),  Jennie 
Newell   (Wilson). 

Class  of  1869. 

Frank  L.  Brooks,  Hattie  Fuller  (Krig- 
baum),  Carrie  Hubbard  (Kinney),  Katie 
Jones  (Aldrich),  Emma  Reeme  (Davidson), 
Sallie  Roe    (Baird). 

Class  of  1870. 

Charles  M.  Barnes,  Mabel  Carpenter 
(Summers),  Truman  S.  Crissey,  Rachel 
E.  Cook  (Albeitz),  Carrie  Elson  (Clokey), 
Robert  B.  Hostetler,  Maggie  Sollars  (Cald- 
well), John   L.   \'estal. 

Class  of  1872. 

Emma  Tunmons  (Linstedj,  Etta  Foster 
(Crawford),  Sallie  Malone,  Ida  Moffit 
(May),  Annie  Shepherd  (Witt),  .Mice 
Stamper  (Martin). 


Class  of  1873. 
Lora  E.  Anderson  (Bohon),  Ella  E.  Col- 
trin  (Smith),  Ruth  A.  Culver  (Vestal),  Ida 
E.  Coltrin,  Laura  M.  Emerson,  Lena  Hin- 
kle  (Walters),  Virgil  N.  Hostetler,  Mary 
Johnson  (Brown),  Ida  T.  Jones  (Hartzel), 
Sanford  Leffingwell,  Nellie  B.  Smith,  Dora 
E.    Watighop    (Severance). 

Class  of  1874. 

Mollie  Barnes  (Stanton),  Maggie  Dennis 
(Cobb),  Mary  Halstead  (Pease),  Eva 
Malone,  Priscilla  Milljurn  (Smith),  Annie 
.Smith  (Close),  Abbie  Ryan,  Myrtle  Varner 
(Millizen),  Jennie  Young   (Pratt). 

Class  of  1875. 
Grace  Adams  (Birkett),  Lilly  Babbitt, 
Nellie  Corneau  (House),  Harry  Durfee, 
Leora  Emerson  (Richardson),  Carrie 
Fearn,  Belle  Fulton,  .Minta  l'"uUi)n,  Lucy 
Irwin  (Harrington),  Cora  Johnson  (Sei- 
fried),  Tillie  Norman  (Bascom),  Celia 
."-^luipp   (Buchanan),  .Mbcrt  T.  Summers. 

Class  of  1876. 

Mary  Brett  (Williams),  Cora  M.  Bone- 
steel  (Hueston),  Leona  L.  Childs 
(Stookey),  Laura  Lindsay,  Annie  McKen- 
zie  (Leach),  Josie  Shea  (Baum),  Emily 
Clark  (Parker),  Docia  Gates  (Baker), 
Bettie  Wingate  (Lindomood),  Mary  Wise 
(Burks). 

Class  of  1877. 

Laura  Adams  (HufT),  Laura  E.  .A.ikin, 
William  Barnes,  Dessie  Bowers  (Powers), 
Ilattic  J.  Brown,  Maggie  R.  Cloyd,  Nellie 
Durfee  (Jenkins),  Annie  B.  Haskell,  Will 
J.  Hostetler,  Emma  I.  Hughes  (Irwin), 
Nellie  O.  Krone,  Lou  Martin  (Strader), 
Laura  B.  Martin,  W.  Clay  McCune,  Minnie 
A.  Parker  (Hostetler),  Annie  E.  Russell 
(White),  Sarah  Sanderson  (Wilson),  Wil- 
helmina  Shultz,  Fannie  S.  Smith  (Gray), 
Lulu  Sollars  (Wheelock),  Sallie  Turner 
(Craig),  Alice  S.  Tyler,  George  A.  Win- 
gate. 


154 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Class  of  1878. 

Hcslon  1.  liaklwiu,  Ella  Uear,  Ella  Boyer, 
Charles  A.  Ewing,  Laura  Fulton  (Corley), 
Alida  R.  Handy,  Gussie  Hill,  James  T. 
Moore,  Laura  .Montgomery,  jMaggie  ilosser 
(Robinson),  Sarah  Bristow,  Mary  Connor 
(Rearich),  Charles  H.  Dennis,  Abbie  Pratt, 
Nellie  Pratt  (Tucker),  Clara  E.  Stare,  Car- 
rie Spangler  (Daniels),  John  H.  Ullrich, 
Ella   G.  Ursey. 

Class  of  1879. 

Meta  E.  Batteiger  (Dodson),  Wilson  M. 
Bering,  lola  Boyd  (Baker),  Sallie  Brand 
(Leffingwell),  Lillie  Dermit  (Anheier), 
Harry  Ehrman,  Edward  W.  Heilman,  Cora 
B.  King  (Roach),  W.  H.  Knapp,  Lizzie  E. 
Lukens,  Lizzie  A.  Murphy ,  Alverda  L. 
Scott  (Foster),  Annie  E.  Tuttle  (Phelps), 
Frances  L.  Taylor,  Minnie  S.  Brown. 

Class  of  1880. 

Horace  Andrews,  J.  Bering  Burrows,  Ber- 
tha M.  Barnwell,  S.  Lillie  Chadsey,  Anna 
Farrell  (Page),  Emma  T.  Marlett  (Leavitt), 
James  H.  Martin,  Beckie  A.  McRoberts 
(Bradfield),  Louise  C.  Meister  (Brohel), 
Viola  Moore,  Cyrus  T.  Randolph,  Henry 
E.  Gipson,  Mary  W.  Hardy  (More- 
house), Hattie  B.  Hardy  (Johns),  Bertha 
Hendricks,  Notie  M.  Large  (Bartholemew), 
Mary  E.  Robins  (Ryder),  Minnie  E.  Shelly 
(Rice),  Rella  Shockley  (Hurst),  Adele 
Shellabarger  (Hillman),  Jessie  Stephens 
(Page),  Frank  \\'e]ls. 

Class  of  1881. 

A.  V.  Andrews,  Eva  M.  Bixby,  Lillie 
Brown  (Murphy),  Nettie  M.  Hall,  James 
M.  Roberts,  Frank  C.  Roby,  Gertrude  Smith 
(Herff),  Estella  Spencer,  Walton  K. 
Hedges,  Mary  A.  Lukens  (Collins), 
Charles  R.  Murphy,  Ida  M.  McCormick 
(Klett),  Ada  E.  Pratt  (Baldwin),  Jessie 
Spencer,  Angle  Sweeney,  Perley  W.  Tay- 
lor, Annie  Tinkler  (Ward),  Mamie  T. 
Wood   (Armstrong). 


Class  of  1882. 
Lulu  Bishop  (Cunningham),  Hattie  Cole- 
man, Minnie  A.  Dill,  Harry  T.  Hays,  Hat- 
tie Howell,  Robert  R.  Rogan,  Kittie 
Search,  Robert  D.  Stewart,  Clara  Slom- 
mell,  Eddie  Hoy,  Lillian  B.  Irwin,  Clar- 
ence B.  McClelland,  Alary  Nebinger  (Sta- 
delman),  Annie  M.  Prather  (Van  Riper), 
Jennie  Troutman  (Albert),  Dora  Walston 
(Johnson),  Beulah  Whitsit. 

Class  of  1883. 

Hattie  A.  Abbott  (Brancher),  Everett 
J.  Brown,  Alaria  Buckingham,  Delia  Dim- 
mitt,  Lottie  E.  Eicholtz  (Adkins),  Blanche 
Gasaway  (Matthews),  Elizabeth  S.  Gast- 
man  (Powell),  D.  V'.  Heilman,  Annie  Hen- 
kle  (McClelland),  Ida  Hockingberry,  Alice 
M.  Imboden  (Riggs),  Annie  Litsinberger 
(Johnson),  Laura  Alahannah,  Sherman  AIc- 
Clelland,  Amanda  Pickerell  (Cruthers), 
Lewis  Race,  Arthur  Race,  Christini  Sander- 
son (Conover),  Lafayette  Shelley,  Matt  R. 
Smith,  Fritz  Westermann,  Max  Wester- 
mann. 

Class  of  1884. 

Alinnie  T.  Bachman  (Mueller),  Minnie 
Bigelow,  Ada  Boy.d  (Meckalenburg),  Flor- 
ence Brand  (Higgins),  Mary  Cloyd,  Charles 
C.  Denton,  Clara  E.  Eyman  (Walker), 
Arthur  Flood,  Bessie  E.  Green,  Annie  Gris- 
wold,  Effie  Hains  (Flood),  Mellie  Housum 
(Meyers),  Ella  Litsinberger,  Annie  Lit- 
lerer,  Grace  Lukens  (Bixby),  John  Alagee, 
Lillie  C.  Dimmitt,  Ellen  T.  Ditzler  (Met- 
calf),  Laura  Ebert  (Connard),  Fannie  B. 
Ehrman  (Marshall),  Mary  L.  English,  Mat- 
tie  H.  Evans  (Wiley),  Maggie  McGorray 
(Shlaudeman),  Eva  Nichols.  Emma  Petsch, 
\MlIiam  Ouinlan.  Cora  Renshaw  (Keller), 
Lou  Russell  (Cruze),  Alattie  Williams 
(Thompson).  Will  Wood,  Blanche  Wilson 
(Morrell). 

Class  of  1885. 
Lillie  Abbott  (Brancher),  Myrtle  Abbott, 
Marian  Abel  (Wait),  Mary  B.  Aikin,  Edgar 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


.155 


O.  Bradley,  Fred.  A.  Brown,  1-Lliza  L.  Hall, 
mho  R.  Hopson,  Ida  B.  Kaiii  (Martin), 
Lucy  C.  Keeler  (Hostetler),  Alma  A.  Koeh- 
ler  (Gilbert),  Nettie  S.  Lindsay,  Eva  E. 
Caldwell  (Bradley),  Myra  A.  Carniany,  Al. 
Bess  Dillon  (Reed),  Elmer  E.  Dresbach, 
Mame  L.  Freeman  (Wilmeth).  ^laye  M. 
Gannon  (Duncan),  Myrta  \  an  Riper  (Ke- 
ough),  Clarence  Wait,  Fred  E.  Murph}-, 
Mary  Lois  Roby  (Brown),  Charles  Schroll, 
Jeannette  Sollars  (Crozier),  Lottie  E.  Stare 
(Fritz),  Ralph  Templeton,  Augusta  Wester- 
man   (Schroll),  Mollic  Williams   (Muzzy). 

Class  of  1886. 

Leah  Lou  Bear,  Fred  K.  Bowman,  Harry 
A.  Bumstead,  Jennie  E.  Cariens  (Cray- 
croft),  David  J.  Cloyd,  Minnie  E.  Davis 
(Strader,  Howard  Diller,  Emily  S.  Ham- 
sher  (Ditto),  Leo  Heilbrun,  Carrie  L.  John- 
son (Stecher),  Thomas  J.  McReynolds,  Vir- 
ginia N.  Odor,  Nettie  C.  Pritchett,  Florence 
G.  Rainy  (Donnelly),  Nell  Schroeder,  Kate 
Sherrick,  H.  Theodore  Westermann,  Cora 
Whitmer  (McNabb),  Laura  Gertrude  Whit- 
sit    (Page). 

Class  of  1887. 

Kate  G.  Aikin  (Watson),  Fannie  Cross- 
man,  Mac  E.  Grossman,  Sophia  M.  Dro- 
bisch,  Will  L.  Dunn,  Addie  V.  Ebert  (Muel- 
ler), Eve  M.  Hammer  (Clark),  Lillian 
Haines  (Stoutenborough),  Alice  Hiser 
(Shinier),  Nellie  E.  Hubbard,  John  L. 
Keister,  Mary  E.  Lewis,  Lizzie  Ebert,  Lulu 
R.  Elwood,  Frank  L.  Evans,  Nora  A.  Rad- 
cliff  (Starr),  Bertha  T.  Randall,  John  B. 
Robinson,  Jonathan  Rogan,  Virginia  E. 
Smith  (Hardy),  Belle  M.  Steele  (Dona- 
hue), Edwin  L.  Stevens,  Adele  M.  Lower, 
Mary  A.  Magee,  Ella  C.  McRobert  (Kin- 
hart),  John  W.  Thomas,  Luetta  Ullrich 
(Bumstead).  Anna  E.  Wentz  (Irvin),  Al- 
berta B.  Whitmer,  Emma  R.  Weigand, 
Margaret    ^^'illianls,   James   A.   Winslow. 


Class  of  1888. 
Maud  Al.  Aikin,  Clifford  G.  Arthur,  Olive 
M.  Bear,  William  A.  Bentley,  Allen  G.  Bev- 
ans,  James  L.  Bevans,  William  J.  Cheno- 
weth,  Mary  O.  Colby,  X'adian  W.  Conklin, 
Charles  A.  Denison,  Sheridan  W.  Ehrman, 
John  W.  Eichingcr,  George  F.  Fruit,  Lela 
A.  Gladish,  M.  Josephine  Gasaway  (Jones), 
Clara  E.  Reeme,  Harrj^  E.  Flamshcr,  Joseph- 
ine R.  Harwood  (Conant),  Charles  T.  Hub- 
bard, Lizzie  Q.  Hughes  (Winter),  Celeste 
A.  Hoffman,  Lucinda  A.  Johnson  (Wheel- 
er), May  H.  Keethcs,  Harry  E.  Kizer,  Will- 
iam B.  Knoble,  Elizabeth  H,  Kneiper 
(Bunn),  Jacob  H.  Latham,  Robert  B.  Lytic, 
Florence  J.  Pitts  (Shellabarger),  Frank  E. 
Prestley,  Anna  E.  Rainey  (Stafford),  James 
Spence,  Gertrude  Shorb  (Martin),  Silas  E. 
Snyder,  Jessie  R.  Steele  (Wangelin),  Elmer 
Towl,  Jesse  Wiswell,  Victoria  Wallace 
(Arthur). 

Class  oi  1889. 

Fannie  T.  Locher,  Alice  M.  Judson  (Prin- 
gle),  Millie  P.  Batchelder  (Cowen),  Thad- 
dcus  Schroeder,  Harry  H.  Metz,  Minnie 
Brockway,  Mabel  Durfee,  Nita  Clark,  N. 
Grace  Penniwell,  J.  Christie  Gannon,  Flar- 
ley  Armstrong,  Elizabeth  Colladay,  Charles 
M.  Wood,  Christina  H.  MacKenzie  (Witt), 
Kilburn  H.  Roby,  Clara  E.  Hoffman,  Annie 
W.  Hayden  (Barnett),  Harry  E.  Haines, 
Beatrice  Bowman,  Frank  L.  Johnson,  Ada 
S.  Pritchett  (Bean),  Wilbur  W.  Dawson, 
Eugenia  Flarris,  Desdemona  Millikin  (Bev- 
ans), Julius  T.  Westermann,  Wesley  W. 
Mielley,  Wilson  Freeman,  Ella  Antrim, 
Elizabeth  Sherrick,  Eva  iNIay  Murphy, 
George  Lytic. 

Class  of  1890. 

Mattie  T.  Babcock  (Webb),  Mae  C. 
Brown  (Shoemaker),  Emma  M.  Condell, 
Grace  L.  Dills,  Maud  Espey,  Nellie  Schroll 
(Clark),  Mary  B.  Simon  (Whiting),  Mary 
M.  Stultz,  Lena  Ullrich,  Clara  A.  Weyl, 
Enuna    \".    Falconer,    Hattie    T.    Falconer, 


15G 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACON  COUNTY. 


Kathleen  K.  Harwood  (Mallery),  Grace  K. 
Hutchison,  Jessie  W.  Lockett,  Edith  M. 
Lytic  (Smith),  Jessie  P.  McKenzie 
(Shreves),  Mary  J.  Mathews  (Newell), 
Lola  Montgomery  (Perry),  Elizabeth  M. 
Park  (Beggs),  Fallis  S.  Radcliff  (Miller), 
Alice  C.  Robinson,  Leora  Sanderlin 
(Smallwood),  Walter  K.  Adams,  Charles 
W.  Armstrong,  Edwin  K.  Dinges,  Erank 
Hamsher,  George  1\L  Hart,  Edgar  E.  Jack, 
Dixon  H.  Kautz,  Albert  E.  Mowrey,  Her- 
bert E.  Nims,  Asa  C.  Somerville,  Arthur 
Wait,  Will  L.  Westermann,  Charles  C. 
Wilson. 

Class  of  1 89 1. 

Edna  AL  Bunn,  Elizabeth  L.  ]\Iatthews 
(Bachman),  Will  J.  Armstrong,  Frances 
AL  \\^oodrufif,  Alonzo  H.  Tuttle,  Mary  C. 
Clary,  Emma  F.  Harpstrite,  Jesse  E.  Whit- 
sit,  Effie  E.  Harris  (Lake),  Jennie  A.  Leiby 
(McMellen),  Luther  E.  Roby,  Mary  A.  Tut- 
tle (McFarland),  Mabel  E.  Wilson,  Lewis 
E.  Coonradt,  Mary  M.  W^ood,  Hattie  Cross- 
man  (Gordon),  M.  INIaude  Dill,  Katie  F. 
Montgomery  (Sullivan),  W'ilson  B.  Wood- 
ford, Gretchen  L  Boyer  (Brant),  Cornelia 
Blanche  Underwood,  Benjamin  Freeman, 
Pauline  B.  Bentley  (Adams),  Anna  W.  Ba- 
denhausen,  Elizabeth  N.  Mills  (Dawson), 
Milton  Johnson  Jr.,  Clara  N.  Hawkes, 
Bertha  .Spencer,  John  C.  Shea,  Thomas  B. 
Jack,  Mabel  C.  Smick,  Katherine  E.  Simon 
(Pennington),   Arthur  S.   Dumont. 

Class  of  1892. 

Hugh  M.  Boone,  W.  W^innie  Bramble, 
Donna  Buckingham,  Mary  L.  Batchelder 
(Watson),  Georgia  L  Clendenen  (Milden- 
berger),  Stella  Cowgill,  Annie  E.  Cool 
(Parks),  Myrtle  M.  Garver,  Floyd  A.  Gast- 
man,  Charles  D.  Hoy,  Nettie  Haag  (Mc- 
Intyre),  Lucy  Kretzer,  IMyrtle  V.  Lyon, 
Henrietta  Metz,  Alice  Meade,  Nellie  Michl, 
Elvira  E.  Mark,  John  Miller,  Kate  S.  Ouin- 
lan,    Ira    N.    T.     Roberts,    Sarah    Wilson 


(Mills),  Ida  E.  Webster   (Schultze),  Laura 
White,  Gertrude  L.  Wayne   (Kemper). 

Class  of  1893. 

Mary  L.  Lewis  (Miller),  Eva  I.  Dills, 
M.  Emma  Clark,  Aldyth  J.  Irwin,  Clara  E. 
Mitchell  (Lehman),  Delia  Arthur  (Hedges), 
Eunice  Scott  (Chandler),  Anna  L.  Meade, 
Dessie  A.  Garver,  Alma  M.  Halmbacher 
(Butzbach),  Virginia  A.  Peake,  Jessie  R. 
Smith,  Maude  Felton  (Brocton),  Samuel  K. 
Magee,  Charles  M.  Bumstead,  Morton  C. 
Blythe,  Herbert  S.  Howes,  Floy  R.  Gasa- 
way  (Niles),  Joseph  F.  Hartley,  L.  Made- 
line Roberts,  Sue  A.  Dimock,  Stella  A. 
Brooks,  Jennie  Lyons  (Martin),  Rosa  B. 
Ruckle,  Herbert  W.  Gorman,  Stella  E.  Ham- 
ilton, Jeannette  M.  Bills  (Heil),  Anna  S. 
Vetterleit,  Fannie  G.  Lyons. 

Class  of  1894. 

Carrie  A.  Record,  Ernest  B.  Lytle,  Leon- 
ard M.  Mitchell,  Georgia  Elliott,  Jessie  A. 
Montgomery,  Fannie  A.  Bivans,  Warren  T. 
Durfee,  Byron  E.  Bramble,  Eva  M.  Dun- 
ham, Byrd  Adele  Dinges,  Laura  Shaflfer, 
Sallie  Shaffer,  Edna  Margaret  Hendricks 
(Hart),  Jennie  W.  Baldridge  (Johnson), 
Jessie  La  Forgee  (McCoy),  Ada  M.  Hohen 
(Colladay),  Ella  Laude  Buchert,  Amy  A. 
Hoffman,  Donnie  E.  May,  (Wheeler) 
Pauline  Johnson  (Augustine),  James  F. 
Hall,  Maude  May  Stoy,  Annie  Roberts 
Cloyd,  Wilbur  Corman,  Fred  R.  Cassell, 
Fred  Schroll,  Thomas  William  Pitner, 
Archer  T.  Davis,  Ralph  O.  Conklin,  Roy 
R.  Wilson,  Louise  Antoinette  Gastman, 
Nellie  Geneva  Pratt  (Vance),  Lida  A.  Saw- 
yer, William  Fitzpatrick,  Rosa  Voelcker, 
Charlotte  E.  Hawes,  Lulu  M.  Beall,  IMabel 
A.  Wayne,  Florence  L.  Lyon,  Hattie  Childs, 
Elizabeth  Condell,  Fred  C.  Depew,  Mar- 
guerite Chandler,  Ida  J.  Lewis,  Max  C. 
Ruehl,  William  Buchanan,  Edith  Beamer, 
Charles  M.  Auer,  Violet  Bourne. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


157 


Class  of  1895. 

Fannie     S.     Askins,     Clara     M.     Becker, 
JMaude  E.  Brooks,  Edna  Childs,  Afabel  Car- 
son,   Jessie     R.    Darling-     (Hooper),    Mary 
Davis,  Marianna  DevercU,  .Marian  L.  Dills, 
-Mary  L.  Dorrell   (Wilson),  Mollie  M.  Dro- 
bisch,  Margaret  Downing,  Tillie  Afay  Ent- 
ler,    Maude    E.    Evans,    Harriet    M.    Earner 
(Barby),  Jessie  Felton    (Britton),   Caroline 
E.  Foulke,  Mary  A.  Fitzpatrick,  Nellie  B. 
File,    Marie   F.   Jenison,    Ada    M.    Johnson, 
Maude    L.    Kilgore,    Lida    C.    IMartin,   Cora 
Oliver  Martin,  Elizabeth  J.  McNeil,  Harriet 
B.  Martin,  Lida  M.  Montgomery,  Lydia  E. 
T.  Myers.  Nellie  G.  Moore,  Mary  E.  Moore, 
Lena    Quinlan,  ?,Iary    R.  Ramsey    (Wells), 
Carrie   L   Roberts,   Anne   H.   Roby,   Mabel 
Rice    Shinier    (Ca.ssell),    Louise    B.    Simon, 
Nonette     Stare      (Hovey),     Pearl     Homes 
Scott,   Ethel   F.    Greene    (Beatty),  Ada   Sa- 
lina    Haines    (Stoner),    Clara    E.    Harkness 
(Reubsamen),  Florence  H.  Hatch,  Ruth  C. 
Hoffman,  Louie  Grace  Hott,  Cora  E.  Huts- 
inpiller    (Wood),   Sarah    M.   Imboden,   Ber- 
ing E.   Braden,   Edwin   Buckmaster,   Harry 
J.  D.  Colladay,  William  H.  Coonradt,  Alva 
Hayes    Diehl,    Cecil    L.    Davidson,    George 
S.  Foster,  James  A.  Grubbs,  E.  K.  Hamp- 
ton,   Paul    T.    Hawes,    Luther    A.    Howes, 
Amanda     B.   Trainer     (Mann),   Jessie     M. 
Wade  (Peck),  Nellie  W.  Wilhelmy,  Myrtle 
Wheeler,    Ida    Mae    White    (Gay),      Irene 
L.    Wood,    Ardie    L.    Wood,    Bessie    Irene 
Young,   Hugh   W.   Housum,   Cecil    McKee 
Jack,  James  D.  Johnson,  Alva  M.  Johnson, 
Lewis  Isaac  Kirby,  Louis  T.  Rainey,  Bald- 
win   Starr,   Harry   F.   Turner,   Robert    Put- 
man  Vail,  Guy  W.  Williams,  J.  F.  F.  Waltz. 

Class  of  1896. 

Celia  Tone  Arthur.  Jennie  Grace  Baden- 
hauscn.  Nellie  Pugh  Batchelder  (Brown), 
Laura  Edith  Berry,  Adelia  Nelson  Bishop, 
Mary  Bell  Bivans  (Bramble),  Alma  May 
Brown.  Birdie  Olive  Lanham,  Dora  Kather- 
ine  Longenecker,  :\rabcl  Lord,  Mabel  Han- 


Ion     Love,    Ada    Estelle    ]\lagee,    Florence 
Mary    McBride    (Walker),    Fanny    Lucille 
.Merris,    Nina    May  Buckmaster,  Katherine 
Crankshaw,  Norma  Warren  Dawson,  Grace 
Ebel,  Winnifred  Grace  Elliott,  Challis  Har- 
rington Gasaway,  Ethel  Gordon,  Edna  Can- 
trcll   Graves    (Griswold),  Josephine   Esther 
Hoy,     Maud     Antoinette    Hughes,     Bonnie 
Barnes  Hutsinpiller,  Estella  Jenkins,  Laura 
Tenney  Jenkins   (Rigey),  Carylon  Lauretta 
Mae    King,    Razella    La    Mar,    Pearl    Lane, 
Arthur     Louis     Aikin.     Benjamin    Connor 
r.achracli,    Willis    Wilhcrt    Boggess,    John 
Anderson    Hrockway,  Jr.,   Frederick  Wads- 
worth  Church,  Howard  Gates  Cloyd,  Walter 
Earle  Colladay,  Charles  Dean  Cool,  Ralph 
Curtis,  Frank  Stoddard  Dickson,  May  Olivia 
-Miller,  Jeanic   Margaret  Muir,  Grace  Anna 
Munson,  Anna  Adele  Neiman,  Clara  Char- 
lotte   Niedermeyer,    Myra    Edwards    Plnm- 
mer,    Sadie    Rixse,    Bertha    Jessica     Roddy 
(Lampkin),   Ethel  Adele   Scovill     (Carpen- 
ter),   Mary   Jessie   Stevenson,    Lilian    Mary 
Stout,  Mary  Eda  Tolladay,  Laura  Jcannette 
Tullis    (Derrickson),    Eilen    Margaret   Ver- 
million, Grace  Ora  Walker,  Margaret  Alice 
Wood,     Grovnoir     Sprague     Hanc,     Hugh 
Jacob   Hill,    George   Raymond   Howenstine, 
Franklin  Johnson  Howes,  Gus  Hugh  John- 
son,  James    Arthur     Keith,   John     William 
Kinney,    Fred   Elwood    Mann,    Charles   Ed- 
ward   -Medford.   John    Alva    Myers,   James 
Benjamin    Parish,   Charles    Arthur    Dixon, 
George  Webster  Dunston,  Frank  Leroy  El- 
liott, Arthur  Clarence  Erwin,.  Herbert   El- 
roy  Fell,  Stanton  Clark  Fields,  Arthur  Bon- 
nom  Pease,  Edgar  Allen  Quinlan,  William 
Jacob  Rothfus,  Willis  Bion   Shirey,  James 
Blair  Vigus,  John  Jacob  Voclckcr. 

Class  of  1897. 

May  Allison,  Sadie  Chenoweth  Athons, 
Rose  Evelyn  Bachrach,  Emma  Rosalie 
Bean,  Mary  Adele  Blackstone,  Josephine 
Elizabeth  Bold  (Fife),  Gussie  Hill  Bone, 
Frances      Alice      DeCourcy      (McDonald), 


158 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Jeannette  May  Drake,  Alice  Wessels  Dro- 
bisch,  Madge  Olita  Fenton,  Eva  Myrtle  Flint 
(Johnson),  Clara  Chesley  French,  Nora  Lu- 
cille Cjraham,  Ina  Corinne  Graham,  Mary 
Willis  Greene,  Mollie  Eileene  Grubel,  Min- 
nie Anna  Halmbacher  (Geneess),  Lulu 
Blanche  Hoyland,  Litta  Tobey,  Josephine 
F.  Waggoner,  Maud  B.  A\'allace,  Lena  Al- 
berta Warwick,  Estelle  Verne  Will- 
iams, Cordelia  Williams,  Harriet  Wei- 
mer  Wood,  Edna  May  Woodford, 
Abner  William  Brintlinger,  Roy  Henry 
Brown,  Lucien  Wood  Bullard,  Ira  Wad- 
del!  Clokey,  Sidney  Alber  Covington,  Ralph 
Earle  Cruzan,  Florence  P.  Donahoe,  For- 
rest File,  Harry  Garver,  Ira  Carver,  H. 
Allen  Gleason,  Benjamin  Terrell  Hoffman, 
Mary  Josephine  Kerr,  Nellie  A.  Keeler, 
Lillian  Clara  King,  Grace  Hortense  Lytle 
(Heiby),  Bessie  Florence  Lutz,  Eva  Rilla 
Major,  Notie  Meriweather,  Laura  Agnes 
McNeil,  Mary  M.  Miller,  Edith  Frances 
Montgomery,  Emma  Maud  Muthersbaugh, 
Jessica  Norma  Nichols,  Etta  Bernice  Oakes, 
Myrtle  Angelia  Owen,  Clara  E.  Phillips, 
Ada  Aletra  Rainey,  Etta  M.  Ruddock,  Bes- 
sie Virginia  Sanner,  Clara  Loretta  Sawyer 
(Foster),  Lida  Evelyn  Smetters  (Wester- 
man),  Elizabeth  Blanche  Spalding,  ]\Iarie 
Rose  Steinbach,  Mary  Cline  Sterrett,  Ina 
Lydia  Kincaid,  Ira  Barnes  Hoy,  Walter 
Summer  Irwin,  William  Bertrand  Kennedy, 
Guy  Warren  Lipscomb,  Robert  Usrey  Maf- 
fit,  Winfrcd  Newman  Conway,  Ralph  Gar- 
field Mills,  Walter  Herbert  Mills,  Benson 
A.  L.  Myers,  Frederick  David  Niedermeyer, 
George  Raymond  Oakes,  George  Edgar 
Odor,  Roy  P.  Owen,  Russell  Charles  Pack- 
ard, Alfred  Piatt,  Charles  Franklin  Record, 
Robert  Karl  Schudel,  Charles  Moore  Steele, 
Henry  Conklin  Stevens,  Bryant  Edward 
Vail,  Sylvester  Wilhelmy,  Wayne  Cullen 
Williams. 

Class  of  1898. 

Ethel  B.  Ashmore,  Lelah  E.  Ayres,  Sada 
Beadles,  Alice  Jean  Bevans,  Nannie  Beam- 


er,  Jennie  Lucile  Bonebrake,  Elmer  O. 
Brintlinger,  Jessica  Ellen  Carr,  John  R. 
Clary,  Helen  Fayetta  Conover,  Mary  Jack- 
son Clark,  Frank  David  Collins,  Sallie 
Alabel  Coleman,  Olive  May  Casner,  Rice 
Ervin  De  Groat,  Lucy  Jeannette  Dur- 
fee,  Gertrude  Eva  Dillehunt,  Ruthe 
Deetz,  Leota  De  Hart,  JNIary  Golden 
Danely,  Elizabeth  Bates  Dills,  Myrtle  L. 
Etheridge,  Daisy  M.  Fletcher,  George  N. 
Gouv,  M.  Adelaide  Gaston,  Grace  Griswold, 
Edith  Adele  Hunsley,  ]\Iary  Catherine 
Harry,  Maude  Heminger,  Benjamin  Asbury 
Imboden,  Arthur  Livingston  Jeffers,  Ed.  H. 
Jeft'ers,  Lee  Irving  Knight,  Sarah  Etta 
King,  Olive  Oliva  Kunkle,  Ida  May  Loring, 
Alvah  W.  Long,  Margaret  Hellar  Landis^ 
Clyde  j\I.  Leach,  Noy  Oglesby  Montgom- 
ery, James  Montgomery,  Albert  Mann,  Jes- 
sie Isabel  Meriweather  (Pluck),  Margaret 
P.  Murrell,  Charlotte  Briggs  Nelson,  Otto 
G.  Prather,  Lillian  M.  Post,  ^largaret 
Gertrude  Phillips,  Ethel  Lucille  Ouinlan, 
Martha  Edna  Stuart,  Elizabeth  Ruth  TowL 
Charles  Edward  Vermillion,  Jesse  L.  Wi- 
koff,  Edith  M.  Wallace,  Thomas  Buck 
Weems. 

Class  of  1899. 
Edwin  Adamson,  Edgar  L.  Auer,  Clara 
Allison,  ]\linnie  Amelia  Brown,  Louise  M. 
Bold,  Marie  ]\Iaud  Bailey,  Lee  Boland,  Er- 
nest Bear,  James  Herbert  Bowdle,  Lillie 
E.  Baldridge,  Roy  Jabez  Blackburn,  Kath- 
eryn  Amelia  Burk,  Grace  Beadles,  Jesse  Le 
Roy  Conel,  Lynn  Watson  Clark.  Ella  Ce- 
cilia Clarkson,  Delia  L.  Dixon,  Edith  Chris- 
tina Carter,  Charles  E.  Ewing.  Bessie  M. 
Etheridge,  Clyde  M.  Frazier,  Nora  Vivian 
Greene,  J.  Fred  Grout,  Gioga  Dagmar  Gas- 
ton, Desdemona  Hamsher,  Daniel  Peter 
Housum,  Elizabeth  L.  Hawthorne,  Samuel 
Garfield  Heilbrun,  Gertrude  Anna  Hott, 
Lura  File,  Grace  M.  Hayes,  Marie  Bertha 
Heinz,  Mabel  A.  Knight,  Myrtle  Maul  Kell, 
Catherine  Estella  Fitzpatrick,  Mabel  H. 
Laughlin,  Mattie  E.  Laughlin,  Raymond  A. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OP  xUACON  COUNTY. 


159 


Leonard,  Louise  Mcrritts,  Sue  Mida  Maris, 
Cecil  G.  McColloin,  Mary  Elizabeth  Mills, 
Zella  McAllister,  Banus  H.  Prater,  Lucy  W. 
Penliallegon,  Anna  Mabel  Phillips,  Marie 
Haddessah  Powers,  Mary  Ethel  Priest,  Har- 
old L.  Ruehl,  Grace  Orpha  Record,  Roy  \V. 
Sanncr,  1\  II.  Marguerite  Stauffer,  Walter 
F.  Smock,  Sallic  Reed  Thomas,  Susie  Eme- 
line  Tucker,  Bertha  Troutman.  John  A. 
Wolfer,  Maud  A.  Weltlcy,  Edith  Mao  1  Ian- 
ford,  Maurice  Guy  \\'illiams,  Clara  May 
White,  Luella  Estella  Wheeler,  Bess  Neil 
Young,  Sadie  L.  C.  Skelley,  Harry  Jones, 
James  11.  niirtee  Jr.,  Irene  Bliss  Sikes,  Les- 
lie Alexander  Maffit,  Edith  O.  Foster,  Ada 
Emilie  Lindsay. 

Class  of  igoo. 

George  Irwin  Anthony,  X'olney  Barber, 
George  Beatty,  Carle  Edison  Braden,  Ralph 
Merle  Carter,  Lloyd  Albert  Chenoweth,  De- 
ios  Cozacl,  Edward  Alexander  Grubel, 
Harry  IT.  Ilannum,  Frank  Merrill  Lindsay, 
Clarence  C.  Neiman.  L.  Aldridge  Nichols, 
Rollin  Boughton  Pease,  Paul  F.  Rol)ertson, 
W'illiam  P.  Stevenson,  Marshall  C.  Stookey, 
Arthur  Van  Guilder,  John  LaFayette  Wad- 
dell,  Fao  Wait,  J.  Henry  Warnecke,  Aloses 
A.  Watkins,  Florence  Edith  Abel,  Edna 
Marie  Alexander,  Clara  A.  Ainsworth, 
Helen  Louise  Bachrach.  Martha  C.  Batchel- 
der,  Nellie  E.  Boutwell,  Nellie  Ethelin 
Bouser.  Myrtle  Llcw-Ella  Bowman,  Jessie 
C.  P>rowii,  Bessie  Burkam,  Fay  W'eller 
Burks,  Edith  Hazel  Catlin,  Mabel  A.  Clark- 
son,  Lucy  Colston  Cloyd,  Daisy  Jennie 
Coover.  Kathrina  Bartlett  Disbrow  (Clat- 
terbuck),  Ethel  Lcnore  Drinkall,  .Anna  Mae 
Dimigan,  Delia  Mae  Eaton,  Mabel  Agnes 
l-'bcrly,  Jessie  Irene  Fell,  Alma  Ethel  Fos- 
ter, George  Ena  Earner,  Sarah  E.  Fitzpat- 
rick,  Julia  Vivian  Gasaway,  Peai-1  Gebhart, 
I^elia  Pauline  Hardy,  Leona  Katherine 
Harkrader,  Bertha  Frances  Heminger,  Lu- 


cile  F.  Hiekisch,  Eve  M.  Hoffman,  Mabel 
Owen  Howensline,  Ethel  Lenore  Hoyland, 
Lulu  Belle  Hughes,  Leta  Hughey,  Patricia 
Maria  Flunt,  Grace  L.  DeHaven  Johnson, 
Florence  Mabel  Jones,  Kittie  Kincaid,  Fran- 
ces Celestia  Kirk,  Mary  Alice  Loughlin, 
Corrinne  Leach,  Mabel  L.  Logan,  Amy  Ida 
Mann,  Minerva  J.  Merker,  Aileen  McNur- 
ncy,  Mabel  Alice  Muthersbaugh,  Estelle  Er- 
cilla  Xichols,  Jessie  Reeves  Penhallegon, 
Celia  J.  Post,  Pansy  Blossom  Priest,  Mabel 
Claire  Scanlon,  Geneva  M.  Sikes,  Mae  M. 
Smeltzer,  Helen  Florence  Stookey,  Jessie 
Lucretia  Swette,  Esther  Louise  Thayer, 
Carrie  Louise  White,  M.  Margaret  Wiefel, 
L.  Irene  Wiefel,  Lucy  Lavina  Williams, 
Bessie  Belle  \\'ilson,  Louise  Wright. 

Class  of  I  go  I. 

Celeste  Beaumont  Abel,  Goldie  M.  At- 
lass,  Alice  A.  Baker,  Mae  Badenhausen, 
Mae  Frances  Boland,  Ethel  Ada  Baldwin, 
Zella  Alice  Burks,  Charlotte  Brinkmeyer, 
Alda  Ilalderman  Born,  Estelle  Esther  Bry- 
ant, Nellie  M.  Crockett,  Julia  Curran,  Ada 
I".  De  Hart,  June  AI.  Dempster,  Emma 
Bradley  Ewing,  Josephine  Mae  Epler,  Freda 
Jewel  Foster,  Lillian  E.  Friend,  Bertha  Mae 
Edmundson,  Beatrice  Elliott,  Bertha  Mae 
Garver,  Laura  Naomi  Gouge,  Neta  Han- 
num,  Grace  Hobson,  Antoinette  M.  Henry, 
Nena  Blondell  Imboden,  Ella  Estelle  John- 
son, Gertrude  P>.  Knotts,  Martha  Rubentha 
Kresin,  Myrtle  Taylor  McGowan,  Lola  E. 
Mason,  Trenna  June  Miller,  Elizabeth  G. 
Mackenzie,  Hattie  Elizabeth  Moore,  Flor- 
ence Jeannette  McNeil,  Grace  Naftel,  Flor- 
ence Isabelle  Nickens,  Grace  Lillian  Pope, 
Susie  Peters,  Nellie  E.  Painter,  Bessie  Ral- 
ston, Minnie  Redmon,  Mary  Theresa  Smith, 
Iva  Marguerite  Still,  .\nna  Carolyn  Stout, 
Mabel  Ellen  Stout,  Litta  Marie  Sine,  Au- 
gusta R.  Scott,  Leah  May  Seiberling,  Ruth 
Beatrice    Valentine,    Jennie    Fay    WikofF, 


160 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Frances  Effie  Wayne,  Nellie  Lura  Wor- 
lliam,  Myra  Belle  Wallace,  Nellie  F.  War- 
ren, Jennie  Pearl  Wohfarth,  Nellie  H. 
Wright,  Sybil  Lansdowne  Williams,  Emma 
M.  \\'ittlingcr,  Alaude  Wilking,  Roy  M. 
Cope,  Albert  Norton  Beadles,  Ralph  C. 
Bradilock,  Will  Carleton  Cash,  John  Collier 
Calhoun,  Austin  Flint  Collins,  Frank  E. 
Dietz,  Robert  Carl  Doake,  Harold  F.  En- 
lows,  Chester  \\'.  Hathaway,  Edward  Ber- 
ing Hitchcock,  Ralph  William  Hubert,  Ed- 
mund Walter  House,  Louis  Jones,  Arthur 
Jones,  Charles  W.  Keyes,  Frank  Kincaid, 
Lucius  Mitchell,  Norman  Dow  McCollom, 
Harry  Corneau  Morgan,  Robert  R.  Munsie, 
George  Taylor  Owens,  Charles  Walter  Pad- 
gitt,  Fred  O.  Pahmeyer,  Roy  Clifford  Par- 
rish,  Lloyd  J.  Sweeny,  James  Gordon  Sheen, 
Chester  Allan  Smith,  Fred  Tolladay,  Orville 
Wilhelmy,  Edgar  J.  Witzeman,  Claude  Kyle 
Zimmerly. 

Class  of  1902. 

Walter  Neil  Baker,  A.  Linn  Bear,  Robert 
V.  Benton,  Orville  Harry  Billington,  Car- 
roll Botts,  Charles  Black,  Guy  M.  Cheno- 
weth,  IMarquis  Connard,  Curtis  Connard, 
Orville  L.  Cross,  Robert  L.  Church,  Henry 
G.  French,  Ernest  John  Galbraith,  Richard 
Garland,  Lee  Edwin  Gilbert,  William 
Charles  Grout,  Claude  E.  Guyant,  G.  Pal- 
mer Harry,  Ernest  L.  G.  Heyne,  Hildred 
Vivian  Arthur,  Clara  Martin  Baker,  Lin- 
netta  Missouri  Bear,  Myrtle  Adams  Boone, 
Lucile  Carter,  Ethel  Chambers,  Grace 
Childs,  Ehrma  Cloyd,  Margarette  Edythe 
Connaghan,  Sadie  Clara  De  Lashmutt,  Lela 
Eyman,  Lulu  Eyman,  Vera  Glenn  Fenton, 
Zillah  H.  Finnell,  Pearl  Fribourg,  Nellie  P. 
Glessner,  Ada  D.  Gourge,  Alay  Gouy,  Sylva 
Mae  Hinton,  Jessie  Hott,  Lelah  Grace 
Hopkins,  Iva  M.  Hubbard,  Eda  Au- 
gusta Jacobsen,  Ollie  James,  Ethel 
May    Jay,    Effie    Belle    Keller,    Alice,  King, 


Llizabelh  Kirk,  Guy  U.  Hill,  Raymond  C. 
Hill,  Charles  Percival  House,  James  B. 
Howenstine,  Sidney  F.  Keeler,  Elmer  B. 
Keusink,  Don  Raymond  Lehman,  Earl  A. 
Mann,  Harry  Floyd  Midkiff,  Eugene  Clif- 
ton Robertson,  Ralph  T.  Roney,  Ray  G. 
Sawyer,  Frank  H.  Stewart,  D.  Fred  Strobel, 
Harry  Van  Gilder,  Wilkie  Logan  Waddell, 
Fritz  Leroy  Washburn,  Leonard  E.  Wise, 
Hobcrta  L  Knowlton,  Jessie  F.  Lichtenber- 
ger,  Ethel  Lilyan  Lindsley,  Carrie  IMetz, 
Opal  C.  Miller,  Judith  Bell  Mills,  Lillian 
Montgomery,  Bessie  Zona  Murrell,  Marguer- 
ite Ethel  Oakes,  Letha  Patterson,  Daisy  V. 
Payne,  Clara  Elliott  Phillips,  Lena  A. 
Pritchett,  Ella  Pritchett,  Jessie  Grace  Reed, 
Claribelle  Richardson,  Ida  Angeline  Rob- 
bins,  Edith  Fay  Rodgers,  Bertha  May  Rubi- 
cam,  Alice  M.  Ruddock,  Alice  Mae  Rupp, 
Amelia  Screeton,  Mabel  A.  Schutz,  Grace 
Lillian  Stuart,  Mabel  Thatcher,  Mabel 
Richmond,  Edith  Willard. 

Class  of  1903. 

Sidney  Louis  Bachrach,  Frank  E.  Bink- 
ley,  Edgar  Bachrach,  Harry  B.  Crea,  John 
Byrne,  John  Evans,  Harold  A.  Elliot,  Clif- 
ford J.  Gandy,  Guy  Renshaw  Harrison, 
Claire  E.  Hutchin,  Roy  G.  Johnson,  Fred 
L.  Riggin,  Louis  R.  Ryan,  R.  Zink  Sanders, 
Walter  John  Schulz,  William  A.  Witzeman, 
Frank  Walker,  Charles  Richard  Yates,  Otto 
R.  Stahl,  William  M.  Stivers,  Stella  Allen, 
Pearl  R.  Ammann,  Mabel  C.  Brightbill,  Or- 
pha  B.  Bear,  Bonnie  Blackburn,  Ada  J. 
Bills,  Frank  Elizabeth  Betzer,  Austa  Esther 
Brintlinger,  Virginia  Cloyd,  Chispa  L.  Chap- 
pelow,  Linnie  B.  Devore,  Jennie  S.  Dashiell, 
Ida  O.  Diller,  Lulalou  De  Groat,  Maud 
Jeanette  Earnest,  Eugenia  Ewing,  Mabel 
Fletcher,  Georgia  S.  Faith,  Pearl  Garrett, 
Mabel  Gaddis,  Olive  May  Got,  Lelah  Car- 
ver, Myrtle  May  Hatfield,  Irene  L.  Houck, 
Pearl  Huffaker,  Blanche  OpheUa  Head, 
Elva  Inez    Hartley,  Constance    Ice,  Helen 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


161 


Aileen  Jameson,  Margarete  E.  Kelly,  Hazel 
King,  Mary  Isabele  Legg,  Sylvia  Lee  Delda 
Lawrence,  Jessie  Leon,  Ruth  Mame  Lan- 
ham,  Hallie  May  Miller,  Edna  Claire  Mc- 
Clelland, Georgette  Morgan,  Lillie  Maud 
Nichols,  Frances  Catherine  Nye,  Josephine 


Estelle  Nickens,  Jessie  Sumuelva  Mont- 
gomery, Lillian  May  Quimby,  Pearl  Record, 
Hallie  Rugh,  Florence  Scott,  Mabel  E. 
Thorn,  Katherine  Troutman,  Edith  T. 
West,  Samuella  Young,  Madge  Arline 
Young. 


O^^..^^^J_.^  y^., 


^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


ORLANDO  POWERS. 


Among-  llie  cinineiit  men  of  Illinois  whose 
life  record  forms  an  integral  part  of  tlie 
history  of  Decatur,  Hon.  Orlando  Powers 
was  numbered.  In  his  death  the  city  lost 
one  of  its  most  progressive  residents  and 
active  and  honorable  business  men,  as  well 
as  one  whose  influence  was  felt  in  marked 
degree  along  the  line  of  intellectual  and 
moral  advancement.  As  the  day,  with  its 
morning  of  hope  and  promise,  its  noontide 
of  activity,  its  evening  of  completed  and 
successful  efforts,  ending  in  the  grateful 
■  rest  and  quiet  of  the  night,  so  was  the  life 
of  this  honored  man.  His  career  was  a 
long,  busy  and  useful  one,  marked  by  the 
utmost  fidelity  to  the  duties  of  public  and 
private  life,  and  crowned  with  honors  con- 
ferred upon  him  in  recognition  of  superior 
merit.  His  name  is  inseparably  interwoven 
with  the  annals  of  Illinois,  with  its  best  de- 
velopment and  its  stable  progress,  and  his 
memory  is  cherished  as  that  of  one  who 
made  the  world  better  for  his  having  lived. 

The  life  record  of  Orlando  Powers  began 
on  the  2ist  of  May,  1812,  near  the  village 
of  Charlton,  Saratoga  county.  New  York, 
and  his  youth  was  that  of  the  usual  farm 
boy  who  assists  in  the  operation  of  the 
fields  through  the  months  of  summer,  while 
in  the  winter  seasons  he  pursues  his  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools.  It  was  in 
that  manner  that  Mr.  Powers  passed  his 
boyhood  days  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
sixteen  years,  when  he  started  for  Havana, 
Cuba,  in  response  to  a  request  of  his  brother 
William  that  Orlando  should  go  to  that 
island  and  assist  him  in  carrying  on  his 
business  there.  IMaking  his  way  to  New 
York,  Mr.  Powers,  of  this  review,  took 
passage  upon  the  schooner  Helen,  but  was 


destined  never  to  reach  the  port  for  which 
he  sailed,  for  that  ship  was  wrecked  in  a 
severe  storm  when  it  had  been  under  way 
for  three  days.  The  rescue  of  Mr.  Powers 
was  almost  marvelous.  He  and  Captain 
Tucker,  who  commanded  the  vessel,  to- 
gether with  three  of  the  sailors,  drifted 
upon  the  open  sea  for  eleven  days,  clinging 
to  the  disabled  hulk,  part  of  which  was  out 
of  water.  They  subsisted  upon  a  scanty 
supply  of  sea  biscuit  and  raw  potatoes  and 
a  very  short  allowance  of  water.  When 
nearly  famished  because  of  lack  of  food  and 
almost  crazed  by  want  of  drink,  they  were 
]iickecl  up  by  a  French  brig  bound  for  Bor- 
deaux and  eventually  landed  at  La  Rochelle, 
whence  they  were  taken  on  to  Bordeaux 
by  land.  Mr.  Powers  had  no  money  nor 
clothing,  save  that  which  he  wore,  and  was 
even  without  a  hat,  but  found  a  kind  friend 
in  an  Knglish  gentleman  who  relieved  his 
immediate  wants  and  cared  for  him  until 
opportunity  came  for  him  to  return  home. 
Re-crossing  the  Atlantic  he  landed  at  New 
York  and  through  the  assistance  of  business 
acquaintances  of  his  elder  brother  he  was 
cnal)led  to  promptly  discharge  the  indebt- 
edness which  it  had  been  necessary  for  him 
to  incur.  He  did  not  tarry  long  in  the  me- 
tropolis, but  proceeded  at  once  by  steamer 
up  the  Hudson  river  to  his  home,  where  he 
had  been  long  mourned  as  dead.  After  vis- 
iting his  people  he  once  more  made  an  at- 
tempt to  enter  the  business  world,  and  this 
time  sailed  from  New  York  to  Mobile,  Ala- 
bama. For  some  time  he  remained  in  the 
south,  being  engaged  in  business  enter- 
prises in  .Mabama  and  Mississippi  in  con- 
nection with  his  brothers  and  brother-in- 
law,    Chauncev    Wilkinson,    during    which 


(105) 


100 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


time  he  coiithicted  operations  at  Z^Iobile, 
Tuscaloosa,  Prairie  Bluff  and  Aberdeen,  and 
in  1849,  '^'■'  leaving  the  south,  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  Decatur. 

Mr.  Powers  had  \isited  this  city  in  1847, 
his  mother  and  his  two  brothers,  George 
and  Samuel,  having  located  here  some  years 
before.  Being  favorably  impressed  with 
the  embryo  city  and  its  future  prospects  he 
resolved  to  ally  his  interests  with  the  place, 
and  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  remained  a 
continuous  resident  of  Decatur  from  1849 
with  the  exception  of  a  brief  period  of  one 
decade,  which  he  passed  in  Jacksonville, 
Illinois.  On  locating  in  Decatur,  Mr.  Pow- 
ers became  identified  with  industrial  inter- 
ests as  the  owner  of  a  saw  and  grist  mill. 
This  he  operated  for  a  time  and  then  em- 
barked in  commercial  pursuits,  establishing 
a  boot  and  shoe  store.  He  became  widely 
known  in  business  circles  here  and  extended 
his  activity  into  many  lines  which  proved 
of  value  to  Decatur  as  well  as  a  source  of 
profit  to  himself.  For  many  j^ears  he  was 
the  owner  of  the  only  set  of  abstract  books 
in  Macon  county.  In  matters  of  business 
his  judgment  was  always  sound  and  reliable 
and  while  he  was  conservative  to  the  point 
of  safety  he  was  also  progressive  and  quick 
to  note  opportunities  which  come  to  all. 
In  the  early  3'ears  of  his  residence  here  he 
realized  that  Illinois  was  destined  to  be- 
come a  great  and  populous  state  because  of 
the  fertility  of  its  soil,  which  offered  splen- 
did opportunities  to  the  agriculturist. 
Wisely  he  made  investment  in  real  estate, 
acquiring  large  property  interests,  includ- 
ing both  farm  lands  and  city  realty.  As  the 
years  passed  he  improved  and  developed 
his  property  and  as  he  found  good  oppor- 
tunity for  sale  he  disposed  of  his  invest- 
ments at  a  very  desirable  profit.  His  enter- 
prise was  also  an  active  factor  in  the 
permanent  improvement  and  material  ex- 
pansion of  Decatur.  In  1889  he  erected  an 
opera  house,  which  would  be  a  credit  to  a 


city  of  much  greater  size.  It  is  beautifully 
and  artistically  decorated  and  is  most  com- 
plete as  to  arrangements,  thus  furnishing 
a  place  of  entertainment  of  which  Decatur 
and  her  people  have  every  reason  to  be 
proud.  No  improvement  for  the  general 
good  sought  his  co-operation  irr  vain 
and  it  would  be  to  recount  most  of  the  en- 
terprises of  Decatur  to  give  a  list  of  the 
concerns  which  have  benefited  by  his  assist- 
ance. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  1849,  ^^f- 
Powers  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Charlotte  E.  Given,  of  Smithland,  Union 
county,  Kentucky.  It  was  while  he  was 
traveling  on  horseback  from  ^lobile,  Ala- 
bama, to  Decatur,  on  his  first  trip  in  1847, 
that  he  met  this  lady,  and  the  friendship 
that  thus  originated  eventually  led  to  their, 
marriage.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Henry 
Given,  of  Smithland,  Kentucky.  Unto  Mr. 
and  ]\Irs.  Powers  were  born  four  children: 
Alice,  who  was  born  September  30,  1856, 
and  died  on  the  22d  of  April,  1878;  Charles 
G.,  born  June  30,  1861 ;  Howard  William, 
born  June  20,  1864,  and  now  a  resident  of 
Decatur;  and  Anabel,  who  was  born  Au- 
gust 18,  1867,  and  is  the  widow  of  Charles 
Kerney,  of  Evansville,  Indiana.  Mrs.  Pow- 
ers died  May  3,  1897,  and  Mr.  Powers 
passed  away  July  i,  1902,  his  remains  being 
interred  in  Greenwood  cemetery,  by  the 
side  of  his  wife.  Charles  G.  Powers,  the 
elder  son,  was  born  in  Decatur,  June  30, 
1861,  received  his  education  in  the  schools 
here,-  and  when  thirteen  years  of  age  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Jacksonville, 
where  he  completed  his  education  in  the 
Illinois  College,  being  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1884.  After  two  years  he  returned  to 
Decatur  and  entered  the  ofiice  of  Charles  A. 
Ewing,  who  was  the  agent  for  the  Powers 
properties.  In  this  way  he  gained  insight 
into  his  father's  business.  He  also  read  law 
for  two  years,  but  not  with  the  intention 
of  practicing  it.     On  the  expiration  of  that 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


167 


period,  the  family  having  in  the  meantime 
roturiied  to  this  city,  he  joined  his  brother 
ill  business,  and  they  took  charge  of  their 
father's  affairs,  comprising  business  inter- 
ests unsurpassed  in  vohnne  and  importance. 
Since  that  time  the  brothers  have  continued 
in  the  management  of  the  estate.  They  are 
gentlemen  of  excellent  business  sagacity 
and  foresight,  and  in  the  supervision  of  the 
property  interests  have  shown  marked  dis- 
crimination and  unfaltering  diligence.  On 
the  2d  of  June,  1887,  Mr.  Powers  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Efiiie  Rogers,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Senator  Jason  Rogers,  and  unto  them 
have  been  born  two  children :  Orlando  Rog- 
ers, who  was  born  January-  10,  1891,  and 
died  on  the  i8th  of  April,  of  the  same  year; 
and  John  Howard,  who  was  born  August 
23,  1895,  and  is  now  at  home.  The  parents 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
in  which  Mr.  Powers  is  serving  as  a  trustee. 
In  politics  he  has  always  been  a  Repub- 
lican, but  has  never  consented  to  hold  office. 
.\nabel  Powers  was  married  June  17,  1890, 
to  Charles  Kerney,  of  Evansville,  Indiana, 
who  died  August  i,  1902,  and  she  and  her 
brother  Howard  are  living  on  the  old  Pow- 
ers homestead.  .She  has  one  child.  Char- 
lotte Wright,  born  January  4,  1895.  How- 
ard William  Powers  received  his  education 
in  Decatur  and  Jacksonville  and  is  asso- 
ciated with  his  brother  in  the  management 
of  the  estate. 

Mr.  Powers  gave  his  political  support  in 
early  life  to  the  Whig  party  and  wlun  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  first  ]>laced  on  tlie  RepuI)Iican 
ticket  as  nominee  for  the  presidency  he 
joined  the  ranks  of  the  new  organization, 
with  wdiich  he  continued  to  affiliate  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  man  of 
generous  impulses  and  gave  freely  of  his 
means  to  charitable  and  benevolent  objects, 
and  yet  his  giving  was  always  free  from 
ostentation  or  display.  He  long  held  mem- 
bership with  the  First  Presbyterian  church 
of    Decatur,    and    manv    thousand    dollars 


found  its  way  from  his  purse  to  the  church 
exchequer.  He  contributed  very  largely 
toward  the  building  of  the  two  edifices 
which  ha\e  been  occupied  by  this  orgajii- 
zation  ami  in  many  church  offices  he  la- 
bored for  the  welfare  of  the  denomination 
and  the  extension  of  its  influence.  Some 
years  ago  he  founded  a  scholarship  in  the 
Presbyterian  Theological  Seminary  of  the 
Northwest.  With  Mr.  Powers  friendship 
was  inviolable  and  he  gained  many  friends 
throughout  his  life,  the  circle  of  his  friend- 
ship being  almost  co-extensive  with  the  cir- 
cle of  his  acquaintances.  A\'hen  those  who 
needed  assistance  came  to  him  his  aid  was 
never  withheld,  if  it  could  lie  rendered,  and 
many  a  business  man  and  firm  in  Decatur 
owes  its  prosperity  in  large  measure  to  the 
generous  assistance  received  from  Mr.  Pow- 
ers in  time  of  need.  His  own  business  ca- 
reer was  unassailable.  Honor  and  integ- 
rity characterized  his  every  act  and  he  was 
nc\cr  known  to  take  advantage  of  his  fel- 
low men  in  any  business  transactions.  He 
enjoyed  to  the  fullest  extent  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  was  long 
associated. 


SILAS  PACKARD. 
For  seventy-three  years  Silas  Packard 
has  been  a  resident  of  Decatur — a  record 
perhaps  paralleled  by  that  of  no  other  citi- 
zen here.  The  little  village  in  which  his 
boyhood  da3-s  were  passed  has  developed 
into  a  city  of  metropolitan  proportions  and 
advantages,  being  among  the  largest  in  the 
state  and  with  its  improvement  Mr.  Packard 
has  kept  abreast,  always  maintaining  a  place 
among  its  leading  business  men  until  to- 
day he  is  accounted  one  of  its  most  promi- 
nent capitalists.  He  early  had  the  sagacity 
and  prescience  to  discern  the  eminence 
which  the  future  had  in  store  for  this  great 
and  growing  country  and  acting  in  accord- 
ance with  the  dictates  of  his  faith  and  judg- 


168 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


nient,  he  has  garnered  in  the  lulhiess  of 
time  a  generous  harvest  which  is  the  just 
recompense  of  indomitable  industry,  spot- 
less integrity  and  marvelous  enterprise. 

Silas  Packard  claims  Vermont  as  the  state 
of  his  nativity,  his  birth  having  occurred 
there  on  the  15th  of  April,  1829,  but  when 
he  was  only  about  a  year  and  a  half  old 
he  was  brought  to  Decatur,  Illinois,  by 
his  parents,  Silas  and  Lydia  (Tracey)  Pack- 
ard, the  former  a  native  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state,  while  the  latter  was  born  in 
Massachusetts.  The  family  was  of  English 
extraction.  Silas  Packard,  Sr.,  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation,  but  he  was  not  long  per- 
mitted to  engage  in  that  pursuit  here  or 
to  enjoy  his  new  home  for  in  the  fall  of 
1830  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  Upon 
his  widow  devolved  the  care  of  a  large  fam- 
ih^  of  children,  namely:  Charles,  Anson, 
Edward,  Mason,  Marietta,  Elizabeth  and 
Silas. 

Decatur  was  at  that  time  a  mere  village 
and  its  advantages  were  proportionate  to 
its  size  and  importance.  The  public-school 
system  had  not  been  established  and  Silas 
Packard,  the  subject  of  this  review,  pur- 
sued his  education  in  a  subscription  school. 
As  the  family  was  left  in  somewhat  strait- 
ened circumstances  it  was  neccssarj^  that 
he  early  provide  for  his  own  support  and 
for  five  years  he  was  employed  as  a  farm 
hand.  Then  attracted  by  the  possibilities 
for  the  rapid  acquirement  of  wealth  in  the 
far  west,  owing  to  the  discovery  of  gold  in 
California,  he  resolved  to  seek  a  fortune  on 
the  Pacific  coast  and  in  1850  purchased  a 
team  and  started  with  a  company  of  twenty- 
three  wagons  from  the  present  site  of  the 
Transfer  House  on  West  Main  street,  De- 
catur. They  crossed  the  plains  and  made 
their  way  through  the  mountains  of  the  west 
until  they  reached  the  mines.  Such  a  trip 
was  fraught  with  many  hardships,  Init  it 
also  brought  much  valuable  experience  and 
knowledge  to  the  young  man,  making  him 


realize   the   responsibilities   of   life    and   the 
dititiculties  incident  to  a  successful  business 
career.      It    taught    him    that    there    is    no 
royal  road  to  wealth,  but  that  perseverance 
and    energy   are   the   surest   basis   of   pros- 
perit}-.     In  California  he  engaged  in  gulch 
mining  and  was  fairly  successful  so  that  he 
brought  with   him   upon  his  return  to  De- 
catur enough  capital  to  enable  him  to  em- 
bark upon  an  independent  business  career. 
It   was    in    1855    that    Mr.    Packard    again 
reached  this   city.     Establishing  a  lumber- 
yard, he  continued  its  conduct  for  several 
years  and  was   afterward  in  the  hardware 
business,  while  at  the  same  time  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits,  having  purchased 
a  tract  of  land,  to  the  development  and  im- 
provement of  wdiicli  he  gave  his   personal 
supervision.     He  became  a  dry-goods  mer- 
chant of  Decatur,  continuing  his  operations 
in  real  estate  through  the  purchase  and  sale 
of  farms  and  as  his  financial  resources  in- 
creased he  became  a  factor  in  the  banking 
interests  of  Decatur.     His  greatest  success, 
however,    has    been    achieved    through    his 
operations   in   realty.     His   purchases   have 
been  very  carefully  made  and  thus  he  has 
been  enabled  to  realize  a  good  profit  when 
disposing  of  his  landed  interests.     For  six- 
ty-two years  he  was  the  owner  of  the  eighty 
acre    tract    of    land    constituting    Riverside 
Park.     A  part  of  this  has  been  platted  and 
laid- out  into  town  lots  and  substantially  and 
attractively  improved. 

In  1856  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Silas  Packard  and  Miss  Mary  Sawyer,  a 
native  resident  of  Decatur  and  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Eliza  (Ketring)  Sawyer,  who 
were  numbered  among  the  pioneer  settlers 
here,  coming  from  Pennsylvania  to  this  city 
in  the  year  1836.  JNIr.  and  Mrs.  Packard 
have  had  no  children  of  their  own,  but 
reared  an  adopted  daughter,  who  is  now  the 
wife  of  Robert  I.  Hunt,  a  prominent  busi- 
ness man  of  this  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pack- 
ard  have   a   beautiful    home    in   one   of   the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


169 


finest  residence  districts  of  Decatur  and  its 
gracious  hospitality  has  been  enjoyed  by  a 
circle  of  friends  that  is  constantly  increas- 
ing. Both  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  its  work  has  received 
their  co-operation  and  also  generous  and 
financial  support. 

Mr.  Packard  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  and  has  ever  been  firm  in  his  advo- 
cacy of  its  principles,  but  political  honors 
and  emoluments  have  had  no  attraction  for 
him  as  he  has  preferred  to  give  his  time  and 
attention  to  his  business  affairs.  He  began 
life  as  a  farm  hand  and  now  stands  among 
the  capitalists  of  Decatur.  Such  a  history 
should  serve  as  a  source  of  encouragement 
and  inspiration  to  others,  proving  as  it  does 
the  potency  of  industry  in  the  active  affairs 
of  life.  He  has  always  been  willing  to  de- 
vote his  wealth  and  his  energies  to  any 
feasible  undertaking  that  would  increase 
the  prosperity  of  the  city  and  add  to  the 
comfort  of  its  inhabitants.  His  life  has  been 
a  success.  He  has  accumulated  a  large  for- 
tune and  has  used  only  such  means  as  will 
bear  the  closest  scrutiny.  He  has  bestowed 
on  worthy  causes  large  sums  of  money,  and 
uses  his  fortune  to  the  advantage  of  the 
communit}-  as  well  as  lo  his  own  profit.  To 
such  men  as  he  is  the  development  of  the 
west  due.  He  has  for  nearly  forty  years 
been  an  active  factor  in  advancing  the  city 
of  Decatur,  and  during  that  entire  time  has 
so  conducted  all  of  his  aft'airs  as  to  com- 
mand the  esteem,  confidence  and  respect  of 
all  classes.  Personalh'  he  is  sociable,  ever 
willing  to  accord  to  anyone  the  courtesy  of 
an  interview.  Although  a  man  of  great 
wealth,  he  is  unostentatious  in  a  marked 
degree,  and  in  this  age,  when  anarchistic 
and  socialistic  doctrines  are  inflaming  the 
masses,  the  demeanor  and  actions  of  such 
men  as  he  do  more  to  quench  the  fire  of 
envy  and  malice  than  all  other  means  com- 
bined. 

Mr.  Packard's  actions  have  during  his  life 


been  such  as  to  distinctively  entitle  him 
to  a  place  in  this  publication,  and  although 
his  career  has  not  been  filled  with  thrilling 
incidents,  probably  no  biography  published 
in  this  book  can  serve  as  a  better  illustra- 
tion to  young  men  of  the  power  of  honesty 
and   integrity  in  insuring  success. 


S.   O.   HILBRANT. 

S.  O.  Hilbrant,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
banking  business  in  Argenta,  was  born  in 
Botkins,  Ohio,  in  1872,  a  son  of  Samuel  and 
Jemima  Hilbrant.  The  father  was  also  a 
native  of  the  Buckeye  state  and  about  six- 
teen years  ago  he  came  with  his  wife  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  settling  on  a  farm 
near  Argenta,  where  both  arc  now  living. 
Mr.  Hilbrant  there  owns  eighty  acres  of 
valuable  land,  ccjnstitnting  an  excellent 
farm,  and  he  also  has  some  town  property. 

S.  O.  Hilbrant  was  but  a  I)oy  when 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Illinois  and  in 
the  schools  of  Argenta  his  early  education 
was  acquired.  Later  he  attended  the  busi- 
ness college  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  and 
thus  well  equipped  for  the  practical  and 
responsible  duties  of  life  he  entered  upon 
the  task  of  winning  for  himself  a  creditable 
position  in  the  business  world.  Returning 
to  Argenta,  he  gave  his  attention  to  farm- 
ing, which  he  followed  for  two  3rears,  and 
then  removed  to  Medaryville,  Indiana, 
where  he  occupied  the  position  of  assistant 
cashier  in  a  bank.  He  spent  two  years  in 
that  place,  during  which  time  he  gained  a 
good  knowledge  of  the  banking  business. 
Returning  to  Argenta  once  more,  he  was 
appointed  cashier  in  the  bank  of  Gerber  & 
Son  and  has  since  attained  a  third  interest 
in  the  institution,  which  was  founded  in 
1887.  This  is  an  important  factor  in  the 
business  circles  of  the  town  and  the  suc- 
cess of  the  bank  is  attributable  in  no  small 
degree  to  the  business  sagacity,  the  enter- 


170 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


prise  ami  the  ability  of  the  popular  cashier. 
Harry  Parr,  a  promising  young  man,  is  act- 
ing as  bookkeeper  in  the  bank. 

In  1898  Mr.  Hilbrant  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Minnie  L.  Sternberg,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Charles  H.  Sternberg,  and  a  native 
of  Medaryville,  Indiana.  Her  father  owns 
seven  or  eight  hundred  acres  of  land  in  that 
locality,  is  likewise  engaged  in  the  cattle 
industry  and  is  the  owner  of  three  dredge 
boats.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hilbrant  have 
been  born  three  children :  May,  born  May 
6,  1899;  Robert  E.  and  William  Edward, 
born  in  August,  1902.  Mrs.  Hilbrant  holds 
membership  in  the  German  Lutheran  church 
and  both  our  subject  and  his  wife  occupy  an 
enviable  position  in  social  circles  and  in  the 
regard  of  their  many  friends, 

Mr.  Hilbrant  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  and  he  served  as  tax  collector  in  1901 
and  1902,  making  the  best  collections  ever 
made  in  Friends  Creek  township.  His  fra- 
ternal relations  connect  him  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America.  In  matters  of  citizenship  he 
is  progressive  and  his  aid  is  never  sought 
in  vain  in  behalf  of  enterprises  for  the  gen- 
eral good.  The  banking  firm  with  which 
he  is  connected  owns  the  telephone  system 
of  Argenta,  which  operates  three  hundred 
and  seventy-five  telephones.  He  is  a  pro- 
gressive, wdde-awake  young  business  man, 
possessed  of  the  energetic  spirit  which  has 
been  the  dominant  factor  in  the  upbuilding 
of  the  central  states,  and  has  already  at- 
tained success  that  many  an  older  man 
might  well  envy. 


MRS.  LOVINA  MEYERS. 

One    of   the    most    highly    esteemed    and 

honored  residents  of  Whitmore  township  is 

the  lady  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch, 

her  home  being  on   section    11,  where   she 


has  a  most  beautiful  and  attractive  place. 
She  was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Ohio,  Jan- 
uary 22,  1837,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Christina  (Fisher)  Boyer,  both  natives 
of  Pennsylvania.  She  is  the  only  one  of 
their  ten  children  now  living.  In  the  county 
of  her  nativity  she  was  reared  and  educated 
and  in  1855  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage 
to  John  Meyers,  who  died  about  1875. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meyers  were  born 
eight  children,  of  whom  seven  are  still  liv- 
ing, namely :  Alice,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Bar- 
nett,  of  Argenta,  Illinois ;  Anna,  wife  of 
William  Adams;  Belle,  wife  of  Harvey 
Stearns,  of  Decatur ;  Clara,  at  home  with 
her  mother;  Edward  M.,  who  married  Sadie 
McCarthy  and  lives  in  Indiana;  Charley, 
who  married  Nettie  Shuter;  and  John,  who 
married  his  cousin  Fannie  Boyer. 

Just  before  the  Civil  war  broke  out  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Meyers  came  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  and  settled  one  and  a  half  miles 
north  and  west  of  her  present  home  in  Whit- 
more township.  At  that  time  much  of  the 
county  was  wild  and  unimproved  and  wild 
geese  and  other  game  was  to  be  had  in 
abundance.  For  many  years  after  the  death 
of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Meyers  conducted  the 
farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section  11,  but  of 
recent  years  she  has  rented  the  place.  She 
displayed  excellent  business  ability  in  the 
management  of  her  affairs  and  not  only  sup- 
ported her  family  but  also  paid  oiT  the  debt 
resting  on  the  farm  at  the  time  of  her  hus- 
band's death,  and  besides  her  farm  she  now 
owns  some  Decatur  property.  Her  place  is 
one  of  the  most  attractive  homes  on  the 
Decatur  road,  the  front  yard  being  literally 
crowded  with  flowers  of  all  kinds,  represent- 
ing nearly  every  native  specie,  and  she  takes 
great  delight  in  showing  her  flowers  to  the 
many  who  call  to  sec  them.  Her  pleasant 
and  comfortable  residence  was  erected  about 
1887  and  the  other  buildings  upon  the  farm 
are  good  and  substantial.  For  thirty  years 
Mrs.  Meyers  has  been  an  active  and  con- 


\ 


(LAajuvv 


^\ 


c^^^v 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


173 


sisteiit  member  of  the  Chrisiian  church  and 
her  life  has  ever  been  in  harmony  with  her 
professions.  During  her  long  residence  in 
Macon  county  she  has  witnessed  the  mar- 
velous transformation  in  the  face  of  the 
country:  wild  prairies  have  been  converted 
into  well  cultivated  and  highly  improved 
farms;  towns  have  sprung  up  and  villages 
grown  into  flourishing  cities ;  railroads,  the 
telegraph  and  telephone  have  been  intro- 
duced ;  and  all  the  evidences  of  an  advanced 
civilization  are  now  found  within  its  bor- 
ders. 


JEROME  R.   GORIN. 

With  the  passing  away  of  Jerome  R. 
Gorin  Decatur  lost  a  citizen  who  left  the 
impress  of  his  life  and  character  upon  vari- 
ous interests  which  have  contributed  to  the 
material  upbuilding,  the  permanent  devel- 
opment and  the  intellectual  and  moral  prog- 
ress of  this  city.  Coming  here  at  an  early 
day  he  took  an  active  part  in  shaping  the 
policy  of  Decatur  as  it  emerged  from  vil- 
lage conditions  to  take  its  place  among  the 
leading  cities  of  this  great  commonwealth. 
He  kept  apace  with  universal  progress  and 
improvement  and  exerted  his  eliforts  in  be- 
half of  the  public  good,  but  while  he  did 
much  for  the  city  in  the  way  of  business 
development  and  public  improvement,  it 
was  the  kindly  nature  of  the  man,  his  char- 
itable spirit  and  his  genial  disposition  that 
won  for  him  the  love  and  unqualified  re- 
gard of  people  of  every  class  of  society. 

Jerome  R.  Gorin  was  born  in  Hopkins- 
ville.  Christian  county,  Kentucky,  his  natal 
day  being  October  12,  1817.  He  was  a  son 
of  John  D.  and  Matlie  (Thomas)  Gorin  and 
a  representative  of  an  old  Mrginian  fam- 
ily. His  father  was  born  in  the  Old  Do- 
minion, but  during  his  boyhood  went  witTi 
his  parents  to  the  P.lue  Grass  state,  where 
he  spent  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and 
Noutli.     In  the  spring  of  1828  he  came  to  II- 


linciis.  which,  only  ten  years  before  had  been 
admitted  to  the  I'uion.  He  took  up  his 
abode  in  \'andalia,  then  the  capital  of  the 
state,  and  became  a  representative  of  its 
business  interests  as  both  a  merchant  and 
farmer.  He  was  also  prominent  in  public 
affairs  and  for  some  years  acted  as  receiver 
in  the  loan  office.  He  died  in  Vandalia, 
.\]M-il  26,  1846,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years, 
and  his  wife  passed  away  on  the  13th  of 
July,  1876,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
nine  years. 

Jerome  r>.  Gorin  was  a  youth  of  eleven 
years  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to 
Illinois  and  in  1S33  he  made  his  way  to 
Decatur,  joining  his  two  older  brothers  and 
a  sister,  who  were  then  residents  of  this 
city.  His  brother,  llenry  ^\.  Gorin.  was 
for  many  years  clerk  of  the  court  here,  but 
left  the  office  in  1841.  His  sister,  Elvira, 
who  had  located  in  Decatur  in  18,^0,  became 
the  wife  of  General  Isaac  Pugh  and  she 
and  her  husband  passed  away  here  after 
reaching  advanced  ages.  Almost  continu- 
ously from  the  time  when  as  a  young  man 
of  sixteen  years  Jerome  Gorin  entered  upon 
his  business  career  in  Decatur  u])  to  the 
lime  of  his  death  he  resided  in  this  city. 
His  residence  here  was  interrupted  by  only 
a  short  absence. 

He  first  accepted  a  position  as  salesman 
and  thus  served  until  1841,  when,  desiring 
to  enter  professional  life,  he  took  up  the 
study  of  law  and  devoted  two  years  to  the 
mastery  of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence. 
In  1842  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  before 
ludge  Treat  and  then  went  to  Scotland 
county,  Missouri,  where  he  spent  one  win- 
ter. .\t  the  end  of  that  time,  however,  he 
returned  to  Decatur  and  entered  into  i)art- 
nership  with  Judge  Charles  Emerson  and 
afterward  became  associated  in  the  prose- 
cution of  his  profession  with  Judge  Kirby 
I'.enedict.  who  later  was  ai)pointed  district 
judge  of  New  Mexico.  In  i860  Mr.  Clorin 
was  chosen  to  the  office  of  citv  clerk  and 


174 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


attorney,  acting  in  that  capacity  for  four 
years.  He  had  also  been  justice  of  the 
peace  and  had  been  retained  either  as  coun- 
sel for  the  prosecution  or  defense  in  many 
important  cases  which  had  been  tried  in  the 
courts  of  this  district.  His  last  law  partner 
was  Judge  .Vrthur  Gallagher,  with  whom 
he  was  associated  in  the  practice  of  law 
until  1861,  when  he  became  identified  with 
the  banking  interests  of  that  city.  In  that 
year  the  banking  firm  of  ]\Iillikin  &  Oder 
was  established  and  Air.  Gorin  became  its 
cashier,  discharging  his  duties  in  that  con- 
nection in  addition  to  the  work  which  he 
performed  in  the  office  of  city  clerk  and 
attorney.  The  thoroughness  and  close-  ap- 
plication which  characterized  all  his  busi- 
ness career  were  manifested  in  the  bank  and 
he  soon  became  master  of  the  work  in  its 
various  departments.  After  four  years  he 
was  admitted  to  a  partnership  and  he  con- 
tinued to  act  as  cashier  until  1881,  when  he 
withdrew  from  the  Millikin  Bank  and  be- 
came the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Gorin 
&  Bills.  These  gentlemen  engaged  in  pri- 
vate banking  and  in  dealing  in  real  estate 
and  loans,  their  association  being  main- 
tained for  two  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  Mr.  Gorin  was  instrumental  in  estab- 
lishing the  bank  of  Gorin  &  Dawson,  of 
which  he  became  the  president,  sviccessfully 
controlling  the  aflfairs  of  the  institution  for 
several  3-ears,  when  he  sold  out  to  L.  B. 
Casner.  A  year  later  this  institution  was 
merged  into  the  Citizens'  National  Bank, 
of  which  Mr.  Gorin  became  an  incorporator 
and  the  first  president,  but  after  a  year  he 
disposed  of  his  interests  and  from  1892  up 
to  the  time  of  his  demise  lived  retired  from 
further  business  cares.  For  thirty  years  he 
was  an  active  factor  in  financial  circles  of 
Decatur  and  was  instrumental  in  founding 
two  of  the  leading  banking  institutions  of 
the  city.  He  was  a  man  of  keen  foresight, 
of  quick  recognition  of  opportunities  and 
of  marked  adaptability  in  using  the  means 


at  hand  for  the  desired  ends.  Over  the 
record  of  his  business  career  there  falls  no 
shadow  of  wrong,  for  throughout  his  entire 
life  he  maintained  an  unassailable  reputa- 
tion, never  taking  advantage  of  the  necessi- 
ties of  his  fellow  men  in  any  business  tranS; 
action. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1845,  in  Decatur,  Mr. 
Gorin  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Eleanor  D.  Fawcett,  a  native  of  X'irginia, 
and  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Rebecca  Faw- 
cett. The}"  became  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren :  Mary  Emma,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  C.  V.  Aliddleton,  a  resident  of  Dallas, 
Texas ;  Orville  B.,  the  vice-president  of  the 
Millikin  National  Bank  of  Decatur;  Ida  E., 
the  wife  of  W.  C.  Armstrong,  of  this  city; 
Jerome  C,  a  business  man  of  New  York 
city;  ]Mattie  A.,  who  is  living  in  Decatur; 
and  Henry  Gladden,  who  is  now  in  Minne- 
apolis, ^Minnesota. 

Mr.  Gorin  was  a  man  of  kindly  spirit, 
deep  sympathy  and  keen  insight  into  the 
methods  of  men.  His  nature  was  one  of 
helpfulness  and  thus  it  was  that  the  Ala- 
sonic  fraternity  appealed  strongly  to  him, 
for  it  is  based  upon  brotherly  kindness  and 
charity.  On  the  18th  of  October,  1841,  he 
was  initiated  in  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  and  for  a  number  of  years  prior  to 
his  death  was  the  oldest  and  most  honored 
member  of  that  organization.  For  seven 
consecutive  years  he  served  as  master  of  the 
local  lodge,  retiring  from  that  office  when 
elected  grand  master  of  the  state.  He  like- 
wise belonged  to  Alacon  Chapter,  R.  A.  AL, 
of  which  he  served  as  high  priest,  and  in 
Beaumanoir  Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.,  he 
acted  as  eminent  commander.  His  name 
was  inscribed  high  on  the  roll  of  eminent 
Masons  in  Illinois  and  in  1867-8  he  served 
as  grand  master  of  the  grand  lodge  of  this 
state.  In  April,  1866,  he  attained  the  thirty- 
second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite  in  the 
Consistorj'^  of  Chicago  and  for  many  years 
he   was   an   active   worker  in  the   ranks   of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


175 


ilasonry,  realizing  its  efficiency  in  advanc- 
ing the  standard  of  human  conduct  and 
promulgating  principles  which  are  for  the 
benefit  of  the  race.  He  became  the  founder 
of  the  commandery  in  Olney,  Illinois,  on 
the  19th  of  January,  1865,  and  it  was  named 
Gorin  Commandery  in  his  honor.  There 
was  a  three  days'  session  during  which 
nineteen  Masons  were  created  Knights 
Templar. 

In  his  political  affiliations  in  early  life 
Mr.  Gorin  was  a  Whig  and  upon  the  disso- 
lution of  that  party  he  joined  the  ranks  of 
the  new  Republican  party,  which  he  sup- 
ported for  many  years.  In  his  last  years, 
however,  he  gave  his  political  allegiance  to 
the  Prohibition  part)',  for  he  was  a  man  of 
strong  temperance  principles  and  believed 
it  the  duty  of  Christian  people  to  put  down 
the  evils  of  intemperance.  In  1856  he  was 
elected  upon  the  ticket  of  the  then  new 
Republican  party  to  serve  in  the  state  legis- 
lature and  represented  his  district  in  the 
house  during  the  succeeding  session.  While 
acting  in  that  capacity  he  was  made  dis- 
bursing agent  of  the  Fort  Ridgely  wagon 
road,  which  was  being  built  for  the  govern- 
ment from  St.  Paul  and  Fort  Ridgely  to 
the  Missouri  river.  While  thus  engaged 
Mr.  Gorin  had  an  office  in  St.  Paul  for 
about  a  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  the 
project  was  abandoned. 

Through  all  and  above  all  things  else  in 
life  was  noticeable  his  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  Christianity.  Through  a  long  period  he 
was  an  active  member  of  the  First  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Decatur  and  dur- 
ing almost  the  entire  period  of  his  con- 
nection therewith  he  was  one  of  its  office 
holders.  Deeply  interested  in  Sunday- 
school  work  he  realized  how  important  is 
the  early  Christian  instruction  of  the  young 
that  character  may  be  developed  upon  a 
firm  and  sure  foundation.  He  thus  labored 
untiringly  in  behalf  of  the  Sunday-school 
and    served   as   the   president   of    the    stale 


Sunday-School  Association.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  the  executive  committee  and 
for  ten  years  was  the  president  of  the  Coun- 
ty Sunday-School  Association.  In  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  he  was 
an  active  worker  and  no  cause  tending  to 
elevate  mankind  sought  his  aid  in  vain.  In 
all  his  work  he  was  ably  assisted  by  his 
estimable  wife,  who  was  indeed  a  faithful 
companion  and  helpmate  to  him  on  life's 
journey.  She  died  in  1894  and  his  death 
occurred  on  the  ist  of  September,  1897. 
His  was  a  noble  manhood,  consistent  with 
all  manly  principles,  with  public-spirited 
citizenship,  with  honor  in  business  and  loy- 
alty in  friendship  and  in  social  circles.  He 
attained  to  almost  the  age  of  eighty  years 
and  when  he  passed  away  expressions  of 
regret  were  heard  on  every  hand,  for  many 
felt  that  they  had  sustained  a  personal  be- 
reavement and  the  city  an  irreparable  loss. 
He  possessed  to  a  full  measure  all  the  fine 
and  ennobling  qualities  which  endear  man 
to  man,  and  his  integrity,  kindness  and  up- 
right principles  were  a  constant  source  of 
inspiration  to  his  family  and  his  friends. 


ROBERT  D.  WILSON. 

There  are  few  men  whose  lives  are 
crowned  with  the  honor  and  respect  which 
was  universally  accorded  Robert  D.  Wilson, 
but  through  a  long  connection  with  the  his- 
tory of  Macon  county  his  was  an  unblem- 
ished character.  A\'ith  him  success  in  life 
was  reached  b}^  his  sterling  qualities  of 
mind  and  of  heart  true  to  every  manly  prin- 
ciple. He  never  deviated  from  what  his 
judgment  woidd  indicate  to  be  right  be- 
tween his  fellow  men  and  himself  and  he 
never  swerved  from  the  path  of  duty  and 
at  the  close  of  his  career  his  friends  passed 
favorable  judgment  upon  him  and  mourned 
his  death  because  they  had  respected  and 
loved  him. 

Robert    D.   \\'ikon   was  certainly  one   of 


170 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


the  best  known  men  of  JMacon  county  for 
almost  his  entire  life  was  here  spent,  the 
family  having  settled  here  in  1830.  Mr.  W'il- 
son  was  born  in  Sangamon  county,  Illinois, 
in  1829  and  was  a  son  of  Robert  and  Sarah 
(Lindsey)  Wilson,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  North  Carolina,  whence  thej^  re- 
moved to  Tennessee  and  after  living  in  that 
state  for  a  short  time  they  came  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Sangamon  county  in  1829.  There 
his  father  engaged  in  farming  for  one  year 
and  in  1830  came  to  Alacon  county,  settling 
in  Mount  Zion  township,  where  he  built  a 
log  cabin^one  of  the  pioneer  homes  of  the 
county,  in  which  hardships  and  trials  were 
endured  and  yet  in  which  the  foundation  for 
a  comfortable  competence  was  laid.  There 
he  lived  throughout  his  remaining  days, 
carrying  on  general  farming,  and  his  wife 
also  died  on  the  old  homestead  there.  Of 
their  children  only  two  are  now  living: 
James  A.,  a  resident  of  Decatur,  and  Sarah, 
who  is  the  wife  of  John  Davidson  and  re- 
sides in  Mount  Zion  township. 

In  the  common  schools  like  the  other 
members  of  the  family,  Robert  D.  Wilson 
jnirsned  his  education.  He  was  reared  amid 
frontier  surroundings  and  his  mind  bore  the 
impress  of  the  early  history  of  the  county, 
when  lands  were  uncultivated  and  the  work 
of  improvement  and  progress  was  scarcely 
begun.  He  continued  to  assist  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm  until  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage. He  wedded  IMiss  Mary  Outten,  a 
native  of  Cass  county,  Illinois,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Purnell  S.  and  Rachel  (Berry)  Out- 
ten, the  former  a  native  of  Kentucky  and 
the  latter  of  Virginia.  In  the  year  1843  they 
removed  to  Cass  county,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  for 
ten  years  and  in  1853  he  came  to  Macon 
county,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Mount  Zion 
township  near  the  Wilson  homestead.  There 
he  lived,  devoting  his  energies  to  the  care 
and  cultivation  of  the  land  until  old  age 
began  to    creep   on,   when   he   took   up   his 


abode  in  the  village  of  ]Mount  Zion,  there 
living  retired  for  a  few  years.  He  then 
moved  to  Decatur,  making  his  home  with 
^Ir.  and  .Mrs.  \\  ilsoii  until  called  to  his  final 
rest  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight 
years.  His  wife  had  died  when  Mrs.  Wil- 
son was  but  seven  years  of  age  and  he  after- 
ward wedded  Miss  Mary  Ross,  of  Cass 
county,  Illinois,  whose  death  occurred  in 
^Mount  Zion  township,  ^lacon  county. 
There  were  four  children  b)'  the  first  union, 
but  two  are  deceased,  tliose  living  being 
\\'.  C,  an  attorney  residing  in  Decatur,  and 
Mary,  who  became  the  wife  of  Robert  D. 
^^'ilson.  The  only  child  of  the  second  mar- 
riage was  George  T.  Outten,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  thirty-three  years. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  W'ilson  was 
blessed  with  eight  children :  Julia,  the  wife 
of  Henry  A.  Trangliber,  who  resides  in 
Spokane,  Washington ;  Robert  Purnell,  who 
died  in  youth ;  Anna,  the  wife  of  D.  M. 
Riber,  who  is  living  in  Decatur,  Illinois ; 
James  D.,  who  married  Maude  Ogle  and 
lives  on  the  old  homestead  in  Mount  Zion 
township ;  Oscar  W.,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  in  Decatur ;  Archie,  who 
died  in  May,  1903:  Alva  G.,  who  resides 
with  his  mother  and  is  a  partner  in  the  firm 
of  Akers  &  Wilson,  prominent  furniture 
dealers,  conducting  a  large  store  in,  Deca- 
tur; and  Ella  M.,  the  wife  of  Dr.  John  Mil- 
ler, a  physician  of  Decatur. 

After  his  marriage  Robert  D.  Wilson  lo- 
cated upon  a  farm  in  Mount  Zion  township, 
where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
until  after  the  Civil  war  was  inaugurated. 
On  the  9th  of  August,  1862,  he  enlisted  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry under  Colonel  N.  W.  Tupper.  The 
regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Macon 
and  on  the  8th  of  November  went  to  ilem- 
phis,  Tennessee,  where  with  his  company 
Mr.  AVilson  participated  in  the  battles  of 
^'icksburg,  Chickasaw  Bayou,  Arkansas 
Post    and    Youngs    Point.      The    regiment 


-Dbell  Srath^rs.  I'/iff^  Yat 


PAST  AND   l'Ki:Si:XTOF  AIACOX  COl'X'l'V 


17!) 


worked  on  Grant's  canal  all  durinij  the  win- 
ter and  the  boys  suffered  much  from  sick- 
ness there.  On  the  19th  of  June.  iW\v  in 
the  assault  on  Mcksburg,  Mr.  Wilson  was 
shot  throusjli  the  right  arm  and  lay  in  the 
hospital  fur  two  weeks.  Ifewas  then  grant- 
ed a  furlough,  which  he  spent  at  home,  but 
soon  he  rejoined  his  regiment  at  Camp  Sher- 
man, \'ickshurg,  when  there  were  but  three 
of  his  company  remaining  there,  the  others 
having  been  taken  prisoners.  He  was  after- 
ward in  the  battles  of  Atlanta,  Lookout 
Mountain,  Chattanooga  and  Dallas  and  was 
with  Sherman  on  the  march  to  the  sea.  On 
one  occasion  he  was  severely  wounded  by 
the  concussion  of  a  torpedo,  a  piece  of  which 
struck  his  heel.  .Vfter  Lee's  surrender  the 
regiment  went  to  ^^'ashington  and  ])ar- 
ticipated  in  the  grand  review  in  the  capital 
city,  where  wave  after  wave  of  baj'onet- 
crested  I)luc  passed  by  the  reviewing  stand. 
At  Springfield,  Illinois.  Mr.  Wilson  was 
mustered  out,  receiving  an  honorable  dis- 
charge on  the  7th  of  June,  1865. 

Returning  to  his  home  Air.  ^Vilson  re- 
sumed farming  and  engaged  in  the  tilling  of 
the  soil  in  Mount  Zion  township  until  tS86, 
when  on  account  of  ill  health  he  removed 
witli  his  family  to  Decatur,  where  he  lived 
retired  until  his  death,  which  occurred  Janu- 
ary 30,  1901.  lie  held  several  minor  offices 
in  the  township,  but  was  never  an  aspirant 
for  political  preferment.  In  politics  he  was 
a  Republican.  He  belonged  to  Thomas 
White  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Mount  Zion,  and 
thus  maintained  pleasant  relatii:)ns  with  his 
old  army  comrades.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  consistent  luembers  of  the  First  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  Mrs.  Wilson  is 
still  deeply  interested  in  its  work.  She  re- 
sides in  a  fine  residence  at  No.  960  Cleve- 
land avenue,  in  Riverside.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  attractive  homes  in  that  part  of  the 
city  and  was  built  by  her  husband. 

Through  almost  his  entire  life  Mr.  Wil- 
son resided  in  Macon  county  and  he  had  a 


very  wide  acquaintance  here.  He  was  brave 
in  the  face  of  danger,  fearless  in  the  defense 
nt  his  honest  conx'ictions,  straightforward 
ill  all  his  dealings  and  in  all  life's  relations 
was  an  honorable  gentleman,  his  sterling 
traits  endearing  him  to  iiis  niaiiv  friends  as 
well  as  to  his  immediate  family.  As  a 
])ioneer  citizen,  as  a  veteran  soldier  and  as 
one  of  the  most  respected  residents  of  Ma- 
con county,  he  is  well  deserving  of  mention 
in  this  volume.  It  was  in  his  home,  how- 
ever, that  his  best  nature  shone  forth,  his 
kindly  spirit  being  most  strongly  manifested 
in  his  relations  with  wife  and  children. 


CHARLES    ADLAI    EWING. 

Charles  Adlai  Ewing  was  born  Novem- 
ber 3,  1846,  in  Morganfield,  Kentucky,  the 
son  of  Fielding  X.  and  .Sarah  Ann  (Powers) 
Ewing.  The  family  removed  to  Blooming- 
ton,  Illinois,  in  1849,  to  Chicago  in  1859, 
and  to  Decatur  in  1S64.  Mr.  Ewing  was 
one  of  the  pujiils  at  the  Chicago  University 
during  his  residence  there,  was  graduated 
from  Princeton  in  1867,  and  from  the  Al- 
l)aii\'  Law  School  in  1870.  He  immediately 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Decatur. 

On  the  15th  of  June,  187T,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Mary  Giselle  Palmer,  of 
Albany,  New  York,  and  to  them  were  born 
seven  childr,en :  Fielding  Palmer,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  one  month;  Mrs.  Marian  Old- 
ham; Belle  Adlai,  who  died  at  one  year; 
Charles  Adlai,  Jr. ;  Giselle  E.  F.,  deceased ; 
Emma  and  Eugenia.  Mr.  Ewing  was  from 
boyhood  an  earnest  Presbyterian  and  was 
for  many  years  a  trustee  of  the  church, 
doing  a  great  deal  toward  the  erection  of  the 
new  church  building. 

During  the  last  administration  of  Gov- 
ernor Oglesby  he  was  appointed  by  the 
governor  on  a  commission  to  revise  the 
revenue  laws  of  the  state.     "  This  commis- 


ISO 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


sion,  composed  of  some  of  the  ablest  men  of 
the  state,  with  the  late  2^1ilton  Hay  as 
chairman,  formulated  a  revenue  code  which 
was  pronounced  by  the  press  and  the  think- 
ing public  to  be  the  best  adapted  to  the 
requirements  of  the  state  of  anj'  that  had 
ever  been  presented  to  an  Illinois  legisla- 
ture for  adoption.  That  the  legislature 
failed  to  enact  the  new  code  into  law  is 
probably  the  best  commentar}^  on  its  ex- 
cellence. Mr.  Ewing  always  referred  to  this 
piece  of  public  work  with  pride  and  satis- 
faction." 

He  was  always  a  Democrat  and  from  the 
first  one  of  the  most  prominent  workers  of 
the  sound  money  Democrac)^  In  the  con- 
ference in  Chicago  in  August,  1895,  in  the 
direction  of  the  literary  bureau  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  voters  and  as  the  chairman 
of  the  state  committee  he  worked  early  and 
late.  During  the  campaign  he  made  many 
speeches  throughout  the  state,  the  last  one 
being  the  Saturday  before  election  at  Peo- 
ria, where  he  was  taken  ill.  He  returned 
home  and  was  able  to  be  driven  to  the  polls 
on  election  day^his  fiftieth  anniversary — 
and  cast  his  vote.  He  was  not  considered 
seriously  ill  but  death  came  to  him  sud- 
denly on  the  morning  of  November  6,  1896. 
One  who  knew  him  well  throughout 
the  fifty  years  of  his  life  wrote  these  words 
concerning  him :  "  If  the  life  of  Mr.  Ewing 
were  measured  by  intellectual  attainment, 
by  purity  of  purpose,  by  number  of  friends, 
by  acquisition  of  wealth,  by  acts  of  kindness 
and  deeds  of  patriotism,  then  the  fifty  years 
just  passed  have  been  ample  to  round  out 
into  full  measure  the  perfect  station  of 
manlj'  power  and  beauty.  From  infancy 
to  death  there  was  ever  a  hallowed  atmos- 
phere about  his  very  presence.  Cradled  in 
the  lap  of  a  home  life  which  was  ideal  in  its 
many  perfections,  his  youth  furnished 
choice  companionship  for  the  )-oung  and 
old.  Charming  of  manner,  genuinely  witty, 
considerate   and  tender,   strong  and   coura- 


geous, always  honorable,  loving  excellence 
for  its  own  sake  and  not  for  that  of  emu- 
lation. These  were  characteristics  which  be- 
longed to  him  naturally  and  which  enabled 
him  to  move  through  the  arena  of  an  active 
professional  career  with  calm  poise  and 
forceful  accomplishment  of  honest  and  wise 
purpose. 

"  All  these  qualities  of  mind  and  heart 
were  necessary  to  the  great  lawyer  and  the 
splendid  citizen  and  Mr.  Ewing  possessed 
them  in  that  high  degree  which  enabled  him 
to  successfully  champion  individual  rights 
and  rescue  an  imperilled  country  from  the 
most  insidious  and  imminent  danger  that 
has  threatened  it  since  secession  drove  the 
great  Douglas  to  proclaim  that  there  were 
but  two  parties,  namely,  those  for  the  Union 
and   those   against  the  Union. 

"  It  may  be  that  his  absorbing  concern  for 
the  triumph  and  the  honor  of  his  country 
in  the  recent  election,  for  which  triumph  he 
lavishly  gave  of  his  time,  of  his  money  and 
of  his  eloquence,  may  have  caused  the  ap- 
parent sacrifice  of  this  noble  life.  Byron  in 
his  address  to  the  Greeks,  said  '  The  tomb 
where  freedom  weeps  can  never  ha\e  been 
too  prematurely  reached  by  its  inmate, 
such  martyrdom  is  blessed  indeed.  What 
higher  fortune  can  ambition  court?' 

"  The  bar  has  lost  from  its  ranks  a  great 
lawyer,  the  state  a  great  citizen,  and  the 
country  at  large  a  stanch  patriot,  but  the 
good  that  he  accomplished  is  enduring  and 
is  ours  to  enjoy." 


GEORGE  W.  DRURY,  M.  D. 
Dr.  George  W.  Drury,  a  successful  prac- 
ticing physician  of  Decatur,  was  born  upon 
a  farm  in  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  in  1853. 
his  parents  being  George  W.  and  Penelope 
(Evans)  Drury.  The  father,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  came  at  an  early  day  to  Illinois,  cast- 
ing in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers  of 


PAST  AND  FRESEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


181 


Morgan  county,  his  first  home  being  in  the 
vicinity  of  Jacksonville.  There  he  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  at  the  close  of  his 
active  business  career  he  removed  to  For- 
syth, Macon  county,  where  he  lived  retired 
until  called  to  his  final  rest  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-three  years.  His  wife  died  in 
the  same  place  at  the  age  of  seventy-two 
years.  They  reared  a  family  of  six  children, 
of  whom  four  are  now  living:  Josiah,  a  resi- 
dent of  Cla}^  Center,  Kansas  ;  Elizabeth,  who 
is  the  wife  of  Harrison  Duncan,  of  For- 
syth ;  George  W.,  and  Charles,  who  makes 
his  home  in   Springfield,   Illinois. 

In  his  youth  George  W.  Drury  came  to 
Macon  county,  being  only  about  five  years 
of. age  when  his  father  established  his  home 
in  Maroa  township,  Macon  county.  There 
he  was  reared  upon  the  home  farm  and  in 
early  life  he  attended  what  was  known  as 
the  old  Center  Ridge  school.  Afterward  he 
continued  his  studies  in  the  public  schools 
of  Forsyth  and  tlien  when  he  had  acquired 
a  good  literary  education  he  took  up  the 
study  of  medicine  with  the  intention  of 
making  its  practice  his  life  work.  He  be- 
came a  student  in  the  ^lissouri  Medical 
College,  in  which  he  was  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1882,  after  which  he  established  his 
office  in  Forsyth,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  removed  to  Oreana,  where  he  was  asso- 
ciated with  Dr.  A.  ]\IcBridge  in  the  drug 
business  for  three  years  in  connection  with 
the  practice  of  medicine.  Coming  to  Deca- 
tur he  remained  for  two  years  and  during 
one  year  of  that  time  was  county  physician. 
He  afterward  practiced  in  Forsyth  for  eight 
years,  but  in  1897  again  came  to  Decatur, 
w-hcre  he  has  since  remained,  having  now 
a  pleasant  office  at  No.  224  North  Main 
street.  While  he  is  well  versed  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  all  departments  he 
is  now  making  a  specialty  of  the  treatment 
of  diseases  of  the  heart,  lungs  and  kidneys. 
He  has  informed  himself  particularly  well 


along  these  lines  and  his  skill  is  of  a  su- 
perior order.  He  now  has  a  large  private 
practice  and  he  has  also  been  medical  ex- 
aminer for  several  insurance  companies,  in- 
cluding the  Manhattan  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  has  acted  as  examiner 
for  the  last  three  years. 

In  1879  the  Doctor  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Ruth  Lehman,  a  daughter  of 
Henry  Lehman  of  Forsyth.  After  her  death 
he  w-as  again  married,  his  second  union  be- 
ing with  Daisy  Bixler,  a  daughter  of  An- 
drew Bixler,  also  of  Forsyth.  Fraternally 
he  has  been  connected  with  the  Knights  of 
l'}-thias  Lodge  from  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years,  having  joined  the  order  in  Coeur  de 
Lion  Lodge  of  Decatur.  Lie  was  instru- 
mental in  the  organization  of  the  lodge  at 
Oreana  and  later  became  a  member  of  For- 
syth Lodge,  with  which  he  is  still  affiliated. 
His  political  support  is  generally  given  to 
the  Democracy,  but  he  votes  for  men  rather 
than  for  party.  In  his  profession  he  has 
steadily  advanced  along  lines  demanding 
strong  mentality,  close  application  and  con- 
scientious purpose.  His  zeal  and  devotion 
in  his  work  are  noticeable  features  in  his 
career  and  have  contributed  in  large  meas- 
ure to  his  success. 


HENRY  A.  SHETTEL. 

Sound  judgment  combined  with  fine  abil- 
ity in  mechanical  lines  has  enabled  the  sub- 
ject of  this  biography,  a  well  known  resident 
of  Warrensburg,  Illinois,  to  make  for  him- 
self a  place  among  the  leading  business 
men  of  that  place.  Here  he  follows  black- 
smithing  and  also  deals  in  agricultural  im- 
plements, wagons,  buggies,  etc.,  and  has 
built  up  a  good  trade  which  is  constantly 
increasing. 

Mr.  Shettel  was  born  in  York,  Pennsyl- 
vania, September  16,  1869,  his  parents  being 
Daniel  G.  and  Sarah   (Jacoby)   Shettel,  also 


182 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


nati\es  of  that  state,  wlicre  their  ancestors 
located  at  an  early  day  in  its  history.  The 
father  was  born  in  Conewago  township, 
York  county,  in  1844,  and  was  engaged  in 
blacksmithing  at  Faustown  for  some  time. 
Our  subject  received  a  good  practical  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
place,  where  he  was  a  student  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority,  though  in  the  meantime 
he  had  started  upon  his  business  career, 
working  two  years  in  a  dynamite  manufac- 
tory on  the  Susquehanna  river  near  Mt. 
Wolf.  After  leaving  school  he  assisted  in 
the  construction  of  the  oil  lines  from  West 
A'irginia  to  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  be- 
ing thus  employed  for  eight  months.  Dur- 
ing the  following  two  months  he  worked  on 
his  father's  farm,  and  then  went  to  ]\Iiddle- 
bury,  Indiana,  where  he  spent  one  month. 

About  this  time  his  father  w^as  killed  while 
felling  a  tree  and  Mr.  Shettel  returned  home 
and  had  charge  of  the  farm  for  one  year. 
It  was  then  sold  and  he  removed  with  his 
mother  to  York,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
worked  in  the  Billmire  &  Small  car  shops 
for  eight  months  first  as  a  horseshoer  and 
later  as  a  car  builder.  In  the  spring  of  1893 
he  came  to  Illinois  and  for  four  months 
was  employed  on  a  farm  near  Bearsdale, 
after  which  he  was  on  ]\Irs.  William  Mont- 
gomery's stock  farm  for  a  few  months.  He 
next  entered  the  employ  of  John  Barron,  a 
blacksmith  of  Warrensburg  and  three  j'ears 
later  purchased  the  shop  which  he  has  since 
conducted  with  good  success.  He  also  ddals 
in  buggies  and  agricultural  implements  and 
in  this  branch  of  his  business  he  has  also 
prospered. 

Mr.  Shettel  was  married  February  21, 
1901,  to  Mrs.  Verna  (Taggart)  Keister,  who 
was  born  January  13,  1868,  a  daughter  of 
Harrison  and  Margaret  J.  (Hanks)  Tag- 
gart, of  mini  township,  where  she  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  school.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  with  one  child,  Catherine,  born 
October  6,   1902.     Mr.  .Shettel  owns  a  nice 


hiime  and  business  location  and  the  success 
that  lie  has  achieved  is  certainly  well  mer- 
ited, being  due  entirely  to  his  own  industri- 
ous efforts  and  good  management.  He  is 
a  good  reliable  business  man,  and  his  fel- 
low citizens  recognizing  his  worth  and  abil- 
ity have  elected  him  alderman  of  the  second 
ward,  whicli  ofiice  he  is  now  filling.  By  his 
ballot  he  supports  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Republican  part}',  and  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge,  No. 
17,  of  Decatur. 


ROBERT  FARIES. 
Robert  Faries  was  born  in  Shelby  county, 
Ohio,  March  4,  1837.  He  lived  on  a  farm 
near  Middletown,  Ohio,  from  the  age  of  six 
to  eighteen  years,  going  to  school  nearly 
all  the  year  round  until  the  age  of  ten,  after 
which  he  went  in  the  winter  time  only. 
Having  shown  a  mechanical  bent  by  mak- 
ing many  playthings,  such  as  wagons,  sleds, 
etc.,  and  culminating  in  a  working  station- 
ary steam  engine  and  boiler,  complete  in 
every  detail,  it  was  decided  that  he  should 
learn  the  machinist's  trade  and  to  that  end 
he  got  work  in  the  old  Madison  Railroad 
shop  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  remaining 
there  and  at  the  shops  of  the  Indianapolis 
&  Cincinnati  Railroad  until  the  spring  of 
1859,  when  he  went  with  a  party  across  the 
plains  to  Colorado,  known  then  as  Pike's 
Peak,  starting  about  the  middle  of  March 
and  going  from  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  by  ox- 
teams.  They  arrived  at  a  little  cluster  of 
sod-covered  log  cabins,  called  Denver  city 
the  2ist  of  June,  remaining  in  this  vicinity 
until  fall,  when  he  joined  a  blacksmith  in 
a  trip  to  Taos,  New  IMexico,  going  with 
some  Mexican  teamsters  who  had  brought 
up  a  load  of  flour  and  were  going  back 
emptv.  They  stayed  there  until  March, 
i860,  when  they  went  back  to  the  mines. 
Having  tried  mining  at  first  without  much 
success,  he   made  his  living  and   other  ex- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


I,s3 


penses  at  gun  repairing-  in  the  company  of, 
but  not  in  parlncrslii])  with,  his  bhicksmith 
frientl. 

In   the    fall   of    i8()0,   with   a   company   of 
others,  who  like  himself,  had  failed  to  make 
a  fortune  in  the  short  time  that  they  had 
been    in    this    new    country,    anil    had    con- 
cluded that  it  would  never  amount  to  any- 
•  thing  anyway,  he  wont  back  to  what  they 
were  in  the  habit  of  calling  "The  States." 
Arriving  in  St.  Jiiseph  late  in  October  fiat 
broke,  he  worked   in   a   livery  stable  for  a 
few   weeks   and   later   as   an    engineer  in   a 
])laning    mill.      Business    was    dull    in    con- 
sequence of  the  political  excitement  which 
had  ju.st  culminated  in  the  election  of  .Abra- 
ham Lincoln  to  the  presidency  of  the  United 
States.     The   mill   shut  down  and  he  went 
back    to    Indianapolis,    working    for     small 
wages  in  a  machine  shop  through  the  win- 
ter.    He  enlisted  in  the  fore  part  of  Ma»-ch 
in    Company    II,    Eleventh    Indiana    \'olun- 
teers  for  three  months.  Lew  Wallace,  colo- 
nel.   After  seeing  some  pretty  rough  service 
in  Alaryland  and  X'irginia,  the  company  was 
mustered  out  of  service  at  Indianapolis,  in 
July,    after    nearly    four     months'     service. 
While  most  of  his  company  re-enlisted  for 
the  three  years'  service  he  had  become  too 
deaf  to  hear  the  word  of  command  and  went 
to  work  again   in   the   Indianapolis   &  Cin- 
cinnati Railroad  shops,  where  he  remained 
most  of  the  time  during  the  war. 

In  1864-5  he  invented  and  patented  a  cast 
iron  steam  boiler  similar  to  some  of  those 
that  are  used  now  for  steam  and  hot  water 
heating,  but  as  this  manner  of  heating  had 
not  come  into  use  at  that  time,  he  had  little 
other  use  for  it  than  to  generate  steam  for 
steam  engines.  Me  built  several  of  these 
boilers  and  ]nit  them  into  use  in  different 
places  and  at  first  they  seemed  to  promise 
success  and  he  got  some  good  testimonials 
from  the  users  of  them.  But  later  they  de- 
veloped some  faults  that  caused  their  fail- 
ure.    He  had  sent  out  one  of  these  boilers 


to  Decatur  for  the  use  of  the  new  firm  of 
dreoly  &  l!rodt,  who  vvere  starting  a  fur- 
niture factory  on  Mason  street  (now  Wa- 
bash avenue)  in  the  building  which  is  now 
used  for  the  Hard  Plaster  factory. 

This  brought  him  to  Decatur  in  the  spring 
of  1866.     His  boiler  and  this  firm  soon  fail- 
ing, he  got  a  position  with  the  Central  Iron 
Works  (now  Union  Works)  who,  together 
with    mill   and    elevator    work,   built   steam 
engines.     He  set  uj)   the   engines  they  sold 
and  worked  in  the  sho])  l)etween  times,     lie 
remained  with  them  about  three  vcars.     He 
then,  in   1870,  went  to  work  as  fori'man  of 
the  machine  department  of  the  Decatur  .\g- 
ricultural   Works,   where  he  remained  until 
it  went  out  of  business  in  1872.     He  got  per- 
mission to  ])ut  up  a  small  engine  here  and 
run  ])art  of  the  machinery  on  ])lovv  and  other 
farm  machine  repair  work.  In-  pa\'iiig  a  per 
cent  of  the  income  as  rent   for  the  use  of 
building  and  tools.  This  arrangement  lasted 
only    about    one    year    when    Chaml)crs    & 
Quinlan  bought  the  property  and  -Mr.  Paries 
worked   for   them    for   about    another   year. 
In  1875  he  bought  the  W'ilson  r>oiler  shop, 
which  is  now  a  part  of  the  Decatur  Novelty 
^\'orks    on    Morgan    and    Williams    streets, 
and.    bringing   the   plow   rcjiair   work   with 
him,  did  general  plow,  machinery  and  boiler 
repair   business   and   sheet   iron   work.      In 
1877  he  took  William  L.'Oakes  into  part- 
nership  with   him    in   this  business   and   in 
1881    sold   out    his    interest   to    Mr.    Oakes. 
He  then  put  a  small  engine  and  a  lathe  into 
the  basement  of  his  residence  and  did  some 
special   machine    work    in   the   winter   and 
spring  of  1882.     In  the  spring  and  summer 
of  this  year  he  built  the  nucleus  of  the  pres- 
ent Paries  Manufacturing  Company's  plant 
and   continued    the    manufacture   of  special 
machinery   such    as  box  fastener,   hog-ring 
and    checkrower    wire    making    machines. 
During  the   winter  and.  spring  of   1883   he 
made  some  checkrower  wire  for  the  firm  of 
Kaylor,    McClelland    6v:    Pishcr   and   having 


18i 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


found  that  there  was  more  money  to  be 
made  by  running  machinery  than  in  mak- 
ing it  for  others  he  continued  to  do  this 
and  has  gradually  worked  into  a  manu- 
facturing business,  the  chief  of  which  has 
been  checkrower  wire.  This  got  him  into 
a  patent  law-suit,  which  lasted  for  over 
twelve  years,  costing  a  great  deal  of  work, 
worry  and  money,  and  although  he  lost  in 
the  lower  courts  and  finally  compromised 
by  paying  a  considerable  sum,  it  was  not  all 
loss  for  the  suit  tended  to  deter  others  from 
going  into  the  business  in  competition  with 
him.  In  1890  he  built  the  first  addition  to 
the  factory  and  among  other  improvements 
put  in  an  electric  lighting  plant  and  in  put- 
ting up  fixtures  for  holding  the  lamps  he 
devised  an  adjustable  bracket  for  shifting 
and  holding  the  lamp  where  put.  He  had 
before  this  been  doing  considerable  brass 
work  in  the  way  of  store  window  display 
fixtures  and  working  lamp  fixtures  in  with 
these  and  by  continually  adding  to  them, 
the  company  has  worked  up  a  very  large 
electric  and  gas  fixture  business.  Most  of 
this  fixture  business  has  been  worked  up 
since  the  business  was  incorporated  in  1894. 
Since  the  beginning  twenty  years  ago,  Mr. 
Faries  and  the  Fades  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany have  made  several  important  special 
machines,  the  chief  of  which  are  automatic 
checkrower  wire  machines  and  machines 
for  spinning  lamp  shades. 

A  couple  of  years  ago,  1900,  Mr.  Faries 
got  up  a  little  device  for  automatically 
tripping  of  a  camera  shutter  and  which  he 
calls  an  "Autopoze,"  by  the  use  of  which 
the  photographer  is  enabled  to  take  his  own 
picture,  or  include  himself  in  "the  group." 
While  this  is  of  not  much  importance  in 
an}^  way,  a  good  many  amateurs,  and  espe- 
cially tourists,  find  satisfaction  in  the  use 
of  it.  By  putting  themselves  in  the  picture 
they  can  prove  that  "they  were  there." 

In  September,  1901,  Mr.  Faries,  in  com- 
pany with  others,  started  the  Decatur  Re- 


frigerator &  Manufacturing  Company,  but 
as  factories  are  to  be  written  up  separately 
little  need  be  said  about  this  here. 

Mr.  Faries  was  married  in  Ohio  in  1867 
to  Lena  Bender.  He  has  two  daughters  and 
one  son,  all  grown  up  and  the  daughters 
married.  Mr.  Faries  says  he  was  born  and 
raised  a  Democrat  and  has  always  been  one, 
but  as  the  party  of  that  name  has  always 
been  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  issue  ever 
since  he  has  been  of  the  voting  age  he  has 
always  voted  the  Republican  ticket. 


JOHN  CROCKER. 

The  name  of  John  Crocker  is  a  familiar 
one  in  grain  and  banking  circles  throughout 
the  state  and  Maroa  owes  much  of  its  busi- 
ness activity  and  consequent  prosperity  to 
his'efforts  and  enterprise.  The  enterprising 
spirit  of  the  west,  which  has  led  to  the  rapid 
development  of  this  section  of  the  country, 
is  perhaps  his  strongest  characteristic. 

Mr.  Crocker  is  one  of  Illinois'  native  sons, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  \''andalia,  in 
1857,  his  parents  being  John  H.  and  Louisa 
V.  (Philbrook)  Crocker,  who  are  mentioned 
on  another  page  of  this  volume.  The  fam- 
ily removing  to  Maroa  during  the  early  boy- 
hood of  our  subject,  he  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  this  city  until  he  had  mas- 
tered the  common  branches  of  learning, 
after  which  he  continued  his  studies  in  Illi- 
nois College  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  Later 
he  became  a  student  in  Dartmouth  College, 
at  Hanover,  New  Hampshire,  in  the  class 
of  1881.  On  his  return  to  Maroa,  he  joined 
his  father  in  the  banking  business  and  in  the 
grain  trade.  This  association  was  contin- 
ued until  the  death  of  the  father,  February 
10,  1890,  since  which  time  John  Crocker 
has  continued  in  the  conduct  of  extensive 
and  important  interests.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Crocker  &  Company,  bank- 
ers,  one   of  the   soundest   financial   institu- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


185 


tions  of  this  part  of  the  state,  its  safe,  con- 
servative poUcy  recommending  it  to  the 
confidence  and  patronage  of  the  pubHc.  He 
is  also  the  president  of  the  Crocker  Elevator 
Company  and  has  become  widely  known  as 
one  of  the  extensive  grain  dealers  of  the 
state,  the  company  owning  six  different 
plants  in  Macon  county.  The  business  fur- 
nishes an  excellent  market  to  the  grain  pro- 
ducers and  at  the  same  time  yields  a  very 
desirable  profit  to  the  stockholders  of  the 
company. 

Every  interest  or  enterprise  calculated 
to  prove  of  benefit  to  Maroa  or  promote  the 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  city  elicits 
his  attention  and  ofttimes  receives  his 
hearty  co-operation  and  substantial  assist- 
ance. He  is  the  president  of  the  Maroa 
Electric  Light  Company  and  also  of  the 
People's  Telephone  Company,  both  enter- 
prises of  value  to  the  general  public  as  well 
as  to  the  individual  stockholders.  His  abil- 
ity as  an  organizer  is  one  of  the  strong  ele- 
ments of  success.  He  is  quick  to  note  op- 
portunity and  to  secure  the  co-operation  of 
others  in  the  successful  control  of  important 
undertakings,  and  he  not  only  forms  his 
plans  readily  but  is  determined  in  carrying 
them  forward  to  successful  completion. 

On  the  20th  of  December,  1893,  Mr. 
Crocker  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Arabella  Baird,  a  daughter  of  Peter  Baird, 
and  unto  Ihem  have  been  born  four  chil- 
dren :  Ruth  Baird,  now  eight  years  of  age ; 
John  H.  and  Joan  P.,  twins ;  and  Thomas 
W.,  who  completes  the  family.  Socially 
Mr.  Crocker  is  connected  with  the  Masonic 
Lodge  of  Maroa  and  has  taken  more  ad- 
vanced degrees  in  the  order  in  Decatur  and 
Chicago,  being  now  a  well  known  repre- 
sentative of  the  craft,  whose  tenets  and 
teachings  he  exemplifies  in  his  relations 
with  his  fellowmen.  In  his  political  views 
and  affiliations  he  is  a  Republican,  and  the 
regard  in  which  he  is  held  by  the  party  and 
by  his   fellow   citizens  is   indicated   bj'   the 


fact  that  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
mayor  upon  the  death  of  his  father,  who 
was  then  filling  the  position.  He  gives  his 
personal  supervision  to  the  extensive  and 
important  business  interests  with  which  he 
is  connected,  but  he  has  never  allowed  this 
to  interfere  with  his  duties  of  citizenship 
or  to  bias  his  relations  with  his  fellow  men. 
With  a  keen  appreciation  for  upright  char- 
acter, he  numbers  his  friends  among  all 
classes  and  is  himself  honored  and  respected 
bv  all  who  know  him. 


JAiMES  W.  CARTER. 
\\'hether  the  elements  of  success  in  life 
are  innate  attributes  of  the  individual  or 
whether  they  are  quickened  by  a  process  of 
circumstantial  development  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  clearly  determine.  Yet  the  study 
of  a  successful  life  is  none  the  less  profitable 
by  reason  of  the  existence  of  this  uncer- 
tainty, and  in  the  majority  of  cases  it  is 
found  that  exceptional  abilit}%  supplemented 
by  close  application  and  earnest  purpose, 
forms  the  real  secret  of  success  which  so 
many  have  envied.  This  is  certainly  true 
of  James  W.  Carter,  who  is  now  cashier 
and  office  manager  of  the  Decatur  Coal 
Company  and  also  is  connected  with  other 
important  interests  here.  Mr.  Carter  is  a 
native  son  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  .Sullivan,  Moultrie  county,  on  the 
5th  of  June,  1861.  His  parents  were  Charles 
A.  and  Polly  Ann  (Waggoner)  Carter,  who 
were  also  natives  of  Moultrie  county.  The 
paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
James  K.  Carter,  a  native  of  Culpeper,  Vir- 
ginia, who  in  early  life  removed  to  Moultrie 
comity,  becoming  identified  with  its  agricul- 
tural interests.  There  he  spent  some  time 
but  finally  removed  to  Decatur,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death,  in  1874,  when  he  had 
reached  the  venerable  age  of  eighty  years. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the  Whig 
party  and  he  was  a  leading  and  influential 


ISO 


PAST  A\J)  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


resideiU  of  the  coiiimunily  in  which  he  long 
made  his  home.  His  wife  belonged  to  an 
old  Kentucky  family.  They  had  three  sons, 
Charles  A.;  James  W.  and  Henry  H. ;  and 
five  daughters:  Nancy  .\.,  Emeline,  Frances, 
-Mar}'  and  Martha. 

Charles  A.  Carter,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  at  the  old  homestead  in 
Moultrie  county  and  reared  amid  the  wild 
scenes  of  frontier  life  there.  After  attain- 
ing his  majority  he  was  for  some  years  en- 
gaged in  the  hardware  business  in  Sullivan 
and  in  1863  he  removed  to  Decatur,  where 
he  continued  in  the  same  line  of  trade  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  then  left  Illinois 
for  the  far  west,  settling  in  Fresno,  Cali- 
fornia, in  1880.  There  he  still  makes  his 
home.  His  political  support  is  given  to  the 
Republican  party  and  the  qualities  of  his 
manhood  are  .such  as  command  for  him  the 
respect  and  admiration  of  those  with  whom 
he  is  brought  in  contact.  In  early  manhood 
he  wedded  Miss  Polly  Ann  Waggoner,  who 
was  born  in  Moultrie  county,  but  her  peo- 
ple came  to  Illinois  from  North  Carolina. 

To  the  public  school  system  of  Decatur 
James  W.  Carter  is  indebted  for  the  educa- 
tional privileges  he  enjoyed.  He  entered 
upon  his  business  career  in  connection  with 
the  hardware  trade,  having  charge  of  Iiis 
father's  store  during  the  latter's  illness,  cov- 
ering a  period  of  five  and  a  half  years.  He 
showed  excellent  business  ability  in  taking 
up  this  work  and  controlling  the  affairs  of 
the  enterprise.  In  1878  he  entered  the  em- 
])loy  of  Overmej'er  &  Kaufman,  who  were 
engaged  in  the  fire  insurance  business.  For 
several  months  Mr.  Carter  was  also  book- 
keeper for  Peter  Loeb,  a  well  known  foun- 
dryman,  and  for  three  years  was  bookkeeper 
in  the  Union  Iron  Works.  He  afterward 
again  spent  six  months  in  the  service  of 
Mr.  Loeb  and  then  became  bookkeeper  in 
the  Chicago  agricultural  implement  house 
of  George  D.  Haworth.  Again  coming  to 
Decatur  he  accepted  the  position  of  book- 


keeper for  P..  Z.  Taylor  in  the  linseed  oil 
mill,  where  he  remained  for  eighteen 
months,  and  in  1885  he  invested  his  capital 
in  the  Decatur  Coal  Company,  of  which  he 
has  since  been  the  cashier  and  office  man- 
ager. He  is  also  the  secretary  of  the  De- 
catur Milling  Company  and  is  director  in 
the  Savings  b^md  &  Building  Association, 
with  which  he  has  been  associated  in  this 
manner  since  1891.  He  has  also  had  charge 
of  his  father's  business  interests  in  Illinois 
during  the  latter's  residence  in  California. 
A  man  of  keen  insight  he  readily  compre- 
hends business  situations  and  utilizes  the 
means  at  hand  to  the  best  advantage. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  1882,  Mr.  Carter 
married  Miss  Idora  J.  Patterson,  a  daugh- 
ter of  William  F.  and  Melinda  (Travis) 
Patterson.  Their  children  are  Ralph  M., 
who  is  now  a  student  in  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  State  University  at  Cham- 
paign, Illinois ;  Neil  T.,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years  and  eight  months;  and  Alma 
Lois,  at  home. 

Mr.  Carter  is  a  popular  and  exemplary 
representative  of  various  fraternal  organi- 
zations. He  belongs  to  Chevalier  Bayard 
Lodge,  No.  189,  K.  P. ;  W.  C.  Roe  Camp, 
No.  7201,  M.  W.  A. ;  and  in  November, 
1890,  was  made  a  Mason  in  Decatur,  join- 
ing Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of 
\vhich  he  is  a  past  master.  He  has  also 
taken  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  belongs  to 
Decatur  Council,  No.  16,  R.  &  S.  M.,  and  to 
Beaumanoir  Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.  He 
is  true  and  loyal  to  the  teachings  of  the 
craft  and  in  his  life  exemplifies  the  benefi- 
cent spirit.  He  belongs  to  the  First  Baptist 
church  of  Decatur,  in  which  he  is  now  serv- 
ing as  deacon.  His  loyalty  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  community  has  been  manifested 
in  many  ways.  He  is  a  public  spirited  and 
progressive  citizen  and  his  labors  have  ad- 
vanced the  material  progress  and  prosper- 
ity, the  intellectual  development  and  the 
moral  advancement  of  Decatur. 


V.    lf  .-.r-c.^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AL\COX  COUNTY. 


189 


JOHN  II.  CROCKER. 

The  name  of  Crocker  has  been  long,  inti- 
mately and  honorably  associated  with  llic 
history  of  Alaroa,  its  development  and  sub- 
stantia! progress,  and  father  and  sons  have 
left  an  indelible  impress  upon  the  city  and 
its  advancement.  He  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review  was  actixely  associated 
with  business  affairs  here  and  his  own 
upright  career  added  new  luster  to  an  un- 
tarnished family  record. 

John  H.  Crocker  was  born  in  Derry,  New 
Hampshije,  on  the  9th  of  July,  1829,  a  son 
of  John  and  Mary  Neal  (Pillsbury)  Crock- 
er. His  father  was  one  of  tlie  first  settlers 
of  Man)a  and  the  city  owes  its  substantial 
upbuilding  in  no  degree  to  one  man  as  much 
as  it  does  to  John  Crocker,  who  not  only 
located  here  when  Maroa  was  an  embryo 
\illage  but  served  as  the  first  station  agent, 
the  first  postmaster  and  was  the  first  banker 
and  the  first  lumber  and  grain  merchant. 
He  realized  that  business  possibilities  ex- 
isted here  and  improved  them.  He  made 
the  most  of  his  opportunities  and  in  so 
doing  he  became  one  of  the  builders  and  pro- 
moters of  Maroa  and  contributed  in  large 
measure  to  its  progress.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Presbyterian  church  lure, 
became  one  of  its  first  elders  and  contrib- 
uted generously  to  its  support,  while  taking 
a  hel]iful  part  in  its  work  in  other  ways.  He 
died  in  the  year  1879,  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  His  name  should  be  inscribed 
on  the  roll  of  pioneers  of  Macon  county 
and  he  should  ever  be  held  in  grateful  re- 
membrance by  the  residents  of  the  town, 
who  are  now  enjoying  the  results  of  his 
labors.  He  came  of  Scotch-Irish  descent, 
tracing  his  ancestry  back  to  colonial  times, 
and  since  that  period  the  Crockers  have 
had  marked  influence  in  making  history  in 
the  various  communities  in  which  they  have 
resided. 

John  H.  Crocker,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  supplemented  his  early  educa- 


tional jirivileges  by  pursuing  a  com'se  of 
study  in  Illinois  College,  at  Jacksonville, 
Illinois,  and  later  he  engaged  in  teaching 
school  for  two  years.  He  then  studied  civil 
engineering  and  was  then  engaged  in  that 
line  of  business  in  connection  with  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  until  1857,  and  with 
the  Cairo  &  ImiUou  Railroad  from  1857 
until  the  war  broke  out.  He  was  known  as 
a  loval  advocate  of  the  Union  but  he  could 
not  enlist  on  account  of  his  health.  How- 
ever, he  rendered  valuable  aid  to  his  country 
by  engineering  the  erection  of  the  breast- 
works at  P)irds  Point  and  he  was  also  in- 
spector of  cotton  in  Tennessee.  Following 
the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Crocker  turned  his 
attention  to  the  grain  and  lumber  business 
and  later  he  joined  his  father  in  the  lumber 
business.  In  these  connections  he  became 
widelv  known  as  a  representative  of  the 
trade  interests  in  Maroa,  and  the  extent  of 
his  operations  made  him  one  of  the  leading 
merchants  and  financiers  here.  He  pros- 
pered in  his  undertakings  because  his  judg- 
ment was  rarely  at  fault  and  because  he 
])ossessed  a  large  share  of  that  energy 
which  is  the  foundation  of  all  success. 

(  )n  the  23d  of  January,  1853,  Mr.  Crocker 
was  united  in  marriage 'to  Miss  Louisa  P. 
Philbrook,  a  daughter  of  Seth  and  Margaret 
(Ward)  Philbrook.  She  was  born  in  Gran- 
ville, Ohio,  and  was  educated  in  the  semi- 
nary at  that  place.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  removed  with  his  family 
from  the  Bucke/e  state  to  Yandalia,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  lived  until  1865.  Unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Crocker  were  born  seven  children, 
of  whom  four  are  living:  George  L.,  of 
Springfield.  Illinois,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Grimes  and  has  two  children:  John,  who  is 
mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  work ;  Mar- 
garet Philbrook,  wife  of  Dr.  McLean  ;  .\nna 
Louise,  the  wife  of  W.  FI.  Black,  of  De- 
catur: and  three  that  died  in  infancy.  Mrs. 
Crocker  now  has  an  adopted  daughter,  Elsie 
.Mav,  who  lives   at   home.     She   is  a  grad- 


190 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


uate   of    Monticello    Seminary,   of   Godfrey, 
Illinois. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Crocker  was 
an  earnest  Republican  and  served  as  the 
first  mayor  of  Alaroa.  In  matters  of  citi- 
zenship he  was  ever  found  on  the  side  of 
advancement  and  he  labored  for  the  future 
as  well  as  the  present  welfare  of  the  city 
in  which  he  so  long  made  his  home.  He 
was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in  the 
legislature,  and  when  concerned  with  the 
affairs  of  the  same  showed  the  same  loyal- 
ty to  the  .public  good  that  he  manifested  in 
his  home  town.  A  strong  temperance  man, 
he  ad\ocated  the  cause  both  by  precept  and 
example  and  labored  untiringly  to  secure 
the  abolition  of  the  liquor  evils.  He  be- 
longed to  the  Royal  Templars  and  served  as 
supreme  counselor.  Fraternally  he  was 
connected  with  the  Masonic  lodge  and  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
His  Christian  faith  w-as  indicated  by  his 
membership  in  the  Presbj^terian  church 
and  was  exemplified  in  his  daily  life.  His 
wife  shared  with  him  in  his  interest  in 
the  church  and  its  work,  she  being  also  a 
member  and  thus  in  this  as  in  many  other 
things  their  relation  was  a  most  congenial 
one  and  their  married  life  was  fraught  with 
much  happiness.  In  the  year  1890  Mr. 
Crocker  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  He  had 
started  out  in  life  empty  handed,  having 
nothing  save  a  good  education  as  the  foun- 
dation upon  which  to  build,  but  he  achieved 
both  character  and  fortune,  leaving  to  his 
family  a  handsome  competence  and  an  hon- 
ored name.  Worthy  of  emulation  is  his  life 
record  and  honored  is  his  memory.  The 
world  is  better  for  his  having  lived  and 
Maroa  especiallj'  benefited  by  his  efforts 
in  her  behalf. 


REUBEN  BETZER. 
The  object  of  this  volume  is  to  preserve 
an  authentic  record,  as  far  as  possible,  of 
the  lives  and  deeds  of  those  who  have  as- 


sisted in  the  upbuilding  of  the  varied  in- 
terests of  Macon  county.  The  rank  that  a 
city  or  county  holds  very  largely  depends 
upon  the  achievements  of  its  citizens.  Some 
add  to  its  reputation  by  elificient  public  serv- 
ice, some  by  professional  skill,  some  by  in- 
creasing its  manufacturing  or  commercial 
interests  and  some  by  cultivating  and  im- 
proving its  lands.  To  give  a  faithful  ac- 
count of  the  lives  of  old  settlers  and  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  a  community  is  to  write 
its  history  in  its  truest  sense.  Mr.  Betzer 
was  for  long  years  associated  with  agri- 
cultural interests  and  his  last  days  were 
spent  in  retirement  from  business  cares  in 
a  pleasant  home  in  Decatur.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  find  a  man  who  had  higher  re- 
gard from  his  friends  than  did  Mr.  Betzer 
and  this  was  because  of  a  life  that  mani- 
fested many  admirable  qualities  and  sterling 
traits  of  character.  He  became  a  resident 
of  Macon  county  in  the  year  1865. 

He  was  born  in  Ross  count}%  Ohio,  his 
natal  day  being  July  5,  1824,  and  his  parents 
were  William  and  Margaret  (Harvey)  Bet- 
zer. His  father  was  born  in  New  Jersey  and 
his  mother  in  Pennsylvania  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  eleven  children,  of 
whom  Reuben  was  the  seventh  in  order  of 
birth.  It  was  in  the  year  1810  that  William 
Betzer  removed  to  Ohio  and  two  j'^ears  later 
he  offered  his  services  to  the  government  in 
defense  of  this  country  in  the  second  war 
with  England.  After  his  return  from  the 
army  he  located  in  Ross  county,  Ohio, 
where  both  he  and  his  wife  spent  their  last 
days  and  their  children  have  also  passed 
away. 

Reuben  Betzer  had  the  usual  experiences 
and  advantages  of  a  farmer  boy.  He  worked 
in  the  fields  and  meadows  through  his  youth 
and  after  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  he 
determined  to  follow  the  occupation  to 
which  he  had  been  reared.  He  was  a  young 
man  of  twenty-five  years,  when  he  settled 
upon  a  farm  near  the  old  homestead  in  Ross 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


191 


county,  there  remaining  until  after  his 
father's  death.  He  received  from  his  father 
a  tract  of  land,  as  did  the  other  sons,  while 
the  daughters  of  the  household  received  an 
equivalent  in  money  to  the  sum  of  one 
thousand  dollars.  Desiring  a  companion 
and  helpmate  for  life's  journey  Mr.  Betz'er 
was  joined  in  Wedlock  on  the  31st  of  De- 
cember, 1848,  to  Miss  Sarah  Evans.  She 
was  born  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  January  9, 
1826,  and  her  parents  were  John  and  Sarah 
(Miller)  Evans,  who  were  also  natives  of 
Ohio.  The  mother  died  during  the  girlhood 
days  of  her  daughter  and  Mrs.  Betzer  was 
then  reared  by  relatives  near  Circlcville, 
Pickaway  county,  Ohio.  Her  father,  how- 
ever, continued  to  engage  in  farming  in 
Ross  county  throughout  his  life  and  at 
length  passed  away  there. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr.  Betzer 
took  his  bride  to  his  farm  and  there  they 
resided  continuously  until  1865,  when,  be- 
lieving that  he  might  have  still  better  busi- 
ness opportunities  in  a  district  farther  west, 
he  came  to  Macon  county,  arriving  here  in 
1865.  He  took  up  his  abode  on  a  farm  in 
Whitmore  township,  six  miles  northeast 
of  Decatur  and  first  purchased  two  hundred 
and  fifteen  acres  of  land.  There  he  began 
making  improvements  and  afterward  pur- 
chased more  land,  adding  to  his  place  from 
time  to  time  until  he  had  a  tract  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty-five  acres.  He  was 
progressive  in  his  farming  methods,  active, 
industrious  and  honorable  in  his,  business 
career,  but  after  residing  upon  his  farm  for 
a  few  years  he  decided  to  rent  the  land  and 
remove  to  Decatur,  where  he  enjoyed  rest 
from  further  labor.  He  was  a  man  to  whom 
indolence  and  idleness  were  utterly  foreign 
and  although  he  retired  from  farm  life  busi- 
ness interests  of  a  different  character 
claimed  his  attention  to  a  considerable  de- 
gree. He  was  a  lover  of  stock  and  engaged 
to  some  extent  in  stock-raising.  He  also 
worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  and  aided 


in  building  many  of  the  bridges  near  Deca- 
tur. In  1867  he  erected  a  residence  now 
occupied  by  his  widow.  On  account  of  his 
health  he  traveled  to  a  considerable  extent, 
frequently  spending  the  winter  months  in 
the  south.  In  the  summer  of  1892  he  vis- 
ited California  and  at  different  times  went 
to  other  places  of  interest  in  the  country, 
visiting  its  scenes  of  beauty  and  many  of 
its  historic  places,  gaining  thereby  the  cul- 
ture and  knowledge  which  only  travel  can 
bring. 

.Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Betzer  had  no  children  of 
their  own  but  gave  homes  to  two  of  their 
nieces:  Efifie  A.  came  to  them  at  the  age 
of  thirteen  years  and  remained  with  them 
until  her  marriage  to  .\mos  F.  Imboden,  a 
policeman  of  Decatur.  The}'  now  reside  at 
No.  1243  North  Edwards  street.  Another 
niece,  ;\Iaria  L.  Evans,  lived  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Betzer  from  her  seventh  to  her  twenty- 
first  year  and  then  became  the  wife  of  Frank 
Spillman,  a  hardware  merchant  of  Macon, 
but  both  are  now  deceased. 

During  the  winter  of  1895-6,  while  going 
from  his  house  to  his  bam,  Mr.  Betzer 
slipped  on  the  ice,  sustaining  a  severe  in- 
jury. He  was  carried  to  his  bed  and  there 
he  suffered  for  several  weeks,  his  injury 
combined  with  other  causes,  leading  to  his 
death  on  the  i8th  of  .March,  1896.  His  re- 
mains were  interred  in  the  beautiful  Green- 
wood cemetery  of  Decatur.  He  was  never 
an  active  politician  in  the  sense  of  office 
seeking  and  yet  after  removing  to  the  city 
of  Decatur  he  served  as  supervisor  for  one 
year,  being  elected  on  the  Democratic  tick- 
et, whose  principles  he  al'v».ys  endorsed. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  of  this  city  and  he  took 
an  active  and  helpful  part  in  church  work, 
while  Mrs.  Betzer  supplemented  his  labors 
in  this  regard  by  her  own  zeal  in  the  work. 
He  left  his  widow  in  very  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances. She  now  owns  a  nice  home  at 
No.  358  East  Williams  street  and  in  addi- 


102 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


tion  owns  the  old  homestead  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  acres  of  vahiable  farm- 
ing hind  in  Whitmore  township. 

Mr.  Betzer  was  a  self-made  man  and  his 
possessions  were  obtained  through  earnest, 
indefatigable  effort.  He  watched  closely  his 
opportunities  for  business  advancement  and 
by  the  utilization  of  these  and  by  his  per- 
severance and  diligence  he  gained  a  hand- 
some competence.  He  won,  too,  an  honor- 
able name  in  business  circles  for  he  was  al- 
ways straightforward  in  every  trade  trans- 
action. He  had  many  friends  in  Decatur 
and  Macon  county  who  still  cherish  his 
memory  and  no  history  of  this  localit}^ 
would  be  complete  without  the  record  of 
his  life,  for  during  thirty-one  years  he  lived 
in  the  county  and  in  many  ways  assisted 
in  its  progress  and  promotion.  He  was  al- 
ways deeply  interested  in  whatever  per- 
tained to  its  welfare  and  was  known  as  a 
public  spirited  citizen. 


WILLIAM  R.  BOGG.S,  M.  D. 

Dr.  A\"illiam  R.  Boggs,  who  is  success- 
fully engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine 
and  surgery  in  ]\Iacon,  Illinois,  was  born 
on  the  23d  of  Jilarch,  1854,  in  Noble  county, 
(Jhio.  his  parents  being  Alexander  and 
Mary  A.  (Thompson)  Boggs.  His  father 
was  also  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  near  Mount 
Vernon,  Richland  county,  March  22,  1827. 
and  was  a  son  of  Reuben  Boggs,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  A'irginia  in  1800.  In  early 
life  the  latter  married  Miss  Ellenor  Mar- 
quiss,  and  from  the  Old  Dominion  they  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  being  among  the  first  set- 
tlers at  St.  Clairsville.  The  grandfather  of 
our  subject  died  at  Sharon,  Ohio,  in  1884, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years. 

Alexander  Boggs  was  reared  and  educated 
in  the  county  of  his  nativity  and  when  a 
young  man  removed  from  there  to  Noble 
county.  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock-dealing  throughout  the  remainder 


of  his  lifu.  .\bout  1849  lie  wedded  ^Miss 
Mary  A.  Thompson,  who  was  born  at  St. 
Andrews,  New  Brunswick,  March  15,  1832. 
Her  parents,  Robert  and  Isabel  (}k[cDon- 
ald)  Thompson,  were  natives  of  Ireland, 
where  the  former  was  born  in  1800.  On 
coming  to  the  United  States  he  stopped  first 
at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and  in  1835  re- 
moved to  Noble  county,  Ohio.  By  occu- 
pation he  was  also  a  farmer.  He  died  in 
iam  R.,  of  this  review:  John,  a  farmer  of 
1875  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1874. 
Unto  Alexander  and  Mary  A.  (Thomp- 
son) Boggs  were  born  eight  children,  name- 
ly :  Robert  T.,  who  was  a  physician  at 
Bloomington,  Indiana,  and  died  in  1881, 
when  about  thirty  years  of  age ;  Reuben, 
who  died  of  scarlet  fever  in  infancy ;  Will- 
Caldwell,  Ohio ;  James  Mac,  who  died  in 
infancy:  Clement,  who  follows  farming  near 
Caldwell,  Ohio ;  Lena,  wife  of  W.  O.  Keith, 
who  resides  at  ^^'arsaw,  and  is  engaged  in 
merchandising  at  that  place :  and  Elmer  F., 
a  clothier  of  Salem,  Indiana.  The  father 
of  this  family  departed  this  life  in  May, 
1894,  and  the  mother  died  in  Alarch,  1889. 

Dr.  Boggs  received  his  early  education 
in  the-  common  schools  of  Caldwell,  Ohio, 
and  later  attended  the  Northern  Indiana 
Normal  School,  preparing  for  a  medical 
course  which  he  intended  to  take.  After 
leaving  that  institution  in  1875,  he  engaged 
in  teaching  school  for  about  five  years  and 
then  entered  the  Kentucky  School  of  iled- 
icine  at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  wdiere  he 
was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D. 
in  1883.  He  was  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  his  profession  at  Keith,  Ohio,  until  1890, 
and  the  following  year  came  to  Macon, 
Illinois,  where  he  purchased  the  home,  of- 
fice and  practice  of  Dr.  R.  Tobey,  who  be- 
gan practice  here  in  1869.  Dr.  Boggs  has 
since  improved  the  property  and  has  gradu- 
ally extended  his  practice  until  it  is  now 
quite  large  and  profitable.  He  has  the 
largest  general  library,  as  well  as  the  larg- 


/.u//^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


195 


est  collection  ui  medical  works,  in  central 
Illinois,  and  derives  much  pleasure  as  well 
as  profit  from  his  books.  In  1892  he  took 
a  post  graduate  course  at  the  Chicago  Poli- 
clinic and  is  a  progressive  member  of  his 
profession,  keeping  abreast  with  the  latest 
discoveries  and  theories  by  his  perusal  of 
medical  journals. 

At  Caldwell,  Ohio,  in  1875,  the  Doctor 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Barclay,  a  daughter  of  Adam  and  Mattie 
(Miller)  Barclay.  Her  father  was  born  in 
Ireland  in  1826  but  when  a  child  was 
brought  to  this  country  and  settled  in  Cald- 
well, Ohio,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  made  farming  his  life  work. 
Dr.  and  ^Irs.  Boggs  have  one  child,  Ola, 
who  was  graduated  at  Knox  College,  Gales- 
burg.  Illinois,  and  has  since  taken  special 
work  at  the  University  of  Chicago.  She  is 
now  at  home  with  her  parents.  The  fam- 
ily attend  the  Presbyterian  church,  of 
which  the  wife  and  daughter  arc  memljcrs, 
and  the  Doctor  is  connected  with  South 
Macon  Lodge,  i\o.  467,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
Beacon  Lodge,  K.  P.,  both  of  Macon.  He 
is  also  an  Odd  Fellow,  belonging  to  the 
subordinate  lodge.  No.  466  and  the  encamji- 
ment,  No.  245,  of  Keith,  Ohio.  In  the  line 
of  his  profession  he  holds  membership  in 
the  American  Medical  Association,  the  Illi- 
nois Medical  Society,  the  District  Medical 
Society  and  the  Decatur  Medical  Society. 
He  is  local  surgeon  for  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  and  examining  physician 
for  many  of  the  old  line  insurance  com- 
panies. Pleasant  and  genial  in  manner  he 
makes  many  friends  and  has  the  happy  fac- 
ulty of  being  able  to  retain  them. 


JUDGE  \\'ILLIAM  E.  NELSON. 

Judge  William  E.  Nelson  has  been  one  of 

the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  the  history 

of   jurisprudence   in   the    fourteenth    circuit 

of   Illinois.     In   the   long  line  of   the   illus- 


trious men  of  whom  the  state  is  justly 
jiroud  the  public  life  of  few  others  has  ex- 
tended over  as  long  a  period  as  his  and 
certainly  the  life  of  none  has  been  more 
xaried  in  service,  more  constant  in  honor, 
more  fearless  in  conduct  and  more  stain- 
less in  reputation,  lie  is  the  Nestor  of  the 
Decatur  bar,  having  engaged  in  practice 
since  August,  1844,  while  since  June,  1857, 
he  has  been  a  representative  of  the  legal  fra- 
ternity of  this  city.  Upon  the  bench,  too, 
he  has  won  high  honors  and  no  resident  of 
Decatur  is  more  worthy  of  mention  in  this 
volume  than  Judge  William  E.   Nelson. 

The  Judge  is  a  native  of  Tennessee,  born 
in  AVhite  county  on  the  4th  of  June,  1824. 
In  the  paternal  line  he  comes  of  Irisli  line- 
age, but  the  family  was  established  in  \'ir- 
ginia  at  an  early  day  in  the  history  of  this 
country.  John  Nelson,  the  grandfather  of 
the  Judge,  was  born  in  the  Old  Doininion 
and  at  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
joined  the  colonists  and  aided  in  the  strug- 
gle for  independence,  serving  until  victory 
crowned  the  American  army  and  the  Re- 
public was  established.  He  was  a  mill- 
wright and  also  the  owner  of  a  mill,  and 
throughout  his  business  career  followed 
these  pursuits.  Removing  to  Tennessee, 
he  spent  his  last  days  in  Overton  county, 
where  he  passed  away  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-five  years.  His  son,  Richard  Nel- 
son, was  born  in  Tennessee  and  after  ar- 
riving at  years  of  maturity  wedded  Eliza 
.McCampbell,  who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  de- 
scent, and  a  daughter  of  Andrew  .McCamp- 
bell. Her  father  was  born  in  the 
land  of  hills  and  heather  and  after  his  mar- 
riage in  that  country  he  removed  to  Ireland, 
where  he  made  his  home  until  he  sailed 
for  the  new  world.  Taking  up  his  resi- 
dence in  Virginia  he  remained  there  until 
his  removal  to  Tennessee  and  he,  too,  was 
one  of  the  heroes  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
valiantly  aiding  the  colonists  in  their  at- 
tempt to  win  freedom  from  Briti.sh  oppres- 


190 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


sion.  Becoming  a  resident  of  Tennessee  he 
carried  on  farming  in  Knox  county  and 
there  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years. 
Richard  Nelson,  the  father  of  the  Judge, 
was  an  attorney  and  engaged  in  practice  in 
Sparta,  Tennessee,  from  the  time  of  his 
marriage  until  1846,  when  he  removed  to 
Carrollton,  Mississippi,  where  he  spent  his 
remaining  days.  Prominent  i-n  public  af- 
fairs he  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality 
upon  public  thought  and  action  and  aided 
in  large  measure  in  shaping  the  policy  of 
the  states,  in  which  he  made  his  home.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  conven- 
tion which  formed  the  organic  law  of  Ten- 
nessee and  for  many  years  he  filled  the  posi- 
tion of  judge  of  the  probate  court  in  Missis- 
sippi, and  his  knowledge  of  the  law  was 
broad  and  comprehensive  and  his  clientage 
was  ever  of  an  important  and  distinctively 
representative  character.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  1865  when  he  was  in  his  sixty-fifth 
year,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  Carroll- 
ton,  Mississippi,  when  more  than  ninety 
years  of  age.  They  were  both  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  to  them  were 
born  five  sons  and  three  daughters,  the  sur- 
viving members  of  the  family  being  Will- 
iam E. ;  Mary  F.,  w'-'o  is  the  wife  of  Charles 
N.  Scott,  of  Carrollton,  Mississippi;  and 
Emily,  the  wife  of  James  M.  ^loore,  of 
College  Cily,  California. 

Reared  to  manhood  in  the  comity  of  his 
nativity,  William  E.  Nelson  pursued  his  lit- 
erary education  there,  being  a  student  in 
the  subscription  schools,  for  at  that  time  the 
public  school  system  had  not  been  estab- 
lished. When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  took 
up  the  study  of  law  with  his  father  as  his 
preceptor  and  in  August,  1844,  when  twenty 
years  of  age  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
Joining  his  father  in  practice  he  was  for 
some  years  connected  with  the  legal  inter- 
ests of  White  county  and  the  adjoining  cir- 
cuit and  his  prowess  as  a  lawyer  was  tested 
in  the  conduct  of  trials  where  he  was  op- 


posed to  many  older  and  more  experienced 
lawyers.  However,  he  proved  his  skill  and 
capability  and  successfully  handled  many 
intricate  problems  of  jurisprudence.  Con- 
tinuing in  practice  in  White  county,  Ten- 
nessee, until  June,  1857,  he  then  removed  to 
Decatur,  which  was  a  small  town  but 
seemed  to  have  a  good  future  before  it. 
Here  Judge  Nelson  opened  his  law  office 
and  has  since  been  a  representative  of  the 
l)ar,  covering  a  period  of  forty-six  years. 
In  the  preparation  of  his  cases  he  was  al- 
ways thorough  and  exhaustive.  He  seemed 
almost  to  intuitively  grasp  the  strong 
points  of  law  and  fact  and  his  reasoning 
thereon  was  presented  so  cogently  and  un- 
answerably as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  the 
correctness  of  his  views  or  of  his  conclu- 
sions. No  detail  seemed  to  escape  him  and 
every  point  was  given  its  due  prominence 
while  the  case  was  argued  with  such  skill, 
ability  and  power  that  he  seldom  failed  to 
gain  the  verdict  desired. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  lawyer 
figures  more  prominently  in  public  affairs 
than  does  the  representative  of  any  other 
class  of  business  activity.  The  reason  for 
this  is  evident  and  needs  no  explanation. 
The  ability  and  training  which  qualify  one 
to  practice  law  also  qualify  him  in  many  re- 
spects for  duties  which  lie  outside  the 
sj)here  of  his  profession  and  which  touch 
the  general  interests  of  state.  Judge  Nel- 
son is  a  man  who  has  brought  keen  dis- 
cernment and  thorough  wisdom  to  bear  not 
alone  in  professional  paths,  but  also  for  the 
benefit  of  the  city  and  state  which  have  so 
long  been  his  home  and  with  whose  inter- 
ests he  has  been  so  thoroughly  identified. 
He  was  apipointed  by  the  governor  as  one  of 
a  committee  for  the  revisal  of  the  statutes 
and  in  1870  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
twenty-seventh  general  assembly  of  Illinois, 
which  convened  immediately  after  the  adop- 
tion of  the  constitution.  He  served  through- 
out  all   the   repeated  sessions   of  that   long 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


197 


assembl}-  and  left  the  impress  of  lii.s  iiuli- 
viduality  upon  tlie  measures  adopted  by 
that  body.  To  each  question  which  came 
up  for  settlement  he  gave  earnest  and  care- 
ful consideration  and  never  failed  in  his  al- 
legiance to  a  course  which  he  believed 
would  contribute  to  the  welfare  of  the  en- 
tire state.  After  his  retirement  from  that 
office  he  was  chosen  by  popular  suffrage  to 
the  position  of  circuit  judge  of  the  four- 
teenth circuit  of  Illinois  and  was  upon  that 
bench  for  one  term.  Later  he  was  elected 
county  judge  of  Macon  county  and  by  re- 
election was  continued  in  the  office  for  four 
years.  On  the  bench  he  was  the  very  em- 
bodiment of  judicial  dignity.  He  was  ever 
courteous  and  considerate  and  never  tried 
to  win  cheap  applause  at  the  expense  of  an 
inexperienced  attorney  or  overwrought  wit- 
ness. A  man  of  unimpeachable  character, 
of  unusual  intellectual  endowments,  with  a 
thorough  understanding  of  the  law,  pa- 
tience, urbanity  and  industry.  Judge  Nel- 
son took  to  the  bench  the  very  highest 
qualifications  for  this  most  responsible  of- 
fice in  the  system  of  the  state  government ; 
and  his  record  as  a  judge  has  been  in  har- 
mony with  his  record  as  a  man  and  lawj'er, 
distinguished  by  unswerving  integrity  and 
a  masterful  grasp  of  every  i)roblcm  that  has 
presented  itself  for  solution. 

Ere  leaving  his  native  state  Judge  Nelson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  A. 
Snodgrass,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  James  and 
Margaret  (McKinney)  Snodgrass,  who 
were  residents  of  White  county,  Tennessee. 
This  wedding  was  solemnized  on  the  26th 
of  February,  1846,  and  the  Judge  and  his 
wife  became  parents  of  five  children,  name- 
ly: Margaret  Eliza,  James  Ridley,  Theo- 
dore, Flora  and  Richard,  but  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Theodore,  all  died  in  infancy. 
Theodore  Nelson  has  become  a  prominent 
figure  in  political  circles  in  Chicago,  Illi- 
nois, and  has  been  honored  with  political 
preferment  there.     He  married  Augusta  A. 


lUainc.  a  daughter  of  John  R.  Blaine,  of 
Decatur,  and  they  have  one  child,  Mary 
Lena.  Mrs.  Nelson  was  a  most  estimable 
lady  whose  life  was  in  consistent  harmony 
with  her  membership  in  the  church  of 
Christ.  She  died  in  November,  1876,  at  the 
age  of  forty-seven  years,  respected  by  all 
who  knew  her.  In  June,  1889,  the  Judge 
was  again  married,  at  which  date  Mrs.  Lucy 
H.  Montgomery  became  his  wife.  She  was 
the  widow  of  John  T.  Montgomery  and  a 
daughter  of  Judge  Jeptha  G.  Hollingsworth, 
of  Elkton,  Todd  county,  Kentucky. 

The  Judge  is  quite  prominent  in  Masonic 
circles,  holding  membership  with  Macon 
Lodge  No.  8,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Macon  Chapter, 
No.  21,  R.  A.  M. ;  and  Beaumanoir  Com- 
niandery.  No.  9,  K.  T.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Christian  church  and  has  been  deeply 
interested  in  the  moral  advancement  of  the 
community.  His  political  support  has  ever 
been  given  to  the  Democratic  party  and  it 
has  been  upon  this  ticket  that  he  has  been 
elected  lo  ])ulilic  office.  In  local  positions, 
political  and  otherwise,  he  has  served  his 
fellow  townsmen  most  capably  and  accept- 
ably and  Decatur  owes  much  to  his  co- 
operation in  its  behalf.  In  his  private  life 
he  is  distinguished  by  all  that  marks  the 
true  gentleman.  His  is  a  noble  character, 
one  that  subordinates  personal  ambition  to 
public  good  and  seeks  rather  the  benefit  of 
others  than  the  aggrandizement  of  self.  En- 
dowed by  nature  with  high  intellectual 
qualities,  to  which  we  add  the  discipline 
and  embellishments  of  culture,  his  is  a  most 
attractive  personality  and  in  Decatur, 
where  he  has  so  long  made  his  home,  he  is 
numbered  among  the  most  honored  citi- 
zens, receiving  the  respect  and  regard  of 
people  of  all  classes. 


HENRY  C.  MOWRY. 
Henry  C.  Mowry,  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Forsyth,  now  living  a  retired  life,  was  born 
on   the    1st   of   March,    1835,   in    Smithfield, 


198 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Providence  county,  Rhode  Island,  in  a  liouse 
that  liad  been  tlie  home  of  his  ancestors  for 
three  generations  back.  He  is  of  French, 
EiigHsli  and  Welsh  descent  and  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  old  and  honored  colonial  fam- 
ilies. His  father,  Asa  Mowry,  was  also 
born  at  the  old  homestead  in  Smith- 
field,  Rhode  Island,  and  in  early  life 
followed  the  cooper's  trade  but  later 
turned  his  attention  to  the  practice  of 
law  and  met  with  excellent  success  in  his 
undertakings.  When  a  young  man  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Louisa  Johnson,  also  a  native  of 
Rhode  Island  and  a  daughter  of  George  W. 
Johnson,  who  was  one  of  the  heroes  of  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  lived  to  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-four  years.  Asa  Mow- 
ry died  in  May,  1841,  and  his  wife  who  long 
survived  him,  passed  away  on  the  24th  of 
July,  1883.  They  were  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  and  were  most  estimable 
people.  In  their  family  were  five  children, 
of  whom  one  died  in  •  infancy,  the  others 
being  Abbie,  who  is  still  living  in  the  east ; 
Henry  C,  of  this  sketch ;  Enos,  who  died  in 
October,  1863 ;  and  Edward  M.,  a  stone  cut- 
ter by  trade,  who  died  in  1894  in  Rhode 
Island. 

During  his  boyhood  Henry  C.  Mowry  re- 
ceived a  good  practical  education  at  the  East 
Greenwich  Academy.  He  was  only  seven 
years  of  age  when  his  father  died  and  when 
still  quite  young  began  work  in  the  cotton 
mills  of  his  native  state,  receiving  seventy- 
five  cents  per  week  in  compensation  for  his 
service.  By  the  time  he  was  sixteen  he  had 
thoroughly  mastered  the  business  and  was 
appointed  overseer  of  the  Smithfield  Mills, 
with  from  thirty  to  sixty  operatives  under 
his  charge.  Resigning  his  position  in  1855, 
he  engaged  in  clerking  in  a  clothing  store 
for  a  time  and  was  afterward,  employed  in 
a  lumberyard  until  the  Civil  war  broke  out. 

Hardly  had  the  echoes  from  Fort  Sum- 
ter's guns  died  away  when  Mr.  Mowry  of- 
fered  his   services   to  the   government,   en- 


listing on  the  17th  of  April,  1861,  in  Com- 
pany K,  First  Rhode  Island  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, as  sergeant.  This  was  the  first  regi- 
ment of  which  General  Burnsides  had 
charge  and  was  the  third  to  enter  Wash- 
ington. Our  subject  participated  in  the 
famous  battle  of  Bull  Run  and  the  engage- 
ments at  Roanoke,  Newbury  and  Freder- 
icksburg, and  was  once  slightly  wounded 
in  the  left  leg  by  a  spent  ball.  He  received 
an  honorable  discharge  in  1863,  at  which 
time  he  was  acting  as  lieutenant  of  his 
company  though   never   commissioned. 

After  his  return  home  Mr.  Mowry  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  mail  agent  on  the  Provi- 
dence &  Worcester  Railroad,  to  which  he 
had  been  appointed  previous  to  his  enlist- 
ment, and  he  continued  to  serve  in  that  ca- 
pacity until  coming  west  in  1867.  He  lo- 
cated at  Forsyth,  jMacon  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  erected  an  elevator,  cribs  and  of- 
fice, and  was  engaged  in  the  grain  business 
at  this  place  until  1869,  when  he  removed 
to  Mattoon,  Illinois.  There  he  carried  on 
the  same  business  for  the  firm  of  Day, 
Sprague  &  Company,  of  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  having  entire  charge  of  their  west- 
ern department,  and  in  1874  he  changed  his 
headquarters  from  Mattoon  to  Decatur. 
Four  years  later  he  returned  to  Forsyth, 
where  he  continued  in  the  grain  trade  until 
1896  when  he  sold  out  his  business  and  has 
since  lived  retired,  having  already  acquired 
a  comfortable  competence  which  will  en- 
able him  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life 
in  ease  and  quiet. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  1872,  at  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  'Sir.  Mowry  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Henrietta  Flood,  a  daughter 
of  Dennis  and  Elizabeth  (Fletcher)  Flood, 
both  now  deceased.  She  has  one  brother 
living,  Henry  Flood,  who  makes  his  home 
in  the  state  of  Washington.  Mrs.  Mowry 
was  educated  at  Alt.  Zion  Academy,  and 
by  her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of 
two  children :    Albert  E.  and  Alfred  H.,  but 


.^^^^c^      fcli^^^ 


PAST  AND  TRESEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


'201 


ilic  latter  died  at  the  age  of  six  years.  Al- 
bert E.  Alowry  attended  the  public  schools 
of  this  county  and  later  entered  the  medical 
department  of  the  Northwestern  Univer- 
sity at  Chicago,  where  he  was  graduated  in 
1898  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  In  April  of 
I  hat  year  he  enlisted  as  assistant  surgeon 
in  a  regiment  of  Illinois  cavalry  for  service 
in  the  Spanish-.American  war  and  remained 
with  his  command  until  hostilities  ceased. 
He  tlien  returned  to  Chicago,  where  he 
opened  an  office  and  has  since  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  his  profession  with  marked 
success.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  surgery 
and  already  ranks  high  in  medical  circles. 
On  the  29th  of  July,  1901,  heniarried  Miss 
Ruth  Lehman,  one  of  the  popular  young 
ladies  of  Macon  county,  who  was  reared 
in  Decatur  and  educated  in  the  high  school 
of  that  city.  Her  father  was  Jacob  Leh- 
man, who  died  of  heart  disease  July  21,  1902. 
He  was  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  having 
served  three  years.  His  wife,  who  survives 
him,  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Catharine 
Weaver,  and  now  lives  on  the  home  farm 
in  this  county.  Dr.  Mowry  and  his  wife 
have  a  little  daughter,  Marian. 

Since  attaining  his  majority  our  subject 
has  taken  quite  an  active  and  prominent 
part  in  public  affairs  and  in  1858  was  elected 
on  the  Democratic  ticket  to  the  state  legis- 
lature of  Rhode  Island.  For  several  terms 
he  filled  the  office  of  supervisor  of  Hickory 
Point  township  this  county  and  has  been 
actively  identified  with  school  interests.  He 
is  now  independent  in  politics  but  still  re- 
tains his  interest  in  public  matters.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Unitarian  church  and  for 
many  years  has  been  prominent  in  Sunday- 
school  work,  serving  as  superintendent  at 
Forsyth.  He  joined  the  Masonic  order  at 
W'oonsocket.  Rhode  Island,  in  1865,  and  at 
present  is  also  connected  with  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public, belonging  to  Donald  Post,  No.  141, 


of  J.'"orsyth.  For  three  years  he  served  as 
secretary  of  the  State  Grain  Dealers"  Asso- 
ciation and  in  June,  1903,  was  elected  its 
president,  which  position  he  is  now  filling 
in  a  most  creditable  manner.  He  does  con- 
siderable writing  for  eastern  papers.  His 
public  and  private  life  are  alike  above  re- 
proach, for  his  career  has  been  one  char- 
acterized by  the  utmost  fidelity  to  duty,  and 
his  genial,  pleasant  manner,  has  made  him 
quite  popular  in  business,  social  and  po- 
litical circles. 


SAMUEL  POWERS. 

^Vhen  Decatur  was  a  village  upon  a  w-ild 
western  prairie  Samuel  Powers  established 
liis  home  here  and  for  many  years  remained 
a  resident  of  this  city.  Its  advancement 
and  growth  were  the  source  of  deep  interest 
to  him  and  he  belonged  to  that  class  of 
progressive  and  typical  .American  men  who 
are  never  so  engrossed  with  their  own  af- 
fairs— however  extensive — that  they  cannot 
aid  in  measures  for  the  general  good.  De- 
catur classed  him  with  its  leading  men 
and  benefited  by  his  efforts  in  her  behalf. 
-At  the  same  time  he  found  in  the  business 
opportunities  of  the  growing  west  the  ad- 
vantages he  sought  and  by  the  improve- 
ment of  these  he  worked  his  way  steadily 
upward  to  a  commanding  position  in  finan- 
cial circles. 

Mr.  Powers  was  a  native  of  the  Empire 
state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Saratoga 
county  on  the  i8th  of  May,  1816.  He  lived 
through  the  center  of  the  world's  greatest 
])rogress  and  advancement  along  commer- 
cial and  educational  lines.  In  New  England 
at  a  very  early  day  the  Powers  family  was 
established.  The  paternal  grandfather  of 
our  subject  was  reared  in  Connecticut  and 
William  Powers,  the  father,  was  there  born. 
He  spent  the  days  of  his  youth  in  Bridge- 
port, that  state,  at  the  homo  of  Colonel  St. 


202 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


John,  whom  his  motlier  married  after  the 
death  of  her  first  liusband.  She  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Abigail  Hendricks  and  was 
likewise  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  of 
Scotch  and  English  lineage.  William  Pow- 
ers devoted  his  energies  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits for  some  time  after  his  marriage,  car- 
rying on  general  farming  and  stock-raising. 
He  made  his  home  in  Saratoga  county,  New 
York,  when  it  was  a  new  and  unsettled  dis- 
trict and  when  it  required  two  or  three 
weeks  to  make  a  journey  by  sloop  down  the 
Hudson  river  to  New  York  city.  He  died 
in  the  prime  of  life,  passing  away  at  the 
comparatively  early  age  of  forty-two  years. 

Samuel  Powers  of  this  review  was  then  a 
lad  of  eight  summers.  His  youth  was  passed 
in  the  county  of  his  nativity,  while  his  time 
was  devoted  to  farm  work  and  to  attendance 
at  the  district  schools.  He  pursued  his 
studies  during  the  cold  season  when  it  was 
impossible  to  engage  in  farm  labor,  but 
with  the  early  spring  planting  he  took  his 
place  in  the  fields  and  there  worked  until 
after  crops  were  harvested  in  the  late  au- 
tumn. He  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age 
when  the  management  of  the  home  farm  fell 
upon  him  and  he  continued  its  cultivation 
until  he  attained  his  majority  when  the 
property  was  sold. 

Mr.  Powers  then  determined  to  go  to 
Alabama,  where  his  brothers  were  success- 
fully engaged  in  business,  one  of  them  being 
a  prominent  commission  merchant  and  ex- 
change agent  in  the  city  of  Mobile.  Sam- 
uel Powers,  therefore,  made  his  way  to  Tus- 
caloosa, where  his  brother  Orlando  Powers 
was  conducting  a  mercantile  establishment, 
but  he  found  that  commercial  life  was  not 
congenial  to  him  as  he  needed  the  freedom 
of  outdoor  occupations.  His  taste  and  in- 
clination was  decidedly  in  favor  of  agricul- 
tural pursuits  and  he  determined  to  come 
to  Illinois,  for  its  broad  prairies  ofifcred  ex- 
cellent opportunities  to  the  farmer  and 
stock-raiser.     Accordingly  in  company  with 


his  next  elder  brother,  George  Powers,  he 
made  the  journey  from  Alabama  through 
Tennessee  and  Kentucky  to  Illinois.  They 
traveled  on  horseback  and  crossed  the  Ohio 
river  at  Shawneetown,  reaching  Decatur  in 
July,  1839.  The  traveler  of  to-day  who  vis- 
its this  city  with  its  extensive  industrial 
and  commercial  interests,  its  splendid  ad- 
vantages and  its  beautiful  homes  would  see 
no  point  of  resemblance  to  the  little  village 
which  greeted  the  sight  of  Mr.  Powers  as 
he  neared  the  county  seat  of  Macon  county. 
However,  with  marked  foresight  he  made 
investments  in  this  part  of  the  state.  Sev- 
eral railroads  had  been  surveyed  with  De- 
catur as  one  of  the  points  upon  the  proposed 
line  and  Mr.  Powers  recognized  that  the 
promises  for  the  future  were  very  favor- 
able and  found  that  the  little  village  was 
destined  to  become  a  city  of  considerable 
importance.  Time  proved  the  wisdom  of 
his  opinions. 

Mr.  Powers  and  his  brother  made  invest- 
ments in  real  estate  and  though  their  cash 
capital  consisted  of  only  a  few  hundred  dol- 
lars land  values  were  then  very  low  and 
they  were  able  to  acquire  a  considerable 
amount  of  realty.  From  the  time  of  his 
arrival  in  this  locality  up  to  the  time  of  his 
demise  Mr.  Powers  was  the  owner  of  a 
tract  of  land  adjoining  the  corporation  limits 
of  Decatur  on  the  east  and  Avhich  became 
very  valuable  owing  to  the  improvements 
placed  upon  it  and  because  of  the  growth 
of  this  city.  For  six  months  after  establish- 
ing his  home  here  Mr.  Powers  carried  the 
mail  between  Decatur  and  Homer  and  also 
other  points  in  Champaign  county.  He 
worked  earnestly,  indefatigably  and  ener- 
getically and  as  the  result  of  his  labor  he 
had  in  a  few  years  accumulated  sufficient 
capital  to  enable  him  to  engage  in  the  stock 
business  on  a  small  scale.  Prices,  too,  for 
stock  were  also  very  low  in  comparison  with 
the  aiuounts  given  at  the  present  day,  hogs 
sclline  for  onlv  two  dollars,  while  a  four- 


PAST  AM)  l'Ri:Sl-.XT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


203 


^Car-old    steer    bruuglu   from    eight    to    ten 
dollars.    Mr.  Powers  was  an  excellent  judge 
of   stock  and   made  his  purchases  so  judi- 
ciously that  he  was  enabled  to  realize  good 
prolit   on   his   sales.     He   soon   established 
for  himself  a  reputation  for  fair  dealing  and 
honesty  and  also  for  promptly  meeting  his 
obligations,  which  made  his  name  a  promi- 
nent one  in  trade  circles  and  also  a  valuable 
one  upon  commercial  paper.     It  was  found 
that  when  the  country  became  involved  in 
financial    panic    dealers    preferred    to    sell 
their  stock   to   Mr.   Powers  because  of  his 
known  reliability,  all  feeling  sure  that  they 
would    receive    their    money.      Throughout 
his  business  career  he  contintied  one  of  the 
most  jironiinent  and  extensive  stock  dealers 
of    this    portion    of    the    state    and    it    was 
through  this  avenue  of  activity  that  he  won 
the    splendid    success    which    made    him    a 
wealthy    man    of    ]\Iacon    county.      lie    did 
much  to  improve  the  grade  of  stock  raised 
in  this  section  of  the  state,  and  was  espe- 
ciall}'  well  known  as  abreeder  of  fine  horses, 
in  which  regard  he  gained  a  national  repu- 
tation.    He  was  the  breeder  of  some  of  the 
best  horses  that  had  been  seen  in  America 
and,    by    improving    the    grade    raised    and 
thereby   advancing  prices,  his   labors  were 
a  direct  benefit  to  those  engaged  in  similar 
enterprises. 

On  the  3d  of  March,  1846,  Mr.  I'owers 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Caroline  .M. 
Giles,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  eight  children :  Will- 
iam, Myra,  Carrie,  George,  Thcron,  Frank, 
Edward  and  Chauncey.  The  two  oldest 
children  are  deceased.  The  family  home  is 
always  maintained  in  Decatur  and  its  repre- 
sentatives have  for  many  decades  figured 
prominently  in  social  as  well  as  business 
circles. 

On  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Powers 
proudly  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  in 
behalf  of  the  candidate  of  the  Whig  party 
and    continued  one   of   its   supporters   until 


its  dissolution,  when  he  joined  the  ranks  of 
the   new    Republican    party,    continuing   to 
follow   its   banners   until   his    death,   which 
occurred    February    7,    1885,    his    remains 
being  interred  by  the  side  of  his  children 
in    Greenwood   cemetery.      The    magnitude 
and  importance  of  his  business  interests  so 
occupied  his  attention  that  he  never  cared 
for  political  preferment,  but  he  was  elected 
and   served   as  a  member  of  the   board   of 
supervisors  from  Decatur  township.     Long 
ere    death    came   to    him    he    rounded    the 
Psalmist's    span   of   three   score   years   and 
ten  and  in  the  evening  of  life  with  his  men- 
tal and  physical  vigor  unimpaired  he  over- 
came  the   customary   and   usual   infirmities 
and  weaknesses  of  age  by  active  participa- 
tion  in  the  living  issues  and  events  of  the 
day.     In   his  home  and   in  the   city   of   his 
adoption  he  was  surrounded  by  a  circle  of 
friends  who  appreciated  his  true  worth  and 
admired  and  esteemed  him  for  his  many  ex- 
cellent traits  of  character.     His  name  will 
be   honored   for   many   generations   as   that 
of  one  of  the  most  enterprising  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Decatur — a  man  who  acted  well 
his  part   and  who  lived  a  w-orthy  and  up- 
right life. 


JOHN  W.  CRANE. 
John  W.  Crane  is  well  known  in  the  busi- 
ness circles  of  Decatur,  being  the  district 
agent  of  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance  Company. 
He  was  born  on  the  8th  of  January,  1845. 
in  Berea,  Ohio.  It  is  believed  that  the 
Crane  family  originated  in  England.  Three 
brothers  of  the  name  came  from  that  coun- 
try to  America  and  settled  in  New  Jersey.  It 
is  to  one  of  these  brothers  that  the  subject 
of  this  review  traces  his  ancestry.  The 
grandfather,  Elihu  Crane,  was  born  in  New 
Jersey  but  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
active  business  life  in  Berea,  Ohio,  where 
he  followed  the  occupation  of  farming.  He 
held    membership    in    the    Methodist   Epis- 


204 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  AIACON  COUNTY. 


copal  church  and  had  two  sons  who  became 
clergymen  of  the  Congregational  church. 
Plis  life  was  ever  honorable  and  active  and 
he  passed  away  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  sev- 
enty-six yeaj'S. 

R.  B.  Crane,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Ohio  and  during  a  part  of  his 
business  career  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  grindstones  and  building  stones 
for  the  Lake  Shore  «&  Michigan  Southern 
Railroad.  In  1859  he  removed  from  Ohio 
to  Sedan,  Indiana,  where  he  began  building 
a  factory  for  the  manufacture  of  wooden  - 
bowls,  but  he  died  in  i860  just  as  the  plant 
was  nearing  completion.  He,  too,  held 
membership  in  the  Alethodist  Episcopal 
church,  was  greatly  interested  in  its  work 
and  aided  in  all  possible  ways  in  the  devel- 
opment of  the  church.  He  was  also  a  trus- 
tee of  the  Baldwin  University.  His  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mary  Jane  Chaney, 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  June,  1820, 
and  is  still  living,  being  in  the  eighty-fourth 
year  of  her  age.  In  the  family  were  six 
children,  namely:  John  W.,  who  is  the 
eldest ;  George  M. ;  Ella,  the  wife  of  Albert 
Buchanan ;  R.  B.,  who  is  a  banker  of  To- 
ledo, Ohio;  Charles  E.,  of  Ashland,  Ohio, 
and  W.  H.,  who  is  now  the  postmaster  and 
a  merchant  at  Sedan,  Indiana. 

At  the  usual  age  John  W.  Crane  began  his 
education,  becoming  a  student  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Berea,  Ohio.  He  there  con- 
tinued his  studies  until  he  had  completed 
the  high  school  course  with  the  class  of 
1861  and  later  he  pursued  a  course  in  Ober- 
lin  College  of  Oberlin,  Ohio.  He  then  en- 
tered a  printing  office  as  an  apprentice  on 
the  Lorain  County  News,  continuing  with 
that  paper  for  seven  years.  While  in  col- 
lege he  was  converted  and  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
He  became  a  minister  of  that  denomination 
in  South  Bend,  Indiana,  and  joined  the 
Northwestern  Indiana  conference.  He  was 
afterward  stationed  at  Lake  Station,  Indi- 


ana, and  still  later  at  Kewanna,  that  state. 
Subsequently  he  became  associate  editor  of 
the  Indiana  Christian  Advocate  and  located 
in  Indianapolis.  For  some  time  thereafter 
he  was  identified  with  journalistic  work  and 
in  March,  1872,  he  came  to  Decatur  as  city 
editor  of  the  Daily  Republican.  In  the  fall 
of  that  year  he  joined  the  Illinois  Methodist 
Episcopal  conference  and  has  acted  as  pas- 
tor of  the  following  charges :  Maroa,  Oak- 
land, Windsor,  Kansas,  Nokomis  and  ]\Io- 
weaqua,  all  Illinois  towns.  In  the  work  of 
the  ministry  he  produced  good  results,  his 
influence  being  of  no  restricted  order.  He 
labored  zealously  and  untiringly,  in  fact, 
devoted  himself  so  closely  to  his  work  that 
at  length  his  health  failed  and  he  found  it 
necessary  to  retire  from  the  active  minis- 
try. He  then  purchased  the  Weekly  Mail 
at  Moweaqua,  conducting  that  paper  for  a 
short  time,  and  in  1887  he  became  special 
agent  for  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany. He  has  since  resided  in  Decatur  and 
during  the  past  eight  years  has  been  dis- 
trict agent  for  the  same  company.  In  1880 
he  represented  the  Indianapolis  Journal  on 
the  reportorial  staft  during  the  session  of 
the  general  conference  of  the  ^lethodist 
Episcopal  church  in  that  city,  reporting  the 
proceedings  of  the  conference.  He  has  also 
written  for  the  St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat. 
He  is  still  a  member  of  the  Illinois  ^leth- 
odist  Episcopal  conference,  holding  a  super- 
annuated relation  and  occasionally  he  sup- 
plies a  pulpit  in  the  absence  of  the  regular 
minister. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  1870,  Mr. 
Crane  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Amanda  i\I.  Hollett,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Deborah  Hollett,  and  their  home  has 
been  blessed  with  three  children :  Minnie, 
who  is  now  living  in  Decatur;  Albert,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years ;  and 
Jesse,  who  is  employed  as  a  stenographer 
by  the  Pacific  Express  Compan}',  of  Chi- 
cago. 


PAST  AND  I'Rl'-.SENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


207 


Mr.  Crane  was  mailc  a  Mason  in  Oak- 
land Lodge  of  Oakland.  Illinois,  in  1873, 
and  iuus  deep  sympathy  in  that  order,  which 
is  based  upon  brotherl\-  kindness  and  help- 
fulness. Both  he  and  his  wife  liold  member- 
ship in  the  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Decatur  and  are  most  deeply  in- 
terested in  its  work,  doing  all  they  can  for 
the  furtherance  of  its  interests.  In  his  bus- 
iness life  Mr.  Crane  is  energetic  and  active 
and  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  mul- 
tiplicity of  details  involved  in  the  success- 
ful conduct  of  such  a  position  as  he  is  now 
filling. 


ORVILLE  B.  GORIN. 

Respected  by  all,  there  is  no  man  in  De- 
catur who  occupies  a  more  enviable  posi- 
tion than  Orville  B.  Gorin  in  commercial 
and  financial  circles,  not  alone  on  account 
of  the  success  he  has  achieved,  but  also  on 
account  of  the  honorable,  straightforward 
business  policy  he  has  ever  followed.  He 
possesses  energy,  is  quick  of  perception, 
forms  his  plans  readily  and  is  determined  in 
their  execution,  and  his  close  application  to 
business  and  his  management  have  brought 
to  him  the  prosperity  which  is  to-day  his. 
For  thirty-seven  years  he  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  Millikin  National  Bank,  of 
which  he  is  now  the  vice-president.  This 
covers  almost  the  entire  period  of  his  busi- 
ness career  and  his  success  may  be  attrib- 
uted in  large  measure  to  his  persistency  of 
purpose  and  to  the  thorough  mastery  of 
the  work  which  he  undertook  as  a  young 
man. 

Mr.  Gorin  is  numbered  among  the  native 
sons  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Taylorville,  Christian  county,  on  the  25th 
of  January.  1849.  His  father,  Jerome  R. 
Gorin,  was  a  capable  lawyer  and  afterward 
a  distinguished  banker  of  Decatur,  whose 
life  work  forms  an  important  chapter  in  the 
business  historv  of  this  citv.     The  mother 


l)ore  the  maiden  name  of  Eleanor  E.  Faw- 
cctt  and  was  born  in  Charleston,  Virginia, 
in  the  year  1820.  At  an  early  day  she  ac- 
companied her  step-father,  Mr.  Walker,  to 
Illinois,  the  family  home  being  established 
near  old  Fort  Dearborn  in  Chicago.  In 
1845  she  became  a  resident  of  .MactMi  coun- 
ty, to  which  ])lace  Jerome  R.  Gorin  had  re- 
moved in  1840,  first  locating  in  Taylorville. 
In  1853  he  became  a  resident  of  Decatur 
and  for  many  years  he  bore  an  important 
part  in  the  work  of  promoting  business  de- 
vclo[3mcnt  and  activity  here.  He  died  Sep- 
tember I,  1897,  full  of  years  and  honors, 
and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1894.  In  the 
family  were  six  children,  three  sons  and 
three  daughters. 

Orville  B.  Gorin  was  a  little  lad  of  only 
four  years  when  brought  by  his  parents 
to  Decatur,  where  he  has  resided  continu- 
ously since.  At  the  usual  age  he  began  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  this  city 
and  continued  his  studies  here  until  he  pre- 
pared for  collegiate  work.  He  then  matric- 
ulated in  Knox  College  at  Galesbiu'g,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  remained  as  a  student  for 
some  time,  broadening  his  mind  and  gaining 
that  mental  discipline  which  is  so  necessary 
to  a  successful  business  career.  Upon  leav- 
ing college  he  returned  to  Decatur  and  soon 
afterward  accepted  a  position  in  the  private 
banking  institution  conducted  under  the 
name  of  James  Millikin  &  Company  and 
from  1865  until  the  present  he  has  been  a 
representative  of  this  institution,  gradually 
advancing  from  one  position  to  another  un- 
til he  is  to-day  one  of  the  strong  stock- 
holders and  the  vice-president  of  the  insti- 
tution. He  became  a  partner  in  1880  and 
since  that  time  his  keen  foresight,  business 
discrimination  and  executive  force  have 
proven  important  factors  in  the  successful 
conduct  of  what  is  now  one  of  the  strong 
financial  institutions  in  the  state  outside 
of  Chicago.  This  bank  was  established  by 
James    Millikin    and    the    firm    name    of    J. 


208 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Millikiii  &  Company  was  assumed  in  1866, 
at  which  date  Jerome  R.  Gorin  was  ad- 
mitted to  a  partnership.  It  was  in  1880  that 
the  hitter  sold  his  interest  to  his  son,  O.  B. 
Gorin,  and  to  Milton  Johnson  and  in  turn 
the  latter  disposed  of  his  interest  to  Parke 
Hammer.  Ln  October,  1897,  the  bank  was 
incorporated  as  the  Millikin  National  Bank, 
with  James  Millikin  as  president;  O.  B. 
Gorin,  cashier ;  and  J.  M.  Brownback,  as- 
sistant cashier,  the  latter  having  become  an 
interested  partner  in  1896.  In  1898  the  pres- 
ent officers  were  elected :  James  Millikin, 
president ;  O.  B.  Gorin,  vice-president ;  J. 
M.  Brownback,  cashier ;  and  S.  E.  Walker, 
assistant  cashier.  In  a  history  of  the  insti- 
tution published  in  the  Decatur  Daily  Her- 
ald, the  following  account  of  the  bank  and 
its  methods  was  given :  "  During  the  entire 
career  of  the  Millikin  National  Bank  it  has 
demonstrated  beyond  a  doubt  that  it  is  ably 
managed  and  that  its  affairs  are  in  the 
hands  of  time-tried  men  who  weigh  well 
every  act  and  who  depart  not  from  the  well 
trodden  path  of  financial  safety.  All  in- 
vestments are  most  carefully  made  and  no 
unnecessary  risks  are  taken,  hence  the 
marked  favor  it  enjoys  at  the  hands  of  many 
of  the  most  conservative  depositors. 

"  It  does  a  general  banking  business, 
loans  money  on  approved  commercial  pa- 
per, issues  foreign  and  domestic  exchanges 
and  receives  the  deposits  of  the  manufac- 
turer, mercliant,  farmer  and  general  de- 
positor. 

"  Since  its  organization  the  bank  has  pur- 
sued the  way  of  legitimate  and  conservative 
business,  its  able  management  avoiding  the 
dangerous  shoals  upon  which  many  banks 
have  foundered  and  to-day  the  IMillikin  Na- 
tional Bank  stands  as  solid  and  firm  in  the 
financial  world  as  the  most  timid  and  skep- 
tical depositor  could  possibly  desire.  It  has 
been  held  high  in  the  people's  estimation 
for  these  years  because  of  the  unquestion- 
able character  of  the  men  at  its  head  and 


the  sufficiency  of  the  capital  behind  it. 
riiore  is  not  an  officer  or  director  in  this 
bank  in  whom  the  people  have  not  the  ut- 
most confidence,  and  as  a  natural  result  it 
has  always  enjoyed  a  large  patronage. 

"  This  bank  is  a  United  States  depository. 
Its  present  deposits  are  about  three  mil- 
lion dollars  and  loans  and  discounts  are 
two  millions  two  hundred  thousand.  Its 
correspondent  banks  are  the  Hanover  Na- 
tional Bank  and  the  Winslow,  Lanier  & 
Company  bank  of  New  York,  Merchants' 
Loan  &  Trust  and  First  National  banks  of 
Chicago.  National  Bank  of  Commerce,  St. 
Louis,  Merchants'  National  Bank,  Phila- 
delphia, Merchants'  National  Bank,  Cincin- 
nati, besides  connections  with  leading  bank- 
ing houses  throughout  the  United  States 
and  Europe." 

In  1872  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Orville  B.  Gorin  and  Miss  Ella  McClellan, 
a  daughter  of  Adminston  McClellan,  a 
prominent  and  influential  citizen  of  De- 
catur, who  served  for  twenty-eight  years 
in  the  capacity  of  clerk  of  Macon  count)'. 
Unto  ^Ir.  and  ]\irs.  Gorin  has  been  born 
a  daughter,  Gussie  J.,  who  with  her  parents 
has  enjoyed  extensive  travel,  gaining  the 
culture  and  knowledge  wdiich  only  travel 
can  bring.  The  family  home  is  one  of  the 
most  attractive  and  beautiful  residences  of 
the  city  and  is  the  center  of  a  cultured  so- 
ciety circle. 

Mr.  Gorin  is  a  prominent  Mason,  be- 
longing to  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  F.  &  A.  M., 
also  to  the  chapter  and  to  Beaumanoir  Com- 
mandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.  Not  to  know  Or- 
ville B.  Gorin  in  Decatur  is  to  argue  one's 
self  unknown,  for  his  connection  with  busi- 
ness and  social  interests  has  been  so  ex- 
tended that  he  stands  to-day  as  one  of  the 
most  prominent  men  of  the  city.  His  inter- 
est in  his  fellow  men  is  sincere  and  arises 
from  a  humanitarian  spirit  which  has 
prompted  his  support  and  co-operation  with 
many    movements   and    enterprises   for   the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


201) 


general  good.  He  might  perhaps  have  won 
high  political  honor,  but  he  has  always 
preferred  to  devote  his  energies  to  his  ex- 
tensive business  interests  and  has  been  in- 
strumental in  winning  for  the  Millikin  Na- 
tional Bank  a  reputation  which  extends  be- 
yond the  limits  of  the  state.  His  career 
has  ever  been  such  as  to  warrant  the  trust 
and  confidence  of  the  business  world  and 
his  activity  in  financial  circles  forms  no 
unimportant  chapter  in  the  history  of  De- 
catur. 


JOHN    M.   CRARY. 

John  M.  Crary  has  passed  the  eighty- 
fifth  mile-stone  of  life's  journey.  For  many 
years  he  was  connected  with  agricultural 
interests  in  Macon  county,  but  is  now  liv- 
ing retired  at  his  home  in  Decatur  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  rest  which  he  has  truly 
earned  and  richly  deserves.  A  venerable 
citizen  of  the  community,  he  receives  the 
respect  and  confidence  which  should  ever 
be  accorded  to  those  who  have  advanced 
far  on  life's  journey  and  whose  record  is  in 
harmony  with  all  that  is  honorable  and  up- 
right in  man's  relations  with  his  fellow  men. 

Mr.  Crary  has  the  distinction  of  being 
born  in  the  year  in  which  the  state  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Union,  his  natal  day  being 
February  4,  1818;  his  birthplace  was  the 
city  of  New  York ;  and  his  parents  were 
John  and  Martha  (Blakcly)  Crary.  The 
father  was  likewise  a  native  of  the  Empire 
state  and  throughout  his  business  career 
following  merchandising,  but  both  he  and 
his  wife  passed  away  when  their  son  John 
was  a  little  lad  of  only  seven  years.  The 
subject  of  this  review  then  made  his  home 
among  strangers.  His  privileges  and  ad- 
vantages in  youth  were  meager  because  of 
his  orphan  condition.  His  youth  was  largely 
passed  in  W'ashington  county.  New  York, 
and  at  intervals  he  had  the  privilege  of  at- 
tending school,  but  worked  for  much  of  the 


time  in  the  employ  of  different  parties  in 
order  that  he  might  provide  for  his  own 
support.  Eventually  he  became  connected 
with  mercantile  interests  b)'  accepting  a 
clerkship  in  a  general  store  in  New  York 
city.  The  compensation  for  his  labor,  how- 
ever, was  very  small,  although  for  two  years 
he  remained  in  the  store  and  from  his  ex- 
perience there  he  gained  a  knowledge  of 
merchandising  and  of  men  which  proved 
of  value  to  him  in  later  years. 

Believing  that  the  new  and  growing  west 
would  furnish  belter  opportunities  than  he 
could  secure  in  the  older  east  where  the 
population  was  greater  and  where  there 
was,  therefore,  much  more  competition,  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  1840,  locating  first  near 
Springfield.  There  he  helped  build  a  saw 
and  flouring  mill  for  John  B.  Auger  and 
afterward  went  to  iMechanicsburg,  Sanga- 
mon county,  Illinois,  where  he  helped  erect 
another  flouring  mill.  (Jn  the  completion 
of  this  contract  he  turned  his  attention  to 
farming  and  stock-raising,  which  he  fol- 
lowed successfully  in  Sangamon  county  for 
several  years.  It  is  along  this  line  that  his 
prosperity  has  been  won.  The  broad 
prairies  of  Illinois  furnish  ample  oppor- 
tunity to  the  agriculturist,  who,  if  he  but 
improves  his  advantages,  can  win  success 
because  of  the  great  fertility  of  the  soil.  In 
this  state  total  failures  of  crops  are  never 
known  and  usually  the  fields  yield  in  such 
abundance  that  annually  Illinois  furnishes 
a  large  amount  of  the  food  supply  of  Amer- 
ica. 

On  leaving  Sangamon  county  Mr.  Crary 
purchased  four  hundred  acres  of  land  in 
Christian  county  and  began  the  develop- 
ment of  a  farm,  though  at  that  time  the 
tract  was  entirely  unimproved.  Later  he 
sold  that  property  and  purchased  what  was 
known  as  the  Fullcnwider  farm  of  three 
hrnidred  and  fifty  acres  and  to  its  further 
devclo])mcnt  and  cultivation  devoted  his 
energies  untiringly.     He  also  extended  the 


210 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


scope  of  his  labors  by  dealing  in  live  slock. 
He  made  a  specialty  of  the  feeding  of  hogs, 
cattle  and  sheep  and  annually  sent  to  the 
markets  large  shipments  on  which  he  real- 
ized a  good  financial  return.  His  next  pur- 
chase of  land  made  him  the  owner  of  the 
John  Johnson  farm,  comprising  a  quarter 
section  of  land,  adjoining  the  city  limits 
of  Springfield  and  this  he  subsequently  sold 
for  one  hundred  dollars  per  acre.  His 
money  he  then  invested  in  three  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  which  he  continued 
to  cultivate  and  improve,  devoting  much 
of  tlie  farm  to  pasture  lands,  whereon  he 
raised  a  great  amount  of  stock.  This  farm 
is  located  in  Illini  township,  Macon  county, 
and  Mr.  Crary  was  actively  and  continu- 
ously connected  with  general  farming  and 
stock-raising  interests  at  this  place  until 
1890.  He  has  also  bought  and  sold  other 
lands,  realizing  good  profit  upon  his  invest- 
ments and  as  a  stock-dealer  he  has  pros- 
pered, his  sales  annually  adding  to  his  in- 
come. At  length,  having  acquired  a  hand- 
some competence,  Mr.  Crary  determined  to 
put  aside  further  business  cares  to  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  his  former  toil  for  he  has  a  capital 
that  supplies  him  with  all  the  comforts  that 
go  to  make  life  worth  the  living.  Since  1891 
he  has  made  his  home  in  Decatur. 

^T^.  Crary  has  been  twice  married.  He 
first  wedded  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Steel,  who 
was  born  in  the  state  of  Kentucky,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  two  children :  George 
E.,  who  has  departed  this  life;  and  Annie 
E.,  the  wife  of  Isaac  N.  Ransom,  who  re- 
sides in  Springfield,  Illinois.  It  was  in  1863 
that  Mr.  Crary  was  called  upon  to  mourn 
the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  on  the  24th 
of  May  of  that  year.  For  his  second  wife 
he  chose  Eliza  Ray,  the  wedding  being 
celebrated  on  the  15th  of  September,  1863. 
The  lady  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Eliza 
Hill  and  was  born  in  the  city  of  London, 
England,  where  she  spent  her  girlhood 
days     and    acquired    her     education.      She 


came  to  the  United  States  in  1850  and  after 
the  death  of  her  first  husband,  Thomas 
Ray,  she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Mr. 
Crarj-.  She  is  a  lady  of  broad  culture,  of 
innate  refinement  and  of  warm  friendship. 
She  belongs  to  several  social  organizations 
of  the  city  and  is  deeply  interested  in  church 
work,  her  co-operation  therein  proving  an 
active  factor  in  the  development  of  the 
moral  interests  of  the  community. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crary  hold  member- 
ship in  the  Congregational  church  of  De- 
catur and  he  has  been  a  liberal  contributor 
to  its  support.  His  political  allegiance  was 
given  to  the  Whig  party  in  his  early  man- 
hood and  he  is  one  of  the  few  surviving 
men  who  voted  for  William  Henry  Harrison 
in  1840.  Almost  a  half  century  later  he 
voted  for  the  grandson  of  the  Tippecanoe 
hero,  depositing  his  ballot  for  Benjamin 
Harrison.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crary  now  occupy 
a  very  attractive  and  comfortable  home  on 
North  Union  street  in  Decatur  and  there 
are  quietly  passing  the  evening  of  life.  As 
the  day  with  its  morning  hope,  its  noon- 
tide of  activity  and  its  evening  of  completed 
and  successful  eiifort,  so  has  been  the  life 
of  Mr.  Crary  and  at  all  times  his  has  been 
an  honorable  and  upright  career. 


WILLIAM  A.  MELTON,  ^I.  D. 
Dr.  William  Alexander  Melton  is  a  skilled 
physician  and  surgeon  of  Warrensburg,  Illi- 
nois, whose  knowledge  of  the  science  of 
medicine  is  broad  and  comprehensive,  and 
whose  ability  in  applying  its  principles  to 
the  needs  of  suflfering  humanity  has  gained 
him  an  enviable  prestige  in  professional 
circles.  The  Doctor  is  a  native  of  Kansas, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  Osage  county, 
that  state,  on  the  loth  of  February',  1863, 
and  his  parents  are  William  A.  and  Roxie 
(Beckes)  Melton.  The  father  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Garfield  county,  Okla- 


^^^^'-'^^^^^^  /^   ^-T^dXir 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


213 


honia.  In  his  family  are  three  children: 
William  A.,  of  this  review;  Mina  R.,  the 
wife  of  Z.  L.  Hess,  of  lola,  Kansas;  and 
Luther  T.,  who  married  Lulu  Partridge 
and  lives  in  Garfield  county,  Oklahoma. 

Dr.  Melton  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  district  schools  near  his  boyhood 
home  and  later  attended  the  Normal  School 
at  Paola,  Kansas.  He  was  in  school  dur- 
ing the  winter  months,  while  throughout 
the  remainder  of  the  year  he  worked  on 
the  home  farm  for  some  time,  and  later  en- 
gaged in  teaching  school  for  seven  years  in 
Shawnee  county,  Kansas.  He  began  the 
study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  W.  S.  Pickard, 
of  Burlingame,  Kansas,  and  in  1892  entered 
the  Northwestern  School  of  Medicine  at 
Chicago,  where  he  was  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1896.  That  year  he  opened  an  of- 
fice in  Warren?burg,  being  in  partnership 
with  Dr.  Allen  for  a  time  but  is  now  alone, 
and  he  has  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative 
practice  here.  ^ 

In  1898  Dr.  Melton  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Olive  Lehew,  who  died  Jan- 
uary I,  1901.  She  was  a  native  of  War- 
rensburg  and  a  daughter  of  Spencer  and 
Flora  (Stahl)  Lehew,  the  former  of  French 
and  the  latter  of  German  descent.  ]\lrs. 
Lehew  is  still  a  resident  of  Warrensburg. 

The  Doctor  has  a  well  equipped  office  and 
in  connection  has  a  nice  operating  room. 
He  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  medical  library, 
laboratory  and  the  latest  improved  surgical 
apparatus,  and  he  has  not  only  met  with 
success  in  a  professional  way  but  has  also 
prospered  financially,  having  already  ac- 
quired a  comfortable  competence.  He 
gained  his  start  in  life  by  teaching  school 
and  through  his  own  well  directed  efforts 
he  has  worked  his  way  upward  until  he  to- 
day stands  among  the  leading  physicians 
of  Macon  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Decatur  Medical  Society ;  the  District  Med- 
ical Society  of  Central  Illinois;  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society,  the  .\merican  Medi- 


cal Association  and  the  American  Associa- 
tion of  Life  Insurance  E.xaminers,  being 
examiner  for  a  number  of  the  leading  com- 
panies of  the  country  and  also  for  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Royal 
Circle.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  ^Masonic 
(Jrder,  and  in  politics  is  identified  with  the 
Republican  party.  He  is  now  serving  his 
second  term  as  a  member  of  the  town  board 
of  trustees.  The  Doctor  is  an  active  worker 
and  prominent  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Warrensburg  and  has 
been  connected  with  ■  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  the  Epworth  League 
and  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  Genial 
and  affable  in  manner,  he  makes  many 
friends  and  is  popular  both  in  professional 
and  social  circles. 


FRANK  M.  PRATT. 
The  business  interests  of  Frank  M.  Pratt 
are  important  and  extensive,  involving  the 
investment  of  much  ca])ital,  demanding  keen 
sagacity,  close  application  and  strong  busi- 
ness ability  in  their  control  and,  while  he 
is  meeting  with  splendid  success,  he  also 
belongs  to  that  class  of  representative 
American  citizens  who  are  promoting  pub- 
lic prosperity  by  pushing  forward  the  in- 
dustrial wheels  of  progress.  The  day  of 
small  undertakings,  especially  in  cities, 
seems  to  have  passed  and  the  era  of  gigan- 
tic enterprises  is  upon  us.  In  control  of 
mammoth  concerns  are  men  of  master 
minds,  of  almost  limitless  ability  to  guide, 
of  sound  judgment  and  discrimination. 
Their  progressivencss  must  not  only  reach 
the  bounds  that  others  have  gained,  but 
must  even  pass  beyond  into  new  and  broad- 
er untried  fields  of  operation ;  but  an  un- 
erring foresight  and  sagacity  must  make  no 
mistake  by  venturing  upon  uncertain 
ground.     Thus  continually  growing,  a  busi- 


214 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ness  takes  leadership  in  its  special  line  and 
the  men  who  are  at  its  head  are  deservedly 
eminent  in  the  world  of  commerce,  occupy- 
ing a  position  that  commands  the  respect 
while  its  excites  the  admiration  of  all.  Frank 
M.  Pratt  is  actively  associated  with  the  con- 
trol of  enterprises  that  are  so  large  as  to 
be  national  in  their  character.  He  is  now 
president  of  the  Pratt  Cereal  Oil  Company 
and  Pratt  &  Company,  of  Decatur,  and  is 
actively  associated  with  the  American  Hom- 
iny Company,  which  embraces  large  indus- 
tries in  various  cities  throughout  the  United 
States. 

The  life  record  of  Frank  M.  Pratt  began 
in  Litchfield  county,  Connecticut,  January 
21,  1853,  his  birth  having  occurred  on  the 
farm  owned  and  occupied  by  his  father, 
Enos  B.  Pratt.  The  family  is  of  English 
lineage  and  at  an  early  epoch  in  the  devel- 
opment and  colonization  of  New  England 
was  founded  in  that  portion  of  America. 
The  paternal  grandfather  was  Martin  Pratt, 
a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  among  his  chil- 
dren was  Enos  B.  Piatt.  The  latter  was 
also  a  native  of  the  Charter  Oak  state,  born 
in  1828.  Throughout  his  business  career 
he  carried  on  farming  and  in  the  tilling  of 
the  soil  met  with  creditable  success.  For 
a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's  journey 
he  chose  Miss  Emeline  Bierce,  who  was  also 
born  in  Connecticut.  The  family  continued 
to  live  in  that  state  until  1874,  when  they 
came  to  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  here  the  father 
changed  his  occupation  from  agricultural  to 
mercantile  pursuits,  establishing  a  grocery 
business'on  Franklin  street,  in  which  he  car- 
ried on  operations  along  both  wholesale  and 
retail  lines.  At  the  same  time  he  engaged 
in  the  buying  and  selling  of  horses,  which 
he  shipped  to  Connecticut,  and  for  fourteen 
years  he  carried  on  business  here,  his  life's 
labors  being  ended  in  death  in  1888.  His 
widow  still  survives  him.  making  her  home 
in  Decatur  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pratt  were  born  eight 


children,  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  seven 
of  whom  are  now  living,  namely :  Martin 
B.,  who  is  a  prominent  merchant  and  grain 
dealer;  Ralph  E.,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
grain  business  in  Chicago  and  is  vice  presi- 
dent of  the  American  Hominy  Company, 
also  interested  in  the  feed  and  oil  business 
and  in  the  Pratt  Cereal  Oil  Company ;  Riley 
E.,  a  leading  business  man  of  Buffalo,  New 
York,  and  manager  of  the  Pratt  &  Com- 
pany grain  business  there ;  Nellie,  now  the 
wife  of  George  Tucker,  of  Decatur;  Abbie 
P.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  mother;  and 
Ada,  the  wife  of  Heston  I.  Baldwin,  a  mem- 
ber of  H.  I.  Balwin  &  Company,  of  Decatur. 
When  a  little  lad  of  about  six  years  Frank 
M.  Pratt  entered  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  state  and  later  continued  his  studies 
in  the  home  academy.  He  entered  upon 
his  business  career  as  a  teacher,  being  em- 
ployed in  that  capacity  in  the  graded  schools 
of  Connecticut  for  two  years.  On  coming 
to  Decatur  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness with  his  father  and  later  located  in 
Oreana,  Macon  county,  where  he  conducted 
a  general  store  and  also  engaged  in  the 
grain  business  for  five  years.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  returned  to  De- 
catur and  entered  into  partnership  ^rith  his 
brother  Ralph  E.  Pratt  in  the  grain  busi- 
ness. In  1888  they  opened  a  branch  estab- 
lishment in  Chicago  and  in  1890  another  in 
Buffalo,  New  York.  Riley  E.  Pratt  took 
charge  of  the  last  named.  From  the  time 
of  his  return  to  Decatur  Frank  M.  Pratt's 
success  in  business  has  been  uniformly  rapid 
and  the  enterprises  of  which  he  is  at  the 
head  have  assumed  mammoth  proportions. 
In  1890  he  built  the  transfer  elevator  at  De- 
catur, and  four  years  later,  in  connection 
with  his  brother  Ralph  E.  Pratt  built  a  large 
mill  for  the  manufacture  of  hominy  and 
cereals,  the  latter  business  being  consoli- 
dated in  1902  with  about  fourteen  different 
concerns  of  the  middle  west  engaged  in  the 
manufacture    of    cereals    throughout    Ohio, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


215 


Indiana  and  Tllinois,  under  the  name  of  the 
American  Hominy  Company,  of  which 
Ralph  E.  Pratt  is  vice  president.  Their 
headquarters  are  in  Chicago  and  the  busi- 
ness is  capitahzed  for  three  milHon  five  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  Upon  the  consolida- 
tion of  these  mills  Frank  AI.  Pratt  formed 
the  Pratt  Cereal  Oil  Company,  with  a  capi- 
tal stock  of  six  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
the  principal  stockholders  being  himself  and 
brother  Ralph  E.,  and  they  built  a  large 
mill  for  the  extraction  of  corn  oil,  it  having 
a  capacity  of  six  hundred  thousand  pounds 
of  ground  corn  and  capable  of  producing 
sixty  thousand  pounds  of  oil  per  day.  The 
ground  corn  is  taken  from  the  hominy  mill 
and  is  that  part  which  for  a  time  was  looked 
upon  as  refuse  and  regarded  as  of  no  value 
except  for  feed,  but  at  the  present  time  it  is 
utilized,  bringing  a  good  profit.  The  oil 
mill  was  put  in  full  operation  in  Septem- 
ber, 1903,  and  has  become  one  of  the  most 
important  industries  of  central  Illinois  and 
of  the  western  states.  The  Pratt  plant  of 
the  .American  Hominy  Company  is  noted  in 
milling  circles  as  an  example  of  cleanliness, 
of  purity  of  products  and  the  general  ex- 
cellence of  its  manufactures.  It  is  cr|uipped 
with  the  latest  and  best  improved  machin- 
ery, having  several  special  features,  includ- 
ing steel  tanks  for  storage  purposes  and  im- 
mense elevators. 

In  1876  Frank  M.  Pratt  was  united  in 
marriage  to  IMiss  Marj^  J.  Boyer,  of  Oreana, 
a  daughter  of  William  P)Oyer,  one  of  the 
prominent  old  residents  of  that  place.  They 
have  two  children:  JNIrs.  Helen  G.  Vance, 
who  is  now  a  widow  and  resides  in  Deca- 
tur; and  Charles  F.,  who  is  connected  with 
Pratt  &  Company,  of  IDccatur.  Wr.  Pratt 
has  been  prominently  identified  with  both 
the  Decatur  Club  and  the  Decatur  Country 
Club.  He  has  served  as  president  of  the 
former  and  has  been  vice  president  of  the 
Country  Club  since  its  organization  and  in 
the  city  where  he  has  long  made  his  home 


he  has  a  wide  acquaintance  and  a  large  cir- 
cle of  warm  friends. 

Such  in  brief  is  the  life  history  of  a  man 
who,  by  his  own  energ}',  perserverance  and 
indomitable  strength  of  character,  has 
achieved  a  reputation  that  entitles  him  to 
rank  among  the  leading  merchants  of  the 
world,  due  alone  to  his  keen  foresight  and 
honesty  of  i)urpose,  and  a  bright  example 
-  to  the  rising  generation  of  what  can  be  ac- 
complished by  untiring  energy  and  attention 
to  business.  His  success  has  been  truly 
wondcrfid  and  due  alone  to  his  individual 
efforts.  One  of  the  most  active  of  men, 
never  idle,  and  keeping  his  wealth  in  mo- 
tion for  the  interests  of  the  city  he  lives  in, 
his  name  in  coinniercial  circles  is  a  tower 
of  strength  and  with  him  there  is  no  such 
a  word  as  "fail"  in  anything  he  undertakes. 


JOHN    G.  STOP.ER. 

|c)hn  (1.  Stober,  who  is  a  merchant  po- 
liceman of  Decatur,  was  born  November 
14,  1846,  in  the  town  of  Silbcrhausen,  in 
the  province  of  Saxony,  Germany.  He  was 
a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  Stober,  in 
whose  family  were  four  sons  and  a  daughter, 
two  of  whom  are  yet  living  in  the  father- 
land. Three  of  the  number  emigrated  to 
America  and  one  died  here.  The  father 
was  a  dry-goods  merchant  and  by  the  capa- 
l)le  conduct  of  his  business  aflfairs  won  a 
good  living  for  his  family. 

In  the  public  and  parochial  schools  of  his 
home  town  John  G.  Stober  was  educated 
and  after  ])utting  aside  his  text  books  he 
received  his  business  training  in  his  fath- 
er's store,  becoming  associated  with  his 
father  and  brothers  in  this  enterprisse.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  years  he  was  drafted 
into  the  regular  army  of  Germany  and  six 
weeks  after  he  had  joined  the  service  war 
was  declared  between  I'russia  and  Austria. 
Mr.  Stober  was  then  called  to  the  front  and 


2\C, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


served  for  six  months,  participating  in  a 
number  of  battles,  including  the  engage- 
ments at  Pressburg,  Citgin  and  Koenig- 
kratz.  After  the  war  was  over  he  served 
for  tliree  more  years.  At  the  end  of  nine 
months  he  was  made  corporal  of  his  regi- 
ment and  when  two  years  had  passed  he 
was  made  third  sergeant.  On  the  15th  of 
June,  1869,  he  received  an  honorable  dis- 
charge and  again  he  engaged  in  business 
with  his  father,  but  on  the  15th  of  June, 
1870,  he  was  recalled  to  the  army  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  Franco-German  war,  serv- 
ing under  William  I.  He  fought  in  four 
battles — Beaumont,  Cravette,  Sedan  and  the 
siege  of  Paris,  and  was  present  at  the  time 
that  Napoleon  III  was  taken  prisoner. 
For  one  year  he  remained  with  the  army 
and  then  was  honorably  discharged  on  the 
15th  of  June,  1871,  his  regiment  being 
stationed  at  that  time  at  Erfurt. 

On  again  returning  home  Mr.  Stober 
joined  his  brothers  in  business,  his  father 
having  died  in  the  meantime,  his  death  oc- 
curring February  27,  1869,  and  on  the  ist 
of  Februar}^  1882,  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject passed  away. 

From  1871  until  1876  Mr.  Stober  was 
associated  with  his  brothers  in  the  conduct 
of  a  successful  mercantile  enterprise  in  his 
native  land,  but  the  opportunities  of  the 
new  world  attracted  him  and  in  the  latter 
year  he  decided  to  emigrate  to  the  new 
world. 

Bidding  adieu  to  friends  and  native  coun- 
try he  sailed  on  the  9th  of  Februar3%  1876, 
for  New  York,  where  in  due  time  he  landed. 
He  then  made  his  way  across  the  country 
to  Connersville,  Indiana,  where  he  lived 
for  three  years  and  then  again  started  west- 
ward, locating  at  Pocahontas,  in  Randolph 
county,  -Aikansas.  One  year  was  passed 
there,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  returned 
to  Indiana.  While  on  the  return  trip,  how- 
ever, he  passed  through  Decatur  and  was 
greatly    impressed    with    the    city    and    its 


prospects.  The  vision  of  this  place  remained 
continually  in  his  mind  and  in  1883  he  re- 
turned here  to  become  one  of  its  residents. 
He  was  first  employed  as  an  engineer  by 
the  Decatur  Brewing  Company  and  later  he  ' 
engaged  in  business  on  his  own  account, 
conducting  a  grocery  store  on  East  Will- 
iams street.  When  Captain  Keenan  was 
elected  mayor  of  the  city  in  1887  Air. 
Stober  was  appointed  to  a  position  on  the 
regular  police  force  and  has  since  served 
in  that  capacity,  either  as  a  regular  or 
merchant  policem.an.  for  the  past  sixteen 
years.  He  is  now  a  merchant  policeman, 
although  at  the  present  writing  he  is  away 
on  leave  of  absence,  having  gone  to  the 
fatherland  to  visit  the  country  from  which 
he  has  been  absent  for  twenty-eight  years. 
He  sailed  on  the  4th  of  August,  with  pleas- 
ant anticipations  of  again  renewing  the  ac- 
quaintances of  his  earl)^  life  and  looking 
once  more  upon  the  scenes  amid  which  his 
childhood  was  passed. 

At  Liberty,  Indiana,  Air.  Stober  was 
united  in  marriage  on  the  13th  of  January, 
1881,  to  Miss  Catherine  McWalter,  of  that 
city.  Three  children  have  been  born  unto 
them,  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  but  all  are 
now  deceased.  Mrs.  Stober  was  born  in 
Tuam,  County  Galway,  Ireland,  and  came 
to  America  in  1865.  Her  parents  are  now 
deceased. 

Mr.  Stober  is  a  member  of  Decatur  Coun- 
cil of  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  having  been 
initiated  into  that  order  November  24,  1901. 
He  is  also  a  stanch  Democrat  and  has  taken 
an  active  part  in  the  political  campaigns 
in  this  city.  His  religious  faith  in  indicated 
by  his  membership  in  St.  Patrick's  Catholic 
church.  He  has  never  had  occasion  to  re- 
gret his  determination  to  sek  a  home  in 
America  for  he  has  'found  here  the  oppor- 
tunities he  sought  and  to-day  he  is  a  well 
known  and  respected  citizen  of  Macon 
county,  having  warm  friends  within  its  bor- 
ders. 


'%,.,- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


219 


.MILTUX  JUllXSUX. 

Milton  Johnson  is  distinctively  American 
and  so  were  his  ancestors  both  lineal  and 
collateral  for  generations.  It  was  at  a  very 
early  period  in  the  history  of  America  and 
its  colonization  that  the  Johnson  family,  of 
which  our  subject  is  a  representative,  was 
established  in  the  new  world.  Only  twelve 
years  after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at 
Plymouth  Rock  the  Johnson  family  was 
planted  on  American  soil  b}-  emigrants  from 
Englaiul  and  from  1632  down  to  the  present 
time  representatives  of  the  name  have  been 
found  loyal  in  citizenship  and  honorable  in 
business  relations  so  that  they  have  proven 
of  worth  to  the  communities  in  which  they 
have  made  their  homes. 

Captain  Othniel  Johnson,  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Buckland, 
Massachusetts,  and  served  his  country  in 
the  war  of  1812.  He  spent  his  entire  life  in 
the  state  of  his  nativity  and  passed  the 
Psalmist's  span  of  three  score  years  and 
ten,  his  death  occurring  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-three. Edwin  Johnson,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  was  one  of  a  large  family  and 
his  natal  year  was  1818.  tie,  too,  was  born 
in  Massachusetts  and  as  a  preparation  for 
the  practical  duties  of  a  business  career  he 
learned  the  trades  of  a  stone-mason  and 
plasterer,  ^^'llen  the  tide  of  emigration 
was  steadily  flowing  westward  into  the 
states  of  the  Mississippi  valley  he  sought 
a  home  in  \\'isconsin,  locating  there  at  tJie 
age  of  twenty-two  years.  Settling  on  a 
farm  in  the  town  of  Greenfield,  five  miles 
from  Milwaukee,  he  began  the  task  of  cul- 
tivating and  improving  the  land  and  for 
forty  years  carried  on  farming  there.  He 
afterward  came  to  Decatur  to  make  his 
home  with  his  son  Milton  and  here  died  in 
August,  1900.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  a  man 
whose  strong  principles  and  force  of  char- 
acter gained  for  him  the  respect  and  ad- 
miration of  his  fellow  men.     His  wife,  who 


bore  the  maiden  name  of  Pauline  Howes, 
was  also  born  in  Massachusetts  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Nathan  Howes,  one  of  the 
farmers  of  the  Old  Bay  state.  Her  death 
occurred  in  Wisconsin  in  June,  1864.  By 
her  marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  the 
following  named:  Milton  Johnson,  of  this 
review;  Franklin,  who  wedded  Miss  Mary 
Clark,  a  niece  of  Alvan  Clark,  the  famous 
telescope  manufacturer,  and  lives  in  Bara- 
boo,  Wisconsin,  where  he  is  engaged  in  hor- 
ticultural pursuits;  Marj-,  a  resident  of  Oak 
Park,  Illinois,  is  the  wife  of  I.  E.  Brown, 
who  for  the  past  twenty  years  has  been  sec- 
retary of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation of  the  state ;  Martha,  wife  of  Rev. 

0.  H.  P.  Smith,  a  Methodist  Epi.scopal  min- 
ister belonging  to  the  Illinois  conference; 
and  Anna,  who  was  educated  for  foreign 
mission  work  and  assigned  to  the  China  de- 
partment but  after  having  made  all  arrange- 
ments to  sail  from  .Seattle  she  was  taken  ill 
at  the  home  of  our  subject  while  paying  a 
farewell  visit  and  it  was  several  months  be- 
fore she  recovered.  She  finally  resigned  her 
appointment  and  later  became  the  wife  of 

1.  J.  Davis.  They  make  their  home  in  Oak 
Park,  Illinois.  After  the  death  of  his  first 
wife,  Edwin  Johnson  was  again  married,  his 
second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Christiana 
Remington.  There  was  onlj'  one  son  by  this 
union,  ICdwin,  who  was  formerly  an  archi- 
tect of  Chicago,  but  is  now  engaged  in  tlie 
drug  business  in   Sugar  City,  Colorado. 

Upon  the  old  home  farm  near  Greenfield, 
Wisconsin,  Milton  Johnson  first  opened  his 
eyes  to  the  light  of  day,  his  birth  occurring 
on  the  30th  of  September,  1845.  At  the 
usual  age  he  entered  the  district  schools 
and  therein  pursued  his  studies  for  some 
time.  In  the  months  of  summer  he  assisted 
in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  and  con- 
tinued under  the  ])arental  roof  until  twenty 
jears  of  age,  when  as  a  preparation  for  the 
responsibilities  of  later  life  he  pursued  a 
course   in   the   Bryant,   Stratton   &   Spencer 


220 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


business  college  of  Milwaukee.  His  first 
independent  venture  was  as  a  teacher.  For 
several  terms  he  taught  in  the  public  schools 
where  he  displayed  marked  aptitude  for  the 
work,  gaining  distinction  by  reason  of  his 
skill  and  zeal.  Me  then  became  a  teacher 
in  the  college  where  he  had  obtained  his 
education,  Bryant,  Stratton  &  Spencer's, 
and  while  there  was  in  charge  of  the  bank- 
ing department  and  thus  acquired  a  keen 
taste  for  the  business  wdiich  he  has  made 
his  life  work.  Later  he  severed  his  connec- 
tion with  educational  work  and  came  to 
Decatur,  where  he  has  made  his  home  con- 
tinuously since  1866. 

During  the  first  three  years  of  his  resi- 
dence in  this  city  Mr.  Johnson  was  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  Express  Com- 
pany and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the 
firm  of  Powers,  Ferris  &  Company,  boot 
and  shoe  dealers,  with  whom  he  remained 
until  1872.  That  year  witnessed  the  begin- 
ning of  his  connection  with  the  banking 
business  in  which  he  was  destined  to  rise 
until  he  is  now  one  of  the  most  active  and 
influential  representatives  of  the  financial 
circles  of  this  city.  In  1872  he  became  a 
bookkeeper  in  the  banking  house  of  Mil- 
likin  &  Company,  serving  in  that  capacity 
until  1880,  when  he  became  a  member  oi 
the  firm  and  took  an  active  part  in  its  con- 
trol until  1892,  when  he  sold  his  interest  in 
that  institution  and  entered  upon  his  con- 
nection with  the  Citizens'  National  Bank,  of 
which  he  is  now  the  cashier.  For  one  year 
he  served  as  vice  president  and  in  1892  was 
elected  president,  acting  in  that  capacity 
for  some  time.  In  1899  the  bank  was  re- 
organized with  Harry  Shlandeman  as  presi- 
dent; William  H.  Starr,  vice  president;  Mil- 
ton Jiihnson,  cashier;  and  J.  N.  Baker,  as- 
sistant cashier.  Mr.  Johnson  has  since 
served  as  cashier  and  the  prosperous  career 
of  the  bank  has  been  largely  due  to  his  ef- 
forts, his  thorough  understanding  of  the 
banking  business  and  his  sound  judgment. 


He  has  the  ability  to  readily  read  and  un- 
derstand men  and  while  he  is  always  courte- 
ous in  his  treatment  to  the  patrons  of  the 
bank  he  rarely,  if  ever,  makes  a  mistake  in 
placing  trust  in  one  wdio  does  not  warrant 
it.  During  his  connection  with  the  Citize.is 
National  Bank  its  business  has  been  doubled 
many  times  and  while  the  policy  that  is  fol- 
lowed is  conservative  to  the  point  of  safety 
it  is  also  progressive  to  the  point  of  modern 
methods  which  are  fully  abreast  with  the 
times. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1870,  Mr.  Johnson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Philena  A. 
Evans,  whose  parents,  John  and  Lucy 
(Peckham)  Evans,  were  natives  of  New 
York,  whence  they  emigrated  westward  to 
Waukesha,  Wisconsin.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Johnson  have  been  born  six  children :  Elbert 
E.,  who  is  a  resident  of  Pasadena,  Califor- 
nia ;  Franklin  L.,  who  was  educated  in  the 
Northwestern  University  at  Evanston  and 
is  in  the  National  Bank  of  Commerce  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri ;  Milton,  wdio  was  also  a 
student  in  the  Northwestern  University 
and  is  now  teller  in  the  Citizens'  National 
Bank  of  Decatur ;  Pauline,  the  wife  of  R. 
C.  Augustine;  Alva  M.,  who  is  an  employe 
of  the  ]\Ierchants'  National  Bank  at  Indi- 
anapolis, Indiana ;  and  Roy  G.,  who  com- 
pletes the  family.  Miss  Maude  E.  Evans, 
a  niece  of  Mrs.  Johnson,  formerly  made  her 
home  with  this  family.  She  is  now  married 
to  Roy  Stewart,  of  Decatur.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Tohnson  have  a  beautiful  residence  which 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  fifteen  thousand 
dollars  and  is  built  in  modern  style  of  archi- 
tecture. It  is  one  of  the  beautiful  homes 
of  this  city  and  in  its  furnishings  indicates 
the  cultured  and  refined  taste  of  the  in- 
mates. 

In  Masonic  circles  Mr.  Johnson  has  at- 
tained distinction  and  is  a  worthy  exemplar 
of  the  craft.  He  belongs  to  ]\Iacon  Lodge, 
No.  8,  F.  &  A.  M.;  Macon  Chapter,  No.  21, 
R.   A.    M. ;   and   Beaumanoir   Commandery, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


2'21 


No.  y,  K.  T.  lie  lias  bot-n  honored  wilh 
official  preferment  in  these  various  branches 
of  Masonry,  serving  as  eminent  commander 
ft)r  two  years,  and  he  has  also  held  otTice 
in  the  First  Methodist  chnrch.  of  which 
both  he  and  his  wife  are  members,  having 
been  steward  and  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  He  is 
benevolent,  giving  liberally  of  his  means  to 
the  poor  and  needy,  but  which  is  after  the 
spirit  of  the  teaching  which  says  "Let  not 
3-our  left  hand  kninv  what  your  right  hand 
doeth." 

Viewed  from  any  standpoint  his  life  might 
be  said  to  be  a  success ;  and  it  is  the  success 
not  merely  of  the  man  who  prosecutes  a 
prosperous  commercial  life,  intent  onl)^  on 
winning  wealth,  but  that  of  the  man  who 
advances  jmblic  good  in  promoting  individ- 
ual prosperity.  The  study  of  the  character 
of  the  representative  American  never  fails 
to  offer  much  of  pleasing  interest  and  valu- 
able instruction,  and  the  life  of  Mr.  John- 
son certainly  furnishes  food  for  deep  and 
profitable    thought. 


ANDREW  II.  -MILLS. 

.Andrew  11.  Mills  is  actively  connected 
with  a  profession  which  has  important  bear- 
ing upon  the  progress  and  stable  prosperity 
of  any  section  or  community,  and  one  which 
has  long  been  considered  as  conserving  the 
public  welfare  by  furthering  the  ends  of  jus- 
tice and  maintaining  individual  rights.  His 
reputation  as  a  lawyer  has  been  won 
through  earnest,  honest  labor,  and  his  stand- 
ing at  the  bar  is  a  merited  tribute  to  his 
ability.  He  now  has  a  good  practice,  and  his 
careful  preparation  of  cases  is  supplemented 
by  a  power  of  argument  and  a  forceful 
presentation  of  his  |)oints  in  the  courtroom 
so  that  he  seldom  fails  to  impress  court  or 
jury. 

.Mr.   Mills  is  a  native  of   Putnam  eouiitv. 


Illinois,  his  birth  lia\ing  there  occurred  on 
the  (ith  of  C)ctober,  1S51.  His  parents  were 
l-:ii  R.  and  lili/cabeth  R.  (Kiniber)  Mills, 
who  were  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends 
in  western  Pennsylvania.  In  early  man- 
hood the  father  left  ihc  east,  making  his 
way  to  Illinois,  lie  settled  in  Putnam 
County  and  became  the  owner  of  steamboats 
running  on  the  (  )liio,  Mississippi  and  Illi- 
nois rivers,  but  he  died  when  the  subject 
of  this  review  was  only  four  years  of  age. 
Ill  his  boyhood  days  he  was  a  playmate  of 
James  G.  Blaine.  By  his  marriage  to  Miss 
Kimber  he  had  nine  children,  five  of  whom 
are  now  living,  namely :  Susan  K.,  who  is 
the  wife  of  Robert  N.  West;  Sarah  M..  the 
wife  of  Frederick  M.  Cox,  of  Decatur;  II.  C, 
who  is  judge  of  Putnam  county.  Illinois; 
.Andrew  H..  of  this  review;  and  Isaac  R., 
who  is  the  law  partner  of  his  brother 
.\iidrew. 

L'pon  the  home  farm  Andrew  H.  Mills 
was  born  and  reared  and  his  education  was 
hegiin  ill  the  district  schools.  During  the 
summer  months  he  assisted  in  the  work  of 
the  fields  and  developed  a  strong,  robust 
maniiood  which  has  enabled  him  to  apply 
himself  closely  to  his  professional  duties 
in  later  years.  After  gaining  his  preliminary 
education  near  his  home  he  entered  Lincoln 
University,  in  which  he  was  graduated  on 
the  completion  of  a  five  years'  classical 
course  of  study  in  1875.  He  then  spent  two 
years  as  a  member  of  the  faculty  of  the  same 
institution  and  therein  pursued  a  post-grad- 
uate course.  For  some  time  he  was  a  suc- 
cessful educator  and  became  su|)eriiitendeiit 
of  the  city  schools  of  Waverly,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  for  three  years.  In  his 
instruction  before  the  class  he  was  always 
clear  and  concise  and  forceful,  and  these 
r|ualities  have  likewise  been  manifested  in 
his  presentation  of  a  case  before  court  or 
jury.  While  acting  as  principal  of  the 
schools  of  Waverly  he  also  took  up  the 
slud\-  of  law.     In   1S80  he  came  to  Decatur 


222 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  completed  his  reading  in  the  law  office 
of  the  well  known  firm  of  Clokey  &  Mills, 
being  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  state  in 
May,  1881.  In  the  following  June  he  en- 
tered into  partnership  relations  with  his 
brother,  I.  R.  Mills,  and  the  firm  has  long 
maintained  a  high  reputation  among  the 
leading  lawyers  of  the  Macon  county  bar. 
For  six  years  Andrew  H.  I\Iills  served  as 
assistant  city  attorney  and  for  twelve  years 
as  assistant  states  attorney  under  his 
brother.  He  now  makes  a  specialty  of 
chancer}^  probate  and  real  estate  law,  al- 
though he  is  well  informed  in  all  depart- 
ments of  jurisprudence.  He  does  not  care, 
however,  to  give  much  of  his  time  to  crim- 
inal law  and  has  gained  a  good  clientage  in 
the  other  branches  of  the  profession,  being 
regarded  as  a  wise  counsellor  and  safe  ad- 
viser in  matters  pertaining  to  corporation 
or  other  business  interests.  The  firm  of 
JMills  Brothers  are  attorneys  for  the  Citi- 
zens' National  Bank  of  Decatur  and  they 
occupy  a  handsome  suite  of  rooms  on  the 
sixth  floor  of  the  Millikin  Bank  Building.  • 
Their  law  library  is  extensive  and  with  its 
contents  Andrew  H.  Mills  has  familiarized 
himself,  being  a  deep  student  and  one  who 
has  carried  his  investigations  far  and  wide 
into  the  realms  of  judicial  knowledge. 

On  the  2d  of  January,  1877,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Andrew  H.  Mills  and  Miss 
EHzabeth  E.  Bell,  a  daughter  of  the  late 
Rev.  W.  C.  Bell,  of  Lincoln,  Illinois.  Their 
children  are  Ralph  G.,  Judith  B.,  Helen  E., 
Plarold  E.  and  Andrew  Hubert.  The  en- 
tire family  hold  membership  in  the  First 
Presbyterian  church,  and  through  many 
years  Mr.  Mills  has  been  one  of  its  most 
active  and  helpful  workers.  He  has  long 
served  as  one  of  its  elders  and  for  fifteen 
years  has  been  superintendent  of  its  Sunday- 
school.  Through  a  considerable  period  he 
has  also  been  chairman  of  the  County  Sun- 
day-school .Association  and  is  now  chairman 
of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Illinois 


State  Sunday-school  Association,  while  in 
the  International  Sunday-school  Associa-  ' 
tion  he  is  also  serving  on  the  executive  com- 
mittee. He  has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  boys  and  young  men  of  the 
city  and  he  secured  the  handsome  bequests 
of  David  F.  Hamsher  and  Reuben  Betzer 
for  the  Young  j\Ien's  Christian  Association 
of  Decatur.  He  is  deeply  interested  in  the 
James  Millikin  University  and  has  rendered 
valuable  services  to  this  institution.  His 
attractive  residence  is  situated  on  West 
Decatur  street  and  in  addition  he  holds 
valuable  property  interests  in  Putnam  and 
Shelby  counties.  A  broad  minded  man, 
while  giving  his  chief  attention  to  his  bus- 
iness aft'airs  he  has  j-et  found  opportunity 
to  aid  in  the  material  progress,  the  intellec- 
tual development  and  the  moral  advance- 
ment, realizing  that  man's  nature  should 
grow  along  all  these  lines.  A  man  of  un- 
swerving integrity  and  honor,  one  who  has 
a  strong  appreciation  for  the  higher  ethics 
of  life,  he  has  gained  and  retained  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  his  fellow  men  and 
is  distinctivel}^  one  of  the  leading  citizens 
not  only  of  Decatur,  but  of  ^lacon  county. 


H.  E.  DICKEY. 

H.  E.  Dickey,  a  well  known  farmer  re- 
siding on  section  36,  Friends  Creek  town- 
ship, is  one  of  Macon  county's  native  sons 
and  has  been  an  eye  witness  of  much  of 
her  development.  During  his  boyhood  much 
of  the  land  was  still  wild  and  uncultivated 
and  Decatur  was  but  a  small  town.  He 
aided  in  building  the  railroad  through  his 
locality  in  1873  ^"^  i"  other  ways  has  ma- 
terially assisted  in  the  improvement  of  his 
native  county,  which  to-day  is  one  of  the 
best  in  this  great  commonwealth. 

Mr.  Dickey  was  born  in  Friends  Creek 
township,  on  the  13th  of  January,  1859,  and 
is  a  son  of  William  and  Sarah  Dickej-.  His 
father  was  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  was 


rr.J^  /d. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


225 


one  of  tlie  early  settlers  of  I'riemls  Creek 
township,  where  he  purchased  land  at  the 
government  price  of  one  dollar  and  a  quarter 
per  acre.  He  broke  antl  iniprovctl  his  farm 
and  for  many  years  was  successfully  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  pursuits  in  this  local- 
ity. After  a  useful  and  well  spent  life  he 
died  in  1875. 

H.  E.  Dickey,  of  this  review,  obtained  his 
early  education  in  the  Newburg  schoolhouse 
and  u  hen  not  in  school  he  aided  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm,  thus  early  acquiring  an 
excellent  knowledge  of  the  occupation 
which  he  lias  chosen  as  a  life  work.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years  he  commenced  op- 
crating  a  tract  of  land  belonging  to  his 
father,  and  is  still  engaged  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  be- 
longing to  the  estate.  The  place  was  im- 
proved by  the  father  but  our  subject  has 
made  many  changes  and  is  now  successfully 
engaged  in  both  fanning  and  stock-raising. 

In  1885  Mr.  Dickey  married  Miss  Au- 
gustus, a  daughter  of  Clarke  and  Margaret 
Augustus,  of  Friends  Creek  township,  both 
now  deceased.  Four  children  blessed  this 
union,  namely:  Nellie,  born  in  November, 
1SS6:  Lula,  born  in  February,  x888 ;  Grace, 
born  in  September,  1889;  and  Ploward.  born 
in  July,  1891.  Grace  is  now  deceased.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Dickey  are  worthy  members  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  and  he 
is  also  connected  w-ith  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.  In  his  political  affiliations 
he  is  a  Deiuocrat  and  he  has  filled  the  of- 
fices of  collector  and  school  director  in  a 
most  creditable  and  satisfactory  manner. 
His  children  are  now  attending  school  in 
Argenta. 


^\"ILLIAM  A.  BARNES,  M.  D. 
No    adequate    memorial    of    William    A. 
Barnes  can   be   written   until   many  of  the 
useful  enterprises  with  -vhicii  he  was  con- 
nected have  completed  their  full  measure  of 


good  in  the  world  and  until  his  personal  in- 
fluence and  example  shall  have  ceased  their 
fruitage  in  the  lives  of  those  who  were 
about  him  when  he  was  yet  an  actor  in  the 
hu.sy  places  of  the  world ;  yet  there  is  much 
concerning  him  that  can  with  profit  be  set 
down  here  as  an  illustration  of  what  can 
be  done  if  a  man  with  a  clear  brain  and 
willing  hands  but  sets  hiinself  seriously  to 
the  real  labors  and  responsibilities  of  life. 
It  can  be  truthfully  said  that  he  was  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes  and  from  the 
time  when  Decatur  was  a  struggling  and 
unimportant  little  village  down  to  almost 
the  present  Dr.  Barnes  was  identified  with 
its  interests.  The  silent  and  unwritten  his- 
tory of  its  streets,  its  railroads  and  its  pub- 
lic institutions  is  replete  with  his  spirit  and 
imtiring  energy.  He  gained  distinctive 
recognition  as  one  of  the  leaders  in  business 
life  here,  having  shown  a  marked  capacity 
for  the  successful  conduct  of  affairs  of  great 
breadth.  It  is  not  alone  compatible  but 
practically  imperative  that  there  be  incor- 
porated in  this  \-olume  a  review  of  his  life. 

Dr.  liarnes  was  born  in  New  Hampshire, 
his  natal  place  being  Claremont,  while  his 
natal  day  was  the  15th  of  March,  1824.  In 
an  early  period  in  the  develoiimcnt  of  New 
iMigland  the  family  was  established  there. 
The  Doctor's  paternal  grandfather  removed 
from  Farmington,  Comiecticut,  to  Clare- 
mont, New  Hainpshirc,  when  that  section 
of  the  state  was  almost  an  unbroken  wil- 
derness and  amid  the  hills  of  New  Hamp- 
shire he  reared  his  family.  Ira  N.  Barnes, 
the  father  of  the  Doctor,  was  born  in  Clare- 
mont and  after  reaching  j'ears  of  maturity 
devoted  his  energies  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, but  his  death  resulted  from  an  acci- 
dent when  he  was  only  about  thirty  years 
of  age.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Harriet  Eastman,  belonged  to  an 
old  New  England  family  of  considerable 
prominence. 

Dr.    Barnes,    the   eldest   of   five   children. 


22G 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACON  COUNTY. 


was  only  six  years  of  age  at  the  lime  of 
his  father's  death.  The  following  year  he 
went  to  live  with  his  grandfather,  with 
whom  he  remained  imtil  he  reached  the 
age  of  fifteen  years  and  during  that  period 
he  acquired  an  excellent  education  in  the 
public  schools  and  also  in  Claremont  Acad- 
cni}-.  When  a  youth  of  fifteen  he  started 
westward  for  the  purpose  of  making  his 
home  with  a  cousin  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  with 
whom  he  li\ed  from  1839  until  1844.  lie 
further  continued  his  studies  in  that  city 
and.  well  qualified  for  the  teacher's  profes- 
sion, he  became  an  instructor  in  a  school- 
room in  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  when 
twenty  years  of  age.  In  early  manhood  he 
also  engaged  in  teaching  music,  in  which  he 
was  quite  proficient,  but  another  profession 
seemed  to  him  more  attractive  and,  believ- 
ing that  it  would  be  also  remunerative  as 
a  life  work,  he  took  up  the  study  of  medi- 
cine in  1846,  his  preceptor  being  Dr.  Van 
Harlingen,  of  Centervillc,  Ohio.  Later  he 
matriculated  in  the  Starling  Medical  Col- 
lege at  Columbus  and  in  the  fall  of  1849  '^^ 
went  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  pursued  his 
second  course  of  lectures  in  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  and  in  that  institution  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1850. 

Returning  then  to  Centerville,  Ohio,  he 
opened  an  office  and  entered  upon  his  pro- 
fessional career,  but  in  the  autumn  of  the 
same  year  he  located  in  Valparaiso,  In- 
diana, remaining  a  member  of  the  medical 
fraternity  there  for  three  years.  In  1853 
he  became  a  resident  of  Decatur  and  for  a 
short  time  practiced  his  profession,  but  also 
became  engaged  in  other  lines  of  business 
which  ultimately  demanded  all  of  his  time 
and  attention.  Upon  his  arrival  here  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  about  four  miles 
from  the  town  and  at  once  began  its  culti- 
vation and  development.  He  bad  been  a 
resident  of  Decatur  but  two  years,  when  in 
1855  he  succeeded  Drs.  King  and  Cheno- 
weth  as  proprietors  of  a  drug  store  in  De- 


catur, which  he  conducted  with  success  un- 
til 1859.  During  the  period  of  the  Civil 
war  his  time  was  largely  occupied  with  offi- 
cial service,  for  in  1861  he  was  appointed 
master  in  chancery.  In  that  office  as  in 
all  other  relations  in  life  he  was  found 
prompt  and  faithful  in  the  execution  of  his 
duties  and  he  capably  served  until  1865, 
when  he  resigned. 

Dr.  Barnes  was  among  the  first  to  inau- 
gurate the  manufacturing  interests  which 
have  made  Decatur  one  of  the  largest  pro- 
ducing centers  of  the  Mississippi  valley.  In 
1360  in  partnership  with  William  Lintner 
he  established  a  factory  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  hay-presses  and  when  this  work  was 
placed  upon  a  paying  basis  it  was  extended 
in  scope  by  the  establishment  of  a  depart- 
ment for  the  manufacture  of  pumps  and 
agricultural  implements.  Its  trade  steadily 
increased,  owing  to  the  excellence  of  its 
product  and  the  reliability  of  the  propri- 
etors, and  thus  Dr.  Barnes  became  an  active 
factor  in  the  manufacturing  interests  of  De- 
catur. After  some  years  he  sold  it  to  his 
partner  and  later  the  enterprise  became 
known  as  the  Decatur  Furniture  Company, 
under  which  style  it  is  to-day  conducted. 
In  1868  Dr.  Barnes  decided  to  devote  the 
greater  part  of  his  attention  to  real  estate 
operations  and  to  the  improvement  of  his 
lands.  In  an  early  day  he  had  invested 
largely  in  property  in  Macon,  Piatt  and 
Moultrie  counties.  W^ith  the  increase  in 
population,  owing  to  the  large  emigration 
from  the  east  to  the  Mississippi  valley, 
these  lands  had  risen  greatly  in  value  and 
their  sale  brought  to  him  a  handsome  for- 
tune. He  also  added  to  their  market  prices 
bv  the  excellent  improvements  which  he 
placed  upon  the  property.  His  real  estate 
dealings  were  indeed  extensive  and  of  an 
important  character  and  annually  his  oper- 
ations in  this  direction  brought  to  him  a 
splendid  financial  return. 

In    October,    1849,   on    the   completion   of 


PAST  AND  I'RESKXT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


227 


his  collegfiate  course.  Dr.  Barnes  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Eleanor  Sawj-er,  wIkj 
was  horn  in  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania. 
He  had  formed  her  acquaintance  while  she 
was  residing  in  Centerville,  Ohio,  and  the 
marriage  ceremony  was  performed  in 
Daujjhin  county,  Pennsylvania.  L'nto  the 
Doctor  and  his  wife  were  born  the  follow- 
ing children  :  Albert,  now  a  leading  busi- 
ness man  of  Decatur ;  Charles  M..  a  distin- 
guished attorney  of  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
who  died  March  9,  1893:  Mary,  wife  of 
George  R.  .Stanton,  a  resident  of  Decatur: 
A\'illiani,  a  prominent  surgeon  of  this  cii_\- : 
and  one  son  who  died  in  infancy. 

Along  political  lines  the  influence  of  1 'r. 
Barnes  has  been  felt  and  he  was  one  of 
the  first  standard  bearers  of  the  Republican 
party  in  Macon  county,  continuing  its  sup- 
port until  his  death,  which  occurred  August 
20,  1897,  in  Dansville,  New  York.  Noting 
with  interest  the  progress  of  events  he  took 
a  deep  interest  in  the  movements  which  led 
to  the  establishment  of  a  political  organiza- 
tion for  the  further  suppression  of  slavery 
in  the  United  States  and  from  1856  .up  to 
the  time  of  his  demise  he  gave  an  unfalter- 
ing allegiance  to  the  party  which  was  the 
cause  of  the  abolition  of  this  great  national 
evil.  He  labored  earnestly  for  Fremont 
during  the  campaign  of  1856  and  delivered 
a  number  of  political  addresses  in  his  behalf 
throughout  the  county.  He  was  one  of  the 
representative  citizens  of  Decatur  and  filled 
several  public  positions,  his  fellow  towns- 
men recognizing  his  devotion  to  the  general 
welfare,  as  well  as  his  personal  worth, 
elected  him  mayor  of  the  city  prior  to  the 
Civil  war  and  several  times  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council.  Whatever  tended 
to  promote  the  welfare  and  progress  of  De- 
catur elicited  his  earnest  attention,  active 
co-operation  and  substantial  aid.  W  ith 
other  prominent  men   he  was  inlluential   in 


securing  to  the  city  the  ,n\  >ieni  of  railroads 
which  has  made  it  an  important  commer- 
cial center  through  furnishing  an  outlet  for 
the  agricultural  and  commercial  products 
of  this  locality  and  bringing  it  into  close 
relations  with  other  trade  centers.  He  was 
one  of  the  active  members  of  the  Citizens' 
.Association,  organized  to  advance  the  pub- 
lic interests  of  Decatur.  The  cause  of  edu- 
cation found  in  him  a  warm  friend  and  for 
a  number  of  years  he  took  an  active  part  in 
behalf  of  the  schools  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education  and  for  some  time  was 
its  president.  From  its  organization  until 
his  death,  with  the  exception  of  one  year, 
he  was  president  of  the  Decatur  public  li- 
brarv.  His  benevolence  was  uno.stentatious 
and  genuine,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the 
story  of  his  life  to  show  that  he  ever  for 
a  moment  sought  to  compass  a  given  end 
for  the  purpose  of  exalting  himself.  He 
championed  mea.sures  and  aided  men,  and 
accepted  as  his  reward  that  thrill  of  de- 
light which  always  accompanies  victories 
achieved.  Endowed  by  nature  with  a  sound 
judgment  and  an  accurate,  discriminating 
mind,  he  feared  not  that  laborious  attention 
to  the  details  of  business  so  necessary  to 
achieve  success,  and  this  essential  quality 
was  guided  by  a  sense  of  moral  right  which 
would  tolerate  the  employment  only  of 
those  means  that  would  bear  the  most  rigid 
examination  by  a  fairness  of  intention  that 
neither  sought  nor  required  disguise.  It  is 
but  just  and  merited  praise  to  say  of  Dr. 
Barnes,  that  as  a  business  man  he  ranked 
with  the  ablest;  as  a  citizen  he  was  honor- 
able, i)rompt  and  true  to  every  engage- 
ment; as  a  man  he  held  the  honor  and  es- 
teem of  all  classes  of  people,  of  all  creeds 
and  political  proclivities ;  as  a  husband  and 
father  he  was  a  morlel  worthy  of  all  imita- 
tion; unassuming  in  his  manner,  sincere  in 
his  friendship,  steadfast  and  unswerving  in 


228 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


his  loyalty  to  the  right.  Throughout  his 
career  of  continued  and  far-reaching  useful- 
ness, his  duties  were  performed  with  the 
greatest  care,  and  during  a  long  life  his  per- 
sonal honor  and  integrity  were  without 
blemish. 


CHARLES  E.  CONNARD. 

In  the  pioneer  epoch  in  the  history  of  this 
section  of  Illinois,  Charles  E.  Connard 
came  to  Macon  county  and  has  since  been 
an  important  factor  in  its  substantial  de- 
velopment and  permanent  improvement.  He 
has  seen  its  wild  lands  transformed  into 
fine  farms,  while  industrial  and  commercial 
interests  have  been  introduced  and  thus 
towns  have  become  thriving  cities.  In  the 
work  of  progress  he  has  borne  his  part  and 
has  been  particularly  active  as  a  represen- 
tative of  the  agricultural  interests  of  the 
community.  His  home  is  on  section  2, 
South  Wheatland  township. 

Mr.  Connard  was  born  on  the  6th  of  No- 
vember, 1S29,  in  A'lontgomery  county, 
Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  John  and  Dorothy 
(Schriver)  Connard  and  grandson  of  Ebe- 
nezer  Connard.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Bucks  county,  this  state,  and  was  there 
reared  and  educated.  His  wife  was  of  Ger- 
man descent.  In  1830  they  removed  to 
Ross  county,  Ohio,  where  the  following  ten 
years  were  passed,  and  in  1840  they  came 
by  wagon  and  team  to  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois, locating  near  where  our  subject  now 
resides.  The  father  was  an  active  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  was 
a  Democrat  in  politics  until  1856,  when 
he  joined  the  newly  organized  Republican 
party.  His  death  occurred  on  the  6th  of 
November,  1876,  when  he  was  seventy-three 
years  of  age,  and  his  wife  passed  away 
Alarch  27,  1891,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:      Sarah    Anne,   the   wife   of  John 


King,  of  IClwin ;  Hannah,  who  married 
James  Lowry,  of  Decatur,  and  died  in  1856; 
.Mrs.  Catherine  Widick,  who  is  living  in 
^^'ebster  county,  Iowa ;  Maria  Angeline, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years;  and 
Charles  E. 

The  early  educational  privileges  afforded 
our  subject  were  very  meager,  but  by  read- 
ing and  observation  he  has  become  a  well 
informed  man.  During  his  early  life  he  was 
associated  with  his  father  in  farming,  and 
on  the  death  of  the  latter  became  the  owner 
of  four  hundred  acres  of  land,  the  only  im- 
provement upon  the  place  being  a  log  cabin 
and  sixty  acres  under  fence.  But  as  time 
passed  Mr.  Connard  placed  acre  after  acre 
under  cultivation  and  erected  good  and  sub- 
stantial buildings,  making  his  farm  one  of 
the  best  in  the  locality.  In  addition  to 
his  farming  interests  he  has  dealt  in  grain 
for  the  past  thirty  years  and  is  now  part 
owner  of  an  elevator  at  Elwin,  being  asso- 
ciated with  his  sons  and  others  in  the  busi- 
ness. The  elevator  was  erected  by  him  and 
has  a  capacity  of  fifty  thousand  bushels.  He 
also  built  a  large  corn  crib  at  that  place. 
To  his  sons  he  has  given  a  portion  of  his" 
land,  but  still  retains  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres,  which  is  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation and  well  improved. 

At  Elwin,  in  1855,  Mr.  Connard  was  unit- 
ed in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  A.Eagur,  who 
died  on  the  30th  of  September,  1878,  in  the 
faith  of  the  Methodist  church,  of  which 
she  was  a  consistent  member.  Unto  them 
were  born  the  following  children :  George 
S. ;  Milton  A. ;  Carrie,  wife  of  William 
Wilt,  a  farmer  living  near  Lake  City,  Illi- 
nois ;  Effie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years ; 
Johnnie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight ;  Alar- 
tin  E.,  whose  sketch  appears  below;  Charles 
H.,  a  resident  of  Alarseilles,  Illinois;  and 
Harley  and  Hattie,  twins,  the  former  of 
whom  died  at  the  age  of  one  year  and  a 
half,  and  the  latter  now  the  wife  of  William 
Flovd,  of  TTollvwood,  California. 


PAST  A.Xl)  I^RF.SICX'T  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


220 


In  1879  Mr.  Connard  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Miss  EHzabcth 
J.  Rozzell,  a  native  of  Macon  county  and 
a  daughter  of  Micah  and  Isabella  (Davis) 
Rozzell,  who  were  natives  of  South  Caro- 
lina and  Tennessee,  respectively,  and  were 
married  November  4,  1845.  I'^^r  father  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county  and 
was  engaged  in  farming  in  Long  Creek 
township.  He  died  on  •  Christmas  day  of 
1888,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  Sep- 
tember, 1880.  In  religious  faith  they  were 
Presbyterians.  Their  children  were  David, 
a  farmer  of  Tennessee  and  postmaster  at 
Dughill,  Tennessee;  Mrs.  Connard,  who 
was  born  October  5,  1851  ;  Isabella,  wife  of 
Scott  Satt,  a  shoemaker  of  Whiteboro, 
Texas ;  Anna,  wife  of  James  W'ithgott,  of 
Decatur ;  and  Lily,  who  is  living  with  her 
sister  in  Texas.  ]\y  his  second  marriage 
Mr.  Connard  has  three  children:  Curtis, 
Marcus  and  \Valter,  all  at  home. 

Since  1849  Mr.  Connard  has  been  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  has  been  officially  connected 
with  the  same.  He  cast  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  General  Fremont  in  1856  and  has 
since  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party. 
For  over  sixty  years  he  has  been  identified 
with  the  interests  of  ^lacon  county  and  is 
justl}'  regarded  as  one  of  her  honored  pio- 
neers and  representative  citizens  who  have 
borne  an  important  part  in  her  upbuilding 
and  development.  He  is  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  and  well  merits  the  high  regard 
in  which  he  is  held. 

George  S.  Connard,  our  subject's  eldest 
son  and  one  of  the  present  members  of  the 
firm  of  grain-buyers  of  Elwin,  was  born  on 
his  father's  farm  in  this  county,  March  15, 
1856,  and  received  his  early  education  in  the 
district  schools  of  the  neighborhood,  after- 
ward graduating  at  Eastman's  National 
Business  College  of  Poughkeepsie,  New 
York,  in  1875.  Shice  starting  out  in  life  for 
himself    he    has    engago<l    in    farming,    has 


acted  as  railroad  agent  for  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad  Company  and  has  dealt  in 
grain  at  Khvin.  He  ran  the  first  check-rower 
in  the  county,  which  was  made  by  Hay- 
worth  &  Sons  in  1869,  and  was  purchased 
by  Iiis  father.  He  continued  farming  on  the 
home  place  until  1883,  when  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  South  \Vheatland 
township  which  formerly  belonged  to  his 
grandfather.  On  the  31]  of  l'\-bruary,  1883, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rebecca 
Crumm,  a  native  of  Dauphin  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, who  came  to  .Macon  county  with 
her  parents.  She  died  .\pril  I,  1893,  in  the 
faith  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Mr.  Connard  is  also  a  incmlxT  of  that  church 
and  has  served  as  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school  and  as  class  leader.  He  cast 
his  first  presidential  vote  for  James  A. 
Garfield  but  for  the  past  eighteen  years  has 
supported  the  Prohibition  party.  He  served 
as  township  clerk  before  he  attained  his  ma- 
jority and  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  public  aft'airs. 

M.  A.  Connard,  the  junior  member  of  the 
original  firm  of  M.  A.  Connard  &  Company, 
grain  buyers  of  Elwin,  was  born  on  the 
old  homestead  in  South  Wheatland  town- 
ship in  1858.  He  was  married  in  June,  1885, 
to  Miss  Eva  L.  Foster,  a  native  of  De- 
catur and  a  daughter  of  David  and  Margaret 
(Price)  Foster.  She  died  in  December, 
1891,  leaving  three  children:  Arthur  F., 
Nellie  and  Mae. 


MARTIN  E.  CONNARD. 
Prominent  among  the  business  men  of 
Macon  county  is  numbered  Martin  E.  Con- 
nard, a  well  known  grain  dealer  of  Elwin. 
No  one  in  that  locality  is  better  known  for 
his  entire  life  has  been  spent  there  and  all 
his  interests  from  boyliood  have  been  close- 
ly associated  with  those  of  his  native  town- 
ship.    In  business  affairs  he  has  met  with 


230 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACON  COL'NTV. 


good  success  and  by  the  energy  and  zeal 
whicli  lie  has  manifested  he  has  won  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  the  public. 

Ah".  Connard  was  burn  in  South  \\  heat- 
land  township,  May  i6,  1868,  a  son  of 
Charles  £.  and  Nancy  (Eagur)  Comiard, 
whose  sketch  precedes  this.  After  com- 
pleting his  common  school  education  he 
attended  the  Northern  Illinois  Normal 
School  and  Dixtjn  Business  College  for  a 
time.  In  1886  he  became  connected  with 
the  grain  business  in  the  employ  of  the  firm 
of  M.  A.  Connard  &  Company,  and  in  1893 
became  a  member  of  the  firm,  the  name  be- 
ing then  changed  to  G.  S.  Connard  &  Com- 
pany, as  his  brother  George  S.  had  pur- 
chased Milton  A.'s  interest  in  the  business. 
On  the  1st  of  'November,  1900,  William  R. 
Hopkins  became  a  member  of  the  firm, 
which  still  carries  on  business  under  the 
name  of  G.  S.  Connard  &  Company,  and 
they  now  have  control  of  the  grain  trade 
in  Elwin,  handling  one  hundred  thousand 
bushels  of  oats  and  two  hundred  thousand 
bushels  of  corn  annually.  Shipments  are 
made  to  Memphis,  Tennessee,  New  Orleans, 
Decatur  and  other  points,  and  Martin  E. 
Connard  lias  charge  of  the  buying  and 
selling  of  all  grain  at  their  elevators.  He 
is  also  interested  in  a  general  store  at  El- 
win and  is  the  owner  of  the  Elwin  Tele- 
phone system,  which  began  the  building  of 
its  lines  in  1892  and  now  has  over  eighty 
phones  in  operation,  practically  covering 
the  whdle  of  South  Wheatland  township. 

On  the  30th  of  June,  1G98,  Mr.  Connard 
led  to  the  marriage  altar  Miss  Mae  Hop- 
kins, who  was  born  February  20,  1876,-  and 
they  now  have  two  children  :  Lucile,  born 
March  14,  1899;  and  Harold,  born  July  20, 
1900.  The  family  have  a  lovely  home  in 
Elwin,  which  was  recently  erected  by  Mr. 
Connard  and  which  is  supplied  with  all 
modern  conveniences.  Ele  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episco]ial  church  and  a  sup- 
porter  of   the   Republican   party.      In    1903 


he  was  commissioned  notary  public  for  a 
term  of  four  years.  Although  comparatively 
a  yoimg  man  he  already  occupies  a  prom- 
inent [josition  in  business  circles  and  his 
success  is  largely  due  to  his  energy,  perse- 
verance and  progressive  ideas,  as  well  as  his 
good  business  ability. 

Samuel  S.  Hopkins,  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Connard,  was  born  near  Circleville,  in 
Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  November  24,  1846, 
and  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  though  the 
family  was  founded  in  this  country  in  colo- 
nial days,  one  of  its  members  having  been 
a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
In  early  life  Mr.  Hopkins  came  to  Macon 
count}-,  Illinois,  and  was  married  near 
Boody,  November  14,  1872,  to  Miss  Emma- 
retta  Williams,  who  is  also  a  native  of 
(Jhio,  born  in  Gambier,  Knox  cotmty,  on  the 
23d  of  September^  1848.  She  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  graduating  class  from  the 
Decatur  high  school,  which  consisted  of 
but  four  members.  This  was  in  1867.  For 
three  vears  she  successfulh-  engaged  in 
teaching  in  Warrensburg,  this  county,  and 
during  the  years  of  1870  and  1871  had 
charge  of  a  school  near  Blue  Mound.  Her 
father,  William  Henry  Williams,  is  still 
living  and  has  one  brother  and  five  sisters, 
the  youngest  of  whom  is  sixty-three  and  the 
oldest  eighty-two  years  of  age.  His  father 
was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812  and  his 
grandfather  took  part  in  the  Revolutionary 
war  and  was  with  ^^'ashington  during  that 
terrible   winter   at    A'alley    Forge. 

After  his  marriage  Samuel  S.  Hopkins 
located  on  the  old  Flopkins  homestead, 
about  two  miles  southeast  of  Elwin,  and 
from  there  removed  to  a  farm  near  As- 
sumption, Illinois,  where  he  spent  two 
years.  His  next  home  was  on  a  farm  near 
Forsyth,  and  about  1884  he  removed  to  a 
farm  near  Mount  Zion,  where  he  spent  ten 
years.  The  following  seven  years  were 
passed  in  Decatur,  and  in  the  fall  of  1901 
he  came  to  Elwin.  where  he   embarked  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNT'V. 


231 


general  merchandising  with  his  son,  W'iUiani 
R.,  and  his  son-in-hi\v,  Martin  V..  Connard, 
under  the  firm  name  of  S.  S.  Hopkins  & 
Company.  He  has  five  children,  namely : 
William  R.,  Mae,  Bessie,  Lelah  and  Tracy, 
and  the  family  circle  has  never  been  broken 
by  tlie  hand  of  death,  in  his  political  views 
j\lr.  Hopkins -is  a  Republican  and  he  is  now 
serving  as  postmaster  of  Elwin.  He  is  a 
prominent  and  active  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  is  closely  as- 
sociated with  the  work  of  the  Sunday- 
school.  Wherever  known  he  is  held  in  high 
regard  as  a  man  of  abilitx'  and  sterling 
worth. 


FRED  E.  SCHROEDKR. 
W  ith  the  business  interests  of  Warrens- 
burg  Fred  E.  Schroeder  has  been  identified 
since  attaining  man's  estate  and  is  to-da)' 
one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  the  place, 
carrying  a  large  and  well  selected  stock  of 
hardware  and  furniture.  He  was  born  here 
on  the  5th  of  April,  1875,  and  is  a  son  of 
Max  R.  and  Marie  E.  (Hagely)  Schroeder, 
both  of  German  descent.  His  paternal 
grandparents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Schroe- 
der, were  natives  of  Germany  and  emigrated 
to  America  at  an  early  day,  being  residents  of 
Frceport,  Illinois,  at  the  time  of  their  deaths. 
Both  reached  an  advanced  age,  the  former 
dying  when  ninety-one  and  the  latter  when 
ninety.  Our  subject's  father  came  to  Macon 
county  in  1871  and  settled  at  Warrensburg, 
his  home  being  on  the  site  of  the  old  City 
Hotel,  wdicre  our  subject  was  born.  Here 
he  followed  shoemaking  and  harnessmak- 
ing  for  some  years  and  served  as  the  first 
postmaster  of  the  village,  being  appointed 
to  that  office  during  the  administration  of 
President  Grant,  although  he  was  a  stanch 
Democrat  in  politics.  At  that  time  he  was 
able  to  keep  all  of  the  mail  in  a  sewing 
machine  drawer.  He  also  served  as  justice 
of    the    peace    for    several    years    and    was 


holding  that  jiosilion  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  31st  of  Octo- 
ber, 1S85.  He  toi)k  a  verj^  prominent  and 
acti\e  part  in  public  affairs  and  was  one  of 
the  leading  and  inliuential  citizens  of  his 
part  of  the  county.  His  estimable  wife  still 
survives  him  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years 
and  now  makes  her  home  with  our  subject. 
She  is  the  mother  of  eight  children,  two  of 
whom  are  now  deceased,  those  living  being 
Rudolph  H.,  a  resident  of  Warrensburg, 
who  married  .\l])ha  Loretta  Acres,  the 
camp  of  Royal  Neighbors  of  this  place 
being  named  Alpha  Loretta  in  her  honor; 
Jenny,  wife  of  Frank  Kretzer,  of  Warrens- 
burg; Louise,  wife  ot  Amos  Robinson; 
William  R.,  who  married  Eva  Raymond  and 
lives  in  Warrensburg;  Frank,  who  married 
Lulu  Slonaker ;    and   l-'red  E. 

Fred  F.  Schroeder  was  educated  in  the 
village  schools,  which  he  attended  tuitil 
fourteen  years  of  age.  and  then  began  earn- 
ing his  own  livelihood  by  working  on  a  farm. 
Tn  1892  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  the  gen- 
eral store  of  Ell  White  &  Company,  where 
he  remained  for  four  years,  and  then  in 
])artncrship  with  his  brother,  Txudolph  H., 
opened  a  hardware  and  implement  estab- 
lishment under  the  firm  name  of  Schroeder 
Brothers.  In  1899  he  purchased  his  broth- 
er's interest  and  has  since  continued  alone. 
He  has  ceased  to  handle  agricultural  im- 
plements but  has  added  a  stock  of  furniture, 
being  the  exclusive  dealer  in  that  line  in 
Warrensburg.  He  has  met  with  marked 
success  in  his  mercantile  efforts,  having 
built  up  a  large  trade  which  is  constantly 
increasing. 

On  the  2d  of  June,  1897,  Mr.  Schroeder 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Flora  Min- 
son,  a  native  of  Macon  county,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Tilden  and  l'"mma  (I'lsh)  Minson. 
She  was  educated  in  the  home  schools 
and  the  high  school  at  Decatur  and  for  three 
years  successfully  engaged  in  teaching. 
I'lilo    Mr.   and    Mrs.    Schroeder   have    been 


232 


PAST  AXD  rRF.SEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


born    three    children,    namely:      Ralph    M., 
Ruth  M.,  and  .Mildred  H. 

Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  he  also 
holds  membership  in  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd-  Fellows  and  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America,  being  past  grand  in  the  former 
lodge.  His  political  support  is  given  the 
Republican  party  and  in  1898  he  received 
the  appointment  of  postmaster  of  Warrens- 
burg  under  President  McKinley  and  is  still 
filling  that  office  with  credit  to  himself 
and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. He  is  one  of  the  most  progressive, 
enterprising  and  reliable  young  men  of  the 
town  and  the  position  he  occupies  in  busi- 
ness circles  is  well  deserved,  it  having  been 
attained  through  persistent  industry  and  un- 
tiring: efTort. 


NICHOLAS  SCHERER. 

Nicholas  Scherer  became  a  resident  of 
Decatur  in  1882  and  at  his  death  was  well 
known  in  business  circles.  He  w^as  born 
in  France  on  the  4th  of  June,  1825,  and  was 
a  son  of  Jacob  Scherer,  who  was  also  a 
native  of  France.  About  1865  the  father 
sailed  for  the  new  world  with  his  famihs 
first  locating  in  Lowville,  New  York,  where 
he  purchased  a  farm,  carr3'ing  on  agricult- 
ural pursuits  in  that  vicinity  for  several 
years.  He  then  took  up  his  abode  in  the 
village  where  both  he  and  his  wife  are  now 
living.  He  has  spent  his  last  few  years 
in  retirement  from  labor  and  at  the  age  of 
eighty-one  is  enjoying  a  well  merited  rest 
and  also  receiving  the  respect  and  venera- 
tion which  should  ever  be  accorded  those 
who  advance  far  on  life's  journey. 

The  educational  advantages  which  Nich- 
olas Scherer  received  were  limited.  He 
gained  much  knowledge,  however,  .from  ex- 
perience   and    through     contact    with    the 


world  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  he 
emigrated  to  .\mcrica  with  his  parents,  as- 
sisting in  the  development  of  the  home  farm 
in  New  York.  There  he  remained  until 
J 882,  when  in  connection  with  his  brothers, 
Jacob  and  Emile,  he  came  to  the  west, 
settling  in  Decatur.  His  brother  Jacob  is 
now  night  watchman  of  the  Mueller  Man- 
ufacturing Company  of  this  city  and  Emile 
is  in  the  shops  of  the  Union  Iron  Works. 

Nicholas  Scherer  of  this  review  was  first 
employed  here  by  the  Decatur  Brewery, 
working  there  for  some  time.  He  then  had 
charge  of  an  express  wagon  for  the  Pacific 
Express  Company  for  about  two  years  and 
after  his  marriage  he  embarked  in  the  sal- 
oon business,  establishing  a  retail  local 
house  on  East  Eldorado  street,  conducting 
the  enterprise  for  eight  }'ears.  On  the  ex- 
piration of  that  period  he  sold  out  and  en- 
gaged in  tending  bar  until  his  death. 

Mr.  Scherer  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Anna  Frank,  a  native  of  Decatur  and 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Theresa  (Kepler) 
Frank,  who  were  natives  of  Germany  and 
are  represented  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 
^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Scherer  became  the  parents 
of  two  children  :  Frank,  who  was  born  ^^lay 
19,  1885,  and  is  now  telegraph  operator  at 
Winston ;  and  Jacob,  who  was  born  April 
13,  1887,  and  is  with  his  mother.  They  now 
occupy  a  nice  home  at  No.  350  South  Broad- 
way, W'hich  was  erected  by  ^Ir.  Scherer  and 
in  addition  to  this  property-  Mrs.  Scherer 
also  owns  residence  property  at  Nos.  738, 
746  and  760  Leafland  avenue. 

Mr.  Scherer  was  never  an  office  seeker 
nor  desired  such  return  for  party  fealty. 
However,  he  gave  an  unfaltering  support  to 
the  Democracy.  He  belonged  to  the  Cath- 
olic Knights  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Catholic  church  of  this  city. 
His  business  career  w-as  successful  and  he 
steadily  advanced  working  his  way  upward 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


235 


through  energy,  determination  and  tidclity 
to  duty.  Year  by  year  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  and  it  was  tluis  that  he 
was  enabled  to  make  judicious  investments 
in  real  estate  which  now  returns  to  his 
faniilv  a  good  income. 


GUY  ARCHER  RANDOLPH. 

Prominent  among  the  young  business 
men  of  Macon  county  is  Guy  Archer  Ran- 
dolph, who  is  now  successfully  engaged  in 
the  banking  business  at  \\'arrcn.sburg  and 
is  rapidly  working  his  way  to  a  foremost 
position  among  the  able  financiers  of  this 
section  of  the  state.  A  native  of  Illinois, 
he  was  born  in  Aetna  township,  Logan 
county,  on  the  15th  of  November,  1873, 
and  is  a  son  of  James  M.  and  Elizabeth  G. 
(Jett)  Randolph.  The  birth  of  the  father 
also  occurred  in  that  township,  June  27, 
1846,  but  the  mother  was  born  in  Bracken 
county,  Kentucky,  on  the  30th  of  January, 
1855.  Tier  father,  William  Jett,  was  killed 
in  the  battle  of'  Richmond,  Kentucky,  Aug- 
ust 29,  1862,  while  serving  as  a  private  in 
the  Eighteenth  Kentucky  \'olunteer  Infan- 
try during  the  Civil  w'ar  and  the  following 
year  Mrs.  Randolph,  who  was  then  a  child, 
accompanied  her  mother  on  her  removal  to 
Illinois.  James  M.  Randolph,  the  father  of 
our  subject,  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  cen- 
tral Illinois  and  now  owns  and  operates  a 
valuable  farm  of  five  hundred  acres  near 
Kenney.  lie  is  a  well  educated  man,  having 
spent  two  years  at  ShurtlefF  College,  .'Mton, 
Illinois,  after  completing  the  common  school 
course,  and  he  is  one  of  the  leading  and  rep- 
resentative citizens  of  his  community. 

Mr.  Randolph  is  descended  from  one  of 
the  oldest  and  most  prominent  families  of 
the  south,  the  progenitors  being  William 
Randolph  and  his  wife,  Mary  Isham,  who 
came  to  \'irginia  in  1673  and  settled  on 
Turkey   island   in   the  James   river,   becom- 


ing one  of  the  most  popular  and  intluential 
men  of  the  earl)-  \'irginian  colony.  He  was 
a  nephew  of  the  famous  English  poet, 
Thomas  Randolph,  and  was  the  father  of 
seven  sons  and  two  daughters,  whose  de- 
scendants arc  now  niunorous  in  the  Old 
Dominion  and  are  widely  scattered  through- 
out the  other  states  of  the  Union.  Among 
the  most  prominent  of  his  posterity  were 
John  Randolph,  of  Roanoke,  the  celebrated 
orator ;  Edmund  Randolph,  first  attorney 
general  under  President  Washington  and 
secretary  of  state  ;  Thomas  Jcft'erson,  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States;  John  Marshall, 
chief  justice;  and  Robert  E.  Lee,  general 
in  the  Confederate  Army  during  the  Civil 
war.  Among  the  most  prominent  now  liv- 
ing are  Carter  II.  Harrison,  mayor  of  Chi- 
cago; and  Isham  Randolph,  chief  engineer 
of  the  Chicago  sanitary  canal,  now  promi- 
nently mentioned  as  a  member  of  the  Pan- 
ama caiial  commission. 

During  his  boyhood  Guy  A.  Randolph  at- 
tended the  common  schools  near  his  home 
and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  entered 
lirown's  Business  College  at  Decatur,  where 
he  pursued  a  commercial  course  and  was 
graduated  in  1889.  After  one  year  spent 
upon  the  home  farm,  he  accepted  a  position 
in  Scroggin's  Bank  at  Kenney,  Illinois, 
wlierc  he  served  as  cashier  for  two  years 
and  a  half,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time, 
wishing  to  obtain  a  better  education,  he 
resigned  in  the  summer  of  1894  and  entered 
the  preparatory  department  of  Illinois  Col- 
lege at  Jacksonville,  graduating  in  June, 
1803,  at  \\'hi])]ilc  Academy.  He  wished  to 
continue  the  full  college  course  but  was 
compelled  to  abandon  it  from  threatened 
loss  of  health.  In  1S95  he  spent  some  time 
in  travel,  his,  trip  extending  into  the  in- 
terior of  the  republic  of  Mexico,  and  he 
returned  home  in  the  fall  of  that  year.  In 
October,  1895,  he  made  arrangements  to  es- 
tablish a  bank  in  W'arrensburg,  and  in  the 
following  July  after  the  completion  of  the 


23t') 


PAST  AND  PRKSI'.XT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


new  bank  building  it  was  opened  for  busi- 
ness. Jn  this  venture  Mr.  Randolph  has 
met  with  marked  success.  The  deposits 
now  amount  to  from  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  varying  according  to  the  sea- 
son of  the  year ;  the  capital  is  ten  thousand 
dollars,  and  the  responsibility  of  the  firm, 
consisting  of  James  M.  Randolph,  H.  C. 
Suttle  of  Scroggin's  bank  at  Kenne)-,  and 
(j.  A.  Randolph,  is  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

At  Midland  City,  Illinois,  November  19, 
1896,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Randolph  and  Miss  Mary  Jones,  a  daughter 
of  John  Jones,  an  old  resident  of  De  \\'itt 
county,  and  to  them  has  been  born  one 
child,  \  irginia  Randolph,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred on  the  6th  of  March,  1899.  Frater- 
nally Mr.  Randolph  is  a  member  of  War- 
rensburg  Lodge,  No.  600,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  the 
Decatur  Encampment  and  Canton  No.  19, 
Patriarchs  Militant.  Since  attaining  his 
majority  he  has  generally  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party,  but  is  not  disposed  to 
draw  party  lines  in  matters  of  local  interest. 
For  one  term  he  filled  the  office  of  president 
of  the  village  board,  being  elected  on  a  re- 
form movement,  and  during  his  incumbency 
succeeded  in  regulating  certain  undesirable 
characters.  Systematic  and  methodical,  his 
sagacity,  keen  discrimination  and  sound 
judgment  have  been  the  means  of  bringing 
to  him  success  and  although  he  is  still  a 
young  man  he  has  already  attained  an  en- 
viable position  in  business  circles.  Pleas- 
ant and  genial  in  manner  and  of  high  social 
qualities,  he  is  verj'  popular  and  has  an  ex- 
tensive circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 


JAMES  S.  P.ALDWIN. 
r)ne  of  the  younger  attorneys  at  the  bar 
of  Macon  county  is  James  S.  Baldwin  and 
although  a  young  man  has  attained  a  credit- 
able position  at  the  bar  that  might  well  be 


envied  by  manv  who  have  practiced  for 
twice  his  years,  lie  was  born  in  New  Al- 
bany. Indiana,  September  14,  1874,  his  par- 
ents In-ing  Ed  and  Susan  E.  (Spittler) 
r>aldwin.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  born  in  1835,  and  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  Indiana,  where 
both  are  now  living.  In  1843  ^^^-  Baldwin 
liecame  a  resident  of  that  state.  He  fol- 
lowed the  life  of  a  pilot  on  the  river  for 
some  time  and  his  father,  Robert  Baldwin, 
was  also  a  steamboat  man.  Ed  Baldwin  has 
now  for  thirty  years  been  identified  with  the 
(juarter-master's  department  of  the  army 
and  during  the  Civil  war  he  acted  as  a  pliot 
in  conducting  vessels  which  were  used  in  the 
country's  service.  At  the  present  time  he 
maintains  his  residence  in  New  Albany, 
Indiana.  Unto  him  and  his  w'ife  were  born 
seven  children,  six  of  whom  reached  years 
of  maturity,  the  subject  of  this  review 
being  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth.  One  of 
his  brothers  is  practicing  medicine  in  Jeffer- 
sonville,  Indiana,  another  is  living  in  Tole- 
do, Ohio,  and  the  third  is  a  resident  of 
New  York,  while  one  sister  is  married  and 
lives  in  Decatur,  and  another  sister  is  with 
her  parents  in  Indiana. 

James  S.  Baldwin  completed  his  literary 
education  by  his  graduation  in  the  high 
school  of  New  Albany,  Indiana,  with  the 
class  of  1893.  In  early  life  he  greatly  en- 
joyed taking  part  in  debates  and  mani- 
fested a  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  liter- 
ary societies.  He  has  always  directed  his 
efforts  along  intellectual  lines  and  when 
still  quite  young  manifested  excellent  ora- 
torical ability,  a  characteristic  which  has 
been  of  value  to  him  in  his  chosen  profes- 
sion. Desiring  to  enter  the  practice  of 
law  he  then  prepared  for  the  bar  as  a  stu- 
dent in  the  law  department  of  the  Michigan 
State  University  at  Ann  Arbor,  where  he 
was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1896.  In 
June  of  the  same  year  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  New  Albany,  Indiana,  and  prac- 


PAST  AND  TRESEXT  OF  MACOX  COUXTV. 


237 


ticed  in  bis  native  town  for  some  time.  He 
won  his  first  criminal  case  in  the  January 
term  of  court  in  1897,  on  which  occasion  he 
defended  a  man  accused  of  steahng  a  set  of 
harness  from  a  shed  and  the  indictment  was 
quashed.  On  the  30th  of  March,  1897.  Mr. 
Baldwin  was  admitted  to  practice  before  the 
supreme  court.  In  January  of  that  year 
he  had  formed  a  partnership  with  V.d  Wil- 
son and  practiced  under  the  name  of  Wilson 
&  tialdwin  until  October,  1897,  after  which 
he  became  a  partner  of  Frank  Ewing  and 
this  association  was  maintained  under  the 
firm  style  of  Ewing  &  Baldwin  until  the 
1st  of  May,  1903,  when  Mr.  Ewing  left  for 
Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  r.aldwin  is 
now  practicing  alone  and  he  has  met  with 
splendid  success  in  his  work  as  a  rcpre- 
sentati\e  of  the  legal  ])rofession.  He  is  now 
the  attorney  for  the  R.  G.  Dunn  &  Com- 
pany and  is  regartled  by  that  corporation  as 
one  of  the  best  informed  men  in  his  line.  He 
has  engaged  in  the  trial  of  two  very  cele- 
brated will  cases,  one  involving  the  question 
of  insanity  and  the  niher  that  nf  undue  intlu- 
ence,  and  it  is  the  only  two  cases  of  the 
kind  ever  tried  in  this  c<innty  in  which  the 
will  was  sustained.  .Mr.  llaldwin  is  a  very 
hard  student,  earnest  and  diligent  in  the 
preparation  of  his  cases  and  presenting  his 
cause  with  a  clearness  and  force  that  leaves 
no  doubt  as  to  his  view  upon  the  correct- 
ness of  his  position.  He  is  widely  known 
througliout  Macon  and  other  counties  as 
a  young  lawyer  of  marked  ability  and  one 
who  is  destined  to  enjoy  a  brilliant  future. 
He  is  now  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Macon  Cmmty  Bar  Association  and  he 
occupies  an  enviable  position  in  the  regard 
of  his  brethren  of  the  legal  fraternity.  He 
has  one  of  the  most  complete  law  offices 
in  the  comity  where  all  work  is  carried  on 
systematically.  He  can  refer  in  a  moment 
to  cases  tried  long  years  ago  because  every- 
thing is  kept  on  file.  In  his  office  he  is 
methodical  in  all  that  he  does  and  because 


of   this    is    enabled    to    accomplish    a    great 
amount  of  business  with  dispatch. 

On  the  _'oth  of  Xovember,  1901,  Air. 
Baldwin  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  \'.  Dishman,  a  daughter  of  F.  E.  and 
-Martha  (Cialbraith)  Uishman,  the  former  a 
native  of  Xew  .\lbany.  Indiana,  and  the  ■ 
latter  of  Ireland.  Mrs.  Baldwin  is  a  grad- 
uate nf  the  high  school  of  Xew  Albany,  In- 
diana, of  the  class  of  1895  and  comes  of  a 
prominent  family  there.  Her  father  always 
took  a  deep  interest  in  affairs  of  local  and 
national  importance  and  was  a  public 
spirited  citizen  whose  influence  was  stronglj 
felt  for  good  in  the  community  in  which 
he  made  his  home.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
r.aldwin  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Mary 
\irginia,  whose  birth  occurred  December 
16,  1902. 

A  young  man  of  strt)ng  intellectuality,  his 
tastes  have  always  been  literary  and  he  was 
one  of  the  four  who  organized  the  Decatur 
Chautaucpia,  which  was  formed  in  January, 
1903,  and  which  held  an  assembly  at  River- 
side Park  in  the  present  year.  Of  the 
society  he  is  now  treasurer.  Pie  has  ever 
been  a  great  reader  and  is  especially  fond  of 
biography,  noting  the  elements  in  the  lives 
of  successful  men  and  the  cause  wdiich 
formed  the  striking  features  in  the  lives  of 
those  who  have  attained  distinction  and 
honor  in  various  walks  of  life.  He  entered 
upon  his  political  career  in  Indiana  by  as- 
sisting in  the  election  of  Senator  Fairbanks 
to  the  United  States  senate,  being  at  that 
time  president  of  a  young  men's  Republican 
club.  Since  casting  his  first  presidential 
vote  he  has  taken  a  very  deep  and  helpful 
interest  in  local  and  national  politics,  believ- 
ing it  the  duty  as  well  as  the  privilege  of 
every  American  citizen  to  support  the 
principles  which  he  thinks  are  best  cal- 
culated to  advance  the  welfare  of  the 
general  public.  He  is  now  the  secre- 
tarv  of  the  Republican  central  com- 
mittee  of    Macon    county,   having  acted   in 


238 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  .MACOX  CULXTY. 


this  capacity  since  April,  1902.  Socially  he 
is  connected  with  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  has  attained  to  the  highest  office  in  the 
bhie  lodge.  Pie  is  also  a  member  of  the 
conimandery  and  is  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Knights  of  the 
-Maccabees  and  the  Benevolent  Protective 
Order  o.'  Elks.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church 
of  this  citv. 


JOHX   FRANK. 

John  Frank  was  a  resident  of  Decatur 
from  1857  until  1902  and  during  the  long 
years  he  became  widely  known  and  was  re- 
garded as  a  citizen  of  worth  and  value.  He 
lived  in  this  city  when  it  was  but  a  village 
and  gave  little  promise  of  its  present  de- 
velopment and  prosperity.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  shoemakers  and  he  had  a  wide 
acquaintance  among  pioneer  settlers  not 
only  in  Decatur,  but  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country. 

A  native  of  the  fatherland,  John  Frank 
was  born  on  the  18th  of  March,  1831.  His 
parents  both  died  in  Germany.  Ther^  he 
spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth 
and  acquired  his  education  and  also  learned 
the  shoemaker's  trade.  In  the  year  1857  he 
bade  adieu  to  friends  and  native  country  and 
crossed  the  briny  deep  to  the  new  world, 
landing  in  Xew  York  city.  He  came  direct 
to  Decatur  and  at  once  began  working  at 
his  trade  in  the  employ  of  a  Air.  Wesler. 
He  served  as  a  cobbler  for  a  long  period 
and  continued  with  Mr.  Wesler  for  nine 
years.  He  then  started  a  shoe  shop  of  his 
own  on  West  Main  street,  which  he  con- 
ducted for  a  short  time  and  then  purchased 
the  building  at  No.  317  East  Main  street. 
Following  his  marriage  he  continued  to  en- 
gage in  shoemaking  at  No.  317  East  Alain 
street,  where  he  built  up  a  successful  and 
large  business,  employing  several  hands. 
There  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  all 


kinds  of  boots  and  shoes  and  to  some  ex- 
tent he  carried  on  real  estate  'operations. 
Gradually  he  worked  his  way  upward.  He 
had  no  friends  or  inheritance  to  depend 
upon  to  assist  him  at  the  outset  of  his 
career,  but  he  placed  his  dependence  upon 
far  more  substantial  qualities — industry, 
perseverance   and   careful    management. 

In  1861  Air.  Frank  was  united  in  mar- 
riage, in  Decatur,  to  Aliss  Theresa  Kepler, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  Germany,  born  on 
the  5th  of  September,  1841,  and  a  daughter 
of  Enos  and  Anges  (Staley)  Kepler.  Her 
father  came  to  America  in  1854  and,  making 
his  way  direct  to  Decatur,  was  here  em- 
ployed as  a  laborer  for  a  time.  As  his  finan- 
cial resources  increased,  enabling  him  to 
make  investments  in  property,  he  pur- 
chased a  few  houses  here  and  also  owned  a 
few  acres  of  land  near  the  city,  although 
during  the  greater  part  of  his  residence  he 
was  employed  by  others.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  passed  away  in  Decatur.  The  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  was  blessed 
with  seven  children :  Anna,  who  is  the 
widow  of  Nicholas  Scherer,  a  resident  of 
Decatur ;  Mary,  who  became  the  wife  of 
J.  L.  Burtschi  and  died  on  the  14th  of 
June,  1902;  Alinnie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Emil 
P.  Scherer,  of  this  city;  Elizabeth,  the  wife 
of  Paul  Kastner ;  Theresa,  who  is  at  home 
with  her  mother;  and  John  and  Catherine, 
who  are  both  deceased. 

Both  Air.  and  Airs.  Frank  were  members 
of  the  St.  James  Catholic  church  and  he  be- 
longed to  St.  James  Society  here.  Industry 
was  perhaps  his  most  marked  characteris- 
tic. He  was  a  very  hard  working  man, 
lived  economically  and  thus  year  by  year 
he  added  to  his  possessions  until  he  was 
enabled  to  leave  to  his  family  a  comfortable 
competence.  He  died  July  5,  1902,  his  loss 
being  a  great  blow  to  his  wife  and  children 
and  also  to  many  who  had  given  him  their 
warm  friendship  and  regard.  He  was  verj' 
well  known  in  the  city  where  he  had  resided 


^ 


'• 


"^  ,7^' 


PAS'I-  AND  TRI'.SRNT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


241 


for  thirtj^-five  years  and  he  had  watched 
with  interest  the  developing  of  Decatur, 
noting  its  growth  as  the  years  passed  by. 
His  widow  now  owns  a  nice  residence  at 
No.  303  South  Water  street,  where  she  and 
her  daughter  reside,  and  in  addition  to  this 
she  has  the  business  block  at  No.  317  East 
Main  street  and  also  other  valuable  prop- 
erty in  the  city. 


GEORGE  S.  LYON. 

The  name  of  Lyon  has  long  been  closely 
and  honorably  interwoven  with  the  history 
of  the  lumber  business  in  l^ecatur  and  the 
gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this 
record  was  the  founder  of  the  enterprise 
which  now  bears  the  name  of  the  G.  S. 
Lyon  &  Sons  Lumber  &  Manufacturing 
Company.  For  many  years  he  was  a  prom- 
inent and  honored  resident  of  Decatur  as 
well  as  one  of  its  leading  business  men. 

Mr.  Lyon  was  born  in  Orange,  New  Jer- 
sey, on  the  "th  of  May,  1832,  and  was  one  of 
a  family  of  eleven  children,  five  sons  and 
six  daughters.  Both  his  parents  and  grand- 
parents w'ere  natives  of  Jersey,  the  family 
being  an  old  one  in  that  state.  His  paternal 
grandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1812  and  with  other  events  of  importance 
representatives  of  the  name  have  been  ac- 
tively connected.  The  parents  of  our  sub- 
ject both  died  in  1877,  the  father  closing 
his  eyes  in  death  only  a  few  hours  after  the 
mother  passed  away. 

In  his  early  youth  George  S.  Lyon 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  Tn  his  twen- 
ty-fourth year  he  resolved  to  try  his  fortune 
in  the  west,  having  heard  favorable  reports 
of  its  excellent  business  openings  and  trade 
opportunities.  Arriving  in  Decatur  in  1856, 
he  purchased  property  here  and  continued 
to  make  his  home  thereon  throughout  his 
remaining  days.  For  four  years  he  was  en- 
gaged  in   carpenter  work   in   this  city   and 


then  began  contracting  and  building  on  his 
own  account.  As  the  years  passed  he  ex- 
tended his  efforts  into  a  kindred  line  of 
business — the  operation  of  a  planing  mill 
and  the  purchase  and  sale  of  lumber.  He 
then  abandoned  his  original  trade  in  order 
to  devote  his  cnliro  time  and  energies  to 
the  lumber  business  and  as  the  years  passed 
Iniilt  up  a  very  extensive  patronage.  He 
was  the  head  of  the  firm  of  Lyon,  Gibson 
&  Company,  which  existed  for  a  number  of 
)-ears  and  was  then  succeeded  by  that  of 
Lyon  &  Armstrong.  At  length  he  ])ur- 
chascd  Mr.  Armstrong's  interest  and,  asso- 
ciating his  sons,  Fred  and  Clyde,  in  part- 
nership with  him,  the  firm  style  of  G.  S. 
Lyon  &  Sons  Lumlier  &  Manufacturing 
Company  was  assumed.  Later  the  business 
was  incorporated  luider  that  name.  George 
S.  Lyon  long  continued  an  active  factor  in 
the  successful  control  of  the  enterprise  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death  and  had  a  wide 
acquaintance  in  business  circles,  where  he 
was  known  for  his  honor  and  strict  integrity 
that  won  for  him  the  highest  regard  and  un- 
qualified confidence  of  his  fellow  men. 

On  the  3d  of  July,  1857,  Mr.  Lyon  was 
luiitcd  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susan  Ann 
Scott,  of  La  Salle,  Illinois.  She  was  born 
on  the  22d  of  February,  1836,  in  Steuben 
county,  New  York,  and  after  her  marriage 
accompanied  her  husband  to  Decatur,  where 
she  spent  her  remaining  days.  She  was  one 
of  ten  children  and  was  the  last  of  the 
family  to  pass  away.  Mr.  Lyon's  death  oc- 
curred March  20,  1899,  and  his  wife  sur- 
vived him  until  the  iith  of  January,  1903, 
when  she,  too,  was  called  to  her  final  home. 
Both  were  earnest  members  of  the  Univer- 
salist  church  and  took  a  great  interest  in  its 
work  and  gnnvtli.  Mr.  Lyon  served  as  one 
of  the  trustees  of  the  church  and  was  also 
active  and  prominent  in  Celestial  Lodge 
No.  186,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  Decatur  Encampment 
No.  37 ;  and  Canton  Decatur,  No.  19,  Patri- 
archs  Militant.     Roth   Mr.  and   Mrs.   Lyon 


242 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


possessed  many  traits  of  character  which 
endeared  them  to  their  friends  and  won  for 
them  the  respect  of  those  with  whom  they 
were  associatetl,  and  in  business  circles  Mr. 
Lyon  gained  for  himself  a  most  creditable 
position.  From  a  humble  place  in  the  indus- 
trial world  he  worked  his  way  steadily  up- 
ward until  he  controlled  an  enterprise  of 
magnitude  that  brought  to  him  very  credit- 
able profit  and  at  the  same  time  was  of  value 
to  the  community  through  promoting  com- 
mercial activity.  At  all  times  he  was  public 
spirited  and  progressive  and  was  a  citizen 
whose  loyalty  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
county,  state  and  nation  was  ever  above 
question. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Lyon  the  business 
was  incorporated  with  Clyde  R.  Lyon  as 
president;  Fred  C.  Lyon,  vice  president; 
John  B.  Robinson,  treasurer;  and  James 
C.  Sullivan,  secretary.  The  plant,  mill  and 
lumber  yard  covers  several  acres  and  the 
building  is  especially  well  equipped  for  the 
conduct  of  the  business,  being  supplied  with 
steam  power  and  furnished  with  the  most 
approved  and  modern  machinery  for  carry- 
ing on  the  work  along  progressive  lines. 
Employment  is  given  to  a  large  force  of 
workmen  and  the  company  maintains  most 
just  and  considerate  relations  with  those 
who  are  in  their  service.  Honesty  and  fair 
dealing  have  ever  been  the  policy  of  the 
house  and  the  methods  which  were  insti- 
tuted by  the  founder  have  been  carried  on 
by  ,his  successors. 

In  June,  1892,  Clyde  R.  Lyon  was  united 
in  marriage  to  ^Jiss  Minnie  Bryant,  of 
Chicago,  a  daughter  of  Charles  Bryant. 
Like  his  father  he  has  become  a  prominent 
business  man  of  Uecatur  and  his  career  has 
ever  been  such  as  to  warrant  the  trust  and 
confidence  of  the  business  world  for  he  has 
ever  conducted  all  transactions  on  the  strict- 
est ])rinciples  of  honor  and  integrity. 


FRANK  P.  TOWNE. 

Frank  P.  Towne,  the  popular  postmaster 
of  Harristown  and  a  well  known  merchant 
of  that  place,  was  born  on  the  6th  of  Nov- 
ember, 1858,  in  Danvers,  ^ilassachusetts, 
and  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Paulina  (Fer- 
guson) Towne,  the  former  also  a  native  of 
Danvers  and  the  latter  of  Maine.  The 
father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  con- 
tinued to  make  his  home  in  his  native  place 
throughout  life.  Politicall}'  he  was  a  stanch 
Republican.  The  Towne  family  originated 
in  England  and  the  ancestry  can  be  traced 
back  to  the  seventeenth  century. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth  Frank  P. 
Towne  attended  school  in  Danvers,  Massa- 
chusetts, until  seventeen  years  of  age  and 
then  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  Coming  to  Illinois  in  1875,  he 
first  located  in  Harristown,  but  was  after- 
ward engaged  in  farming  in  Champaign 
county,  Illinois,  for  a  short  time,  and  then 
returned  to  Harristown,  where  he  clerked 
for  his  brother,  C.  A.  Towne,  in  the  grocery 
business.  Subsequently  he  was  employed 
as  telegraph  operator  and  station  agent  for 
the  ^^'abash  Railroad  at  Sangamon,  Illi- 
nois, and  held  a  similar  position  at.Wyckles 
and  also  at  Harristown  for  a  short  time. 

In  1888  Mr.  Towne  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Cora  Eyman,  who  was  born 
in  mini  township,  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
in  1868,  and  is  a  daughter  of  James  M.  Ey- 
man, who  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in 
Harristown,  having  in  early  life  engaged  in 
farming  with  good  success.  Mrs.  Towne's 
mother,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Nar- 
cissa  Fuller,  was  a  native  of  Indiana,  and 
died  in  January,  1902.  Of  the  four  children 
born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife  three  are 
now  deceased,  the  only  one  living  being 
Letha,  who  is  now  attending  the  James  Mill- 
ikin   University  at   Decatur. 

Mr.  Towne  was  first  appointed  post- 
master of  Harristown  under  President  Har- 
rison's   administration    and    so    acceptably 


I'ASl   AND  i'RKSENT  OF  MACUX  COUNTY. 


243 


(lid  he  fill  ilie  office  that  he  was  re-appointed 
under  President  McKinley  and  is  still  serv- 
ing- in  a  most  eflficient  manner.  He  also 
served  as  town  clerk  for  a  short  time. 
Socially  he  is  quite  prominent,  being  an 
honored  member  of  Summit  Lodge,  A.  F.  & 
A.  j\I. ;  'State  Center  Lodge,  K.  P.,  No.  631 ; 
and  Harristown  Camp,  M.  W.  A.  He  is 
one  of  the  leading  and  representative  citi- 
zens of  his  community  and  is  held  in  high 
regard  by  all  who  know  him. 


E.  H.  THOMAS,  M.  D. 

Those  who  meet  Dr.  Thomas  in  political 
circles  and  see  the  energy  which  he  en- 
thuses into  his  political  work  and  note  the 
deep  interest  which  he  takes  in  the  success 
of  the  principles  which  he  advocates  would 
think  that  he  devotes  his  entire  attention  to 
political  labors ;  those  who  see  him  in  the 
sick  room,  giving  thought  and  earnest  at- 
tention to  the  case,  speaking  a  cheery  and 
encouraging  word  to  the  patient  and  giving 
minute  and  careful  directions  to  the  at- 
tendants, would  judge  that  his  entire  time 
was  devoted  to  his  profession — but  herein 
lies  the  secret  of  his  success.  It  is  his  abil- 
ity to  enter  heartily  into  any  work  at  hand 
and  to  concentrate  his  energies  during  the 
needed  time  for  the  accomplishment  of  any 
purpose  that  has  made  him  both  a  leading 
physician  and  a  successful  political  leader 
in  Macon  county.  Fie  maintains  his  resi- 
dence in  Argenta,  but  has  a  very  wide  and 
favorable  acquaintance  throughout  this  por- 
tion of  the  state. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Yonkers,  New 
York,  in  1859.  His  father,  George  Thomas, 
was  a  native  of  London,  England,  and  came 
to  America  in  1838,  settling  in  the  state  of 
New  York,  where  he  engaged  in  merchan- 
dising. In  the  family  were  nine  children, 
of  whom  the  Doctor  is  the  fifth  in  order  of 
birth  and  the  only  one  living  in  Illinois. 


In  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city 
Dr.  Thomas  acquired  his  early  education 
and  later  attended  the  State  Normal  School, 
at  .\lbany,  New  York,  where  his  literary 
course  was  completed.  Having  determined 
to  engage  in  the  practice  of  medicine  as  a 
life  work  he  then  began  preparation  for  this 
calling  as  a  student  in  the  University  of  Col- 
umbia, in  New  York  city,  and  was  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1883.  Returning  to  Yonk- 
ers  he  opened  an  office  and  remained  in 
practice  there  for  a  few  years,  after  which 
he  determined  to  locate  in  the  west  and  in 
1891  came  to  Argenta,  where  he  has  since 
remained.  After  two  years  he  built  a  drug 
store,  which  he  now  owns  and  conducts, 
having  his  office  in  the  rear  of  his  store. 
His  business  in  mercantile  lines  is  profit- 
able and  his  patronage  as  a  practitioner 
is  gratifying,  indicating  the  high  degree  of 
confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  public. 
He  also  owns  the  building  occupied  by  the 
hardware  store  in  Argenta  and  has  a  good 
residence  property.  His  practice  is  large, 
and  reading  and  study  keep  him  in  touch 
with  the  advanced  thought  of  the  day. 

In  1884  Dr.  Thomas  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Estella  Castle,  a  native  of  Al- 
bany, New  York,  in  which  city  her  father 
engaged  in  the  printing  business.  Li^nto 
the  Doctor  and  his  wife  have  been  born  five 
children:  (jeorgc,  Harry,  Charles,  Edward 
and   Mary  E. 

The  Doctor  is  a  very  prominent  Mason, 
having  attained  the  Royal  iVrch  degree  of 
the  York  rite  and  the  thirty-second  degree 
of  the  Scotti.sh  rite.  He  also  belongs  to  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  lodge.  He  is  now  a 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Asy- 
lum for  the  Incurable  Insane,  near  Peoria, 
Illinois.  In  ])olitics  he  has  always  been  a 
stanch  and  active  Republican,  taking  a  most 
earnest  interest  in  the  work  of  the  party 
and  doing  all  in  his  power  to  secure  the 
adn])tion  of  its  principles.     He  has  served 


244 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


as  justice  of  the  peace  and  was  school  di- 
rector for  twelve  years.  He  put  forth  strong 
effort  to  secure  better  schools  and  has  al- 
ways been  a  warm  friend  of  the  cause  of 
education,  doing  all  in  his  power  to  raise  its 
sti^iidard  in  this  locality.  The  Doctor  was 
a  member  of  the  steering  committee  for 
Richard  Yates  during  his  campaign  for  gov- 
ernor and  he  also  managed  John  G.  Keller's 
campaign,  which  indicates  his  influence  and 
activity  in  political  circles.  A  man  of  strong 
character,  of  great  enthusiasm  and  of  in- 
tense interest  in  whatever  he  undertakes. 
Dr.  Thomas  carries  forward  to  successful 
completion  whatever  he  begins  and  is  a 
power  in  political,  commercial  and  pro- 
fessional circles  in  Macon  county. 


GEORGE  F.  HOSTETLER. 

George  F.  Hostetler  was  a  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  old  and  prominent  fam- 
ilies of  Macon  county  and  because  of  this 
and  because  of  personal  characteristics 
which  entitle  him  to  distinctive  mention  in 
this  volume,  we  present  the  record  of  his 
life  to  our  readers.  He  claimed  Indiana 
as  his  native  state,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Orange  county  on  the  26th  of 
March,  1823.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Katie  (Huflfstetter)  Hostetler,  the  former  a 
native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Indi- 
ana.- Leaving  the  south,  the  father  removed 
to  Orange  county,  Indiana,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  a  few  years  and  then 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Macon  county. 
He  purchased  a  farm  in  Decatur  township 
and  continued  to  engage  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  fields  until  after  the  death  of  his 
wife,  when  he  removed  to  Texas,  where  his 
own  death  occurred  three  years  later. 

In  the  common  schools  of  Indiana  and  of 
Illinois  George  F.  Hostetler  acquired  his 
education,  mastering  the  branches  of  learn- 
inar    usuallv    taught    in    such    institutions. 


When  his  own  education  was  completed  he 
began  teaching  school  in  Macon  county 
near  Decatur  and  afterward  assisted  his 
father  upon  the  home  farm  until  his  mar- 
riage, early  gaining  practical  experience 
concerning  farm  work  by  reason  of  the  aid 
which  he  rendered  to  his  father  in  the 
months  of  vacation.  In  the  year  i860  he  was 
joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Harriet  E.  Hes- 
ser,  a  native  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  a 
daughter  of  Armstead  and  Harriet  (Evans) 
Hesser,  both  of  w-hom  were  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, whence  they  came  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  at  a  very  early  period  in  its  devel- 
opment. Subsequently  they  resided  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  and  later  removed  to 
Taylorville,  this  state,  where  both  the  father 
and  mother  died. 

The  marriage  of  ]\Ir.  and  ]\Irs.  Hostetler 
was  blessed  with  seven  children :  Harry  F., 
who  married  Cora  Kyte,  and  resides  in 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  being  a  traveling  sales- 
man for  an  implement  house  of  that  city; 
Katie  May,  the  wife  of  William  Vowell, 
who  is  engaged  in  the  livery  business  in 
Decatur;  John  B.,  who  married  Maggie 
Le  Forgee,  and  is  an  artist  of  Davenport, 
Iowa ;  David  F.,  foreman  of  the  Lyon  Plan- 
ing Mill  of  Decatur,  who  married  Maude 
Williams  and  has  two  children:  Dyphne 
A.,  who  was  born  December  29,  1891,  and 
David  Ulmont,  born  November  30,  1893 ; 
Eugene  F.,  who  married  Ella  Clothier  and 
is  a  machinist  residing  in  Davenport,  Iowa ; 
Gus  L.,  who  married  Ora  Curtis  and  is  now 
an  artist  living  in  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa ;  and 
Roger  H.,  who  resides  in  New  York  city, 
where  he  is  a  designer  in  a  wholesale  dress- 
making house. 

After  his  marriage  George  F.  Hostetler 
engaged  in  teaching  school  for  one  year. 
He  then  removed  to  Decatur  and  he  and 
his  two  brothers  established  a  book  store 
on  JNIerchant  street,  where  he  continued  in 
business  for  six  years.  He  then  removed  to 
Mount  Zion  township,  where  he  engaged  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


247 


farming  until  his  death.  In  his  business 
affairs  he  was  diligent,  persevering  and 
determined  and  was  always  a  very  hard- 
working man,  meeting  with  a  fair  degree  of 
success  in  his  undertakings.  His  death  oc- 
curred on  the  26lh  of  March,  1881,  and  thus 
ended  an  upright  life.  He  had  always  lived 
at  peace  with  his  fellow  men  and  enjoyed 
their  confidence  and  regard  in  an  unusual 
degree.  He  was  an  exemplary  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity  of  Decatur  and  his 
political  support  was  given  to  the  Democ- 
racy for  ho  had  firm  faith  in  the  princi- 
ples of  the  party  and  in  their  ultimate  tri- 
umph in  citizenship.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Christian  church  of 
Decatur  and  for  a  long  time  he  served  as 
one  of  its  ciders.  He  left  to  his  family  the 
record  of  an  untarnished  name  for  at  all 
times  his  life  was  in  consistent  harmony  with 
his  professions.  After  his  death  Mrs.  Hostet- 
ler  removed  to  Decatur  in  order  to  educate 
her  children  and  has  since  resided  in  this 
city.  She  owns  a  good  home  at  No.  1318 
North  College  street,  where  she  is  living 
with  her  son,  David,  and  his  family.  The 
Hostctler  family  is  a  prominent  one  in 
Macon  county  and  its  members  enjoy  the 
merited  regard  of  many  friends. 


SAMUEL  GERBER. 
A  splendid  type  of  the  self-made  man 
is  Samuel  Gerber,  the  well  known  banker  of 
Argenta.  His  life  history  illustrates  what 
it  is  possible  to  accomplish  in  a  land  where 
opportunity  is  open  to  all  and  where  merit 
wins  its  just  reward.  He  started  out  upon 
his  business  career  empty-handed,  but 
working  fliligently  and  untiringh'^  he  has 
steadily  advanced  until  his  possessions  are 
now  gratifying  and  valuable  and  his  name 
is  a  substantial  one  on  commercial  paper. 
.Argenta's  business  activity  has  been  largely 
promoted  through  his  efforts,  and  his  work 


in  other  directions  for  the  city's  benefit  has 
been  far-reaching  and  beneficial. 

Mr.  Gerber  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  Sep- 
tember 27,  1835.  His  parents  were  Peter 
and  May  Gerber.  The  father  was  born  in 
Switzerland  and  in  1830  came  to  this  coun- 
try, hoping  that  he  might  thereby  benefit 
his  financial  condition.  Settling  in  Ohio 
ho  followed  cabinctmaking  for  four  or  five 
years,  after  which  he  established  his  home 
in  Shelby  county,  Ohio,  and  opened  up  a 
farm  there,  devoting  his  attention  to  the 
caro  and  cullivalion  of  the  fields  from  De- 
comber,  i83(),  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1878.  He  became  a  well 
known  agriculturist  of  the  community  and 
was  widely  and  favoral)ly  known  because  of 
his  sterling  worth. 

To  a  limited  extent  Samuel  Gerber  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Ohio  but  his 
knowledge  has  been  acquired  largely 
through  experience,  observation  and  read- 
ing, and  thus  he  has  gained  many  valuable 
lessons  which  have  proved  of  practical  use 
in  his  business  career.  He  started  out  for 
himself  when  twenty-one  years  of  age  and 
after  engaging  in  teaching  school  for  two 
terms  he  began  operating  his  father's  farm 
in  Ohio.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  near 
where  Oreana  now  stands  and  securing  a 
tract  of  land  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
continued  to  operate  this  rented  farm  until 
his  labors  had  brought  to  him  sufficient 
capital  to  enable  him  to  buy  a  farm  of  his 
own.  His  first  purchase  consisted  of  forty 
acres  in  Whitmore  township  and  from  time 
to  time  he  added  to  his  property  until  he 
now  owns  four  hundred  and  seventy  acres 
of  land  in  this  locality  and  a  section  in 
southern  Illinois,  which  is  devoted  to  stock- 
raising.  From  1S66  until  1875  he  was  en- 
gaged in  raising  hogs  and  in  this  way  he 
really  made  his  start.  He  afterward  en- 
gaged in  the  cultivation  of  wheat  and  later 
made  horse-raising  his  specialty.  In  the 
various  departments    of    agricultural    work 


248 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


to  which  he  has  given  his  attention  he  has 
met  with  success  because  he  has  worked 
with  a  strong  purpose  and  unfaltering  en- 
ergy. 

In  1882  he  came  to  Argenta  and  estab- 
hshcd  a  general  store,  which  he  conducted 
for  three  years.  He  then  traded  that  prop- 
erty and  in  connection  with  J.  W.  Brown 
he  erected  a  building  and  opened  a  bank  in 
Argenta.  This  they  successfully  conducted 
until  1892,  when  Mr.  Brown  died,  and  the 
present  tirm  of  Gerber  &  Son  was  then 
formed.  The  safe  conservative  business 
policy  which  was  inaugurated  by  the  bank 
has  always  been  followed  and  has  been  the 
basis  of  the  success  which  has  attended  the 
institution.  The  bank  also  owns  the  Ar- 
genta telephone  system,  which  operates 
three  hundred  and  seventy-five  telephones  ' 
and  to  the  upbuilding  of  this  enterprise 
Samuel  Gerber  gives  considerable  atten- 
tion. He  erected  a  large  brick  store  build- 
ing which  is  now  occupied  by  W.  T.  J. 
Cooper  and  he  also  owns  a  nice  residence 
in  Argenta. 

On  the  I2th  of  December,  1856,  Mr.  Ger- 
ber was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susanna 
Hillbrant,  and  unto  them  have  been  born 
six  children,  of  whom  four  are  yet  living: 
Elizabeth,  Peter  E.,  S.  N.  and  Mary  M. 
Their  second  and  third  daughters,  Annie 
and  Maggie,  have  passed  away.  Mrs.  Ger- 
ber holds  membership  in  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church.  She  has  been  a  faith- 
ful companion  and  helpmate  to  her  husband 
on  the  journey  of  life  and  is  held  in  high  re- 
gard by  many  friends.  Mr.  Gerber  belongs 
to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  he  votes  with  the  Republican  party. 
On  its  ticket  he  was  elected  to  the  offices  of 
supervisor,  commissioner  and  assessor,  and 
in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties  has 
been  found  most  reliable  and  prompt.  In  all 
his  undertakings  he  has  been  successful 
and  through  all  has  sustained  an  unassail- 


able rcj)ulation  which  makes  him  one  of 
the  leading  and  representative  men  of  his 
adopted  county. 


OLIVER  L.  STUART. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  not  only  one 
of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens  of 
Whitmore  township,  but  is  also  a  worthy 
representative  of  one  of  the  honored  pioneer 
families  of  the  county.  Throughout  life  he 
has  made  his  home  here  and  is  now  living  in. 
honorable  retirement  upon  his  farm  of 
eighty  acres  in  section  14,  Whitmore  town- 
ship. He  was  born  in  the  city  of  Decatur 
in  a  log  house  which  stood  on  the  site  of 
J.  L.  Drake's  present  place  of  business,  his 
natal  day  being  September  15,  1833.  His 
parents  were  David  H.  and  Sarah  (Florey) 
Stuart,  both  natives  of  Virginia,  the  former 
of  Scotch  and  the  latter  of  German  descent. 
In  early  life  the  father  was  engaged  in 
teaming  from  Tennessee  to  the  far  east  with 
four  and  six  horse  wagons,  the  wagons  be- 
ing of  the  old  Virginia  style.  For  some 
years  he  continued  to  follow  that  business 
and  then  came  to  Illinois  in  1829,  settling 
in  Macon  county.  He  first  entered  a  forty 
acre  tract  of  timber  and  another  forty  acres 
of  prairie  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  13,  Whitmore 
township,  and  later  bought  the  farm  of 
eighty  acres  where  our  subject  now  resides. 
Throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  he  de- 
voted his  attention  to  the  improvement  and 
cultivation  of  his  farm.  In  1856  he  was 
accidentally  drowned  at  the  old  Ray  bridge 
north  and  east  of  Decatur  while  on  his  way 
home.  His  wife  survived  him  many  years 
and  passed  away  in  her  seventy-fourth  year. 
This  worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  six 
children,  three  of  whom  died  in  infancy, 
those  still  living  being  Oliver  L.,  our  sub- 
ject ;  John  T.,  wdio  is  living  on  the  old  home- 
stead on  section  13,  Whitmore  township; 
and  Marv,  wife  of  Ed  Kile,  of  Decatur. 


I'AST  A\"U  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


249 


The  boyhood  of  Oliver  L.  Stuart  was 
passed  amid  pioneer  surrouiidintjs  and  his 
early  education  was  obtained  in  a  little  log 
schoolhouse  with  its  priniilivo  furniture, 
though  for  a  short  time  lT,e  subsequently  at- 
teniled  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University  at 
Blooniington.  which  was  then  a  mere  vil- 
lage. He  well  reiueuibers  when  the  houses 
were  lighted  onl\  Ijy  candles,  which  were 
either  dipped  or  molded  at  home.  He  has 
seen  the  old  wooden  mold  board  ])lovvs  used 
and  the  first  that  he  used  was  the  single 
shovel  plow.  He  has  cut  his  grain  with  a 
reap  hook  and  later  v^-ith  a  cradle,  and  after- 
ward became  the  possessor  of  a  reaper  run 
by  horse  power,  which  was  considered  ex- 
tremely fine  at  that  time. 

After  leaving  school  ^Mr.  .Stuart  engaged 
in  teaching  in  ihis  county  for  llirec  months 
but  with  this  exception  his  life  has  been 
devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits.  At  the 
time  of  his  marriage  he  located  upon  his 
present  farm,  which  had  been  broken  but 
otherwise  unim])rovcd.  Most  of  the  coun- 
try round  about  was  either  co\ered  with 
])onds  or  sloughs  or  was  regular  swamp 
land,  and  it  took  much  labor  to  convert  it 
into  the  well  cultivated  farms  which  we 
now  find  in  this  region.  Mr.  Stuart  labored 
early  and  late  to  make  his  farm  one  of  the 
best  and  it  is  to-day  worth  one  hundred  dol- 
lars per  acre,  although  the  purchase  price 
was  only  four  dollars  per  acre. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1854,  Mr.  Stuart  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Kile, 
a  sister  of  his  brother-in-law,  Ed  Kile,  and 
a  daughter  of  Josiah  W.  and  Mary  (Clark) 
Kile,  natives  of  ()hio  and  New  Jersey,  re- 
spectively. About  1850  her  ])arents  came 
to  Macon  county",  Illinois,  and  settled  in 
Friends  Creek  township.  I'utd  .Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stuart  were  born  seven  children,  the 
oldest  of  whom  died  in  infancy  ;  Mattie  is 
now  the  wife  of  .Mbert  C.  Scott;  Bertha 
Luella  married  Thomas  Draper  and  died 
of  typhoid  fever  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight 


years ;  Jessie  F.  is  tlje  wife  of  William  H. 
Smith,  a  hardware  merchant  of  Argenta ; 
Mary  B.  is  the  wife  of  William  M.  Lakin, 
of  Champaign  county,  Illinois;  Alta  G.  is 
the  wife  of  .Martin  Corbett,  of  I'ana,  Illi- 
nois: and  Carrie  H.  is  at  home  with  her 
parents.  Mr.  Stuart  has  provided  his 
daughters  with  good  educational  advantages 
and  all  have  been  successful  and  popular 
teachers.  lie  has  twehe  granilchildren 
living  and  one  deceased. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  John  C.  I'remont,  Mr.  Stuart  has  affili- 
ated with  the  Republican  party,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  he  filled  the  offices  of  town 
clerk,  school  director  and  school  trustee  in 
a  most  efficient  manner.  His  father  sup- 
])orted  the  \Vhig  party.  Religiously  both 
our  subject  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
.Methodist  E])iscopal  church  and  helped  to 
organize  the  church  at  Wesley  Chapel,  with 
which  they  at  first  lield  membership,  but 
they  now  belong  to  the  church  at  Argenta, 
and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  couple  in  the 
commnnitj'  is  held  in  higher  regard  than 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stuart.  He  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Association 
and  annually  attends  its  reunions,  which  are 
very  pleasant  occasions.  Here  are  gathered 
the  pioneers  of  the  county,  who  laid  the 
fotuidation  for  its  present  prosperity. 
Through  the  long  years  of  his  residence  here 
Mr.  Stuart  has  become  widely  known  and 
his  many  excellent  traits  of  character  have 
gained  him  the  high  regard  of  his  many 
friends. 


JOHN  W.  GRAVES. 
John  W.  Graves  is  now  a  representative 
of  mercantile  interests  in  Decatur,  having 
since  Jmie,  1902,  engaged  in  the  sale  of 
aluminum  goods  and  novelties.  In  this  short 
space  of  time  he  has  built  up  an  excellent 
trade  among  acquaintances  whoiri  he  had 
formerly  made  in  a  business  way  and  also 


250 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


receives  a  liberal  patronage  from  among 
those  who  approve  of  his  excellent  business 
policy  and  straightforward  dealings. 
Mr.  Graves  is  a  native  of  Logan 
county,  Illinois,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred on  the  19th  of  July,  1850.  He  is  a 
son  of  Charles  and  Rachel  (Cantrell) 
Graves,  whose  marriage  was  celebrated 
October  18,  1840.  at  Waynesville,  Illinois. 
The  father  was  born  on  the  30th  of  April, 
1817,  in  Vermont,  and  died  in  the  year  1850. 
He  had  started  from  Peoria,  Illinois,  for 
California  and  his  death  occurred  on  the 
plains.  This  left  to  the  widow  the  care  of 
her  two  small  children,  our  subject  being 
then  but  an  infant.  She  supported  them 
by  her  own  labor,  putting  forth  every  effort 
in  her  power  to  advance  their  welfare  and 
happiness  and  during  the  evening  of  her 
days  she  found  a  pleasant  home  with  her 
son  John  W.,  passing  away  at  his  residence 
on  the  25th  of  }ilarch,  1892.  She  was  then 
laid  to  rest  by  the  side  of  her  twin  sister, 
Rebecca,  who  died  on  the  25th  of  March, 
1849.  Mrs.  Graves  was  a  daughter  of  Ze- 
bulon  G.  Cantrell,  who  settled  in  Waynes- 
ville, Illinois,  in  the  spring  of  1832.  Her 
mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Sarah 
INIcCollam,  and  both  were  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia, the  father's  birth  having  there  oc- 
curred on  the  29th  of  June,  1773,  while  his 
wife  was  born  February  8,  1779.  They  were 
married  August  31,  1797,  and  removed  from 
the  Old  Dominion  to  Kentucky,  and  after- 
ward to  Ohio.  Having  spent  some  time  in 
the  last  named  state,  they  then  came  to 
Illinois,  settling  in  Sangamon  count3^  in 
1833,  and  in  1834  they  removed  to  DeWitt 
county.  Mr.  Cantrell  died  at  Waynesville, 
Illinois,  September  11,  1845,  ^"d  his  wife 
passed  away  on  the  26th  of  May,  1843. 

John  W.  Graves  pursued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools.  In  his  early  youth  he 
went  to  Wisconsin  and  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen years  he  enlisted  in  his  country's  ser- 
vice  as  a   member  of   Company  K,   Forty- 


si.xth  Wisconsin  \'olunteer  Infantry,  being 
mustered  in  on  the  22d  of  February,  1865. 
He  remained  with  the  army  until  after  the 
close  of  hostilities  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged on  the  loth  of  October,  1865.  Fol- 
lowing his  militar)-  experience  he  entered 
Galesville  Universit}'  of  Wisconsin  and 
was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1869.  He 
then  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  two 
years,  after  which  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroad  in 
the  capacity  of  fireman.  He  left  that  service 
in  the  fall  of  1873  ^^^d  removed  to  Centralia, 
Illinois,  where  he  entered  the  employ  of 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company  in 
a  similar  position,  continuing  with  that  cor- 
poration until  the  spring  of  1877,  when  he 
came  to  Decatur.  Here  he  followed  carpen- 
tering for  a  short  time  and  in  1880  he  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  engineer  with  the  De- 
catur Coal  Company,  with  which  he  was 
connected  when  it  first  opened  its  mines. 
For  ten  years  or  until  1902  he  was  employed 
b}^  the  Union  Iron  Works  of  Decatur  as 
foreman  of  the  wood  department  and  then 
resigned  his  position  there  and  opened  his 
present  store  in  the  month  of  June,  1902, 
for  the  sale  of  aluminum  good  and  novelties. 
From  the  beginning  he  has  received  a  lib- 
eral patronage  and  is  now  carrying  on  a 
successful  trade. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1877,  ISlr.  Graves 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mattie  J. 
Edds,  a  daughter  of  Carroll  and  Elizabeth 
Edds.  Their  children  are  Edna  C,  who 
was  born  February  8,  1878,  and  was  mar- 
ried on  Christmas  Day  of  1899,  to  Harry 
R.  Griswold,  by  whom  she  has  two  chil- 
dren, John  Carroll  and  Jasper  Edwin  ;  Mat- 
tie  A.,  born  January  9,  1883 ;  Walter  A., 
born  August  10,  1885 ;  and  Nina  Hazel,  born 
January  26,  1888. 

Mr.  Graves  is  an  exemplary  member  of 
Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in 
which  he  is  a'  past  master.  He  has  been 
identified  with  the  fraternity  since  1892  and 


^    rr  iL-ju 


I 


l^:>    a. 


M 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


has  thoroughly  informed  himself  concern- 
ing Its  tenets  and  teachings,  while  in  his 
life  he  emhraces  its  beneficent  principles. 
He  also  belongs  to  Macon  Chapter,  No.  21, 
R.  \.  M.,  and  to  Beaiimanoir  Commandery, 
No.  9,  K.  T.,  while  of  Dunham  Post,  No. 
141,  G.  A.  R.,  he  is  a  charter  member.  For 
sixteen  years  he  was  also  a  member  of  the 
famous  Goodman  liand,  being  the  tub;i 
])layer.  He  was  a  member  of  the  band  dur- 
ing the  period  that  the  organization  ad- 
\-anced  from  a  country  band  of  sixteen  mem- 
bers to  one  of  more  than  state  reputation, 
having  a  member.ship  of  forty.  When  he 
resigned  in  1900  there  were  only  four  of  the 
original  members  of  the  band  still  with  the 
organization.  He  has  alwa^'s  been  a  lover 
of  music  and  bis  talent  in  this  direction  has 
been  of  value  in  musical  circles  in  this  city. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  a  strong- 
prohibitionist.  There  are  few  men  of  Mr. 
Graves'  age  who  can  boast  of  a  military 
record  in  connection  with  the  Civil  war. 
The  same  spirit  which  he  manifested  when 
as  a  boy  he  responded  to  the  country's  call 
has  always  been  one  of  his  strong  character- 
istics. Everything  pertaining  to  the  general 
welfare  receives  his  endorsement  and  he 
has  been  a  co-operant  factor  in  many  meas- 
ures for  the  public  good. 


HUGH  W.  HILL. 
This  is  a  utilitarian  age  and  the  man 
whose  business  is  of  worth  to  the  world 
is  he  who  wins  success.  To-daj^  Hugh  \V. 
Hill  is  numbered  among  the  capitalists 
and  retired  manufacturers  of  Decatur  and  is 
a  venerable  citizen  of  eighty-one  years, 
respected  and  honored  not  only  because  of 
his  success,  but  also  because  of  the  manner 
in  which  his  prosperity  has  been  won.  He 
started  out  in  life  a  poor  bo}'  with  limited 
advantages,  educational  and  otherwise,  and 
that  he  is  to-day  numbered  among  the 
wealthy  men  of  his  adopted  city  is  due  to 


his  own  well  directed  and  enterprising  ef- 
forts, lie  has  been  a  resident  of  Macon 
county  for  many  years  and  no  history  of 
this  section  of  the  state  would  be  complete 
without  mention  of  his  life. 

.Mr.  Hill  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  on 
the  i8th  day  of  July,  1822,  and  of  that  state 
his  parents,  John  and  .Xscnath  (.\ndre\vs) 
Hill,  were  also  natives.  In  1835  the  father 
removed  with  his  family  from  North  Caro- 
lina to  the  new  state  of  Missouri,  casting 
in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that 
locality.  There  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,  passing  away  in  the  year  1851.  His 
wife,  however,  had  died  ])rior  to  the  family's 
removal  from  North  Carolina,  her  death 
having  occurred  in  1824. 

In  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads  Hugh 
\V.  Hill  was  reared.  He  worked  in  the 
fields  from  the  time  of  early  spring  planting 
until  crops  were  harvested  in  the  autumn 
and  it  was  only  for  a  brief  period  during  the 
winter  months  that  he  was  enabled  to  pur- 
sue his  education.  He  mastered  the  com- 
mon branches  of  learning  in  a  log  school 
house,  to  wdiich  he  was  ciimpelled  to  walk 
for  a  distance  of  three  miles,  returning  in 
the  same  manner  each  evening.  He  was  a 
youth  of  only  thirteen  years  when  his  father 
removed  to  Missouri  and  there  he  assisted 
in  the  arduous  task  of  developing  a  new 
farm  in  the  timber,  sharing  with  the  others 
in  the  family  in  the  hardships  and  trials  inci- 
dent to  frontier  life.  It  was  in  the  year 
j86o  that  Mr.  Hill  came  to  Illinois,  locating 
first  in  Bond  county,  where  he  remained 
for  eighteen  months.  In  February,  1866, 
he  came  to  Macon  county  and  was  first 
identified  with  farming  and  stock-raising 
here.  As  he  had  no  capital  with  which  to 
purchase  land  he  leased  a  farm  located 
about  nine  miles  from  Decatur  and  with 
characteristic  energy  he  began  the  cultiva- 
tion of  crops  that  he  might  provide  a  liv- 
ing for  himself  and  family.  For  eight  years 
he   remained    upon   that   land,   devoting  his 


256 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


energies  to  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising  and  while  there  he  gave  considerable 
attention  to  the  breeding  and  raising  of 
hogs.  Certain  troubles  that  he  had  with  his 
hogs  led  to  his  success  in  business  life. 
His  hogs  would  root  and  he  felt  that  he 
was  compelled  to  resort  to  some  measure 
that  would  prevent  this  as  the  animals  were 
injuring  his  pasture  lands.  Becoming  in- 
censed at  a  hog  that  was  engaged  in  its 
usual  delightful  occupation  of  rooting  he 
caught  the  animal  and  with  an  awl  punched 
a  hole  through  his  snout  and  inserted  there- 
in a  piece  of  wire,  after  which  he  twisted 
the  ends  together.  This  proved  effective 
for  the  hog  could  root  no  longer.  This  led 
to  an  invention  which  has  become  of  world 
wide  value  and  is  now  in  universal  use.  Mr. 
Hill  began  studying  some  method  which 
would  be  an  easier  and  quicker  way  of 
ringing  hogs'  noses  and  as  the  result  of  his 
thoughts  and  experiments  he  gave  to  the 
world  the  invention  which  is  known  as  the 
hog  ringer  and  which  is  to-day  used  not 
only  extensively  throughout  the  United 
States,  but  throughout  the  entire  world 
wherever  those  animals  are  raised.  Imme- 
diate success,  however,  did  not  follow  his 
work,  for  after  securing  a  patent  on  his  in- 
vention he  found  some  difficult}-  in  gaining 
co-operation  of  any  one  with  capital.  He 
was  himself  without  sufficient  means  to 
manufacture  the  ringer  and  place  it  upon 
the  market  and  when  he  made  business  pro- 
positions to  different  men  of  capital  in  the 
locality  to  join  him  in  the  work  he  found 
little  encouragement.  At  length,  however, 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Charles  P. 
Housum  under  the  firm  style  of  H.  \\'.  Hill 
&  Company.  A  wide  system  of  advertis- 
ing was  entered  upon  and  when  the  public 
recognized  the  fact  that  Mr.  Hill  possessed 
an  article  of  much  value  to  the  farmers  the 
business  increased  with  great  rapidity  so 
that  the  work  continued  almost  night  and 
day   in    order   to   meet   the   demands   made 


upon  the  house.  The  patronage  came  from 
foreign  countries  as  well  as  from  all  sections 
of  the  United  States  and  the  business  grew 
to  mammoth  proportions,  becoming  one  of 
the  leading  industrial  concerns  of  Decatur. 
Each  year  the  sales  increased  and  thus 
Mr.  Hill  steadily  added  to  his  capital,  meet- 
ing the  success  which  he  well  merited  be- 
cause of  his  perseverance,  his  capability  and 
his  energy.  He  continued  in  the  business 
until  1894,  when  he  sold  his  interest  in  the 
plant  and  retired  to  private  life  with  a  hand- 
some competence.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
made  judicious  investments  in  real  estate, 
becoming  the  owner  of  valuable  farms  in 
Macon  county,  which  is  situated  in  one  of 
the  richest  agricultural  districts  of  this 
entire  county.  His  farms  are  highh^  culti- 
vated, being  made  very  productive  through 
tiling.  He  has  placed  about  thirty-six 
miles  of  tiling  upon  his  land,  using  pipes  of 
four,  sixteen,  eighteen  and  twenty-four 
inches.  His  early  experience  in  farm  work 
has  made  his  later  labors  in  this  direction 
of  value  and  he  became  recognized  as  one 
of  the  most  progressive  and  capable  agri- 
culturists of  Macon  county.  In  addition  to 
his  other  business  concerns  he  has  been 
largely  interested  in  coal  mining,  becoming 
the  owner  of  two  mines  in  Decatur  and 
another  near  Niantic,  Macon  county,  from 
which  he  derives  a  good  income. 

In  1843  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Hill  and  Miss  Eliza  J.  Stevenson  and 
for  almost  si.xty  years  they  traveled  life's 
journey  together.  Mrs.  Hill,  who  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  proved  a  most 
faithful  companion  and  helpmate  to  her  hus- 
band and  when  she  was  called  to  the  life 
bej-ond  on  the  30th  of  June,  1902,  there 
ended  a  married  relation  that  had  been 
almost  ideal.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  were 
born  a  son  and  five  daughters :  Clara,  the 
wife  of  John  Biddle;  John  N.,  who  is  a 
prosperous  farmer  and  dealer  in  live  stock, 
controlling  important  agricultural   interests 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


257 


in  Illinois ;  Alice,  the  deceased  wife  of  Jona- 
than Guess ;  and  Catherine  Asenath,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Thomas  A.  Bone,  a 
^t;;rain  dealer,  and  died  IcaNins;  three  chil- 
dren :  X'irginia  1^.,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
two  years ;  and  Augusta,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-four  years. 

Mr.  Hill  proudly  cast  his  first  vote  in 
support  of  the  candidates  and  measures  of 
the  Whig  party  and  continued  one  of  its 
advocates  until  the  organization  of  the  new 
Republican  party,  when  he  joined  its  ranks. 
He  has  since  followed  its  banners  and  yet 
maintains  a  deep  interest  in  its  success.  He 
has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  political  hon- 
ors or  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  ener- 
gies to  his  business  affairs.  Although  his 
early  life  was  a  period  of  earnest  toil,  in 
which  he  was  deprived  of  many  of  the 
comforts  and  conveniences  which  go  to 
make  life  worth  the  living,  he  is  to-day  one 
of  the  prosperous  men  of  Decatur.  A  gen- 
tleman of  great  natural  ability  his  success 
in  business  from  the  time  of  the  establish- 
ment of  his  manufacturing  enterprise  was 
uniform  and  rapid.  As  has  been  truly  re- 
marked, after  all  that  may  be  done  for  a 
man  in  the  way  of  giving  him  early  oppor- 
tunities for  obtaining  the  requirements 
which  are  sought  in  the  schools  and  in 
books,  he  must  essetitially  formulate,  deter- 
mine and  give  shape  to  his  own  character; 
and  this  is  what  Mr.  Hill  has  done.  He  has 
persevered  in  the  pursuit  of  a  persistent 
purpose  and  gained  the  most  satisfactory 
reward.  His  life  is  exemplary  in  all  respects 
and  he  has  ever  suportcd  those  interests 
which  are  calculated  to  uplift  and  benefit 
humanity,  while  his  own  high  moral  worth 
is  deserving  of  the  highest  commendation. 


WILLIAM   1).  CHAMBERLAIN. 
There  is  no  country  which  Offers  as  ex- 
cellent   advantages   to   young   men   for   ad- 
vancement in  business  life  as  America,  but 


while  this  is  so,  it  is  also  a  well  known 
fact  that  "Tabor  is  king;"  that  progress  in 
commercial  or  industrial  circles  depends 
upon  earnest,  persistent  and  honorable  ef- 
fort, untiring  industry,  and  these  form  the 
basis  of  the  prosperity  that  has  come  to 
William  D.  Chamberlain,  of  Decatur,  where 
he  is  now  extensively  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  awnings  and  tents. 

Mr.  Chamberlain  was  born  near  Chapin, 
Morgan  county,  Illinois.  March  26,  1849,  ''■ 
son  of  Grififin  and  Elizabeth  (Averitt) 
Chamberlain.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Richmond,  Virginia,  and  in  1828  became  a 
resident  of  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  remov- 
ing to  the  west  with  his  father,  whose  name- 
sake he  was.  Griffin  Chamberlain,  Sr.,  en- 
gaged in  manufacturing,  conducting  a  large 
powder  mill  in  Richmond,  Virginia,  before 
his  removal  to  Illinois.  In  the  family  were 
four  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter, 
but  Peter  T.  Chamberlain,  who  is  now 
living  in  Kansas,  is  the  only  survivor.  The 
father  of  our  subject  after  attaining  his 
majority  became  a  well  known  factor  in 
business  circles  in  this  state.  In  connection 
with  his  father-in-law,  Nathan  G.  Averitt, 
he  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Harris- 
town  township,  establishing  his  home  in  the 
locality  known  as  the  "  prairie."  Mr. 
Chamberlain  entered  a  quarter  section  of 
land  from  the  government  and  this  in 
course  of  time  he  brought  to  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  transforming  it  into  a  val- 
uable farm.  He  erected  thereon  a  fine  ten 
room  residence,  also  commodious  out  build- 
ings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock  and 
his  farm  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  best 
improved  in  the  county.  A  year  after  the 
erection  of  the  residence,  however,  it  caught 
.  on  fire  and  in  his  efTorts  to  save  the  build- 
ing Mr.  Chamberlain  was  injured  and  died 
from  the  effects  in  1871,  when  fifty-three 
years  of  age.  He  left  a  widow  who  is  still 
living  and  two  sons.  William  D.  and  James 
H. 


258 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


In  the  common  schools,  such  as  existed 
in  the  primitive  days  in  Illinois,  William 
D.  Chamberlain  began  his  education.  A 
little  later,  however,  several  influential  res- 
idents of  llarristown  township,  desiring  to 
have  better  educational  facilities,  leased  a 
suitable  building,  employed  teachers  and 
established  a  private  educational  institution 
which  was  known  as  the  Harristown  high 
school,  in  which  a  two  year's  classical  course 
might  be  pursued.  jMr.  Chamberlain  availed 
himself  of  the  opportunity  thus  afforded  and 
later  he  pursued  a  three  year's  course  in 
Eureka  College  at  Eureka,  Illinois,  thus  be- 
coming a  well  informed  man,  of  broad  gen- 
eral learning. 

For  one  year  he  engaged  in  teaching 
school  and  in  1872,  following  the  death  of 
his  father,  he  returned  to  the  home  farm, 
where  in  connection  with  his  brother, 
James  H.,  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits, conducting  the  old  home  place  until 
1877.  He  then  purchased  a  half  interest  in 
a  general  store  in  Harristown,  entering  into 
partnership  with  his  father-in-law,  I.  F. 
Peck.  They  conducted  that  business  for 
two  years  and,  still  retaining  the  ownership 
of  the  store,  they  formed  a  partnership  with 
T.  W.  Cann  and  established  a  grocery  on 
Water  street,  Decatur.  This  was  con- 
ducted under  the  firm  name  of  I.  F.  Peck  & 
Company  for  three  years  and  at  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  both  stores  were  sold 
and  the  partnership  was  dissolved. 

It  was  at  that  time — in  the  year  1885 — 
that  Mr.  Chamberlain  began  the  manufact- 
ure of  mattresses  for  the  wholesale  trade. 
Not  long  afterward  he  extended  the  scope 
of  his  business  by  opening  a  department  for 
the  manufacture  of  awnings  and  tents  and 
the  trade  in  the  latter  was  increased  so  that 
in  course  of  time  his  entire  attention  was 
devoted  to  this  line.  His  business  has  be- 
come so  extensive  that  Decatur  is  now 
recognized  as  a  producing  center  for  such 
products.      He   manufactures    awnings    and 


tents  of  every  grade  and  description  and  his 
sales  are  very  extensive.  The  firm  also 
rents  large  shipments  of  stock  for  camping 
purposes.  He  sold  to  Clinton  one  thousand 
chairs  and  has  furnished  chairs  to  various 
Chautauqua  Association,  including  those  of 
Pontiac,  Bloomington,  Urbana,  Danville 
and  Shelbyville.  In  1903  he  made  extensive 
shipments  to  two  Chautauqua  assemblies  in 
Illinois  and  to  the  Kentucky  State  Fair, 
also  to  the  Chautauqua  at  Jackson,  Mississ- 
ippi, and  at  other  places.  The  business  is 
now  conducted  under  the  name  of  the  De- 
catur Tent  &  Awning  Company,  at  No. 
118  East  Williams  street,  with  William  D. 
Chamberlain  as  manager.  The  leading 
partners  in  the  enterprise  are  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain and  H.  W.  Averitt.  The  business  has 
assumed  mammoth  proportions  and  is  the 
outcome  of  the  enterprise,  clear  judgment 
and  experience  of  him  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review. 

On  the  loth  of  March,  1873,  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain was  joined  in  wedlock  to  j\Iiss  Florence 
M.  Peck,  a  daughter  of  I.  F.  and  Mary 
(Cann)  Peck,  of  Lafayette,  Indiana.  Mrs. 
Chamberlain  died  January  12,  1902,  at  the 
age  of  forty-seven  years,  leaving  two  chil- 
dren, Gertrude  and  Cecil.  In  his  social  re- 
lations Mr.  Chamberlain  is  connected  with 
Decatur  Camp  No.  144,  M.  W.  A.,  and  was 
one  of  the  seventeen  charter  members 
upon  its  organization  in  1883.  He  is  also 
a  charter  member  of  the  Fraternal  Tribunes 
and  he  belongs  to  the  Christian  church  on 
Edwards  street  in  Decatur,  of  which  he  is 
now  serving  as  deacon.  Having  spent  his 
entire  life  in  Illinois,  he  has  been  a  witness 
of  much  of  i'ts  development  and  progress. 
He  can  recall  in  his  boyhood  days  the 
howling  of  wolves  and  remembers  seeing 
deer  roam  upon  the  prairies.  He  also  re- 
members the  building  of  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road in  1854,  an  enterprise  which  elicited 
the  interest  of  people  throughout  this  por- 
tion of  the  countrv.     He  is  now  one  of  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


20 1 


prosperous  residents  of  his  adopted  city  and 
the  success  of  his  present  enterprise  has 
more  than  come  up  to  his  expectations.  He 
has  come  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  influ- 
ential and  substantial  business  men  of  his 
town.  His  plant  is  well  equipped  and  is  a 
growing  industry,  but  undoubtedly  will  in 
time  have  to  undergo  enlargement.  He  has 
excellent  financial  ability  and  understands 
the  handling  of  men,  a  combination  of  de- 
sirable attributes  which  invariably  insure 
success. 


ROBERT  H.   WOODCOCK. 

In  early  manhood  Robert  H.  Woodcock 
liccame  a  resident  of  Macon  county  and  has 
since  been  largely  identified  with  its  de- 
velopment, material  upl)uilding  and  business 
growth.  He  found  a  district  in  which  the 
land  was  largely  unimproved  and  its  surface 
was  dotted  here  and  there  with  ponds  or 
crossed  by  sloughs.  Many  changes  have 
since  occurred  and  now  this  is  one  of  the 
richest  farming  districts  of  the  state  and  in 
its  midst  is  a  thriving  commercial  and  indus- 
trial center  and  many  smaller  towns  show- 
ing great  business  activity.  Mr.  Woodcock 
is  actively  and  successfully  engaged  in  the 
private  banking  business  and  in  real-estate 
dealing  and  in  both  branches  is  meeting 
with  prosperity. 

A  native  of  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, Mr.  Woodcock  was  born  .August 
30,  1835,  ^  son  of  Edmund  and  Susanna 
(Funk)  AN'oodcock,  the  former  of  English 
lineage  and  the  latter  of  German  descent. 
From  Pennsylvania  the  parents  removed  to 
Illinois  in  1849.  The  father  was  a  wagon- 
maker  by  trade  and  followed  that  pursuit  in 
order  to  provide  for  his  family,  including  his 
wife  and  ten  children,  nine  of  whom  reached 
years  of  maturity,  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view being  the  third  in  order  of  birth.  Those 
still  liviuir  are  ^tarv,  .Sarah,  Robert  H.  and 


Etta  B.  The  father  died  in  Ouincy,  Illi- 
nois, in  1856,  and  the  mother's  death  oc- 
curred in  Carrollton,  this  state,  at  the  very 
advanced  age  of  ninety-five  years. 

Robert  H.  Woodcock  supplemented  his 
early  educational  privileges  by  a  course  of 
study  in  the  seminary  of  Greene  county, 
Illinois,  and  was  graduated  when  twenty- 
one  years  of  age.  After  leaving  school  he 
went  into  a  dry-goods  store  as  bookkeeper, 
serving  in  that  capacity  for  two  years  and 
then  came  to  Macon  county.  In  1862  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  the  village  of  Macon, 
where  he  established  a  grocery  store,  which 
he  conducted  for  three  years,  selling  out  in 
January,  1865.  The  following  August  he 
entered  the  eni])Ioy  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  as  agent,  being  the  third 
man  to  hold  the  position  at  this  place,  and 
his  term  continued  si.xteen  years.  Two 
years  previous  he  had  become  agent  for 
the  American  Express  Company  and  acted 
in  the  latter  capacity  altogether  for  eighteen 
years.  He  then  engaged  with  H.  Faling 
for  eight  months  in  the  banking  business, 
then  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner 
and  has  since  engaged  in  the  banking  busi- 
ness, with  the  exception  of  a  period  of  two 
years.  He  has  also  dealt  largely  in  real 
estate,  buying  and  selling  land,  and  sold 
most  of  the  property  belonging  to  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  Company  for  fifteen 
miles  on  each  side  of  the  railroad  track  and 
fifteen  miles  north  and  south.  He  conducts 
a  private  bank,  which  has  a  good  patronage, 
for  he  is  known  as  a  most  reliable  man  and 
has  back  of  his  institution  ample  securities. 

Shortl}-  after  coming  to  Macon  county, 
Mr.  Woodcock  was  married  October  29, 
1863,  to  Miss  Frances  J.  Rives,  who  was 
born  in  Greene  county,  this  state,  March  18, 
1841.  Her  parents.  Rev.  James  and  Eliza- 
beth (Hood)  Rives,  were  from  North  Caro- 
lina and  spent  their  last  days  in  Greene 
county,  Illinois.  Iler  father  was  a  Repub- 
lican in  politics  and  a  minister  of  the  Meth- 


262 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


odist  church,  taking  a  most  active  ])art  in 
all  church  work.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Woodcock 
have  one  son,  Harold  R. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Woodcock  is  an 
earnest  Republican,  active  in  the  party,  and 
has  been  honored  with  a  number  of  local 
offices.  He  served  as  alderman  of  Macon 
for  two  years,  was  mayor  one  year,  and  for 
fourteen  years  was  supervisor,  one-half  of 
which  time  he  was  chairman  of  the  board. 
He  has  been  a  delegate  to  various  county, 
state  and  congressional  conventions  and  has 
e.xerted  a  strong  influence  in  the  local  ranks 
of  the  party.  Socially  he  is  connected  with 
South  Macon  Lodge,  No.  467,  A.  F.  &  A. 
^I.,  and  with  one  exception  is  the  oldest 
Mason  in  Macon,  having  joined  the  order 
at  Lincoln,  Illinois,  in  1866.  He  was  active 
in  establishing  the  school  system  and  his 
labors  have  been  effective  and  helpful  along 
many  lines  for  the  public  good.  When  Mr. 
Woodcock  came  to  Macon  county  he  made 
the  journey  on  horseback  over  the  prairies, 
on  which  the  grass  grew  almost  as  high  as 
the  horse's  back.  There  was  only  one  house 
within  four  miles  and  a  tract  of  only  eighty 
acres  was  under  cultivation  at  that  time. 
He  has  done  his  full  share  for  the  develop- 
ment and  progress  of  the  county,  has 
watched  with  interest  its  growth  and  as  a 
pioneer  citizen  as  well  as  leading  business 
man  well  deserves  representation  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  county. 


HAROLD  RIVES  WOODCOCK. 
Harold  Rives  Woodcock,  who  is  associ- 
ated with  his  father  in  the  banking  business 
at  Macon,  under  the  firm  style  of  R.  H. 
Woodcock  &  Company,  was  born  in  this 
town,  June  6,  1871,  and  in  the  public  schools 
acquired  his  literary  education,  while  his 
business  training  was  received  in  Brown's- 
Business  College,  of  Decatur,  in  which  he 
completed  the  course  in   the  class  of   1890. 


I'revious  to  this  time,  however,  he  had 
served  as  bookkeeper  from  1887  to  1889,  in 
the  Woodcock  &  Hight  Bank  of  Macon, 
and  following  the  completion  of  his  school 
course  he  became  cashier  in  the  Heilman 
grocery  house  of  Decattu".  In  1891  he  was 
cashier  in  the  R.  H.  Woodcock  &  Company 
Bank  in  Macon,  and  later  occupied  a  sim- 
ilar position  in  the  First  National  Bank  at 
Collinsville,  Illinois,  from  March  until  July, 
1902.  He  then  returned  to  Macon  and  has 
since  been  engaged  in  the  banking  business 
as  cashier  and  partner,  being  thus  associated 
with  his  father  under  the  business  style  of 
R.  H.  Woodcock  &  Company. 

Politically'  Mr.  Woodcock  is  connected 
with  the  Republican  party,  strongly  en- 
dorsing its  principles  and  laboring  untiring- 
ly for  its  success.  He  has  served  as  town 
clerk  of  Macon,  and  in  1899  '^^  was  elected 
supervisor  for  a  two  years'  term.  He  served 
as  chairman  of  the  board  in  1900-1  and  was 
then  re-elected  for  the  term  of  1901-2,  but 
resigned  in  June  of  the  latter  year.  His 
social  relations  connect  him  with  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity.  He  was  made  a  Mason 
in  South  Macon  Lodge,  No.  467,  F.  &  A.  M. 
and  is  now  a  past  master.  He  also  belongs 
to  Beacon  Lodge,  No.  434,  K.  P.,  of  which 
he  is  a  past  chancellor  and  district  deputy, 
and  thus  in  both  organizations  he  has  been 
honored  with  official  preferment,  showing 
the  regard  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  breth- 
ren of  the  fraternities. 

In  1896,  in  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  was 
celebrated  the  marriage  of  Harold  R.  Wood- 
cock and  Miss  Bertha  Middleton,  and  they 
now  have  an  interesting  little  son,  to  whom 
they  have  given  the  name  of  Rives  Way. 
The  business  history  of  Macon  would  be  in- 
complete without  mention  of  the  \Vood- 
cocks— father  and  son — who  are  prominent 
and  worthy  representatives  of  financial  in- 
terests and  who  in  social  life  are  also  promi- 
nent, both  families  having  many  warm 
friends  here. 


PAST  AND  PRKSEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


263 


JAMES  S.  C.  CUSSINS,  M.  D. 
The  cit)'  of  Decatur,  with  its  pulsing  in- 
dustrial activities  and  rapid  development, 
has  attracted  within  its  confines  men  of 
marked  ability  and  high  character  in  the 
various  professional  lines  and  in  iliis  way 
progress  has  been  conserved  and  social  sta- 
bility fostered.  He,  whose  name  initiates 
this  review,  has  gained  recognition  as  one 
of  the  able  and  successful  physicians  of  the 
state  and  by  his  labors,  his  high  professional 
attainments  and  his  sterling  characteristics 
has  justified  the  respect  and  confidence  in 
which  he  is  held  by  the  medical  fraternity 
and  the  local  public.  He  has  resided  in  De- 
catur only  since  1901.  but  for  twenty-five 
years  has  been  a  practitioner  of  this  part  of 
Illinois,  where  he  is  widely  and  favorably 
known. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  the  city  of  Zancs- 
vilJe,  Ohio,  on  the  24th  of  March,  1851,  a 
son  of  .SamiioJ  A.  and  Jane  (Cairns)  Cus- 
sins,  both  of  wlioni  are  natives  of  the  P>uck- 
eyc  state,  and  the  latter  was  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Cairns.  The  father  of  our  subject 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  earlv  life 
and  became  a  contractor  and  builder.  In 
1864  he  removed  with  his  familv  to  Deca- 
tur, where  he  became  actively  identified 
with  the  building  interests,  continuing  his 
work  along  that  line  until  a  short  time  prior 
to  his  death.  In  this  way  he  did  much 
for  the  imiiroxcment  of  the  city  and  many 
evidences  nf  his  handiwork  are  still  seen  in 
substantial  structures  here.  He  passed 
away  in    1869. 

riie  Doctor  was  a  youth  of  thirteen  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  this 
city  and  his  youth  was  here  passed,  his  early 
education  lieing  acquired  in  the  schools  of 
Decatur  under  the  direction  of  Professor 
E.  A.  Gastman,  a  most  thorough  and  com- 
petent teacher,  who  for  more  than  forty 
years  has  been  principal  of  the  Decatur 
schools.  He  was  also  a  student  in  the  Uni- 
versity of   Illinois  for  two  years.     On   the 


completion  of  his  literary  course  Dr.  Cus- 
sins  determined  to  enter  upon  the  study 
of  medicine,  preparatory  to  making  its  prac- 
tice his  life  work.  He  became  a  student  in 
the  office  and  under  the  direction  of  Drs. 
E.  \V.  Moore  and  Ira  N.  Barnes,  who  d.i- 
rected  his  reading  until  he  entered  Rush 
Medical  College  of  Chicago,  in  which  in- 
stitution he  was  graduated  with  liie  class 
of  1877,  winning  the  degree  of  M.  D. 

It  was  in  August  of  the  same  year  that 
he  entered  upon  his  professional  career  as 
a  practitioner  in  the  little  town  of  Owaneco, 
Christian  county,  Illinois.  He  soon  demon- 
strated his  ability  there  and  gained  a  liberal 
patronage  which  continuallj^  grew  as  the 
years  passed  by.  hOr  twenty-four  years  he 
conducted  practice  there  and  then  desiring 
a  still  broader  field  of  labor  he  returned  to 
Decatur  in  1901,  opening  an  office  on  Prairie 
street  over  the  store  of  the  Decatur  Gun 
Company.  One  of  the  local  papers  said  of 
him:  "With  his  remarkable  jihysique  and 
careful  living,  in  spite  of  twenty-five  years 
of  hard  jjracticc,  the  Doctor  to-day  is  active- 
ly ])racticing  his  chosen  profession  and  en- 
dowed with  all  the  energy  which  has  char- 
actei'ized  his  work  in  the  past." 

In  January,  1878,  the  Doctor  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Ella  Lord,  of  Decatur, 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  Lord,  one  of  the  old 
and  prominent  residents  of  this  city  and  of 
l\Iacon  county.  They  began  their  domestic 
life  in  Owaneco  and  there  two  children  were 
born  unto  them :  Lelah,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years,  and  Minerva  May. 
P>essie  Marie  and  James  S.  C,  Jr.,  were  born 
in  Decatur.  'i"he  Doctor  and  his  wife  oc- 
cu])y  an  enviable  position  in  social  circles 
and  their  own  ]:)leasanl  home  is  noted 
for   its   cordiality   and   gracious  hospitality. 

Politically  the  Doctor  is  an  ardent  Demo- 
crat and  has  taken  c|uite  an  active  and 
I)rominent  part  in  ])nl)lic  affairs,  serving  as 
a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  in 
Christian  county  for  eleven  years  and  w,is 


2GA 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


its  chairman  for  eight  years  of  that  time. 
He  was  also  postmaster  of  Owaneco  dur- 
ing both  of  President  Cleveland's  adminis- 
trations. 

Not  only  has  he  attained  success  in  his 
profession  but  is  also  a  popular  and  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in 
which  he  has  attained  the  Knight  Templar 
degree.  His  membership  is  now  with  Lo- 
cust Lodge,  No.  623,  F.  &  A.  ^I. ;  Chapter, 
No.  102,  R.  A.  ^L,  at  Taylorville,  Illinois, 
and  Beaumanoir  Commandery,  No.  9,  K. 
T.,  of  Decatur.  In  the  line  of  his  profession 
he  is  connected  with  the  Decatur  Medical 
Society  and  through  the  interchange  of 
thought  and  experience  in  its  meetings 
keeps  in  touch  with  the  methods  which  the 
various  members  of  the  fraternity  are  fol- 
lowing and  also  gives  of  his  own  knowledge 
for  the  benefit  of  his  professional  brethren. 
He  has  followed  along  the  line  of  general 
practice  in  medicine  and  surgery  and  is 
recognized  as  a  man  of  marked  ability  in 
his  profession,  of  keen  intellectuality  and 
of  cultured  tastes.  He  has  made  an  honor- 
able name  for  himself  not  only  in  pro- 
fessional circles,  but  in  the  community  in 
which  he  makes  his  home  and  has  many 
friends.  He  is  a  valued  acquisition  to  the 
medical  circles  of  the  city,  in  which  his  boy- 
hood was  passed  and  already  in  Decatur  he 
has  gained  a  liberal  patronage  which  is  in- 
dicative of  his  superior  skill  and  of  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  him  by  the  general  pub- 
lic. 


JAMES  H.  PARKER. 
It  was  the  commonly  accepted  belief  in 
olden  times  that  labor  was  the  source  of 
success ;  to-day  the  world  demands  another 
element — that  of  sound  judgment.  Both 
qualiiies  are  possessed  by  James  H.  Parker, 
now  one  of  the  most  extensive  landowners 
of  Macon  count}'  and  the  president  of  the 


Citizens'  Bank  of  Maroa.  With  few  advan- 
tages in  youth,  depending  upon  his  own  re- 
sources as  the  years  have  gone  by,  he  has 
risen  to  a  prominent  position  among  the 
prosperous  men  of  the  county  and  by  the 
most  honorable  and  businesslike  methods 
has  gained  his  prosperity.  A  native  of 
Ohio,  he  was  born  in  1846,  a  son  of  James 
S.  and  Rachel  (Hankinson)  Parker.  The 
father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in 
New  Jersey  and  removed  to  Ohio  when  a 
young  man  of  twenty  years.  In  1853  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  DeWitt  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  which  he  sold  a  year  or  two 
later.  He  then  came  to  jNIacon  county  and 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  west  of  Maroa, 
where  he  carried  on  farming  until  three  or 
four  years  prior  to  his  death,  when  he  re- 
moved to  the  town  and  lived  retired  until 
called  to  his  final  rest  on  the  5th  of  May, 
1880.  His  wife  long  survived  him  and  died 
in  1901.  This  was  an  old  and  highly  re- 
spected couple. 

James  H.  Parker  attended  school  in  Ma- 
con county,  but  is  largely  self-educated, 
reading,  observation  and  experience  adding 
greatly  to  his  knowledge.  Nature  also  en- 
dowed him  with  a  good  degree  of  common 
sense — a  quality  very  essential  in  the  busi- 
ness world  and  too  often  lacking.  He  did 
not  fear  that  laborious  attention  to  labor 
which  is  the  basis  of  prosperit}-  and  in  his 
early  manhood,  as  in  his  more  ma- 
ture 3ears,  labored  earnestly  and  per- 
sistently. He  started  out  for  himself  at 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  at  first 
operated  his  father's  land.  The  training 
which  he  had  received  in  the  work  of  the 
fields  now  stood  him  in  good  stead.  He  dili- 
gently and  energetically  carried  on  his  work 
and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  had  saved 
enough  money  to  purchase  a  farm  of  his 
own.  With  renewed  energy  he  began  its 
cultivation  and  as  the  years  passed  he  added 
to  his  landed  possessions  from  time  to  time 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


267 


until  he  now  has  about  two  thousand  acres, 
much  of  which  Hes  within  Macon  county 
and  is  therefore  in  one  of  the  richest  farm- 
ing belts  of  the  entire  country.  His  home 
farm,  lying  west  of  Maroa,  comprises  live 
hundred  and  forty-five  acres.  He  formed 
a  partnership  with  the  man  who  now  lives 
upon  the  place  and  operates  it,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  his  land  he  rents.  His  pos- 
sessions represent  years  of  earnest,  con- 
secutive toil  and  show  what  may  be  attained 
through  enterprise  and  industry.  His  busi- 
ness interests,  however,  have  not  been  con- 
fined entirely  to  agricultural  pursuits  but 
have  gone  beyond  and  embraced  other  fields 
of  labor.  He  is  now  the  president  of  the 
Citizens'  Bank  of  Maroa,  a  reliable  financial 
institution  receiving  a  good  patronage,  and 
is  also  the  president  of  The  Farmers'  Mer- 
cantile Association. 

In  1871  Mr.  Parker  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Emma  A.  Shaw,  a  daughter 
of  William  G.  Shaw.  They  visited  Chicago 
on  their  wedding  journey  and  had  just  left 
that  city  when  the  great  fire  occurred.  Un- 
to them  were  born  two  children,  but  both 
died  in  infancy.  -Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parker  own 
and  occupy  one  of  the  handsome  residences 
of  Maroa  and  its  hospitality  is  one  of  its 
most  marked  and  pleasing  features.  They 
belong  to  the  Methodist  church,  taking  an 
active  part  in  its  work,  and  ^Ir.  Parker  is  a 
member  of  the  blue  lodge  of  Masons  in 
Maroa  and  of  the  commandery  of  Clinton, 
Illinois.  He  also  holds  membership  rela- 
tions with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  here. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and 
once  served  as  supervisor,  but  would  never 
consent  to  hold  other  office.  His  best  public 
service  is  rendered  as  a  private  citizen  and 
he  is  found  as  the  advocate  of  many  pro- 
gressive and  beneficial  measures.  With  lit- 
tle assistance  from  his  father,  James  II. 
Parker  has  won  for  himself  an  enviable 
position  in  financial  circles  and  in  public 
regard    and    stands    to-day    as    one    of    the 


strong  men  of  Maroa,  the  possessor  of  a 
ver}-  handsome  competence  and  also  of  an 
untarnished  name. 


CHARLES   F.   RUEHL. 

.Mmost  a  half  century  has  passed  since 
Charles  F.  Ruehl  became  a  resident  of  Ma- 
con county.  He  is  now  a  retired  farmer 
and  merchant,  making  his  home  in  Decatur, 
and  the  rest  which  has  been  vouchsafed  to 
him  has  been  justly  earned  and  is  there- 
fore richly  merited.  It  is  a  fact  of  which 
perhaps  due  recognition  has  not  been  given, 
that  a  large  majority  of  the  valued  citizens 
of  this  portion  of  the  state  have  had  their 
nativity  in  or  trace  their  lineage  to  the  great 
German  empire.  Mr.  Ruchl  is  a  native  of 
Hesse-Darmstadt,  his  birth  having  there 
occurred  on  the  31st  of  August,  1832.  His 
parents,  Ernst  and  Elizabeth  Kuchl,  never 
left  the  fatherland,  but  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  their  native  country.  When  their 
son  Charles  was  a  little  lad  of  si.x  years  they 
sent  him  to  the  public  schools,  where  he 
continued  his  studies  until  he  reached  the 
age  of  fourteen  and  afterward  he  became  a 
student  in  a  gymnasium  which  is  equivalent 
to  a  high  school  in  this  country.  Entering 
upon  his  business  career  he  was  first,  em- 
ployed as  a  farm  hand  and  afterward  be- 
came manager  of  an  estate  belonging  to  a 
nobleman,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for 
four  years,  fie  had  acquired  a  practical 
knowledge  of  farming  as  it  was  then  con- 
ducted in  the  old  country  and  his  services 
were  of  value  to  the  gentlciuan  by  whom 
he  was  employed. 

The  land  of  the  free,  however,  was  to  him 
a  source  of  attraction  and  since  1852  he 
has  been  allied  with  .\merican  interests.  No 
native  son  of  the  country  is  more  loyal  to 
the  United  States  and  hir  welfare  than  is 
Charles  F.  Ruehl.  In  1852  he  took  passage 
on    a    westward-bound    sailing    vessel    that 


268 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


weighed  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Bremen 
bound  for  the  port  of  Baltimore,  Maryland. 
He  did  not  tarry  long,  however,  in  the  lat- 
ter city,  but  went  almost  at  once  to  Hamil- 
ton, Ohio,  and  in  that  vicinity  secured  work 
as  a  farm  hand,  .\fterward  he  removed  to 
Logansport,  Indiana,  where  for  three  years 
he  followed  various  pursuits.  In  1856  he 
arrived  in  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  having  in 
the  meantime  saved  some  of  his  earnings,  he 
established  a  retail  grocery  store  on  Water 
street.  For  eight  years  he  conducted  the 
business,  being  one  of  the  early  merchants 
of  the  city.  He  then  sold  out  and  removed 
to  Forsyth,  Macon  countj^  where  he  not 
only  conducted  the  railroad  ofifice,  but  also 
handled  grain,  carrying  on  his  store  there 
for  twenty-four  years.  His  business  grew 
to  an  important  one  and  he  realized  a  hand- 
some annual  income  as  the  result  of  his  la- 
bors. While  a  resident  of  Forsyth,  in  1874 
he  went  to  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  eight 
hundred  acres  of  valuable  land,  which  he 
rented.  For  some  time  he  visited  Iowa 
once  or  twice  each  year  to  superintend  his 
property  interests,  but  made  his  home  in 
Decatur.  In  1892,  however,  Mr.  Ruehl  sold 
his  Iowa  property  for  sixty-five  dollars  per 
acre,  which  was  an  excellent  advance  upon 
the  purchase  price.  He  is  now  practically  liv- 
ing retired,  loaning  his  money  and  merely 
devoting  his  attention  to  this  work  and  the 
collection  of  its  interest. 

The  home  life  of  Mr.  Ruehl  has  been  very 
pleasant.  He  married  Miss  Thekla  Stommel 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren :  Ernst,  who  is  now  residing  in  Cham- 
paign county,  Illinois ;  and  Lillie,  who  is 
the  wife  of  Perr^^  Lashier,  of  Sac  county, 
Iowa.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife 
Mr.  Ruehl  wedded  her  sister,  Otella,  and 
four  children  graced  this  marriage,  namely: 
Carl,  who  resides  in  Centralia,  Illinois; 
Louis,  who  is  manager  of  a  lumber  yard  at 
Freeport,  Illinois ;  Max,  a  practicing  physi- 
cian  who   is   emplo3'ed  by   the   ]McCormick 


Manufacturing  Company,  in  Chicago,  Ill- 
inois, devoting  his  entire  time  and  attention 
to  professional  work  among  the  McCormick 
employes,  numbering  several  thousand ; 
and  Harold,  who  is  a  bookkeeper  in  the 
Citizens'  National  Bank  of  Decatur.  Otto 
Link,  who  follows  farming,  is  a  son  of  Mrs. 
RuehTs  first  marriage. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Ruehl  is  an 
earnest  Republican,  but  without  the  party 
bias  or  aggressive  spirit  which  many  polit- 
ical workers  show.  He  forms  his  ideas  in- 
dependently and  is  firm  in  support  of  his 
honest  convictions.  In  matters  of  citizenship 
he  has  always  been  loyal  and  true  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  city,  state  and  nation. 
He  may  well  be  termed  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  Macon  county,  for  through  almost  a  half 
century  he  has  witnessed  its  growth  and 
development.  He  has  seen  Decatur  grow 
from  a  small  town  to  one  of  the  leading  met- 
ropolitan centers  of  the  state,  becoming  an 
industrial  city  second  to  none  in  Illinois, 
save  Chicago.  He  has  a  wide  acquaintance 
throughout  the  county  and  wherever  he 
has  gone  he  has  won  friends,  who  recognize 
his  worth  and  accord  him  their  warm  re- 
gard. 


WILLIA^I  CLARK. 
William  Clark,  who  is  engaged  in  tlie  real 
estate  business  in  Decatur,  has  resided  in 
this  city  since  February,  1890,  previous  to 
which  time  he  was  for  some  years  connected 
with  agricultural  interests  in  Illinois.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Clinton  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  the  27th  of  April,  1827,  his  parents 
being  William  and  Sarah  (Hayes)  Clark, 
who  were  natives  of  the  Keystone  state. 
The  family  is  of  English  lineage,  but  both 
the  father  and  grandfather  of  our  subject 
were  born  in  this  country.  The  grandfather 
also  bore  the  name  of  William  Clark  and 
he  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
enlisting  at  the  age  of  sixteen   years.     He 


PAST  AXn  TRKSKXT  OF  MACOX  COrXTV. 


269 


did  valiant  service  for  the  country  and  after- 
ward devoted  his  energies  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  The  father  of  our  subject  was 
also  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  followed 
that  pursuit  in  Pennsyhania  throughout 
his  entire  life  and  in  1847  1^"^  passed  away, 
being  then  sixty-five  years  of  age.  In  early 
manhood  he  had  wedded  Miss  Sarah  Hayes, 
who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  extraction  and  who 
was  also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  She 
proved  to  her  husband  a  faithful  companion 
and  helpmate  on  life's  journey,  and  her 
death  occurred  in  1850. 

At  the  usual  age  ^^'illiam  Clark  entered 
the  public  schools  and  afterward  attended  a 
subscription  school,  thus  fitting  himself  for 
teaching.  He  followed  that  profession  in 
his  locality  for  a  number  of  years  and  also 
continued  to  engage  in  the  operation  of  the 
old  home  farm  during  the  periods  of  vaca- 
tion. He  continued  to  reside  in  Pennsyl- 
vania until  1856,  when  he  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  first  in  Kendall  county,  where  he 
secured  a  tract  of  land  and  successfully  en- 
gaged in  farming.  After  a  period  of  twenty 
3"ears  he  went  to  Mecklenburg  county,  Vir- 
ginia, spending  a  few  months  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  Preferring  Illinois,  however,  as 
a  place  of  residence,  he  then  returned  to 
this  state  and  located  in  Champaign  county, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm,  which  he  owned 
and  operated  for  eighteen  years.  He  was  a 
progressive  agriculturist  and  everything 
about  his  place  indicated  his  personal  super- 
vision. Neatness  and  thrift  characterized 
the  farm  and  he  annually  harvested  good 
crops  as  the  result  of  the  care  and  labor 
which  he  bestowed  upon  the  fields.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1890,  however,  he  rented  his  farm 
and  removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home,  residing  at  No.  619  West 
Wood  street.  For  some  time  he  has  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  and  fire  insurance 
business  here  and  has  secured  a  good  client- 
age in  both  lines,  having  negotiated  a  num- 


ber of  realty  transfers  and  at  the  same  time 
written  quite  a  large  amount  of  insurance. 
In  1855  Mr.  Clark  was  unite<l  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Charlotte  Hall,  of  Clinton  county, 
Pennsylvania,  a  daughter  of  Jesse  Hall. 
They  became  the  parents  of  four  children: 
Everett  Howard,  who  is  now  living  in  west- 
ern Kansas;  Jesse  Hall;  iMinnie  Belle,  who 
is  residing  in  Decatur,  and  Emma,  who  is 
now  in  Chicago.  The  parents  are  members 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Deca- 
tur and  Mr.  Clark  has  been  a  stalwart  Re- 
publican since  the  organization  of  the  party, 
when  questions  of  national  importance  are 
involved,  but  at  local  elections  he  votes  in- 
dependently. His  residence  in  Illinois  cov- 
ers a  period  of  almost  a  half  century  and  his 
labors  aided  in  making  this  state  the  splen- 
did agricultural  district  which  it  is  to-day. 
His  many  admirable  characteristics,  his 
steadfastness  of  purpose  and  the  genialty  of 
his  temperament  have  made  him  an  integral 
part  of  the  prosperity  and  general  develop- 
ment of  the  communities  in  which  he  has 
made  his  home. 


WILLIAM  B.  HUNTER. 
Throughout  the  years  of  his  manhood  this 
gentleman  has  been  actively  identified  with 
the  agricultural  and  industrial  interests  of 
Macon  county  and  is  to-day  a  prosperous 
citizen  of  Mount  Zion,  where  for  the  past 
three  years  he  has  engaged  in  the  nursery 
business,  owning  a  one-third  interest  in  the 
Mount  Zion  Nursery.  He  claims  Illinois 
as  his  native  state,  his  birth  occurring  in 
Bond  county,  November  25,  1850.  His 
father,  James  B.  Hunter,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky and  at  an  early  day  came  to  Illinois, 
being  engaged  in  farming  in  Macon  county 
for  some  years.  He  entered  the  army  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war  as  a  member  of  Company 
I,  One  Hundred  and  sixteenth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Tnfantrv  and  when  hostilities  ceased 


270 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


he  relurned  to  this  state,  where  he  resided 
for  a  time,  but  is  now  Hving  in  Arkansas. 
He  married  Miss  Nancy  Griggs,  and  to 
them  were  born  four  children,  as  follows : 
Jennie,  wife  of  Henry  Fruit,  of  Decatur ; 
Emma,  wife  of  Jackson  Hanks,  also  of  De- 
catur; Lucy,  wife  of  Thomas  Elker,  who 
makes  his  home  in  California,  and  William 
B.,  of  this  review. 

William  B.  Hunter  spent  his  boyhood  and 
youth  upon  a  farm  and  in  1862  began  earn- 
ing his  own  livelihood.  For  three  years  he 
was  employed  on  a  farm  near  Elwin  and 
then  came  to  Mount  Zion  township,  where 
he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  by  the  month 
until  he  had  accumulated  sufficient  capital 
to  buy  a  tract  of  land  and  engage  in  farming 
on  his  own  account.  For  a  short  period 
during  his  early  life  he  was  employed  as  a 
clerk  in  a  general  store  but  with  that  ex- 
ception his  time  and  attention  have  been 
wholly  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits,  in 
which  line  he  has  prospered,  becoming 
owner  of  over  four  hundred  acres  of  rich 
and  arable  land  in  this  county.  In  con- 
nection with  his  farming  operations  he  has 
been  engaged  in  the  nursery  business  for 
the  past  three  years  in  partnership  with  E. 
K.  Hurlbert  and  George  Spitler  and  this 
venture  has  been  a  success  from  the  start. 

Mr.  Hunter  is  a  man  of  untiring  disposi- 
tion, and  although  safe  and  conservative  in 
his  business  methods,  he  is  yet  energetic 
and  progressive,  and  to  these  elements  in 
his  character  he  owes  his  success  in  life  for 
he  started  out  for  himself  with  no  capital 
and  has  made  his  way  in  the  world  unaided 
from  the  age  of  twelve  years.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat  but  at  local  elections  gen- 
erally votes  independent  of  party  lines,  en- 
deavoring to  support  the  best  man  for  the 
office.  

NOAH  D.  MYERS,  M.  D. 
One  of  the  most  prominent  and  successful 
physicians    and   surgeons    now    engaged    in 


practice  in  Decatur  is  Dr.  Noah  D.  Myers, 
who  has  that  love  for  and  devotion  to  his 
profession  which  have  won  him  a  place 
among  the  ablest  representatives  of  the  med- 
ical fraternity  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Fountain  county, 
Indiana,  February  17,  1843.  His  grand- 
father, Jacob  Myers,  was  a  resident  of  North 
Carolina  and  in  the  spring  of  iSii  removed 
to  Indiana.  He  found  that  the  red  men 
were  so  numerous  at  that  time  that  he  con- 
sidered it  unsafe  to  reside  in  such  close 
proximity  to  them  and,  accordingly,  re- 
turned to  the  south.  In  1829,  however,  he 
again  ventured  to  the  frontier  and  remained 
a  resident  of  Indiana  until  his  death.  John 
Myers,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  also 
born  in  North  Carolina  and  died  April  i, 
1903,  at  the  residence  of  the  Doctor  in  De- 
catur. He  wedded  Catherine  Fine,  who 
died  in  1892,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine 
years.  Both  were  of  German  lineage.  In 
their  family  were  eleven  children,  of  whom 
four  are  now  living,  namely :  Noah  D. ; 
Peter,  who  resides  in  Gila,  Illinois ;  Susanna, 
the  wife  of  M.  M.  Sowers,  of  Gila ;  Amanda 
C,  who  is  the  wife  of  J.  A.  Sanders,  of 
Covington,   Indiana. 

Upon  the  home  farm  in  his  native  state 
Dr.  Myers  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
and  he  worked  in  the  first  steam  sawmill  in 
his  locality,  this  having  been  erected  by  his 
father  near  Wallace  in  Fountain  county. 
Later  he  became  a  student  in  Harmonia 
College  at  Russellville,  Indiana,  and  subse- 
quently matriculated  in  the  State  Univer- 
sity at  Bloomington,  Indiana,  where  he  pur- 
sued a  scientific  course.  With  broad  gen- 
eral knowledge  to  serve  as  the  foundation 
upon  which  to  rear  the  superstructure  of 
professional  learning,  he  took  up  the  study 
of  medicine  in  the  office  and  under  the  di- 
rection of  Dr.  A.  T.  Steele,  of  Waveland, 
Indiana,  and  in  1870  he  became  a  student  in 
Rush  Medical  College  of  Chicago,  but  that 


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PAST  AXn  I'RF.SF.XT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


27:1 


instilutiuii  was  burned  during  the  great  Chi- 
cago tire  in  1871  and  Dr.  Myers  therefore 
completed  his  course  in  the  medical  college 
of  Ohio  at  Cincinnati,  where  he  was  grad- 
uated with  the  class  of  1872.  Being  now 
well  equipped  for  his  chosen  profession 
the  Doctor  opened  an  office  in  Veedersburg, 
Indiana,  where  he  remained  for  a  short 
time,  removing  then  to  Browns  Valley  in 
the  same  state.  In  1874  he  came  to  Illinois, 
locating  at  Gila,  Jasper  county-  He  built 
the  first  house  in  the  village  there  and  prac- 
ticed in  tliat  locality  for  thirteen  years, 
having  a  large  country  practice  which  was 
of  a  varied  and  important  character.  In 
1887,  however,  desiring  a  broader  scope  for 
his  labors,  he  came  to  Decatur,  where  he 
has  since  carried  on  general  practice  and 
has  won  for  himself  a  place  among  the  lead- 
ing and  successful  physicians  of  the  city. 
He  belongs  to  the  Decatur  Medical  Society 
and  the  members  of  the  medical  fraternity 
acknowledge  his  worth  and  capability. 

In  1873  Dr.  Alyers  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Mattie  J.  Ward,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (Musgrove)  Ward,  of 
Parke  county,  Indiana.  They  now  have 
four  children  :  Bessie  Lee,  the  wife  of  W. 
H.  Peters;  Minnie  M. ;  Lulu  P.,  the  wife  of 
William  A.  Shorb ;  and  Merle  M. 

The  Doctor  is  a  valued  representative  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was  made  a 
Mason  in  1889  in  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  with  which  he  is  still  affiliated. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star  and  holds  membership  rela- 
tions with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica ;  the  Fraternal  Tribunes  and  the  Yeo- 
manry. His  political  support  has  ever  been 
given  to  the  Democracy  and  he  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  politics.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  pension  borfrd  during  President 
Cleveland's  administration.  The  Doctor 
deserves  credit  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished. He  earned  a  portion  of  the  funds 
necessary    for   his    college    expenses    as    a 


"Hoosier  schoolmaster"  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts of  Indiana.  He  has  throughout  his" 
l)rofessional  career  advanced  steadily  by 
reason  of  his  close  application,  his  zeal  and 
interest  in  his  work  and  his  broad  study 
and  thorough  investigation.  He  is  con- 
nected with  a  calling  wherein  advancement 
is  won  through  merit  and  it  is  because  of  his 
capability  that  he  is  justly  regarded  as  a 
prominent  practitioner  here. 


IRA  N.  BARNES,  A.  M.,  M.  D. 
Dr.  Ira  N.  Barnes  was  born  in  Claremont, 
New  Hampshire,  December  19,  1829,  and 
was  the  youngest  of  the  live  children  born 
to  Ira  Norton  Barnes  and  Harriet  Eastman. 
His  father  died  when  he  was  four  months 
old.  He  spent  his  youth  attending  school  in 
his  native  town  and  at  an  early  age  became 
a  clerk  in  a  drug  store.  He  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  Kimball  Union  Academy,  Meriden, 
New  Hampshire,  and  entered  Dartmouth 
College  in  185 1,  graduating  therefrom  in 
1855  with  the  degree  of  A.  B.  He  was  a 
classmate  of  the  late  Nelson  Dingley,  of 
tariff  fame,  and  of  Chief  Justice  Field  of 
the  superior  court  of  Massachusetts.  He 
first  came  to  Decatur  in  November,  1855, 
and  spent  the  following  year  in  the  drug 
business  with  his  brother,  the  late  Dr.  W.  A. 
Barnes.  In  1858  he  received  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts  from  Dartmouth  College 
and  in  the  same  year  attended  his  first 
course  of  medical  lectures  at  Dartmouth 
Medical  College  and  read  medicine  with 
Drs.  Dixi  Crosby  and  E.  R.  Peaslee  at  Han- 
over, New  Hampshire.  He  spent  the  sum- 
mer of  1859  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
attending  the  clinics  at  the  hospitals  and  in 
the  autumn  of  the  same  year  matriculated 
at  the  JefTerson  Medical  College  and  grad- 
uated therefrom  in  March,  1862.  He  then 
located  in  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  formed  a 
partnership  with  the  late  Dr.  E.  W.  Moore 


274 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


for  llic  practice  of  medicine,  whicli  contin- 
ued for  t'lirty-six  years. 

In  1863  he  was  commissioned  as  surgeon 
of  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regi- 
ment, llHnois  Volunteers,  which  was  at- 
tached during  the  whole  war  to  the  First 
Brigade,  Second  Division  of  General  Sher- 
man's famous  Fifteenth  Army  Corps.  He 
served  with  his  regiment  at  the  various  bat- 
tles around  Vicksburg,  Champion  Hills  and 
Jackson,  Mississippi,  Missionary  Ridge, 
Kenesaw  Mountain  and  Atlanta,  Georgia. 
February  22,  1864,  he  was  appointed  sur- 
geon in  chief  of  the  Second  Division,  Fif- 
teenth Army  Corps,  on  the  staff  of  Brigadier 
General  Morgan  L.  Smith.  He  was  on  the  • 
famous  march  to  the  sea  and  at  the  storm- 
ing of  Fort  McAllister,  Georgia,  and 
thence  marched  through  the  Carolinas  and 
Virginia  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where  with 
his  regiment  he  took  part  in  the  grand  re- 
view and  was  mustered  out  of  the  service 
June  9,  1865,  by  reason  of  the  close  of  the 
war. 

He  married  Diantha  G.  Sargent,  of  Clare- 
mont,  New  Hampshire,  September  25,  1861, 
who  died  May  10,  1879.  One  son  was  born. 
Dr.  Lynn  M.  Barnes,  who  graduated  at 
Harvard  University  in  1896  and  at  Harvard 
Medical  School  in  1900,  and  is  now  a  prac- 
titioner of  medicine.  At  Decatur,  Illinois, 
July  8,  1886,  Dr.  Barnes  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Mary 
Wilder. 

Dr.  Barnes  is  an  honored  and  respected 
resident  of  Decatur,  where  he  has  practiced 
for  so  many  years,  becoming  the  loved  fam- 
ily physician  in  various  households.  Man's 
worth  in  the  world  is  determined  by  his  use- 
fulness— by  what  he  has  accomplished  for 
his  fellow  men — and  he  is  certainly  deserv- 
ing of  the  greatest  honor  and  regard  whose 
efforts  have  been  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 
his  fellow  citizens.  Judged  by  this  stand- 
ard Dr.  Barnes  may  well  be  accounted  one 
oi    the   distinsfuishcd    residents   of   Decatur, 


for  throughout  his  professional  career,  cov- 
ering many  decades,  his  labors  have  been 
of  a  most  helpful  nature.  Certainly  his  life 
work  has  been  of  the  greatest  practical  ben- 
efit and  the  world  is  better  for  his  having 
lived.  Although  he  is  now  seventy-four 
years  of  age  he  is  yet  connected  with  affairs 
of  moment  to  the  city  of  Decatur,  where  he 
has  long  made  his  home,  although  in  recent 
years  he  has  retired  from  the  active  prosecu- 
tion of  his  profession. 


J.  W.  WILLIAMS. 

Prominent  among  the  successful  men  of 
Friends  Creek  township  must  be  numbered 
J.  W.  Williams,  who  is  known  far  and  wide 
as  a  breeder  and  shipper  of  thoroughbred 
Poland-China  hogs.  His  home  is  on  sec- 
tion 17,  about  two  and  a  half  miles  west  of 
Cisco.  He  was  born  in  this  township  in 
1859,  his  parents  being  Jackson  and  Lavina 
Williams.  His  father's  birth  occurred  in 
Ross  county,  Ohio,  in  1826,  and  in  that 
state  he  spent  his  boyhood  and  youth.  He 
commenced  life  for  himself  by  working  as 
a  farm  hand  by  the  month.  On  leaving 
Ohio,  he  came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
in  a  one-horse  buggy  and  settled  in  Friends 
Creek  township,  becoming  one  of  its 
pioneers.  Throughout  his  active  business 
life  he  gave  considerable  attention  to  the 
raising  of  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  hogs, 
and  he  became  quite  well-to-do,  owning 
three  hundred  acres  of  land  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1901.  His 
wife,  who  came  to  this  county  when  only 
nine  years  old,  is  still  living,  and  continues 
to  reside  on  the  old  home  place. 

During  his  boyhood  J.  W.  Williams  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Friends  Creek 
township  and  under  the  able  guidance  of 
his  father  he  early  became  familiar  with  the 
best  methods  of  farming  and  stock-raising, 
which  he  has  continued  to  follow  up  to  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


275 


present  time  with  marked  success.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years,  he  commenced 
operatiiiga  part  of  his  father's  place  and  in 
1885  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  ten 
acres  on  section  17,  Friends  Creek  town.ship, 
where  he  now  lives,  paying  for  the  same 
forty-four  dollars  and  a  quarter  per  acre. 
This  land  was  entered  by  his  grandfather, 
who  at  one  time  owned  twenty-five  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  in  this  locality.  Our  sub- 
ject has  made  all  of  the  improvements  upon 
his  place.  He  has  a  good  hog  barn,  well 
equipped  for  breeding  purposes  and  has  one 
of  the  best  systems  of  water  works  in  cen- 
tral Illinois.  There  is  running  water  in 
eight  different  lots,  a  gasoline  engine  for 
pumping  the  water  and  over  one  thousand 
feet  of  pipe  have  already  been  laid.  -Mr. 
\\'illiams  is  fast  gaining  a  wide  reputation 
as  a  breeder  of  fine  thoroughbred  hogs  and 
for  the  past  five  years  he  has  shipped  forty 
hogs  amiually  to  different  parts  of  the 
United  States.  He  raises  pumpkins,  which 
mi.xed  with  mill  feed  he  considers  the  very 
best  feed  for  breeding  purposes  and  he  also 
feeds  his  hogs  oats  and  corn  in  equal  pro- 
portions. He  uses  all  the  grain  raised  on 
his  own  place.  As  previously  stated  his 
specialty  is  thoroughbred  Poland-China 
hogs  and  he  now  has  some  fine  males,  four 
of  whom  are  from  Chief  Perfection,  the 
Second,  which  was  sold  for  forty  thousand 
dollars,  that  being  the  highest  price  ever 
paid  for  a  hog  in  the  world.  He  was  owned 
by  a  stock  company  in  Indiana.  Mr.  Will- 
iams owns  hogs  by  Top  Chief,  a  half- inter- 
est in  which  was  sold  for  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars  and  he  also  has  five  hogs  by 
Perfection  Bloom,  Xo.  53037,  which  is  at 
the  head  of  his  herd.  He  also  has  some  fine 
sows,  sired  by  T.  C.  U.  S.,  which  is  one 
of  the  greatest  show  hogs  in  the  world  and 
is  owned  by  Burgess  Brothers  of  Bement, 
Illinois.  Mr.  Williams  aims  to  get  as  good 
a  constitution  in  a  hog  as  possible  to  guard 


against  disease  and  he  tried  to  develop  both 
bone  and  muscle. 

In  1890  was  celebrated  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Alice  Piper,  who  was  born  in  Decatur 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Edmond  and  Sarab 
(Querrey)  Piper.  They  have  one  child; 
Zora,  who  was  born  November  17,  1893. 
Mrs;  Williams  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  our  subject  belongs  to  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Cisco. 
He  votes  with  the  Democratic  party  but 
takes  no  active  part  in  politics,  preferring 
to  give  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  his 
business  interests.  He  is  a  man  of  marked 
ability  and  executive  force  and  has  met  with 
most  excellent  success  in  the  occupation  to 
which  he  devotes  his  energies.  He  is  quite 
])(ipular  personally  and  makes  friends  easily. 


LOUIS   A.   MILLS. 

Louis  A.  Mills  is  numbered  among  the 
members  of  the  bar  of  Macon  county  and  is 
now  successfully  practicing  in  Decatur  with 
oflfices  at  No.  507  Millikin  Building,  in  this 
city.  He  was  born  in  Putnam  county,  Illi- 
nois, on  the  15th  of  October,  1864,  and  is  a 
son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  E.  (Merritt)  Mills. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and 
in  the  year  1845  left  the  east  for  Illinois. 
He  established  his  home  in  Putnam  county, 
where  he  secured  a  tract  of  land  and  carried 
on  farming  for  many  years,  being  a  well 
known  and  respected  agriculturist  of  that 
comnumity.  He  died  in  1884  at  the  age  of 
forty-three  years  and  is  still  survived  by 
his  wife.  In  their  family  were  six  children, 
namely :  Jessie  L. ;  Louis  A. ;  Mary  Ar- 
villa ;  Mabel,  the  wife  of  S.  E.  Walker,  of 
Decatur:  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  O.  W.  Daw- 
son, of  this  city;  and  Maud,  the  wife  of 
C.  F.  Parker,  a  resident  of  Julesburg.  Colo- 
rado. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  great  ma- 
jority of  men  who  have  become  prominent 


97 


Ttj 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  successful  in  commercial,  industrial  and 
professional   circles  have  spent  their   early 
years   upon   farms   and  from   the   free   and 
outdoor    life   they   gain   the    strength     and 
steadfastness  of  purpose  which  enables  them 
to  cope  with  the  strenuous  duties  that  come 
during  their  connection  with  other  fields  of 
labor  in  later  years.    :Mr.  Mills  was  a  farmer 
boy  in  his  youth  and  attended  the  country 
schools  near  his  home.    After  acquiring  his 
preliminary  education  he  became  a  student 
in  the  Decatur  high  school  and  later  pur- 
sued a  course  in  Lincoln  University.     For 
a  time  he  resided  in  this  city  and  afterward 
went    to    South    Dakota    to    look    after    his 
father's  interests  in  that  state,  his  father's 
death  having  occurred  there.    Upon  return- 
ing to  Illinois  ^Ir.  Mills  of  this  review  be- 
came a  student  in  the  office  of  the  firm  of 
Mills  Brothers  of  Decatur,  the  partners  be- 
ing Isaac  R.  and  Andrew  H.  :Mills.    When 
he    had    continued    his    reading    until    his 
knowledge  of  the  law-  was  broad  and  com- 
prehensive he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1890  and  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Mills    Brothers,   thus   joining  his    old   pre- 
ceptors.   In  1893  he  became  associated  with 
the   Columbia   Manufacturing   Company  as 
a  partner  and  on  the  ist  of  May,  1896,  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  J.  R.  Fitzgerald 
for  the  practice  of  law  with  offices  in  the 
Millikin  Building.    He  has  since  carried  on 
general    practice    and   has    been    connected 
with    considerable    important    litigation    in 
the  courts  of  this  district.    During  the  year 
1898    he    was    appointed    assignee    for    the 
Farmers'  Bank  and  is  still  acting  as  such. 

-In  1889  Mr.  Mills  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Anna  Hill,  a  granddaughter  of  H. 
\V.  Hill,  by  whom  she  was  reared.  They 
now  have  two  children:  Margaret  and 
Walker  H.  Socially  Mr.  Mills  is  a  Mason, 
having  been  initiated  into  the  order  in  Ma- 
con Lodge,  No.  8,  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  1894.  He 
has  since  taken  the  Royal  Arch  degree  in 
Macon  Chapter,  No.  21,  R.  .\.  M. ;  and  be- 


longs to  Beaumanoir  Commandery,  No.  9, 
K.  T.  He  has  a  general  law  practice  and  a 
good  law  library,  with  the  contents  of  which 
he  has  made  himself  familiar.  While  yet 
a  young  man  he  has  taken  high  rank  among 
the  attorneys  of  Decatur  and  the  position 
which  he  has  gained  through  meritorious 
endeavor  is  an  enviable  one. 


D.  E.  DENISE. 

D.  E.  Denise,  one  of  the  representative 
young  farmers  of  Illini  township,  residing 
on  section  i,  was  born  in  Middletown,  Ohio, 
on  the  i6th  of  August,  1871,  and  is  a  son 
of  Garrett  G.  and  Rebecca  (Brown)  Denise, 
who  are  now  living  on  a  farm  east  of  Ma- 
roa  in  this  county.  The  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  where 
his  ancestors  located  on  coming  to  America 
at  an  early  day.  The  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject was  born  in  Ohio  and  is  of  English 
lineage.  During  his  early  life  Garrett  G. 
Denise  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  and 
clothing  business  at  Middletown,  Ohio,  but 
since  coming  to  Illinois  in  1884  he  has 
turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
purchasing  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Macon 
county,  which  he  still  owns  and  operates. 

The  subject  of  this  review  was  a  lad  of 
thirteen  years  when  he  accompanied  his  pa- 
rents on  their  removal  to  the  Prairie  state 
and  :\Iacon  county  has  since  been  his  home. 
He  received  a  good  practical  education  in 
the  district  schools  and  afterward  entered 
Mann's  Commercial  College  at  Dayton, 
Ohio,  where  he  pursued  a  commercial  and 
banking  course  and  was  graduated  in  1893. 
After  leaving  that  institution  he  engaged  in 
bookkeeping  in  Dayton  for  a  time  but  in 
1894  returned  home  and  has  since  devoted 
his  energies  mainly  to  farming,  though  he 
has  other  interests.  He  has  taken  general 
statistics  of  thunder  storms  in  a  territory 
covering  Macon  and  DeWitt  counties,  mak- 


VI  R<?    T^r-VAC     HAV  /ic 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


281 


ine  a  scientific  demonstration  of  the  laws 
and  nature  of  lightning,  and  he  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  demonstrating  the  utility  and 
efficacy  of  good  roads  rightly  constructed 
for  the  preservation  of  life  and  property. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1896,  Mr.  Denise 
led  to  the  marriage  altar  Miss  Grace  Corn- 
well,  whose  parents  arc  W'illiam  and  Mar- 
tha (Nichols)  Cornwcll,  the  former  of  Eng- 
lish and  German  descent  and  the  latter  of 
Irish  origin.  Mrs.  Denise  acquired  her  early 
education  in  the  country  schools  of  Macon 
county  and  later  attended  the  Normal 
School  at  Decatur.  Prior  to  her  marriage 
she  successfulh'  engaged  in  teaching  school 
in  this  county  for  two  years.  Unto  our 
subject  and  his  wite  have  been  born  four 
children,  namely :  Chester  Leone,  who  was 
born  July  8,  1897,  and  died  July  i,  1899; 
Harold  Edward,  born  July  11,  1899;  Gar- 
rett William,  born  May  13,  1901 ;  and  Rob- 
ert .\rnold,  born  March  4,  1903.  The  family 
have  a  nice  home  where  hospitality  reigns 
supreme  and  Mr.  Denise  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  leading  young  men  of  his  locality.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Maroa  and  is  an  ardent  Republican  in  his 
political  views.  He  has  efficiently  served 
as  school  trustee  and  takes  an  active  inter- 
est in  any  measure  for  the  public  good. 


THOMAS  DAVIS. 
Fifty-six  years  have  passed  since  this 
gentleman  arrived  in  Macon  county  and 
he  is  justly  numbered  among  her  hon- 
ored pioneers  and  representative  citizens. 
Throughout  the  years  of  his  active  business 
life  he  was  prominently  identified  with  her 
agricultural  interests,  but  is  now  living  n 
retired  life  on  section  27,  South  Macon 
township.  His  is  an  honorable  record  of 
a  self-made  man.  who  has  not  only  won  a 
handsome  competence  through  his  own  well 
directed  efforts  but  has  also  gained  the  con- 


fidence of  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact  by  his  upright  life. 

Mr.  Davis  was  born  on  the  I2lh  of  Sep- 
tember, 1819,  in  an  old  log  cabin  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Pennsylvania,  which  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  when  he  was  nine  years  of 
age.  His  parents,  George  and  Hester 
(Wheelman)  Davis,  were  natives  of  the 
same  county,  the  former  born  in  1774  and 
the  latter  in  1778.  The  father  was  a  brick- 
maker  by  trade  and  in  connection  with  that 
occupation  he  also  operated  a  farm  in 
Washington  county.  He  died  when  our 
subject  was  only  nine  years  old  but  his 
wife  survived  him  for  some  years,  passing 
awa}'  at  Belleville,  Pennsylvania,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-five.  They  had  a  famil}'  of  seven 
children,  but  only  our  subject  and  his  sister 
Mary  Jane  are  now  living,  the  latter  being 
the  widow  of  John  Craft  and  a  resident  of 
Millsboro,  Pennsylvania. 

Among  the  earliest  recollections  of  our 
subject  is  that  of  the  old  log  house  in  which 
he  was  born,  with  its  puncheon  floor  and 
large  fireplace  around  wliich  the  family 
would  gather  in  the  evening  when  the  day's 
work  was  done.  The  school  which  he  at- 
tended was  also  built  of  logs,  with  greased 
paper  windows,  slab  seats  and  other  prim- 
itive furniture.  It  stood  on  Coon  Island 
and  was  known  as  the  Coon  Island  school 
in  those  days.  After  the  death  of  his  father 
Mr.  Davis  commenced  learning  the  cooper's 
trade  with  Joshua  Stoolfire,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  he  attained  his  majority,  and 
then  went  to  Licking  county,  Ohio,  where 
he  commenced  work  for  his  employer's 
brother,  Jacob  Stoolfire,  a  farmer  and  ex- 
tensive sheep  raiser.  During  the  five  months 
in  his  employ  he  saved  some  money,  which 
he  invested  in  sheep  and  put  them  out  to 
feed  on  shares.  He  next  rented  a  farm  near 
Zanesville,  Ohio,  for  one  year  and  engaged 
in  sheep  raising. 

Selling  his  property  in  the  Buckeye  state, 
Mr.   Davis  came  to  Illinois  on  the  30th  of 


282 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


December,  1847,  and  in  partnership  with 
Philo  Buckingham  bought  a  flock  of  sheep 
at  Todd's  Point,  where  they  spent  the  win- 
ter, and  then  rented  what  was  known  as  the 
Hale  farm  in  South  Macon  township,  this 
county,  consisting  of  fourteen  hundred 
acres.  Here  they  commenced  sheep  raising 
in  earnest  and  in  a  short  time  had  between 
six  and  eight  hundred  sheep.  This  business 
they  successfully  carried  on  together  for 
twelve  years,  under  the  firm  name  of  Davis 
&  Buckingham,  becoming  the  largest  buy- 
ers and  shippers  in  their  line  in  this  part  of 
tlie  country,  and  when  Mr.  Buckingham 
died  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  father,  who  passed  away  a 
few  years  later  and  was  in  turn  succeeded 
by  his  youngest  son,  James  Buckingham. 
Subsequently  Mr.  Davis  purchased  the  lat- 
ter's  interest  in  the  business,  which  he  car- 
ried on  alone  and  under  his  own  name  until 
his  retirement.  There  was  a  time  when  he 
did  not  know  how  much  he  was  worth  or 
what  amount  of  land  the  firm  possessed,  as 
they  had  taken  up  property  in  various  parts 
of  the  country  on  land  warrants  and  had 
sheep  and  cattle  on  every  farm.  In  April, 
i860,  he  removed  from  the  Hale  farm  to 
his  present  place  of  residence  in  South  jNIa- 
con  township,  where  he  owned  a  whole  sec- 
tion of  land,  besides  several  other  farms,  but 
he  has  since  disposed  of  most  of  his  prop- 
erty, keeping  only  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  the  home  place,  eighty  acres  in 
Nebraska  and  some  city  property  in  De- 
catur. Besides  this,  however,  he  holds 
mortgages  on  a  large  amount  of  propert)' 
throughout  the  country.  About  twelve 
years  ago  he  sold  out  the  sheep  business, 
but  continued  to  engage  in  general  farm- 
ing, stock-raising  and  the  buying  and  sell- 
ing of  horses  and  mules  for  some  time, 
gradually  disposing  of  his  business  and 
landed  interests,  and  for  the  past  two  years 
he  has  practically  lived  retired  on  his  farm. 
Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 


Elizabeth  Rogers,  also  a  native  of  Wash- 
ington county,  Pennsylvania,  who  died 
about  fourteen  months  later,  and  the  only 
child  born  of  that  union  died  in  infancy. 
Mr.  Davis  subsequently  married  his  first 
wife's  sister,  Miss  ■Margaret  Rogers,  who 
was  born  June  3,  1824,  and  by  whom  he  had 
two  children,  but  they,  too,  died  in  infancy. 
Mrs.  Davis  is  the  youngest  in  a  family  of 
ten  children  and  the  only  survivor.  Her 
parents  were  Francis  and  Elizabeth  (Hupp) 
Rogers,  the  former  a  native  of  Ireland  and 
the  latter  of  Washington  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  family  lived  in  that  county 
prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war  and  it  was 
sometimes  necessary  for  them,  together 
with  the  other  early  settlers,  to  seek  pro- 
tection from  the  Indians  in  block  houses 
that  had  been  erected  for  that  purpose.  ]Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Rogers  both  died  and  were  buried 
on  the  old  home  farm  in  the  Keystone  state. 
^^'hen  Mr.  Davis  came  to  this  county  he 
found  the  homes  of  the  early  settlers  widely 
scattered,  most  of  them  being  from  eight 
to  ten  miles  apart,  and  much  of  this  region 
was  then  under  water  and  seemed  unfit  for 
cultivation,  but  as  the  years  have  passed  it 
has  been  transformed  into  fine  farms  which 
are  the  homes  of  a  happy  and  prosperous 
people.  In  the  work  of  improvement  he  has 
ever  borne  his  part  and  has  aided  in  the 
building  of  schoolhouses  and  supported  the 
first  school  law  introduced  in  the  state, 
though  he  had  no  children  to  receive  any 
benefit  therefrom.  For  many  years  he  ef- 
ficiently served  as  school  director  and  alsa 
filled  the  ofiace  of  road  commissioner.  Po- 
litically he  is  now  a  Populist.  He  is  one  of 
the  distinguished  and  honored  residents  of 
Macon  county  and  his  history  contains 
many  elements  well  worthy  of  emulation. 
He  has  passed  the  eighty-fourth  milestone 
on  life's  journey  and  now  receives  the  ven- 
eration and  respect  which  should  ever  be 
accorded  those  who  have  advanced  thus  far. 


PAST  AXl)  J'RESENT  OF  MaCON  COUNTY. 


283 


ROBERT  F.  KINCAID. 

History  is  no  longer  an  account  of  battles 
fought  or  won,  or  peoples  conquered  and  of 
lands  destroyed  by  large  armies,  but  has  be- 
come the  record  of  the  work  of  an  enlight- 
ened people  who  put  forth  their  best  ener- 
gies to  utilize  the  natural  resources  of  a 
country  and  to  promote  business  activity 
so  that  the  general  welfare  will  be  advanced 
as  well  as  individual  prosperity.  Robert  F. 
Kincaid  was  one  well  known  in  the  business 
circles  of  Decatur  and  his  activit}'^  and  en- 
erg3'  was  so  directed  along  honorable  lines 
that  he  gained  the  good  will  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow  men.  He  was  known  as  one 
of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Decatur  for  he 
located  here  in  1850,  finding  a  village,  which 
bore  little  resemblance  to  the  present  splen- 
did city  of  to-day.  He  became  connected 
with  its  business  interests  and  spent  his 
remaining  days  here. 

Mr.  Kincaid  was  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  on  the  26th  of  July,  1847,  his  parents 
being  Asa  and  Margaret  (House)  Kincaid, 
who  were  likewise  natives  of  the  Blue  Grass 
state.  They  removed  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  about  1850  and  settled  upon  a  farm 
in  Decatur  township,  where  they  resided 
throughout  their  remaining  days,  the  father 
being  engaged  in  general  farming.  He  was 
among  the  early  settlers  of  this  locality  who 
shared  in  the  work  which  was  necessary  in 
laying  the  foundation  for  the  present  devel- 
opment of  the  county.  Hardships  and  trials 
were  endured  but  as  the  years  passed  the 
comforts  and  accessories  known  to  the  older 
portions  of  the  country  were  introduced 
here.  Both  the  parents  spent  their  remain- 
ing days  in  the  old  homestead  in  Decatur 
township  and  there  they  reared  their  family 
of  eight  children,  but  only  four  of  the  num- 
ber are  now  living,  namely :  Oliver  W., 
who  is  a  retired  farmer  residing  at  865  East 
Williams  street,  Decatur;  Charles,  who  is 
employed  in  a  furniture  house  in  Chicago ; 
David,  who  is  farming  near  Decatur;  and 


Nellie,  the  wife  of  William  Stearns,  a  farmer 
living  near  Lincoln,  Nebraska. 

Robert  !•".  Kincaid  was  but  an  infant 
when  his  parents  came  to  J\lacon  county  and 
on  the  old  homestead  farm  he  was  reared. 
His  mind  bore  the  impress  of  many  of  the 
historic  annals  of  the  county  and  he  could 
relate  many  interesting  incidents  of  the 
early  da}s.  He  attended  the  district  schools 
through  the  winter  months  and  in  the  sum- 
mer aided  in  the  work  of  jilowing,  planting 
and  harvesting  until  on  leaving  home  he 
came  to  the  city  and  opened  a  meat  market. 
For  many  years  he  conducted  this  business, 
enjoying  a  large  trade.  He  always  made 
it  a  point  to  carry  a  good  line  of  meat  and 
in  his  dealings  he  was  not  only  straightfor- 
ward and  honorable,  but  was  also  obliging 
and  very  courteous  in  his  treatment  of  his 
fellow  men.  After  long  years  conne^ption 
with  that  trade  he  sold  his  market  and  be- 
gan taking  contracts  for  street  work,  which 
business  occupied  his  time  and  attention 
until  his  demise. 

In  was  in  Decatur  on  the  26th  of  June, 
1876,  that  Mr.  Kincaid  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Libbie  Robinson,  a  native  of 
Ashland  county,  Ohio,  born  on  the  ist  of 
October,  1S55,  a  daughter  of  Charles  II.  and 
-Margaret  (ISowman)  Robinson,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ohio,  whence  they 
came  to  Macon  county  at  a  very  early  day. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and 
after  following  that  pursuit  for  many  years 
in  this  localit}'  he  lived  a  retired  life  in 
Maroa  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  died  in  that  village.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kincaid  were  born  six  chil- 
dren :  Bertha,  now  deceased ;  Robert,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years ;  Hattie 
and  Walter,  both  at  home ;  one  that  died  in 
infancy  unnamed ;  and  Charles  Wilbur,  who 
died  in  childhood.  Mr.  Kincaid  passed 
away  on  the  ist  of  Maj^  1900. 

His  business  career  was  crowned  with 
success  for  gradually  he  added  to  his  pos- 


284 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


sessions,  his  unfaltering  application  and  his 
unremitting  diligence  bringing  to  him  the 
financial  reward  which  always  comes  as  the 
logical  result  of  such  efforts.  He  was  never 
an  office  seeker,  but  he  gave  a  stalwart  sup- 
port to  the  Democracy.  He  held  member- 
ship in  the  Masonic  lodge  of  Decatur  and 
his  life  exemplified  the  spirit  of  fraternity, 
which  is  based  upon  mutual  helpfulness  and 
brotherly  kindness.  His  widow  and  chil- 
dren now  have  a  nice  home  at  No.  907  East 
Eldorado  street  and  in  addition  Mrs.  Kin- 
caid  owns  a  large  business  block  near  her 
residence,  which  she  rents,  the  income  sup- 
plying her  with  many  of  the  comforts  of 
life.  The  world  passed  favorable  judgment 
xipon  Robert  F.  Kincaid  in  the  early  years 
of  his  manhood  and  never  saw  occasion  to 
set  aside  or  modify  this  judgment,  because 
in  all  life's  relations  he  was  a  true  man, 
having  due  regard  for  upright  principles 
and  for  his  obligations  of  citizenship.  He 
cared  more  for  his  reputation  than  for  wel- 
fare, more  for  the  regard  of  his  fellow  men 
than  for  distinguished  social  position  and  to 
his  family,  because  of  his  upright  life,  he 
left  the  priceless  heritage  of  an  untarnished 
name.  As  long  as  those  who  knew  him  re- 
main he  will  be  held  in  grateful  remem- 
brance by  the  citizens  of  Decatur  as  well  as 
by  his  immediate  family. 


C.  R.  BAUER. 
A  work  devoted  to  the  past  as  well  as  the 
present  of  Macon  county  should  not  fail  to 
make  reference  to  C.  R.  Bauer,  who  was  a 
highly  respected  farmer  of  the  county  and 
one  whose  life  record  would  bear  the  closest 
investigation  and  scrutiny  for  at  all  times 
it  was  guided  by  honorable  and  manly  prin- 
ciples. Pennsylvania  was  the  state  of  his 
nativity,  his  birth  having  occurred  there,  in 
Northampton  county,  near  Nazareth,  No- 
vember 26,  1847.    His  parents  were  William 


and  Lydia  (Miller)  Bauer,  also  natives  of 
the  Keystone  state  and  of  German  descent. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  and  weaver  and 
owned  a  tract  of  land  in  Northampton  coun- 
ty, which  he  continued  to  cultivate  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  fifty- 
four  years  of  age.  His  wife  died  of  apoplexy 
many  years  ago.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children,  of  whom  C.  R.  Bauer  was  the  fifth. 
These  are  Marietta  A. ;  James,  who  lives  on 
the  homestead  farm ;  Aaron,  of  South  Beth- 
leham,  Pennsylvania ;  Lucy,  who  lives  in 
Nazareth ;  C.  R.,  of  this  review  ;  Polly,  who 
died  in  infancy ;  Josiah  T.,  who  owns  and 
conducts  a  drug  store  in  Stonington,  Illi- 
nois ;  and  Andrew,  who  died  in  Rising  City, 
Nebraska. 

In  the  district  schools  of  his  native  state 
C.  R.  Bauer  pursued  his  education  but  his 
privileges  in  that  direction  were  very  lim- 
ited as  he  was  early  thrown  upon  his  own 
resources  and  had  to  earn  his  living  by 
working  upon  a  farm  in  Ohio.  He  also 
spent  one  year  as  an  employe  in  a  shoeshop 
in  Tiffin,  Ohio.  About  1868  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  began  working  on  a  farm  in  Chris- 
tian county,  while  in  the  winter  months  he 
again  followed  the  shoemaker's  trade.  He 
was  thus  employed  until  1876,  when  he  re- 
turned to  his  native  state  and  visited  the 
Centennial  Exposition  in  Philadelphia. 
After  his  return  he  purchased  forty  acres  of 
land  in  Stonington  township  and  when  he 
had  cultivated  it  for  a  time  he  sold  that 
and  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
in  Mosquito  township.  Christian  county, 
which  remained  in  his  possession  until  his 
demise  and  Avhich  is  now  rented,  the  family 
enjoying  a  good  income  therefrom.  In  his 
farm  work  he  was  very  active  and  energetic 
and  his  labors  resulted  in  the  production  of 
good  crops  which  found  a  ready  sale  on  the 
market. 

On  the  nth  of  February,  1877,  Mr.  Bauer 
sought  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 
journey  and  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  K. 


^ 


ri 


PAST  AND  rRF.SENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


2S7 


Wall,  a  daughter  of  Paul  and  Kitty  N.  (Sei- 
berling)  Wall,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio 
and  the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.  Her  ma- 
ternal grandparents  removed  to  Ohio  at  an 
early  day  in  its  development,  settling  near 
Akron,  in  Summit  county.  Mrs.  \\'all  was 
the  eldest  of  a  family  of  fifteen  children. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Bauer 
lived  in  Medina  county,  Ohio,  where  Mrs. 
Bauer  was  born.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
bj-  occupation.  He  was  seventy-three  years 
of  age  on  the  6th  of  August,  1903.  Bj'  his 
first  marriage  he  had  but  one  child,  Mrs. 
Bauer,  and  by  his  second  wife  he  had  one 
son,  IT.  L.  Wall,  who  resides  in  Muncic,  In- 
diana, and  has  two  children,  both  deceased. 
The  mother  of  Mrs.  Bauer  died  September 
4,  1854,  and  was  buried  in  the  Waltz  ceme- 
tery in  Wayne  county,  Ohio.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bauer  were  born  five  children:  Wal- 
ter W.,  who  was  born  June  6,  1878,  and 
died  January  4,  1885 ;  Lena  G.,  who  was 
born  October  28,  1881,  and  died  January  15, 
1885;  Frederick  C,  w-ho  was  born  May  7, 
1886,  and  is  now  attending  Millikin  Uni- 
versity at  Decatur ;  Frank  S.,  who  was  born 
November  27,  1888,  and  having  finished 
eight  years  of.  common  school  work,  is  now 
a  student  in  Millikin  University;  and  Harry 
L.,  who  was  born  June  14,  1892,  and  is  with 
his  mother.  The  family  home  is  a  fine  resi- 
dence in  Blue  Mound  situated  in  the  midst 
of  nine  acres  of  valuable  land,  the  entire 
place  being  worth  forty-five  hundred  dol- 
lars. 

Mr.  Bauer  gave  his  political  allegiance  to 
the  Republican  party  and  served  as  a  school 
director  but  was  never  active  in  politics  as 
an  office  seeker.  While  in  Pennsylvania  he 
belonged  to  the  Lutheran  church  but  after 
coming  to  the  west  united  with  no  church 
organization.  In  his  business  affairs  he 
prospered  and  deserved  much  credit  for 
what  he  accomplished  for  at  an  early  age  he 
was  forced  to  earn  his  own  living  and  what- 
ever   he    possessed    was    acquired    entirely 


through  his  own  efiforts.  Industry  and  per- 
severance enabled  him  to  overcome  the  diffi- 
culties and  obstacles  in  his  path  and  work 
his  way  steadily  upward  to  the  plane  of  af- 
llucnce.  His  death  occurred  June  15,  1896, 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Hall  ceme- 
tery northwest  of  Blue  Mound.  With  his 
family  he  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father 
and  in  matters  of  citizenship  and  of  friend- 
ship he  was  ever  reliable  and  trustworthy. 


FRANK  W.  HAINES. 

It  would  perhaps  be  difficult  to  find  a  resi- 
dent of  Decatur  more  widely  known  than 
was  FVank  W.  Haines,  for  during  many 
years  he  was  connected  with  the  theatrical 
business  of  the  city  and  in  that  way  became 
widely  known  to  professional  people  as  well 
as  to  his  fellow  townsmen.  He  was  a  man 
whose  sterling  traits  of  character  gained  for 
him  the  warm  friendship  of  those  with 
whom  he  was  associated,  and  the  favorable 
judgment  which  the  world  passed  upon 
him  during  the  early  years  of  his  residence 
in  this  city  was  never  set  aside  or  in  any 
degree  modified  but  in  fact  was  heightened 
as  time  passed. 

Mr.  Haines  was  born  in  St.  Louis  in  the 
year  1851,  his  parents  being  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Richard  Haines,  who  were  Virginia  people, 
having  removed  from  the  Old  Dominion 
to  the  ^Mississippi  valley.  Soon  after  the 
birth  of  their  son  Frank,  however,  they  took 
up  their  abode  in  Trenton,  Tennessee, 
and  afterward  returned  to  their  old  home 
in  Charleston,  Virginia,  where  the  death 
of  the  father  occurred  in  the  year  1859.  It 
was  not  long  after  this  that  the  mother 
came  to  Decatur  to  make  her  home  with 
her  brother,  Charles  Milton,  and  in  this 
city  she  died  in  i860. 

Frank  W.  Haines  came  to  Decatur  with 
his  mother  and  his  boyhood  and  youth  were 
largely  passed  in  Macon  county.     His  edu- 


288 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


cational  privileges  were  somewhat  meager. 
He  attended  school  to  a  limited  extent, 
but  being  left  an  orphan  he  found  it  neces- 
sary to  provide  for  his  own  support  and 
worked  in  various  shops  and  factories  of 
Decatur.  At  different  times  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  Ward  &  Haskell  Woolen  Mills 
in  the  plant  now  owned  by  the  firm  of  Cham- 
bers, Bering  &:  Quinlan,  and  in  the  Decatur 
Union  Iron  Works.  At  length,  however,  he 
inherited  from  Virginia  relatives  some 
money  that  enabled  him  to  carry  out  his 
cherished  desire  of  obtaining  a  more  ad- 
vanced and  complete  education  and  he  en- 
tered the  Sangamon  street  school,  which 
was  then  under  the  direction  of  Professor 
David  E.  Bigelow. 

Throughout  the  greater  part  of  his  busi- 
ness career  he  was  connected  with  the  man- 
agement of  the  theatrical   interests  of  De- 
catur, in  fact,  his  work  in  this  direction  cov- 
ered twenty-seven  years.     He  did  not  leap 
with    a    single    bound,    however,    from    his 
entrance  into  this  business  to  a  managerial 
position,  but  steadily  worked  his  way  up- 
ward.     He   was   first    employed   as    a   bill- 
poster and  advertising  agent  at  a  time  when 
the  opera  house  interests  of  Decatur  were 
represented   by   the   old    Macon    Hall   situ- 
ated on  Merchant  street,  where  the  Salva- 
tion Army  barracks  are  now  located.     The 
place    seated  between    four   and   five   hun- 
dred people  and  was  the  only  place  in  De- 
catur adapted  to  theatrical  productions,  hav- 
ing a  stage  and  scenery,  but  was  very  prim- 
itive in  comparison  to  the  beautiful  theaters 
of  the  present  time.     Mr.  Haines,  however, 
became  acquainted  with  notable  personages 
who  played  in  Macon  Hall,  including  Ed- 
win Forrest  and  McKean  Buchanan.    In  his 

^ 

business  connection  with  the  theater  inter- 
ests he  displayed  marked  capability  in  the 
way  of  making  theatrical  attractions  known 
to  the  public  through  the  medium  of  adver- 
tising and  of  bill-posting.  When  the  ac- 
commodations of    Macon    Hall  became   too 


small  for  this  city  and  the  building  was  re- 
placed by  Smith's  Opera  House  with  Hiram 
lirown  as  its  first  manager,  Mr.  Haines  was 
promoted    from    the   position   of   bill-poster 
to    assistant     manager.       The     house     was 
opened  in   the   fall   of    1869  and   during  its 
existence  many  stars  of  considerable  mag- 
nitude in  ihe  theatrical  profession  stood  be- 
fore its  footlights.     In  1873  Mr.  Haines  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  manager  and 
while  acting  in  that  capacity  he  brought  to 
the  city  such  well  known  professional  people 
as  Lillian  Russell,  John  McCullough,  Law- 
rence   Barrett,    Lotta,    Emma   Abbott   and 
Mrs.  Langtry.     Henry  Ward  Beecher  also 
lectured    in   this   opera   house    through    the 
instrumentality  of   Mr.  Haines.     Again  be- 
cause  of   the    growth    of   the    city    Smith's 
Opera  House  was  found  inadequate  to  meet 
the  public  demand  and  in  1888  the  subject 
of  erecting  a  musical  auditorium  was  agi- 
tated,   but    Mr.    Haines    was    ambitious    to 
have  a  new  theater  and  submitted  his  ideas 
to   Charles   Powers,  who   succeeded  in   en- 
ticing his  father,  Orlando  Powers,  to  build 
a  new  theater.     The  plan  was  carried  out 
and  the   Powers'   Grand  Opera  House  was 
erected,  being  opened  on  the  9th  of  Septem- 
ber,   1889,  by   the  celebrated  comedian  W. 
H.  Crane  in  his  play  "On  Probation."     At 
one   time   Mr.   Haines    secured    an   engage- 
ment with   Edwin   Booth   and  Helen   Mod- 
jeska.  who  presented  Hamlet.     This  is  un- 
doubtedly the  most  notable  attraction  that 
has  ever  appeared  in  Decatur  and  the  box 
office  receipts  for  a  single  night  were  more 
than  twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  the  largest 
sum  ever  received  in  any  theater  in  the  state 
outside  of  Chicago.     On  the  4th  of  Novem- 
ber,   1895,   the    Powers'   Opera   House  was 
dcstroved  by  fire  and  Mr.  Haines  then  de- 
cided   to    carry    out    his    plans    of    retiring 
from  active  business  life.     He  had  so  man- 
aged  his   affairs   in    the    meantime    that   he 
had  acquired  a  comfortable  competence  that 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


289 


might    enable    him    to   put    aside   the    more 
arduous  cares  of  business  life. 

Mr.  Haines  was  one  of  the  best  known 
theater  managers  in  the  entire  west  and  was 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  the  profession 
and  by  his  comtemporaries  in  this  line  of 
work.  He  gave  to  the  citizens  of  Decatur 
the  best  class  of  entertainments  and  alwa}'s 
pointed  with  pride  to  the  fact  that  during 
his  management  the  Powers'  Opera  House 
never  presented  to  the  people  a  per- 
formance which  was  not  clean  and  whole- 
some and  which  a  lady  could  not  attend 
with  propriety.  He  possessed  excellent  - 
business  ability  added  to  his  powers  of  man- 
agement and  his  work  in  behalf  of  the  opera 
house  resulted  to  the  benefit  of  its  owners 
as  well  as  to  himself. 

Mr.  Haines  was  for  many  years  a  mem- 
ber of  what  is  now  known  as  the  (loodman 
Fourth  Rct^imcnt  Military  and  Concert 
Hand,  an  organization  whose  reputation  ex- 
tends over  many  states,  ^\'hen  Professor 
Goodman  died  Mr.  Haines  accepted  the 
leadership  of  the  band  and  was  its  musical 
director  until  his  theatrical  "business  as- 
sumed such  [)roportions  that  it  took  all  his 
time.  He  resigned  and  Professor  Foster 
was  appointed  and  later  Professor  Robert 
AValters,  who  is  to-day  its  director. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  1873,  -Mr. 
Haines  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mollie  Jennings,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  D. 
Jennings,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in 
this  city.  They  became  the  parents  of  two 
children:  Edwin  J.;  and  Ada,- the  wife  of 
Fred  Stoner.  The  home  life  of  Mr.  Haines 
was  very  pleasant  and  his  greatest  interests 
centered  in  his  familv  and  he  ]nit  forth 
every,  effort  in  his  power  to  jjromote  the 
happiness  and  welfare  of  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren and  counted  no  personal  sacrifice  on 
his  part  too  great  if  it  would  prove  of  bene- 
fit to  those  whom  he  loved.  In  his  ])olitical 
views  .Mr.  Haines  was  a  Republican  and  at 
one   time   was   nominated   for  collector,  but 


could  not  overcome  the  usual  strong  Demo- 
cratic majority.  Fie,  liowever,  lived  in  cjuiet 
retirement  after  he  gave  up  his  position  as 
theatrical  manager.  He  greatly  enjoyed  the 
companionship  of  his  friends  who  were 
many  throughout  Decatur  and  who  enter- 
tained for  him  the  warmest  regard.  For 
some  time  prior  to  his  demise  he  was  in  ill 
health  and  at  length  went  to  Wauwatosa, 
Wisconsin,  in  the  hope  that  he  might  be 
benefited  there,  but  on  the  20th  of  Septem- 
ber, igoo,  he  departed  this  life.  All  who 
knew  him  remember  him  as  a  man  of  genial 
disposition,  kindly  spirit  and  of  genuine 
worth,  one  who  was  honest  and  upright 
and  who  well  merited  the  confidence  and 
regard  so  freely  accorded  him. 

Mrs.  Haines  and  her  children  still  reside 
in  Decatur.  The  son,  Edwin  J.  Haines,  was 
born  August  24,  1875,  and  attended  the  pub- 
lic school  here,  pursuing  the  high  school 
course.  Between  the  years  1895  and  1902 
he  occupied  a  position  in  the  collection  de- 
])artment  of  the  Millikin's  National  Bank 
and  in  the  latter  year  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  insurance  business,  representing 
fire,  life,  health  and  accident  insurance  com- 
panies, alsi5  doing  a  liability  and  bonding 
iiusiness  in  Decatur.  He  is  one  of  the  rep- 
resentative young  business  men  of  the  city, 
widel)'  known  and  popular. 


D.WII'.L  WEBSTER  'i'KlMMER. 
Daniel  Webster  Trimmer,  a  well  known 
farmer  of  Hickory  i'oint  township  resid- 
ing on  .section  27,  was  born  .March  29,  1849, 
in  Perry  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  a. 
worthy  rej^resentative  of  an  old  and  highly 
esteemed  family  of  Macon  county,  his  pa- 
rents being  Joseph  and  Catherine  (Fetrow) 
Trimmer.  The  father  was  also  born  in 
Perry  county,  Penn.sylvania,  August  26, 
1814,  and  was  reared  to  farm  life.  In  1S3S 
he   married   Catherine    Fetrow.   a   native   of 


200 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  same  county,  born  July  i8,  1821,  and  a 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Mary  (Oren) 
Fetrow,  of  York  county,  Pennsylvania. 

In  1853  Joseph  Trimmer  came  to  Illinois, 
in  company  with   his  wife  and  seven  chil- 
dren,  the   journey   being  made   across   the 
country    through    Ohio    and    Indiana    in    a 
prairie  schooner.     They     reached     Macon 
county  in  June  of  that  year  and  spent  the 
first  winter  in  an  old  log  cabin,  which  was 
built  by  John  Hanks  with  the  assistance  of 
Abraham    Lincoln.      Later     Mr.     Trimmer 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
on  the  mound  in   Hickory   Point  township, 
eighty    acres    of    which    had    alread}'    been 
placed  under  cultivation,  and  to  the  further 
development  and  cultivation  of  his  place  he 
devoted    his    energies    throughout    the    re- 
mainder of  his  life.     He  died  on  the  20th  of 
July,  1886,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Boiling 
Springs  cemeter}^     He  was  an  earwest  and 
consistent  member  of  the  church  of  God  and 
was    a    Republican    in    politics.      After   his 
death  the  sons,  Joseph,  Jr.,  and  Daniel  W., 
took  charge  of  the  place  and  later  our  sub- 
ject  and  Abraham  bought  it,   each   taking 
eighty  acres.    The  latter  now  resides  at  the 
old    family   homestead.      A   year    after   her 
husband's   death    Mrs.   Trimmer,    with    her 
youngest  son,  George  W.,  removed  to  De- 
catur and  built  a  pleasant  residence  at  No. 
943  North  Water  street,  where  she  is  now 
living    at    the    age     of     eighty-two    years. 
Grandma  Trimmer,  by  which  name  she  is 
familiarly  known  to  her  many  friends,  can 
relate  many  interesting  incidents  of  pioneer 
days   when    this   part   of   the    country   was 
mostly     wild     and     unimproved    and    deer, 
geese,  ducks  and  other  wild  game  was  plen- 
tiful.    She  and  her  family  were  forced  to 
endure  many  hardships  and  privations  and 
there  was  much   sickness  among  the  early 
settlers.      Decatur   was   a   mere   village   on 
her  arrival  in  this  county  and  many  of  the 
thriving  towns  of  this  region  had  not  yet 
sprung  into  existence.  Before  leaving  Penn- 


syKania  she  used  to  spin  and  weave  most 
of  the  cloth  used  for  clothing  for  the  fam- 
ily. In  those  days  she  used  to  mold  all  the 
candles  for  lighting  her  little  home  and 
cooked  her  meals  over  an  old  fashioned  fire- 
place, doing  her  baking  usually  in  a  Dutch 
oven.  Her  first  cook  stove  was  of  primi- 
tive construction  and  had  but  three  legs. 
She  used  to  ride  to  church  on  horseback 
with  one  child  on  her  lap  and  another  on 
the  horse  behind  her.  Since  the  age  of 
fourteen  years  she  has  been  a  faithful  mem- 
ber of  the  church  of  God  and  has  led  a  con- 
sistent Christian  life  which  has  won  for  her 
the  love  and  respect  of  all  who  know  her. 

Mrs.  Trimmer  is  the  mother  of  nine  chil- 
dren, namely:  Andrew  J.,  a  resident  of 
Hickory  Point  township ;  William,  who  died 
from  illness  while  serving  in  the  Union 
army  during  the  Civil  war ;  Abraham,  who 
lives  on  the  old  homestead ;  Joseph  F.,  a 
resident  of  Hickory  Point  township ;  Mary 
E.,  widow  of  Isaiah  Henry  and  a  resident 
of  Iowa ;  Daniel  W.,  of  this  sketch  ;  Henry 
^L,  who  makes  his  home  in  Decatur;  John 
P.,  who  is  now  living  in  Louisiana ;  and 
George  W.,  who  resides  with  his  mother  in 
Decatur.  Mrs.  Trimmer  has  thirty-eight 
grandchildren  and  twenty  great-grandchil- 
dren. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  only  four 
years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  to  ]\Iacon  county  and  in 
the  district  schools  of  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship he  obtained  the  greater  part  of  his 
education,  though  for  one  year  he  was  a 
student  in  the  public  schools  of  Decatur. 
Leaving  home  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  by  the  month  for 
four  years,  and  then  went  to  Iowa,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land  for 
one  year.  After  his  marriage  in  1875  he 
located  on  a  farm  one  mile  northeast  of  his 
present  place  in  Hickory  Point  township, 
this  county,  and  operated  his  father's  land 
for  eight  years.     In  1883  he  purchased  one 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


2itl 


luiiulrcil  aiul  sixty  acres  of  land  in  ( Ireen- 
wood  county,  Kansas,  wliere  he  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  five  years,  and  at  tlie 
end  of  that  time  he  sold  out  and  returned 
to  Macon  county,  renting  a  farm  south  of 
Forsyth  for  seven  years.  In  the  spring  of 
1896  he  removed  to  a  place  near  Niantic, 
and  lived  there  until  1901.  The  following 
year  was  spent  near  La  Place  in  Piatt  coun- 
ty, and  in  1902  he  returned  to  the  old  home 
farm,  which  he  and  his  brother  Abraham 
purchased  of  the  other  heirs.  They  divided 
the  property  and  our  subject  now  owns 
the  north  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of 
section  27,  Hickory  Point  township,  where 
he  now  lives.  He  has  erected  all  of  the 
buildings  upon  his  portion  of  the  farm  and 
has  made  other  improvements  which  stand 
as  monuments  to  his  thrift  and  industry. 

On  the  6th  of  Ajiril,  1876,  Mr.  Trimmer 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  .Maggie 
Good,  who  was  born  in  York  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, April  20.  1S51,  and  is  the  fifteenth 
in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  nineteen 
children,  fourteen  of  whom  reached  man 
and  womanhood.  Her  parents,  Peter  and 
Catharine  (Zorger)  Good,  spent  their  en- 
tire lives  in  York  county,  the  former  dying 
at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years,  the  latter 
at  the  age  of  seventy-six.  I^nto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Trimmer  have  been  born  thirteen  chil- 
dren, of  whom  three,  Etta,  Pearl  and  Esther, 
died  in  infancy.  Those  still  living  are  Roy, 
a  resident  of  Hickory  Point  township,  who 
married  Cora  Woodcock  and  had  one  child, 
Ada  May,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
months;  Clarence,  at  home;  Ada  F.,  wife  of 
John  B.  Herr,  of  York,  Pennsylvania ;  Eva, 
who  is  the  wife  of  C.  Webb,  of  Macon 
county,  and  has  two  children,  Edwin  and 
Nora;  and  Harry,  Elma,  Frank,  Katie,  Otto 
and  Amelia,  all  at  home. 

Mr.  Trimmer  and  his  family  arc  members 
of  the  church  of  God  and  he  also  belongs  to 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  .\merica  at  For- 


syth. He  votes  with  the  Republican  party 
and  has  filled  the  office  of  school  director 
in  his  district.  \\  herever  known  he  is  held 
in  high  regard  and  he  has  a  host  of  warm 
friends  in  the  county  where  he  has  so  long 
made   his  home. 


AXDRIAV  J.  TRIMMER. 

This  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  citi- 
zen of  Hickory  Point  township,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  section  32,  was  born 
on  the  26th  of  September,  1839,  in  Perry 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph 
and  Catharine  (Fetrow)  Trimmer.  His 
father  is  deceased,  but  his  mother  is  still 
li\ing  and  now  makes  her  home  in  Decatur, 
Illinois.  It  was  in  1853  that  the  family 
came  to  this  county  and  here  our  subject 
completed  his  education,  having  previously 
attended  school  in  Pennsylvania.  During 
early  life  he  worked  one  summer  on  a  farm 
in  Piatt  county,  Illinois,  and  after  his  mar- 
riage located  on  his  present  place,  where 
he  has  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  has  fol- 
lowed general  farming  and  stock-raising 
quite  successfully  since  reaching  man's  es- 
tate. His  labors,  however,  were  interrupted 
during  the  Civil  war  as  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany E,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-fifth  Illi- 
nois \'olunteer  Infantry,  under  Captain 
West  and  Colonel  Lockey,  and  was  in  the 
service  for  six  months. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  1862,  Mr.  Trimmer 
was  united  in  marriage  to  IMiss  Elizabeth 
Rife,  who  was  born  in  the  house  which  is 
still  her  home,  .\ugust  30,  1842.  Her  pa- 
rents were  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Garver) 
Rife,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  who  came 
to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  in  1840  and  set- 
tled in  Hickory  Point  township.  Her  father 
died  in  July,  1886,  and  she  is  now  the  only 
survivor  in  his  family  of  three  children. 
I'nto    ^fr.    and    Mrs.    Trimmer   have    been 


292 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


born  ten  children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Mary 
C.  Flickinger,  of  Decatur,  who  has  four 
children;  Grant,  at  home;  ]\lrs.  Libbie  Wel- 
ty,  of  the  state  of  Washington,  who  has  five 
children ;  William,  at  home ;  ]\Irs.  Ida 
Kiser,  of  Decatur,  who  has  two  children ; 
Charlie,  who  married  Cora  Crossen  and  has 
three  children ;  Mrs.  Luie  Westhafer,  of 
the  state  of  Washington,  who  has  two  chil- 
dren ;  Grace,  at  home ;  Mrs.  Stella  Danzei- 
sen ;  and  Irvie,  at  home. 

Politically  Mr.  Trimmer  is  identified  with 
the  Republican  party  and  fraternally  is  a 
member  of  Durham  Post,  No.  141,  G.  A.  R. 
During  the  fifty  years  of  his  residence  in 
this  county  he  has  seen  the  greater  part  of 
its  development  and  he  is  widely  known  as 
a  good  reliable  citizen,  one  devoted  to  the 
public  welfare. 


ABRAHAM  TRIMMER. 

Among  the  enterprising  farmers  of  Hick- 
ory Point  township  probably  none  is  better 
known  than  Abraham  Trimmer,  whose 
home  is  on  section  27.  He  was  a  lad  of  ten 
years  when  he  came  to  this  county  and  here 
he  has  made  his  home  the  greaten  part  of 
the  time  since.  Since  old  enough  to  work 
he  has  given  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits  and  in  his  chosen  occupation  he 
has  prospered,  becoming  a  well-to-do  citi- 
zen of  the  community  where  he  resides. 

Mr.  Trimmer  was  born  in  Perry  county, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  31st  of  January,  1843, 
a  son  of  Joseph  and  Catharine  (Fetrow) 
Trimmer,  of  whom  extended  mention  is 
made  in  the  sketch  of  Daniel  W.  Trimmer 
on  another  page  of  this  volume.  He  began 
his  education  in  the  county  of  his  nativity 
and  after  coming  to  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois, he  attended  school  to  some  extent.  He 
remained  on  the  home  farm  with  his  parents 
until  he  attained  his  majority  and  then 
worked  out  one  summer,  after  which  he 
engaged  in   farming  for  himself  upon  rent- 


ed lanil  in  Hickory  Point  township  for  two 
3'ears. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  1867,  Mr.  Trim- 
mer was  united  in  marriage  to  ?^Iiss  Pris- 
cilla  Cross,  who  died  in  the  winter  of  1878, 
leaving  three  children,  namely:  William 
Edward,  J.  Franklin  and  Lou  I\Iay,  now 
the  wife  of  B.  Brady,  of  the  state  of  Wash- 
ington. 'Mv.  Trimmer  was  again  married 
January  17,  1882,  his  second  union  being 
with  Emma  Binns,  a  native  of  Morgan 
count}',  Illinois.  Four  children  blessed  this 
marriage  but  two  are  now  deceased,  those 
living  being  Leroy  and  Ethel. 

After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Trimmer  lo- 
cated north  of  Boiling  Springs  in  Hickory 
Point  township,  where  he  rented  a  farm 
for  two  years,  and  then  rented  another 
place  west  of  Forsyth  for  the  same  length 
of  time.  Going  to  Iowa  in  1872,  he  pur- 
chased land  and  engaged  in  farming  there 
for  five  years,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time 
he  sold  out  and  returned  to  Macon  county, 
purchasing  the  Jacob  Cross  farm  in  Harris- 
town  township,  where  his  first  wife  died. 
After  his  second  marriage  he  rented  that 
place  and  removed  to  his  father's  farm  in 
Hickory  Point  township,  where  he  lived  for 
three  years.  The  following  three  years  were 
spent  in  Maroa  and  at  the  end  of  that  time 
he  purchased  fifteen  acres  of  land  just  west 
of  Decatur,  where  he  resided  for  three 
years.  On  disposing  of  that  place  he  re- 
moved to  Piatt  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
bought  a  farm  and  operated  it  for  four  years.. 
His  next  purchase  consisted  of  a  tract  north 
of  Decatur,  where  he  resided  for  one  year 
and  then  sold,  buying  a  small  farm  south- 
west of  the  city.  \\'hen  he  sold  the  latter 
property  he  purchased  a  part  of  his  father's 
farm  on  section  27,  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship, where  he  has  since  lived.  He  has  made 
a  number  of  valuable  and  useful  improve- 
ments upon  the  place,  including  the  erec- 
tion of  a  new  barn  in  1903.  This  farm  has 
been  in  possession  of  the  family  since  1862, 


TAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


293 


Avhen  our  subject's  father  purchased  a  quar- 
ter section  of  land  on  section  27,  Hickory 
Point  township,  wliich  has  since  been 
equally  divided  between  Abraham  and  his 
brother  Daniel  W. 

Politically  our  subject  is  identified  with 
the  Republican  party.  During  the  fifty  years 
that  have  come  and  gone  since  he  first  came 
to  Macon  county  he  has  seen  wonderful 
changes  made  in  this  section  of  the  state 
and  he  can  relate  many  interesting  incidents 
of  pioneer  life.  The  first  home  of  the  fam- 
ily in  this  region  was  an  old  log  cabin  very 
poorly  constructed.  At  one  time  while  his 
mother  was  ill'  in  bed  a  black  snake  dropped 
down  through  the  boards  of  the  loft  right 
over  her  head.  William  Trimmer,  the 
second  son,  used  to  assist  his  mother  in  the 
household  duties  before  the  only  daughter 
was  old  enough  to  aid  her  and  he  became 
quite  proficient  in  spinning  and  weaving. 
The  other  sons  worked  with  their  father 
in  the  fields,  and  when  in  the  employ  of 
others  they  would  bring  their  wages  home 
to  assist  in  the  support  of  the  family,  as 
they  were  in  limited  circumstances  on  com- 
ing to  this  state.  As  time  passed,  however, 
they  prospered  and  became  quite  well-to- 
do.  Wlierever  known  the  members  of  this 
famih'  are  held  in  high  regard  and  they 
have  many  friends  throughout  their  adopted 
county. 


JOSEPH  F.  TRIiNIMER. 

Joseph  F.  Trimmer,  who  resides  on  sec- 
tion 25,  Hickory  Point  township,  is  a  worthy 
representative  of  the  farming  and  stock- 
raising  interests  of  Macon  county.  The 
neat  and  thrifty  appearance  of  his  farm 
plainly  indicates  the  supervision  of  a  care- 
ful and  painstaking  owner  who  thoroughly 
understands  the  vocation  he  follows  and  a 
business  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability 
and  executive  force. 

Mr.  Trimmer  was  born  in  Perry  county, 


Pennsylvania,  March  2,  1845,  but  in  June, 
1853,  came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  with 
his  parents,  Joseph  and  Catharine  (Fet- 
row)  Trimmer,  making  the  journey  in  a  cov- 
ered wagon.  His  early  life  was  passed  amid 
pioneer  surroundings  and  his  education  was 
begun  in  an  old  log  school  house.  Later 
he  attended  the  district  school  which  was 
established  near  his  boyhood  home  and 
when  not  in  school  aided  in  the  work  of 
the  farm,  thus  gaining  a  good  practical 
knowledge  of  the  occupation  which  he  has 
made  his  life  work.  At  the  age  of  seventeen 
years  he  donned  the  blue  uniform  of  the 
northern  army  and  was  in  the  service  for 
one  year,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
William  W.  Mattox  and  Colonel  Stephen- 
son, the  founder  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic.  He  participated  in  the  engage- 
ment at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  war  was  honorably  discharged 
in  August,   1865. 

After  his  return  home,  Mr.  Trimmer 
worked  for  his  father  one  year,  and  then 
went  to  Monticello,  Illinois,  where  the  fol- 
lowing year  was  passed,  after  which  he 
spent  two  years  at  home.  In  1871  he  went 
to  Madison  county,  Iowa,  where  he  pur- 
chased land  and  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing for  some  time.  While  residing  there 
Mr.  Trimmer  was  married  on  the  4th  of 
February,  1874,  to  Miss  Diantha  Henry,  a 
native  of  Missouri  and  a  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel and  Catharine  (Walter)  Henry,  both 
of  whom  are  now  deceased,  the  former  hav- 
ing died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  and  the 
latter  at  the  age  of  eighty.  The  children 
born  to  our  subject  and  his  wife  are  as  fol- 
lows: Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  Peter 
Keister,  of  Hickory  Point  township;  Will- 
iam, who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one; 
Roe,  at  home ;  Clara,  who  is  living  with  her 
aunt,  -Mary  1':.  Henry;  and  Ora,  Florence 
and  Pearl,  all  at  home.  All  were  born  in 
Iowa  with  the  exception  of  the  two  young- 
est. 


294 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


In  1888  Mr.  Trimmer  returned  to  tliis 
county  and  purchased  his  present  farm  on 
section  25,  Hickory  Point  township,  con- 
sisting of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  choice  hind,  partly  tiled  and  under  culti- 
vation. Since  locating  here  he  has  remod- 
eled all  the  buildings,  erected  a  new  barn 
and  made  many  other  improvements  which 
add  greatly  to  the  value  and  attractive  ap- 
pearance of  the  place.  In  connection  with 
the  general  farming  he  is  engaged  in  stock- 
raising  to  some  extent,  making  a  specialty 
of  shorthorn  cattle. 

At  national  elections  Mr.  Trimmer  always 
supports  the  Republican  party,  btxt  at  local 
elections  where  no  issue  is  involved  he  votes 
for  the  men  whom  he  believes  best  qualified 
to  fill  the  offices  regardless  of  party  ties.  He 
has  served  as  school  director  and  takes  a 
jdeep  interest  in  educational  affairs.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  a  member  of  Durham  Post, 
No.  141,  G.  A.  R.,  and  he  stands  high  in 
the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


JOHN  P.  TRIMMER. 
John  P.  Trimmer,  another  son  of  Joseph 
and  Catharine  (Fetrow)  Trimmer,  was 
born  on  Christmas  day,  1853,  in  this  county 
in  an  old  log  house  that  stood  south  of 
Joseph  Rife's  farm,  his  birth  occurring  the 
year  of  the  arrival  of  the  family  in  Macon 
county.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in 
much  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  boys  of 
his  day,  and  after  reaching  man's  estate 
he  engaged  in  farming  here  for  many  years, 
but  in  1902  he  and  his  family  removed  to 
Louisiana,  where  he  is  now  operating  a 
rice  plantation  and  is  also  engaged  in  gen- 
eral farming.  He  married  Miss  Clara 
Stephenson,  by  whom  he  had  seven  chil- 
dren, those  still  living  being  Ina,  Joseph 
Ren,  Orril,  Harlev,  Katie  and  Jimmv. 


FRANK  W.  LEHN. 

Among  the  young  men  of  enterprise  and 
perseverance  who  are  devoting  their  atten- 
tion to  agricultural  pursuits  and  are  meet- 
ing with  success  in  their  chosen  calling  is 
Frank  W.  Lehn,  who  owns  and  operates  a 
good  farm  on  section  12,  Illini  township. 
A  native  of  Macon  county,  he  was  born  in 
that  township  on  the  17th  of  February, 
1S79,  ^"fl  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth  in 
a  family  of  six  sons,  five  of  whom  are  still 
living,  their  parents  being  John  P.  and 
Tabilha  (Jones)  Lehn,  both  natives  of  Car- 
lisle, Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania. 
The  father  came  to  Illinois  in  1856  and  lo- 
cated in  Illini  township,  Macon  county, 
where  he  worked  by  the  month  for  a  time. 
He  took  the  first  forty  dollars  which  he 
earned  to  Decatur  btit  the  banking  con- 
cern there  refused  to  accept  so  small  a  de- 
posit. Later  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  on  section  12,  Illini  town- 
ship, from  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company,  paying  fifteen  dollars  per  acre. 
As  time  passed  he  prospered  in  his  farming 
operations  and  was  able  to  add  to  his  landed 
possessions  until  he  owned  five  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  this  county,  now 
worth  seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  He 
made  many  excellent  improvements  upon 
the  place,  which  is  still  owned  and  occupied 
by  his  widow,  who  is  now  fifty-six  years  of 
age.  Mr.  Lehn  died  January  14,  1899,  hon- 
ored and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Frank  W.  Lehn  passed  his  boyhood  and 
youth  upon  the  home  farm  and  early  ac- 
quired an  excellent  knowledge  of  those 
duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agricult- 
urist. He  pursued  his  studies  at  Rolling 
school,  which  acquired  its  name  by  being 
moved  so  often,  the  building  having  been 
formerly  used  as  a  store  and  church.  Later 
our  subject  attended  Brown's  Business  Col- 
lege at  Decatur  for  six  month's  during  the 
school  year  of  1895-96,  and  for  three  months 
in   1897.     He  commenced  farming  for  him- 


t 


i'AST  AMJ  I'RKSF.NT  OF  AhVCU.N  CUU.NTY, 


297 


self  upon  his  mother's  place,  which  he  oper- 
ated for  two  years,  and  then  removed  to  his 
present  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section  12, 
IlHni  township.  The  improvements  he  has 
made  upon  the  place  have  amounted  to 
twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  and  he  now  has 
one  of  the  most  desirable  farms  of  its  size  in 
the  county.  In  politics  Mr.  Lehn  is  inde- 
pendent and  he  has  never  sought  or  cared 
for  office. 

On  the  i8th  of  December,  1901,  he  mar- 
ried -Miss  Ada  Moore,  a  daughter  of  Francis 
M.  and  Emma  R.  (Metlen)  Moore,  in  whose 
family  were  eight  children,  four  sons  and 
four  daughters,  all  living.  Her  parents 
make  their  home  near  Newton,  Jasper 
county,  Illinois.  During  his  boyhood  her 
grandfather,  Alexander  F.  Metlen,  walked 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Illinois  and  in  due 
time  acquired  a  farm  at  Hickory  Point, 
where  he  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
two  years.  Mrs.  Lehn  is  the  oldest  in  her 
father's  family  and  was  educated  in  the 
Dingman  and  Stringtown  schools  near  Ni- 
antic,  Illinois. 


GEORGE  B.  SHORT. 
George  B.  Short,  an  old  and  honored 
resident  of  Maroa  township  and  a  veteran 
of  the  Mexican  war,  was  born  on  the  12th  of 
August,  1826,  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois, 
his  parents  being  William  B.  and  Nancy 
(Hill)  Short,  who  died  and  were  buried 
south  of  Belleville,  Illinois.  During  the 
boyhood  of  our  subject  this  state  was  large- 
ly wild  and  unimproved  and  game  of  all 
kinds  abounded,  furnishing  the  pioneers 
with  most  of  their  meat.  He  has  seen  the 
l>rairies  transformed  into  fine  farms,  while 
industrial  and  commercial  interests  have 
been  introduced  and  thus  towns  have  be- 
come thriving  cities.  In  the  work  of  prog- 
ress he  has  borne  his  part  and  has  been 
particularly  active  as  a  representative  of 
the  agricultural  community. 


Mr.  Short  received  his  early  education  in 
the  district  schools  near  Belleville,  but  his 
school  privileges  were  limited  and  the 
knowledge  there  acquired  has  been  greatly 
supplemented  by  reading,  observation  and 
experience  in  later  years.  In  1848  he  com- 
menced farming  upon  a  tract  of  two  lum- 
dred  and  six  acres  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illi- 
nois, given  him  by  his  father,  turning  the 
first  furrow  upon  that  land,  which  was  a 
wild  tract  when  it  came  into  his  possession. 
To  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  that 
farm  he  devoted  his  energies  until  1863. 
when  he  came  to  Macon  county  and  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Maroa  township.  He  has 
improved  his  place  by  the  erection  of  good 
and  substantial  buildings  and  the  planting 
of  trees,  and  in  connection  with  general 
farming  he  carries  on  stock-raising. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1848,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Emeline 
Stookey,  who  died  leaving  one  child,  Bar- 
bara, now  the  wife  of  Peter  Bowler,  who  is 
living  at  Jerseyviile,  Jersey  county,  Illinois. 
Mr.  Short  was  again  married  September  30, 
1866,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss 
Sarah  IC.  Thrift,  by  whom  he  has  had  six 
children,  namely;  Isalina;  James  ?klonroe; 
Lottie;  Elizabeth,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Henrietta;  and  Golda. 

During  the  Mexican  war  ]\Ir.  Short  put 
aside  all  personal  interests  and  entered  the 
United  States  army  as  a  member  of  the 
Second  Illinois  Volunteers  under  Captain 
Lemon  and  Colonel  Bissel.  He  was  in  the 
service  five  months  and  now  receives  a  pen- 
sion of  twelve  dollars  per  month  from  the 
government.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a  Bap- 
tist and  in  politics  a  Democrat.  His  life 
has  been  one  of  industry  and  usefulness  and 
he  has  won  the  confidence  and  respect  of 
all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  con- 
tact. 


298 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


BENJAMIN  F.  SIBLEY,  M.  D. 
There  are  few  men  who  live  longer  in  the 
remembrance  and  kindly  regard  of  those 
with  whom  they  have  been  associated  than 
the  physician.  He  holds  a  peculiarly  close 
relation  with  his  patrons  because  in  time  of 
illness  all  masks  are  cast  aside  and  the  true 
nature  shines  forth.  It  is  certain  that  there 
has  been  no  medical  practitioner  of  ]Macon 
county  who  has  more  justly  been  numbered 
among  her  honored  and  leading  citizens 
than  was  Dr.  Sibley.  He  practiced  here  for 
thirty  years  and  not  only  maintained  a 
foremost  place  in  tlie  ranks  of  the  medical 
fraternity  because  of  his  skill  and  ability, 
but  also  in  the  public  regard  because  of  his 
conscientious  life,  his  career  being  such  as 
to  merit  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

Dr.  Sibley  was  a  native  of  Ashford,  Wind- 
ham county,  Connecticut,  born  on  the  8th 
of  April,  1827.  His  parents  were  Samuel 
and  Hannah  (Harwood)  Sibley,  both  of 
whom  were  of  Scotch  lineage.  The  father, 
however,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  while 
the  mothers  birth  occurred  in  the  Charter 
Oak  state.  Removing  to  Connecticut,  Sam- 
uel Sibley  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
there  for  many  years.  His  wife  died  when 
thirty-eight  years  of  age,  leaving  a  family 
of  eight  children,  of  whom  six  reached  adult 
age. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  many  of  the 
men  who  have  become  most  prominent  in 
political,  miHtary,  professional  and  com- 
mercial life  have  spent  their  boyhood  days 
upon  farms.  They  seem  there  to  gain  the 
strength  of  mind  and  body  necessary  to 
cope  with  the  arduous  duties  of  a  career 
in  cities.  Dr.  Sibley  passed  his  boyhood 
days  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads, 
working  in  the  fields  when  not  engaged  in 
the  duties  of  the  schoolroom.  He  began  his 
education  in  the  district  schools  and  when 
a  youth  of  sixteen  he  entered  the  Wilbraham 
Academy,  where  he  spent  two  years,  being 


graduated  in  that  institution  at  the  age 
of  eighteen.  He  did  not  care  to  make  the 
occupation  to  which  he  had  been  reared 
a  life  work,  but  instead  sought  a  profes- 
sional field  of  labor  and  began  preparation 
for  the  practice  of  medicine,  becoming  a 
student  in  Long  Island,  New  York,  with 
Dr.  Louis  Sibley,  his  brother,  as  his  pre- 
ceptor. For  three  years  he  continued  his 
reading  there  and  then  in  order  to  further 
perfect  his  knowledge  he  entered  the  Berk- 
shire ^Medical  College,  in  which  he  com- 
pleted the  prescribed  course  at  the  age  of 
twenty-three. 

Dr.  Sibley  was  well  equipped  for  the 
practice  of  his  chosen  profession  and,  more- 
over, he  had  not  only  a  comprehensive 
knowledge  of  the  science  of  medicine,  but 
possessed  also  a  broad  humanitarian  spirit 
and  a  deep  human  sympathy  without  which 
success  in  this  line  can  never  be  achieved. 
Opening  an  office  in  New  York,  he  there 
remained  for  five  years,  following  which  he 
established  an  office  in  Erie,  Pennsylvania. 
On  leaving  the  latter  city  in  1856  he  came 
to  Decatur.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
he  had  investigated  the  subject  of  Home- 
opathy and  became  convinced  that  its  meth- 
ods were  better  calculated  to  check  the 
ravages  of  disease  and  restore  health  than 
those  in  use  by  the  Allopathic  schools.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  Homeopathic  physicians 
in  Illinois.  He  spent  the  winter  of  1858-9 
in  attending  a  course  of  lectures  in  the 
Homeopathic  Medical  College  of  St.  Louis, 
He  found  new  patients  in  Macon  county 
as  the  years  passed  by  and  his  skill  in  cop- 
ing with  the  intricate  problems  that  contin- 
ualh-  face  the  physician  was  demonstrated. 
His  was  a  paticularly  tender  and  sympa- 
thetic nature  and  also  a  cheery  presence 
that  made  his  visit  like  a  ray  of  sunshine 
in  the  sickroom.  He  was  always  encourag- 
ing and  hopeful  and  these  elements  in  his 
professional  career  were  strong  ones  in 
his  success.    At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he 


PAST  AND  FRKSEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


299 


rendered  importanl  duty  u>  his  country  as 
surg-eon  of  the  Twenty-first  Illinois  In- 
fantry, which  was  General  Grant's  first 
command. 

In  Ithaca,  New  York,  in  1850,  Dr.  Sibley 
led  to  the  marriage  altar  Miss  Fannie  Cole, 
who  was  born  in  Genoa,  New  York,  on  the 
nth  of  July,  1824,  a  daughter  of  Azor  and 
Fannie  (Locke)  Cole,  who  were  likewise 
natives  of  the  Empire  state.  The  father 
engaged  in  merchandising  in  (ienoa  and 
both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  New  York. 
The  Doctor  and  his  wife  became  the  parents 
of  four  children:  Minnie  Ella,  who  was  the 
wife  of  Charles  Simmons,  of  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, and  died  December  11,  1889;  Gene- 
vieve, who  died  in  infancy ;  A\'illiam  S.,  who 
was  born  in  i860,  married  Miss  Anna  Pur- 
sell,  and  is  now  employed  in  the  Patterson 
shops  of  Peoria,  Illinois:  and  Fannie  E., 
who  is  the  wife  of  William  Slater.  She 
is  now  employed  as  a  clerk  in  the  general 
store  of  Linn  &  Scruggs,  of  Decatur,  and 
makes  her  home  with  her  mother. 

After  establishing  his  residence  in  this 
city  Dr.  Sibley  enjoyed  a  large  practice 
of  an  important  character  and  one  that 
brought  to  him  good  financial  return.  lie 
voted  with  the  Democracy  in  his  later  years, 
although  in  early  life  he  was  a  stanch  Abo- 
litionist and,  when  the  Republican  party 
was  formed  to  prevent  the  further  exten- 
sion of  slavery,  he  joined  its  ranks,  casting 
liis  ballot  for  its  presidential  candidates 
from  1856  until  1872.  In  the  latter  year  he 
supported  Horace  Greeley  and  afterward 
voted  with  the  Democracy.  He  was  for  six 
years  a  member  of  the  board  of  health  of 
Decatur  and  was  county  physician  for  two 
years.  He  belonged  to  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  to  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  but  his  attention  was 
chiefly  given  to  his  practice  and  for  some 
time  he  was  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Sib- 
ley &  Wood,  of  Decatur.  Whatever  per- 
tained to  public  progress  and  improvement 


received  his  endorsement  and  manj-  times 
his  active  and  helpful  co-operation.  He 
passed  away  January  9,  1899.  Who  can 
measure  the  regret  that  was  felt  throughout 
the  community  in  homes  where  his  labors 
were  so  beneficial.  He  was  known  and 
honored  far  and  wide.  He  always  kept  in 
touch  with  the  best  methods  of  medical 
practice  and  was  conscientious  in  his  work, 
following  closely  the  strictest  professional 
ethics.  Many  a  poor  family  has  reason  to 
bless  his  memory  and  wherever  known  he 
was  held  in  high  esteem,  because  the  quali- 
ties of  his  manhood  were  in  keeping  with  the 
highest  principles.  He  left  to  his  family  a 
nice  residence  at  No.  424  Morgan  street,  in 
Decatur,  where  Mrs.  Sibley  and  her  daugli- 
ter  now  reside.  His  unswerving  purpose, 
his  imquestioned  fidelity,  his  unfaltering 
honesty  and  his  unchangingwill  commanded 
the  highest  respect  of  all.  He  was  a  be- 
liever of  the  cause  of  liberty,  of  freedom 
and  of  progress' and  his  hearty  co-operation 
was  ever  given  to  that  which  tends  to  ele- 
vate   maid<ind. 


CLEMENT  C.  WALTERS. 

In  the  legal  profession  which  embraces 
many  of  the  most  brilliant  minds  of  the 
nation  it  is  difficult  to  win  a  name  and  a 
place  of  prominence.  Many  aspire  but  few 
attain.  In  commercial  life  one  may  start 
out  on  a  more  elevated  plane  than  others; 
he  might  enter  into  a  business  already  es- 
tablished and  carry  it  still  further  forward, 
but  this  is  not  true  in  the  case  of  the  law- 
yer. He  must  commence  at  the  initial 
point,  must  plead  and  win  his  first  case  and 
work  his  way  u])ward  by  ability,  gaining 
his  reputation  and  success  by  merit.  It  is 
in  this  way  that  Mr.  Walters  has  become 
well  known  as  an  able  lawyer  of  the  Macon 
countv  bar,  practicing  in  Decatur,  where 
he  maintains  his  residence. 

A  native  of  Indiana,  Mr.  Walters  was  born 


300 


PAST  AKD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COl'^rY 


near  LafaycLU',  in  'i'ippecanue  counly,  Scp- 
tcnil)cr  22,  1867,  his  parents  being  Samuel 
and  J]arbara  (Ruttpr)  Walters,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ohio.  Both  the  Wal- 
ters anil  Rutter  families  came  originally 
from  Pennsylvania,  however.  Soon  after 
their  marriage  the  parents  of  our  subject 
removed  from  the  Buckeye  state  to  Indiana 
and  the  father  died  when  the  son  Clement 
was  only  about  a  year  old,  leaving  to  the 
widow  the  care  of  their  eight  children.  She 
bravely  took  up  the  difficult  task  that 
awaited  her  and  supported  her  growing 
children  by  her  own  hands,  washing  or 
doing  other  work  that  would  yield  a  living 
for  the  little  ones.  She  made  every  personal 
sacrifice  possible  in  order  to  provide 
well  for  them,  and  gave  them  good 
ad\'antages,  and  to-day  Clement  C. 
Walters  speaks  with  pride  of  her  struggles 
and  takes  great  satisfaction  in  providing  for 
her  comforts,  surrounding  her  in  his  own 
home  with  all  that  can  go  to  make  life 
pleasant  for  her.  She  is  now  living,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-two  years — a  most  highly 
esteemed  lady.  The  children  of  the  family 
are  Simon ;  Florence,  who  is  the  wife  of 
John  F".  Boyles ;  Angelina,  the  wife  of  Orace 
F.  Cole ;  Frank ;  Lewis ;  Mark ;  Clement  C. ; 
and  Orsamus,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine 
years.  After  the  death  of  her  first  husband 
J\lrs.  Walters  married  Jacob  Tidrow,  and 
in  1875  they  started  with  their  household 
goods  and  three  children  of  the  mother's 
first  marriage  for  Kansas,  intending  to  pro- 
ceed across  the  country  to  that  state.  On 
reaching  Macon  county,  however,  they  were 
so  well  pleased  with  the  locality  that  they 
decided  to  go  no  farther  and  Mrs.  Tidrow 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  near  Rea's  Bridge, 
seven  miles  northeast  of  Decatur.  There 
she  founded  the  new  home  of  the  family 
and  began  the  cultivation  and  improvement 
of  her  land.  The  first  home  of  the  family 
was  a  log  structure,  but  afterward  she  built 
a  more  commodious  and  modern  residence. 


Clement  C.  Walters  was  a  lad  of  about 
eight  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
mother  and  step-father  to  Illinois.  Soon 
after  arriving  here  he  began  to  work  out, 
earning  at  first  ten  dollars  per  month  by 
chopping  wood  through  the  winter  seasons. 
He  was  thus  deprived,  however,  of  educa- 
tional privileges.  He  continued  to  work 
in  this  manner  until  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  by  which  time  he  had  managed  to  save 
from  his  earnings  some  three  hundred  dol- 
lars. He  then  determined  to  use  this 
amount  in  the  acquirement  of  a  needed  edu- 
cation. He  devoted  long  hours  to  diligent 
study  and  after  seven  and  a  half  months 
he  had  qualified  himself  in  such  a  way  that 
he  was  granted  a  teacher's  certificate.  He 
then  engaged  in  teaching  for  four  terms  in 
the  Peck  district  and  with  the  money  thus 
earned  he  was  able  to  further  pursue  his 
own  studies,  taking  a  scientific  course  in 
Bushnell  College.  Before  the  completion 
of  the  entire  course,  however,  he  was 
stricken  with  malarial  fever.  After  his  re- 
covery he  studied  evenings  in  order  to  make 
up  for  the  time  during  his  illness  and  thus 
was  able  to  complete  his  course  at  the  regu- 
lar season  and  secure  a  first  grade  teacher's 
certificate.  Mr.  Walters  soon  became  recog- 
nized as  a  capable  and  successful  educator. 
He  taught  for  four  terms  in  the  Walnut 
Grove  district  and  one  term  in  the  Enter- 
prise district.  It  was  with  the  greatest  re- 
luctancy  that  the  directors  of  the  school  ac- 
cepted his  resignation  when  he  determined 
to  devote  his  energies  to  the  study  of  law, 
preparatory  to  making  its  practice  his  life 
work.  Before  he  had  completed  his  last  two 
terms  of  school  he  had  begun  the  study  of 
law  in  the  periods  of  vacation  and  on  re- 
signing his  position  as  teacher  he  entered 
the  office  of  M.  C.  Outten  and  Henry  P. 
Page  of  Decatur,  as  a  law  student.  Not  long 
afterward  Mr.  Page  died  and  Mr.  Outten 
considered  Mr.  Walter's  services  so  valu- 
able   lliat   he   secured    him    as   an    assistant 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


303 


■on  a  salary  before  he  had  been  admitted  to 
the  bar.  Later  Mr.  Outten  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Frank  C.  Roby,  and  Mr.  Wal- 
ters continued  with  the  new  firm  during 
the  years  1896,  1897  and  1898.  In  189O, 
however,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In 
1899  he  was  elected  city  attorney  and  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  the  position  so  accept- 
ably that  in  1901  he  was  re-elected  on  the 
Republican  ticket.  On  the  15th  of  October, 
1900,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Jacob 
H.  Latham,  under  the  firm  style  of  Wal- 
ters &  Latham,  which  association  has  since 
been  continued.  Mr.  Walters  has  made 
a  specialty  of  abstract  law  and  is  particu- 
larly proficient  along  this  line.  He  has 
had  a  large  clientage  and  has  been  so  suc- 
cessful at  the  bar  in  recent  years  that  he 
has  had  funds  sufficient  to  invest  in  other 
business  lines.  He  built  a  large  grain  ele- 
vator at  Rosemond,  Illinois,  in  1901,  at  a 
cost  of  three  thousand  dollars,  and  supplied 
with  all  modern  and  improved  machinery 
for  grinding.  This  elevator  has  a  capacity 
of  twelve  thousand  bushels  of  grain  and  the 
business  is  now  managed  by  .Mr.  Waller's 
brother,  Lewis. 

On  the  6th  of  August,  1898,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Walters  and  Miss  Emma 
Hebel,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Phillippena 
Hebel.  They  have  an  interesting  little 
daughter,  Ruth  Lucile.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Walters  is  connected  with  Macon  Lodge, 
No.  8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  also  belongs  to 
Decatur  Lodge,  No.  65,  I.  O.  O.  F. ;  Cheva- 
lier Bayard  Lodge,  No.  189,  K.  P. ;  Decatur 
Camp,  No.  144,  M.  W.  .\. ;  the  Fraternal 
Army  of  America ;  the  Court  of  Honor ; 
and  Rathbone  Sisters.  He  also  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  the  moral  development  of  the 
communuiiy  as  iMie  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Christian  church  and  is  a  director  in  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  He  is 
a  man  of  broad  ideas  and  humane  tendencies 
and  he  enjoys  the  high  esteem  of  the  com- 
munitv  in  which  he  is  now  an  honored  citi- 


zen. He  is  a  scholar  of  cultivated  tastes 
and  thus  has  become  a  favorite  companion 
with  the  brighest  minds  of  the  city. 


WILLIAM    F.    B USHER. 

Those  who  were  residents  of  Decatur 
when  William  F.  Busher  arrived  in  this  city 
almost  a  half  century  ago  can  remember 
him  as  a  humble  shoemaker,  working  at  the 
bench,  mending  shoes  and  doing  other  such 
tasks  as  fell  to  his  lot.  To-day  he  is  a  cap- 
italist, living  retired  from  labor,  for  his  life 
of  industry  and  strict  and  unswerving  in- 
tegrity, combined  with  perseverance  and 
unremitting  diligence,  brought  to  him  a 
handsome  competence,  lie  is  a  native  son 
of  the  falluTland.  .Much  of  the  civilization 
of  the  world  has  come  from  the  Teutonic 
race.  Contiinially  moving  westward,  they 
have  taken  with  them  the  enterprise  and 
a(l\anccment  of  their  eastern  homes  and 
lia\e  become  valued  and  useful  citizens  of 
various  localities.  In  this  country  espe- 
cially have  they  demonstrated  their  power 
to  adapt  themselves  to  new  circumstances, 
retaining  at  the  same  lime  their  progress- 
i\eness  and  energy,  and  have  become  loyal 
and  devoted  citizens,  true  to  the  institutions 
of  the  "  land  of  the  free"  and  untiring  in 
promotion  of  all  that  will  prove  of  benefit 
to  their  adopted  country.  The  German  ele- 
ment in  America  forms  an  important  part 
of  American  citizenship,  and  while  they 
cannot  attain  to  the  highest  civil  office  in 
the  gift  of  the  people  they  have  given  ample 
evidence  of  their  power  to  sustain  and  up- 
hold the  government  of  the  republic  and  to 
become  the  factors  in  various  communities 
to  whom  the  locality  owes  its  progress  and 
prosperity. 

When  William  F.  Busher  was  born  in 
the  kingdom  of  Hanover,  Germany,  in  De- 
cember, 1831,  his  parents  might  have 
dreamed  of  a  brilliant  future  for  their  little 


304 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


son,  but  it  is  safe  to  say  that  thej'  never 
thought  that  he  would  one  day  become  one 
of  the  foremost  citizens  of  an  enterprising 
metropoHtan  center  of  Ilhnois.  He  has, 
however,  been  associated  with  Decatur  for 
ahiiost  a  half  century  and  his  name  occupies 
a  conspicuous  place  on  the  pages  of  it? 
commercial  history.  His  parents,  Freder- 
ick and  Dorothy  (Reimer)  Busher,  were 
both  natives  of  Germany  and  the  father  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation,  to  which  pursuit 
he  devoted  the  best  years  of  his  life.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  the  father- 
land. In  the  usual  manner  of  farm  lads  of 
that  district  and  period  William  F.  Busher 
was  reared.  He  attended  the  common 
schools,  acquiring  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
German  language  and  the  branches  therein 
taught  and  also  a  fair  knowledge  of  the 
English  tongue.  Attracted  by  the  business 
possibilities  of  the  new  world  he  came  to 
the  United  States  and  in  1849  landed  at  Bal- 
timore, Maryland,  whence  he  proceeded  by 
rail  and  canal  to  Pittsburg  and  thence  by 
steamboat  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  was 
then  in  his  eighteenth  year  and  for  a  time 
he  attended  school  in  Cincinnati.  Prepared 
for  a  business  career  by  learning  the  shoe- 
maker's trade  in  Germany,  during  his  first 
few  months  in  Cincinnati  he  received  one 
dollar  per  week  and  his  board.  For  three 
years  he  remained  in  Cincinnati  and  then 
went  to  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  where  he  fol- 
lowed his  trade  for  twelve  months.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he 
worked  at  shoemaking  until  1853,  which 
year  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Springtield, 
Illinois.  In  that  city  he  attended  the  Luth- 
eran College  for  a  time  and  thus  added  to 
his  knowledge  and  at  the  same  time  gained 
a  greater  proficiency  in  the  use  of  the  Eng- 
lish tongue.  The  development  of  his  char- 
acter was  based  upon  firm  Christian  faith 
and  the  principles  with  which  he  became 
imbued     through     attendance    at     Sunday 


school  and  church  have  been  potent  factors 
in  shaping  his  entire  career. 

In  1855  ^Ir.  Busher  came  to  Decatur  and 
here  he  opened  a  shoe  shop  for  the  purpose 
of  making  and  mending  shoes,  continuing 
to  work  on  the  bench  until  1862.  He  then 
purchased  a  small  stock  of  ready  made 
goods  and  finding  that  there  was  more 
profit  to  be  made  in  the  sale  of  such  goods 
than  in  making  them  he  entered  into  part- 
nership with  John  Black  and  purchased 
quite  a  large  stock.  Opening  their  store 
the  firm  soon  secured  a  large  and  growing 
trade  and  the  partnership  existed  continu- 
ously from  1871  until  1881,  when  it  was  dis- 
solved by  mutual  consent.  Mr.  Busher 
purchased  his  partner's  interest  and  for 
some  time  was  alone,  but  afterward  became 
associated  with  Walter  Hutchins  under  the 
firm  style  of  W.  F.  Busher  &  Company. 
This  relation  was  maintained  for  five  years 
and  then  again  ]\Ir.  Busher  became  sole 
proprietor.  He  was  then  carrying  a  large 
and  carefully  selected  stock  and  had  an  ex- 
tensive patronage,  which  made  the  business 
very  remunerative.  For  almost  forty  years 
he  was  a  representative  of  commercial  in- 
terests in  Decatur  and  in  1894,  with  a  hand- 
some competence  as  the  reward  of  his 
labors,  he  retired  from  mercantile  life.  In 
1862  he  had  erected  a  good  business  block 
at  152  East  Main  street.  It  is  twenty-two 
by  eighty  feet  and  three  stories  in  height 
and  this  he  still  owns.  He  also  has  other 
property  interests  in  Decatur,  including  a 
number  of  dwelling  houses  which  he  rents 
and  from  which  lie  derives  a  good  annual 
income. 

Mr.  Busher  has  been  twice  married.  On 
the  2ist  of  February,  1856,  he  wedded  Miss 
Louise  Bekemyer  of  Springfield.  She  was 
born  in  Germany,  spending  the  greater  part 
of  her  girlhood  in  Prussia,  but  was  living 
in  the  capital  of  Illinois  at  the  time  of  her 
marriage.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Busher  became  the 
parents  of  four  children :    Walter,  who  died 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


30; 


in  his  twenty-first  year ;  Carrie,  who  is  the 
wife  of  George  P.  Zeiss,  of  Houston,  Texas ; 
Sophia  B.,  who  is  the  wife  of  William  P. 
Shade,  a  prominent  business  man  and  mer- 
chant of  Decatur;  and  Josie,  the  wife  of 
Charles  Schuck,  a  lumber  merchant  of 
Springfield,  Illinois.  The  wife  and  mother 
passed  away  in  October,  1897,  and  in  1898 
Mr.  Busher  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Jones,  a 
most  estimable  lady  whose  value  in  social 
and  benevolent  circles  is  widely  acknowl- 
edged. She  is  a  member  of  the  board  of 
managers  of  the  Anna  B.  Alillikin  Home,  a 
charitable  institution,  and  in  her  is  vested 
the  power  of  admission  and  dismission  in 
connection  with  this  home.  She  possesses 
not  only  rare  executive  ability  and  marked 
tact  in  dealing  with  the  unfortunate  ones  of 
life,  but  also  of  most  cordial  and  charming 
manner  that  has  made  her  a  favorite  among 
her  many  friends.  She  presides  with  gra- 
cious hospitality  over  her  own  beautiful 
home  and  its  good  cheer  is  greatly  enjoyed 
by  the  many  who  know  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Busher  in  Decatur. 

While  actively  connected  with  business 
affairs  Mr.  Busher  also  finds  time  to  aid  in 
the  promotion  of  interests  calculated  to 
benefit  his  city  and  his  co-operation  with 
movements  for  the  general  good  has  been 
far-reaching  and  beneficial.  His  fellow 
townsmen  recognizing  his  worth  and  ability 
have  called  him  to  serve  in  the  city  council, 
of  wliich  he  was  a  member  in  1870-1.  He  has 
never  been  an  active  politician,  however, 
and  the  honors  of  office  have  had  little  at- 
traction for  him.  Mr.  Busher  was  among 
the  first  to  erect  a  monument  of  marked 
beauty  to  the  memory  of  his  family  in 
Greenwood  cemetery.  This  is  in  the  form 
of  a  mausoleum  built  of  granite  by  most 
skilled  workmen,  and  was  constructed  at  a 
cost  of  several  thousand  dollars.  About 
1873  Mr.  Busher  erected  a  fine  residence 
built  of  brick  and  modern  in  all  of  its  ap- 


pointments. He  is  now  in  his  seventy- 
second  year,  a  hale  and  hearty  man,  and 
though  the  snows  of  many  winters  rest 
upon  his  head,  in  spirit  and  interests  he 
seems  yet  in  his  prime.  He  has  never  had 
occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to  seek 
a  home  in  America  for  in  this  land  where 
opportunity  is  open  to  all  he  has  steadily 
advanced  until  he  now  occupies  a  foremost 
position  as  one  of  the  wealthy  and  honored 
men  of  his  adopted  city. 


TITUS   QUERY. 

Among  the  energetic  and  successful  agri- 
culturists of  Maroa  township  whose  success 
in  life  is  due  to  their  own  well  directed  ef- 
forts may  be  numbered  Titus  Query,  who 
now  owns  and  operates  a  fine  farm  of  two 
hundred  acres  on  section  8,  and  the  neat 
and  thrifty  appearance  of  the  place  plainly 
indicates  his  iareful  supervision.  He  was 
born  in  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  October  10, 
1850,  a  son  of  George  and  Mahala  (Braden) 
Query,  who  are  now  deceased.  The  father 
died  in  DeWitt  county,  Illinois,  and  was 
buried  in  Maroa  cemetery,  but  the  mother 
was  laid  to  rest  in  Rose  cemetery,  DeWitt 
county.    By  occupation  he  was  a  farmer. 

Titus  Query  was  reared  in  much  the 
usual  manner  of  farmer  boys  of  his  day,  his 
time  being  devoted  to  the  farm  work  when 
not  in  school.  He  attended  the  district 
schools  of  DeWitt  county  and  gained  a  good 
practical  knowledge  of  the  elementary 
branches  of  learning  therein  taught.  On  at- 
taining his  majority  he  started  out  in  life 
for  himself,  working  five  years  as  a  farm 
hand  for  twenty  to  twenty-two  and  a 
half  dollars  per  month.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  he  began  operating  rented  land  and 
was  thus  engaged  for  eight  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  period  he  was  able  to  purchase 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  on  section  8,  Maroa 
township,   where   he   now    resides,    and   in 


306 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  MACOX  COUXTY. 


1892  bought  another  eighty  acre  tract.  In 
partnership  with  his  son  he  bought  eiglity 
acres  more  in  1900,  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  a  vahiable  tract  of  two  hundred  acres, 
whicli  lie  has  placed  under  a  high  state  of 
culli\ation.  He  raises  both  grain  and  stock 
and  is  meeting  with  well  deserved  success 
in  his  undertakings. 

Mr.  Query  was  married  on  the  3d  of  Sep- 
tember, 1874.  the  lady  of  his  choice  being 
Miss  Adeline  Bennett,  a  daughter  of  Aquilla 
Bennett,  and  to  them  have  been  born  eight 
children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  and 
Perry  died  at  the  age  of  one  year.  Those 
still  living  are  Calvin,  Eva,  Sylva,  Oscar, 
Mahala  and  Israel.  The  family  are  widely 
and  favorably  known  and  are  people  of 
prominence  in  their  community.  In  politics 
Mr.  Query  is  an  ardent  Democrat,  but  never 
sought  ofifice. 


ROBERT  W.  HIGHT. 
Robert  W.  Hight,  one  of  the  representa- 
tive citizens  of  Alacon,  who  has  laid  aside 
business  cares  and  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  at  his  beautiful  home  in  that  village, 
was  born  in  Rockbridge  county,  Virginia, 
June  21,  1830,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret 
(Rapp)  Hight.  On  the  paternal  side  he 
is  of  French  origin,  while  his  maternal  an- 
cestors were  of  German  extraction.  He  was 
quite  young  when  his  father  died,  and  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  years  accompanied  his 
mother,  brothers  and  sisters  on  their  re- 
moval to  Tennessee,  where  the  family  lived 
for  two  years.  In  1849  they  became  resi- 
dents of  Greene  countj^,  Illinois,  where  the 
mother  died,  and  in  1855  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family  came  to  IMacon  county, 
which  has  since  been  the  home  of  our  sub- 
ject. He  is  the  oldest  of  six  children,  three 
of  whom  are  still  living,  namely:  Robert 
W'.,  James  and  William. 


Robert  \\'.  Hight  received  his  education 
in  a  primitive  old  log  school  house  with  one 
log  cut  out  for  a  window,  slab  seats  and  a 
huge  fire  place  at  one  end  of  the  building. 
His  father  being  a  farmer  he  early  became 
familiar  with  the  duties  which  fall  to  the 
lot  of  the  agriculturist.  During  his  boy- 
hood he  cultivated  corn  with  a  single  shovel 
plow,  and  the  first  crop  that  he  raised  he 
marked  off  the  ground  with  a  marker, 
dropped  the  seed  by  hand  and  then  covered 
it  with  a  hoe,  as  in  those  days  they  had 
not  the  improved  machinery  now  found 
upon  the  farms  of  the  twentieth  century. 
He  has  seen  this  county  developed  from 
a  wild  uncultivated  prairie,  covered  with 
sloughs  and  ponds,  and  abounding  in  wild 
game  of  many  kinds.  After  locating  here 
he  and  his  brothers  bought  an  old  settler's 
claim  and  later  purchased  railroad  land  in 
partnership  with  his  brother  James  and  a 
Mr.  Armstrong,  the  tract  consisting  of  four 
hundred  acres.  In  connection  with  these 
gentlemen  he  engaged  in  farming  until 
i860,  but  has  been  alone  in  business  since 
1865,  and  through  his  own  unaided  efforts 
he  became  the  owner  of  a  valuable  and  well 
improved  farm  of  four  hundred  acres  in 
Macon  township,  it  being  one  of  the  best 
in  that  locality. 

On  the  23d  of  July,  1863,  Mr.  Hight  was 
married  in  this  county  to  ]^Iiss  Martha  J. 
Unroe,  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  February 
6,  1848,  who  came  to  Illinois  when  a  child 
and  grew  to  womanhood  in  this  county. 
Her  parents,  J.  T.  and  Sarah  (Clark)  Un- 
roe, were  both  natives  of  Rockbridge  coun- 
ty, Virginia,  and  from  that  state  came  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  in  1855.  For  five 
years  he  acted  as  overseer  of  the  Law- 
rence estate,  one  mile  north  of  Pana,  and 
later  removed  to  Pittsburg,  Crawford  coun- 
ty, Kansas,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  it 
being  his  home  at  the  present  time.  His 
wife  died  there  in  1890.     Of  the  eight  chil- 


(^<^^^^<^^c^^-<?6  cT^-^^-t^^^L, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


309 


dren  born  to  them  Airs.  Higlit  is  the  sec- 
oiul  in  order  of  birth,  and  two  sons  and 
three  daughters  are  still  living.  Mr.  Unroe 
has  always  adhered  to  the  Democratic  party 
and  for  several  years  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  public  affairs,  serving  in  a 
great  many  county  and  township  offices. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  .Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Eight 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hight, 
five  sons  and  three  daughters,  seven  of 
whom  are  still  li\ing.  namely:  Maggie, 
wife  of  Frank  Webb,  of  Decatur ;  Florence, 
wife  of  J.  FI.  Culver,  of  Decatur;  Ervel,  who 
is  married  and  living  in  Assumption,  Illi- 
nois; Nora  N.,  who  lives  with  her  sister, 
.Mrs.  CuKcr,  in  Decatur;  Robert,  who  is 
married  and  also  lives  in  that  city;  and 
Clyde  and  Ra\',  who  now  have  charge  of 
their  father's  farm. 

In  i8y5  Mr.  Hight  retired  from  active 
labor  and  removed  to  Macon,  erecting  one 
of  the  best  homes  in  the  town,  it  being 
large,  roomy  and  modern  in  all  its  appoint- 
ments. It  is  also  well  shaded  and  sur- 
rounded by  a  beautiful  lawn  and  cement 
walks.  While  living  on  the  farm  Mr.  Hight 
served  as  school  director  of  his  district, 
assisted  in  building  the  schoolhouse,  and 
did  much  toward  promoting  educational 
interests.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  active 
and  hcl])ful  members  of  the  Methodist 
E])iscopal  church,  of  Macon,  to  the  erection 
of  which  they  contributed  liberally,  and  he 
is  now  serving  as  steward.  In  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life  he  has  been  found  true  to  every 
trust  reposed  in  liim  and  he  has  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acc|uaintanccs  through- 
out his  adopted  county.  The  prosperity  that 
has  come  to  him  is  certainh^  well  merited, 
for  he  has  led  an  lionorable,  industrious  and 
useful  life  and  has  made  his  own  way  in 
the  world  from  an  early  age.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Rcpul)lican  but  has  never  cared  for 
office. 


EDWARD  FOULKE. 

In  the  early  days  of  Macon  county's  de- 
velopment Edward  Foulke  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Maroa  township,  settling  upon  a 
farm  there.  He  was  long  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  agricultural  interests  of  the 
community  and  while  his  life  history  con- 
tained no  e.xciting  chapters,  it  yet  contained 
lessons  of  value  that  might  profitably  be 
followed  by  all  who  wish  to  gain  success 
along  legitimate  and  honorable  lines.  Fie 
was  a  native  of  Flamilton  county,  Ohio, 
born  on  the  31st  of  July,  1834.  His  parents 
were  John  \L  and  Ann  (Sinclair)  Foulke. 
The  father  was  born  in  Montgomery  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  and  the  mother's  birth 
occurred  near  Baltimore,  Maryland.  In  the 
county  of  his  nativity  John  AI.  Foulke  car- 
rietl  on  farming  for  a  number  of  years  and 
then  removed  to  Baltimore,  where  he  re- 
sided for  a  few  years.  Subsequently  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where 
through  a  long  ]ieriod  he  was  engaged  in 
the  |)ork  packing  business,  but  in  old  age 
he  retired  to  private  life,  putting  aside  all 
business  cares,  and  lived  with  his  two  chil- 
tlren  throughout  his  remaining  days.  His 
death  occurred  at  the  home  of  his  son  Ed- 
ward in  Maroa  township  in  1874,  while  his 
wife  passed  away  near  her  native  cit}"  in 
1844.  They  had  but  two  children,  the 
daughter  being  Lydia  A.,  who  was  born  in 
Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  in  1837.  She  was 
educated  in  a  seminary  near  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  and  engaged  in  teaching 
school  until  the  Civil  war  broke  out,  wlicn 
she  became  an  army  nurse  and  served  in 
that  capacity  for  over  three  years.  In  1881 
she  married  David  ^^'ilson,  of  Wenona,  Il- 
linois, her  present  home.  She  is  a  promi- 
nent and  active  member  of  the  Woman's 
Relief  Corps  and  department  president  of 
the   National  Armj'  Nurses'  Association. 

lulward  Foulke  was  reared  under  the  pa- 
rental roof  and  was  given  good  educational 
privileges.     His  preliminary  advantages  in 


310 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


that  direction  were  supplemented  by  a 
course  in  Tremont  Seminary  in  Pennsyl- 
vailia.  He  then  went  to  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land, where  he  studied  and  worked  as  a 
florist,  remaining  in  that  city  for  several 
years.  He  next  removed  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  the  florist  busi- 
ness until  1857.  In  that  year,  attracted  by 
the  possibilities  of  Macon  county,  which 
was  then  being  rapidly  developed,  he  came 
to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Maroa 
township,  giving  his  attention  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits  from  that  time  until  his  re- 
tirement from  active  business  life.  He  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-raising 
and  rich  fields  and  meadows  returned  to 
him  good  crops  of  grain  and  hay.  He  real- 
ized also  a  good  income  from  his  stock,  both 
branches  of  his  business  proving  profitable. 
Upon  the  farm  he  made  substantial  and  ex- 
cellent improvements  and  added  all  the 
equipments  and  accessories  necessary  to  a 
model  farm  of  the  period.  Living  on  his 
first  purchase  until  1894,  he  then  removed 
to  Decatur  on  account  of  ill  health  and 
passed  his  remaining  days  in  retirement 
from  active  labor. 

On  October  13,  1864,  Mr.  Foulke  was 
united  in  mariage  in  Maroa  township,  to 
Miss  Adelaide  Colladay,  a  native  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania,  born  on  the  4th  of 
March,  1841.  Her  parents  were  Jacob  W. 
and  Julia  A.  (Stull)  Colladay,  both  natives 
of  Philadelphia,  where  her  father  engaged 
in  business  as  a  contractor  and  builder  until 
1858.  That  year  witnessed  his  removal 
westward  and  he  established  his  home  upon 
a  farm  in  Maroa  township,  Macon  countv, 
where  he  carried  on  general  agricultural 
pursuits  for  many  years.  His  wife  died 
upon  the  old  family  homestead  and  he  then 
removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  lived  a  re- 
tired life  until  called  to  his  final  rest.  The 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foulke  was  blessed 
with  five  children :  Anna  F.,  the  wife  of  E. 
Arthur  Pinkham,  who  is  proprietor  of  a  feed 


siore  in  Indianapolis,  Indiana;  John  M.,  a 
farmer  of  South  Dakota ;  Edward  L.,  who 
married  Gynietha  Cox  and  is  employed  by 
Swift  &  Company,  at  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri; Llewellyn,  who  married  Leila  Craig 
and  resides  upon  the  old  home  farm  in 
Maroa  township;  and  Caroline  E.,  who  is 
a  graduate  of  the  Michigan  University  at 
Ann  Arbor  and  is  principal  of  the  schools 
of  Corunna,  Michigan. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Foulke  was  a 
stanch  Republican,  believing  firmly  in  the 
principles  of  the  party  and  doing  all  in  his 
power  to  secure  their  adoption.  He  was 
never  an  office  seeker,  but  held  minor  offices 
in  his  township,  such  as  supervisor  and 
school  director.  He  belonged  to  the  So- 
ciety of  Friends  at  Benjaminville,  Illinois, 
with  which  his  wife  was  also  a  member. 
He  became  a  well-to-do  citizen  of  this  coun- 
ty and  thus  left  his  family  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  when  on  the  29th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1900,  his  death  occurred.  During  his 
long  residence  in  the  county  he  lived  at 
peace  with  his  fellow  men,  so  honorable 
was  he  in  all  his  business  affairs,  faithful 
in  citizenship,  and  loyal  in  friendship.  Mrs. 
Foulke  owns  a  beautiful  residence  at  No. 
1005  North  Church  street  in  Decatur,  where 
she  resides,  and  she  is  also  the  owner  of  the 
old  home  farm  of  three  hundred  and  eight 
acres  situated  in  Maroa  township,  three 
miles  south  of  the  village  of  ^laroa.  This 
is  a  well  improved  and  valuable  property 
and  returns  to  her  a  very  gratifying  in- 
come. 


MINER  R.  ALLSUP. 
Miner  R.  Allsup,  who  since  1891  has  en- 
gaged in  the  grain  business  in  Maroa  and 
is  now  the  vice  president  of  the  Citizens' 
Bank,  was  born  in  DeWitt  county,  Illinois, 
in  the  year  1861,  his  parents  being  Wash- 
ington T.  and  Margaret  Allsup.  The  father 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation   and  followed 


w  -  C    ^  ^MjUiyy^.>C/^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


311 


that  pursuit  in  De\\'itt  county  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  wliich  occurred  about  a 
■quarter  of  a  century  ago.  His  widow,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  afterward  became  the  wife 
of  L.  B.  Hobbs  and  is  now  living  in  Maroa. 
Mr.  Allsup  of  this  review  also  has  a  brother 
living  in  .\faroa  and  a  sister  who  is  married 
and  resides  in  Wichita.  Kansas. 

Miner  R.  AIlsu])  accjuired  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  his  native  county  and  of 
Maroa.  He  was  reared  to  farm  life  and 
early  became  familiar  with  the  labors  of 
field  and  meadow.  When  he  was  fifteen 
years  of  age  his  father  died  and  the  follow- 
ing year  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself 
and  has  since  been  dependent  upon  his  own 
efforts.  His  present  position  in  financial 
circles  is  in  marked  contrast  to  his  condi- 
tion at  that  time.  He  began  farming  and 
stock-raising  on  his  mother's  land,  and  in 
his  undertakings  met  with  success.  Later 
he  gave  much  time  and  attention  to  the 
purchase  and  shipping  of  stock,  and  his  in- 
vestments yielded  him  a  good  financial  re- 
turn. About  twenty  years  ago  he  purchased 
land  in  DeWitt  county  and  since  that  time 
he  has  increased  his  landed  possession  until 
he  is  now  one  of  the  most  extensive  land- 
owners of  this  part  of  the  state,  having 
very  valuable  farming  property,  which  re- 
turns to  him  a  gratifying  income.  At  length 
leaving  the  farm,  although  not  abandoning 
agriculutral  interests,  Mr.  .Mlsup  jnirchased 
the  Midland  Elevator  of  Maroa,  which  has 
been  operated  since  1875,  and  of  which  he 
has  been  the  owner  since  March,  1891.  He 
handles  a  large  amount  of  grain  annuallv 
and  his  business  adds  to  the  expansion  of 
the  business  interests  of  the  city.  Mr.  All- 
sup  also  feeds  hogs,  cattle  and  horses  for 
the  market  and  his  annual  sales  of  stock 
reach  a  large  figure.  His  business  has  stead- 
ily grown  since  the  time,  when  as  a  boy, 
he  began  operating  his  mother's  land.  Long 
since  it  assumed  very  profitable  propor- 
tions  and   to-day   Mr.   Allsup   is    numbered 


among  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  coun- 
ty. He  is  also  connected  with  financial  in- 
terests, being  the  vice  president  of  the  Citi- 
zens' Bank  of  .Maroa. 

In  matters  of  citizenship  Mr.  Allsup  is 
equally  progressive  and  Maroa  has  profited 
by  his  efforts  in  her  behalf.  He  is  a  Demo- 
crat in  his  political  views  and  at  the  present 
time  in  serving  as  mayor  of  Maroa.  He 
brings  to  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties 
the  same  businesslike  and  enterprising 
methods  that  have  marked  his  career  as  an 
agriculturist  and  stock-dealer  and  the  city 
is  therefore  enjoying  a  practical  adminis- 
tration and  one  that  is  valuable  in  the  pro- 
motion of  its  substantial  progress  and  per- 
manent improvement.  Mr.  Allsup  is  a 
charter  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
Lodge  of  Maroa  and  is  well  known  through- 
out this  part  of  the  state  because  of  his  ex- 
tensive business  connections,  his  wide  ac- 
quaintance and  his  social  relations.  He  is 
a  man  of  strong  character,  of  marked  in- 
dividuality and  of  sterling  worth.  His  fel- 
low men  respect  him  and  the  world  accords 
him  the  admiration  which  is  ever  given  in 
recognition  of  a  purpose  accomplished  in 
accordance  with  methods  which  neither  seek 
nor  require  disguise. 


OLIVER  Z.  GREENE. 
Since  1873  Oliver  Z.  Greene  has  been  a 
resident  of  Decatur  and  since  1882  has  been 
the  president  of  the  Decatur  Coffin  Com- 
l^any,  one  of  the  leading  industrial  eiiter- 
prises  of  the  city.  He  is  a  man  of  keen  dis- 
crimination and  executive  force  and  in  the 
control  of  important  business  enterprises 
has  shown  marked  capability.  The  history 
of  mankind  is  replete  with  illustrations  of 
the  fact  that  it  is  only  under  the  pressure  of 
adversity  and  the  stimulus  of  opposition 
that  the  best  and  strongest  in  men  is 
brought  out   and   developed.      Perhaps    the 


312 


PAST  Ax\D  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


history  of  no  country  so  forcibly  impresses 
one  with  this  truth  as  the  annals  of  our 
own  republic  and  certainly  in  our  own  land 
the  ])a]ni  was  awarded  to  New  England's 
sturdy  sons.  If  anything  can  inspire  the 
youth  of  our  country  to  persistent,  honest 
and  laudable  endeavor,  it  should  be  the  life 
record  of  such  men  as  he  of  whom  we  write, 
for  from  the  age  of  sixteen  years  Oliver  Z. 
Greene  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own 
resources  and  to-day  is  controlling  enter- 
prises which  make  him  a  prosperous  resi- 
dent oi  his  adopted  city. 

Mr.  Greene  was  born  in  Pittsfield,  New 
Hampshire,  May  20,  1834.  His  father, 
Oliver  P.  Greene,  was  likewise  a  native  of 
Pittsfield  and  was  a  son  of  Ephraim  Greene, 
who  was  born  in  the  Old  Granite  state  and 
was  descended  from  Scotch-Irish  ancestry. 
After  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  Oliver 
P.  Greene  was  united  in  marriage  to  Char- 
lotte M.  Fay,  a  native  of  Warwick,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  in  their  home  the  boyhood 
days  of  their  son  Oliver  Z.  were  passed. 
He  acquired  his  early  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Pittsfield  and  afterward  at- 
tended the  home  academy  in  that  town  un- 
til he  reached  his  sixteenth  year,  when  he 
began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade.  When 
he  had  largely  mastered  that  pursuit  he 
went  to  Lowell,  ^Massachusetts,  where  he 
was  employed  .as  a  journeyman  for  a  year, 
working  in  two  of  the  principal  mills  in 
that  city.  In  1853  he  went  south  to  Ala- 
bama, where  he  became  foreman  of  the 
bridge  department  for  the  Chattanooga  & 
Memphis  Railroad  Company,  acceptably 
serving  in  that  capacity  for  two  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  wdiere  he  engaged 
in  contracting  and  building,  erecting  a  num- 
ber of  dwelling  houses  during  his  four  years' 
residence  in  the  north. 

On  leaving  Alinneapolis  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and,  establishing  his  home  in  McLean 
county,  he  engaged  in  general  farming,  car- 


rying on  that  ])ursuit  there  for  several  years. 
In  1862  he  arrived  in  Macon  county,  Illinois,, 
where  he  has  since  resided,  settling  first 
at  Harristown,  a  small  station  on  the  Wa- 
bash Railroad.  There  he  engaged  in  the 
grain  business  and  was  also  employed  as 
station  agent  by  the  railroad  company. 
Prospering  in  his  undertakings  he  later 
sought  a  broader  field  of  labor  and  in  1873 
removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  became  in- 
terested in  the  Roberts  Greene  Company, 
the  business  being  conducted  under  partner- 
ship relations.  The  company  was  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  coffins,  the  enter- 
prise having  been  established  by  Robert  P. 
Lytle,  but  its  founder  sold  out  soon  after 
Mr.  Greene  purchased  an  interest  in  the 
business.  When  his  connections  with  the 
enterprise  had  covered  nine  years  the  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  under  the  firm  style 
of  the  Decatur  Coffin  Company,  with  a 
capital  stock  of  eighty  thousand  dollars. 
At  that  time  Mr.  Greene  was  elected  presi- 
dent, while  George  E.  Moeller  was  chosen 
vice  president  and  Thomas  T.  Roberts,  sec- 
retary and  treasurer.  This  business  was- 
incorporated  for  the  purpose  of  manufac- 
turing coffins  and  the  company  entered  up- 
on a  successful  career.  They  now  have  an 
extensive  plant  and  ship  the  products  of 
the  house  throughout  the  country  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The  plant  is 
equipped  with  the  latest  and  best  improved 
machinery,  and  coffins  of  all  grades  are 
manufactured,  so  that  the  house  is  able  to 
meet  the  varied  demands  of  the  trade.  For 
twenty-one  years  Mr.  Greene  has  remainfd 
jiresident  of  the  company  and  much  of  the 
successful  control  of  the  industry  is  due  to 
his  untiring  business  sagacity  and  sound 
practical  judgment. 

In  1863  Mr.  Greene  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mis.s  Clara  A.  French,  a  native  of 
New  Hampshire  and  a  daughter  of  Hiram 
French.  Mrs.  Greene  is  a  lady  of  marked 
culture    and    possesses    superior    skill    and 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


315 


talent  as  an  artist,  many  tine  works  in  both 
portrait  and  landscape  painting  which  are 
the  result  of  her  skill  adorning  the  walls  of 
their  beaiiliful  home.  Unto  .Mr.  and  .Mrs. 
Greene  have  been  born  two  daughters : 
Myrtle  F.,  who  became  the  wife  of  \\'illiam 
D.  Harvey,  a  resident  of  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, and  died  in  1893 ;  and  Clara  Al..  who  is 
the  wife  of  Kilburn  H.  Rob}^  Jr.,  who  is 
teller  in  the  National  lUuik  of  Decatur. 
The  wife  and  mother  died  in  November, 
1901.  She  was  most  devoted  to  her  family, 
was  a  faithful  friend  and  an  acceptable  and 
conscientious  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Greene 
joined  that  church  upon  its  organization 
and  she  aided  materially  in  its  upbuilding 
and  the  extension  of  its  influence.  She  was 
also  a  member  of  the  Art  Club  of  Decatur 
and  her  charming  personality  made  her  a 
favorite  in  social,  church  and  home  circles. 
Mr.  Greene  gives  his  political  support  to 
the  Republican  party  and  while  residing  at 
Harristown  he  served  for  eight  years  as 
postmaster,  occupying  the  position  under 
the  administration  of  Presidents  Lincoln 
and  Johnson.  His  substantial  brick  resi- 
dence in  Decatur  was  erected  in  1882  and 
in  addition  to  this  jiropcrty  and  to  his  ex- 
tensive interests  here  he  is  the  owner  of 
good  farms  which  he  rents.  In  the  church 
with  which  he  is  connected  he  has  held  of- 
ficial preferment  and  is  recognized  as  one 
of  its  strong  working  members.  Throilgh 
the  past  five  years  Mr.  Greene  has  spent  the 
winter  months  in  southern  California,  but 
throughout  much  of  the  remainder  of  the 
year  he  is  located  in  Decatur,  superintend- 
ing his  important  business  interests.  His 
history  is  the  record  of  one  who  has  at- 
tained an  honorable  position  and  marked 
prestige  among  the  representative  men  of 
the  middle  west.  Witli  consistency  it  may 
be  said  that  he  is  the  architect  of  his  own 


fortunes  and  one  whose  prosperity  amply 
justifies  the  application  of  the  somewhat 
hackneyed  but  most  expressive  title  "a  self- 
made  man.'' 


ANDREW  ROTHFUSS 
In  the  year  1863  Andrew  Rothfuss,  now 
deceased,  became  a  resident  of  Decatur,  and 
the  business  circles  of  the  city  found  in 
him  a  valued  addition  to  their  ranks.  He 
became  well-to-do  and  his  influence  and  en- 
ergy were  the  foundation  upon  which  he 
builded  his  success.  A  native  of  Germany, 
his  birth  occurred  on  the  3d  of  April,  1832, 
his  father  being  John  Rothfuss,  a  native  of 
the  fatherland.  There  he  and  his  wife  spent 
Iheir  entire  lives  and  Mr.  Rothfuss  engaged 
in  general  farming.  He  died  when  his  son, 
Andrew,  was  but  two  years  of  age,  and  the 
mother,  long  surviving  him,  passed  away 
in  1875. 

In  the  public  schools  of  his  native  country 
Andrew  Rothfuss  acquired  his  education. 
He  was  the  only  member  of  the  family  that 
ever  came  to  America,  but  when  about 
iwcnty-two  years  of  age  he  became  imbued 
with  a  strong  desire  to  seek  his  home  in  the 
new  world  and  accordingl)'  made  arrange- 
ments for  leaving  the  fatherland.  Bidding 
adieu  to  friends  and  native  country,  he 
crossed  the  Atlantic  and  landed  in  the  new 
world  without  ftuids.  He  had  previously 
learned  the  baker's  trade  in  Germany  and 
after  coming  to  the  United  States  he  trav- 
eled all  over  the  country,  working  at  his 
trade  in  many  of  the  principal  cities  of 
.America.  He  also  followed  this  pursuit  on 
different  steamboats  on  the  rivers  here  and 
filially  in  1863  he  came  to  Decatur.  He 
then  established  a  saloon  in  the  old  public 
square  under  the  Millikin  Bank  and  later 
])urchascd  a  Ijuilding  on  the  south  side  of 
the  s(|uarc  on  East  Main  street.     There  he 


316 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ^lACOX  COUNTY. 


continued  in  the  saloon  business  for  many 
years. 

During  this  time  Mr.  Rothfuss  was  mar- 
ried in  Decatur  to  .Miss  Rosina  Keck,  also  a 
native  of  (jermany,  born  on  the  2d  of  Sep- 
tember, 1839.  Her  parents  always  lived  in 
Germany  but  three  of  their  children  came  to 
the  United  States,  although  all  are  now 
deceased.  There  were  five  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rothfuss:  Lillian,  who  mar- 
ried Iver  Phillips  and  died  in  1901 ;  Rosa, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  six  years;  Anna 
Margaret,  the  wife  of  J.  Casper  Bolay,  who 
was  born  in  Germany,  November  24,  1867, 
and  is  now  conducting  a  saloon  in  Decatur 
where  he  is  living  with  his  wife  and  two 
children,  Andrew  and  William,  one  little 
boy  having  died  in  infancy ;  Andrew 
Lewis,  who  died  in  February,  1901 ;  Will- 
iam Jacob,  who  married  Miss  Elma  Cock- 
rell  and  resides'  in  Decatur,  being  employed 
in  the  large  dry  goods  store  of  Bradley 
Brothers. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Rothfuss  contin- 
ued in  the  saloon  business  until  1891,  when 
he  sold  out  to  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Bolay, 
and  then  lived  retired  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  27,  1903.  His  wife  passed 
away  in  1879.  I"  ^"s  political  affiliations 
Mr.  Rothfuss  was  a  Democrat,  but  never  an 
office  seeker.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  German  Lutheran  church 
of  Decatur  and  he  took  a  deep  interest  in 
the  work  of  the  church,  contributing  gen- 
eroush'  to  its  support.  He  was  a  self-made 
man,  having  no  capital  when  he  came  to 
the  new  world,  but  gradually  he  added  to 
his  possessions  and  at  the  time  of  his  death 
he  owned  the  business  block  from  Xo.  loi 
to  III  inclusive  on  East  Main  street,  which 
is  on  the  public  s(|uare  and  is  a  very  val- 
uable piece  of  business  property.  He  also 
owned  a  beautiful  residence  at  No.  305  West 
Wood  street,  which  was  the  family  home 
and  which  is  now  occupied  by  ^Ir.  and  Mrs. 
J.  C.  Bolay.     All  of  this  property  he  left  to 


his  daughter  Mrs.  Bolay  and  his  son  Will- 
iam Jacob  Rothfuss.  He  was  one  of  the 
leading  and  well-to-do  citizens  of  Decatur 
and  a  \-ery  j)rominent  representative  of  the 
German-American  citizenship  in  Macon 
count}-. 


BARTON  S.  TYLER. 

A  deep  feeling  of  sadness  spread  through- 
out Decatur  when  it  was  announced  that 
Barton  S.  Tyler  had  passed  from  this  life, 
but  while  those  who  knew  him  remain  his 
memory  will  be  cherished  not  so  much  on 
account  of  the  splendid  success  which  he 
achieved  in  business,  not  because  he  con- 
tributed to  the  improvement  of  the  city 
and  promoted  its  commercial  activities,  al- 
though they  would  make  him  worthy  to  be 
long  remembered,  but  because  of  his  life 
of  helpfulness,  of  good  cheer,  of  broad  sym- 
pathy and  his  deep  interest  in  and  labors 
for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow  men.  His  na- 
ture was  so  kindly  and  genial  that  he  won 
not  merely  regard  but  that  deeper  feeling 
which,  call  it  friendship  or  love,  binds  man 
in  close  relation  to  his  fellow  men  in  ties 
which  naught  can  sever.  Thus  it  was  that 
Decatur  has  seldom  so  widely  and  sin- 
cerely mourned  one  of  her  residents,  but 
for  fifty-seven  years  he  was  closely  asso- 
ciated with  the  history  of  2^1acon  county 
and  there  w^ere  few  of  its  citizens  who  did 
not  know  Mr.  Tyler — by  reputation  if  not 
personally. 

Barton  S.  Tyler  was  born  on  the  19th  of 
August,  1845.  on  the  old  family  homestead 
situated  about  five  miles  east  of  Decatur 
at  what  is  known  as  Antioch  Station.  His 
parents  were  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  John  W. 
Tyler.  The  father,  a  native  of  Fayette 
county,  Kentucky,  removed  to  Illinois  at  an 
early  day  and  in  1836  arrived  in  Macon 
county,  casting  in  his  lot  with  its  pioneer 
settlers.      He    was    among   those    who    laid 


PAST  AXn   I'RESEXT  ol"  MACON  COUXTV 


317 


broad  and  deep  the  fouiulalioii  for  ihe  pres- 
ent developniont  and  prosperity  of  the 
county  and  tor  more  than  a  half  century 
he  made  his  home  within  its  liorders,  taking 
a  deep  and  abiding  interest  in  whatever 
pertained  to  the  general  good.  His  death 
occurred  in  1888  and  his  wife  passed  away 
in  1892.  Their  family  was  a  large  one,  of 
whom  the  following  survive :  Dr.  B.  B. 
Tyler,  a  prominent  divine  of  the  Christian 
church  now  located  in  Denver,  Colorado; 
Rev.  J.  Z.  Tyler,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio; 
Charles,  who  is  living  in  Oklahoma;  Mrs. 
Stephen  Cook,  a  resident  of  Denver,  Colo- 
rado; Alice,  whose  home  is  in  Des  Moines, 
Iowa;  Mrs.  Sue  Odor,  of  Decatur;  and 
Mrs.  J.  A.  Meriweather,  of  Decatur.  Mr. 
Tyler  of  this  review  also  had  a  half-brother, 
John,  and  a  half-sister,  Mrs.  Nancy  J.  Hous- 
ley. 

In  retrospect  one  can  see  Barton  S.  Tyler 
as  a  farm  boy,  working  in  the  fields  and 
meadows  or  attending  the  country  schools. 
He  was  reared  amid  the  refining  inllucnce 
of  a  good  Christian  home  and  while  his  edu- 
cational privileges  did  not  embrace  a  col- 
lege course  he  learned  from  his  parents 
something  of  far  more  value,  for  by  them 
he  was  instructed  in  lessons  of  industry, 
honesty  and  of  reliability,  .\fter  starting 
out  upon  an  independent  business  career  he 
followed  various  occupations  until  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Decatur.  In  1871  in  com- 
pany with  \V.  C.  Armstrong  and  James 
Nicholson  he  made  a  trip  overland  in  a 
wagon  to  the  west  and  located  in  a  little 
town  in  southern  Kansas,  but  after  remain- 
ing there  for  three  years  he  returned  to 
Macon  county.  He  first  became  connected 
with  the  grain  trade  at  Casner,  where  he 
engagcil  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  the 
cereals  raised  in  this  locality.  He  also  con- 
ducted a  store  there. 

Mr.  Tyler  finally  removed  to  Decatur, 
where  he  was  first  employed  by  the  firm  of 
Pratt  &  Company.     On  the  5th  of  .\ugust, 


iSi)5,  lie  began  (lie  grain  business  on  his 
own  account  in  partnership  with  T.  A.  Bone 
and  on  the  31st  of  January,  1897,  the  firm 
of  r..  .S.  Tyler  &  Company  was  incorporated 
with  l-"rank  Evans  as  a  partner  of  the  gen- 
tleman previously  mentioned.  In  the  spring 
of  1902  Mr.  Tyler  further  extended  the 
scope  of  his  labors  by  becoming  the  senior 
partner  in  the  firm  of  Tyler,  Harney  & 
Com]Kiny,  and  of  both  business  enterprises 
Mr.  Tyler  was  the  president  up  to  the  time 
of  his  demise.  His  operations  in  grain 
were  extensive,  annually  increasing  both 
in  veilunie  ;ind  importance.  He  handled  and 
shipped  very  large  amounts  of  grain  and 
his  business  was  so  capably  and  wisely  con- 
ducted that  it  l)rought  to  him  a  splendid 
financial  return.  Perhaps  no  representative 
of  the  grain  trade  in  Illinois  was  more  wide- 
ly known  throughout  the  state  or  held  in 
higher  regard  by  grain  dealers  than  was 
Barton  S.  Tyler.  He  was  for  some  years 
activeh-  and  pruniincntly  connected  with  the 
Illinois  Grain  Dealers'  Association,  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  founders  and  in  the  con- 
trol of  its  interests  he  took  a  most  important 
])art  until  about  two  years  prior  to  his  death, 
when  on  account  of  ill  health  he  was  forced 
to  leave  the  active  management  of  the  asso- 
ciation to  others.  For  a  number  of  years 
he  served  as  its  secretary  and  was  after- 
ward its  president.  This  was  an  organiza- 
tion resulting  in  much  benefit  to  grain  deal- 
ers throughout  the  state  and  Mr.  Tyler 
was  also  active  in  bringing  about  legisla- 
tion favorable  to  grain  men.  In  all  matters 
pertaining  to  the  good  of  the  grain  business 
he  was  an  untiring  worker  and  on  several 
occasions  he  labored  for  measures  which  he 
believed  to  be  right  as  a  matter  of  principle, 
but  which  he  knew  would  be  detrimental 
to  his  personal  success.  In  his  business  af- 
fairs he  was  ever  guided  by  industry,  per- 
severance and  determination  which  became 
elements  in  his  character  in  early  life.  He 
trained    an    unassailable    reputation    and    no 


31S 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


one  ever  connected  with  him  in  trade  trans- 
actions had  aught  to  say  against  his  hon- 
esty and  fair  dealing.  He  was  entirely  trust- 
worthy and  he  would  sacrifice  his  own  in- 
terests rather  than  injure  others.  His  life 
record  is  another  proof  of  the  old  adage 
that  honesty  is  the  best  policy,  for  his  labors 
were  crowned  with  a  fair  measure  of  suc- 
cess so  that  he  left  his  family  in  very  com- 
fortable circumstances. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1873,  J\Ir.  Tyler 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Josephine 
Jones,  a  native  of  Illinois  and  a  daughter 
of  Hugh  and  Vandalia  Jones,  both  of  whom 
died  when  Mrs.  Tyler  was  a  small  child. 
They  became  the  parents  of  four  children, 
but  Ralph,  Lelah  and  Gussie  are  now  de- 
ceased. The  surviving  daughter,  Gertrude, 
is  with  her  mother,  occupying  a  pleasant 
home  in  Decatur,  which  was  left  to  them 
by  the  husband  and  father.  Mr.  Tyler's 
home  life  was  largel}'^  ideal.  There  was  a 
close  and  most  congenial  companionship 
between  himself  and  his  wife  and  the  activ- 
ities of  the  one  were  supplemented  by  the 
sympathy  and  encouragement  of  the  other. 

With  Mr.  Tyler  friendship  was  inviolable 
and  he  always  maintained  a  most  kindly  at- 
titude to  his  fellow  men,  arising  from  a  sin- 
cere interest  in  their  welfare.  He  Held  mem- 
bership with  the  Benevolent,  Protective  Or- 
der of  Elks  and  also  with  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  Decatur  profited  by 
his  efforts  and  zeal  in  her  behalf  and  his  en- 
couragement and  co-operation  proved  im- 
portant factors  in  promoting  her  welfare 
along  more  than  one  line.  Mr.  Tyler  was 
largely  instrumental  in  holding  the  first 
corn  carnival  of  Decatur.  He  was  the  first 
to  suggest  and  start  the  movement  and 
labored  indefatigably  for  its  success.  It  be- 
came an  event  in  the  history  of  the  city,  to 
which  the  residents  of  Decatur  have  ever 
pointed  with  pride.  With  the  exception  of 
the  brief  period  which  Mr.  Tyler  spent  in 
Kansas   his    entire   life   was   passed   in   the 


count}^  of  his  nativity  and  because  of  his 
many  excellent  traits  of  character  he  gained 
a  wide  acquaintance  and  the  favorable  re- 
gard of  all  with  w^hom  he  has  associated. 
Thus  it  was  that  his  loss  was  deeply  felt 
throughout  the  community  when  on  the 
27th  of  July,  1902,  when  nearly  fifty-seven 
years  of  age,  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest. 
The  history  of  the  county  was  largely  fa- 
miliar to  him  from  an  early  period  in  its 
development  and  he  could  relate  many  in- 
teresting incidents  concerning  this  district 
when  it  was  3'et  upon  the  frontier.  Perhaps 
no  better  estimate  of  his  character  could  be 
given  than  the  words  of  a  business  man  who 
knew  ^Ir.  Tyler  for  years  and  who  said 
"Bart  Tyler  was  a  man  in  the  best  sense 
that  the  term  implies  and  I  know  of  no  bet- 
ter wav  of  describing  his  character." 


JAMES  N.  SAMPSON. 
James  N.  Sampson,  who  is  now  success- 
fully engaged  in  farming  on  section  34, 
Friends  Creek  township,  has  had  a  rather 
eventful  life.  He  was  born  in  Gould,  York- 
shire, England,  in  1851,  a  son  of  John  and 
Sarah  Sampson,  and  when  an  infant  lost 
his  father,  who  died  during  the  great  epi- 
demic of  cholera  in  that  country.  Our  sub- 
ject spent  his  early  life  upon  the  sea,  sail- 
ing from  England,  and  in  that  way  he  trav- 
eled all  over  the  world.  At  one  time  the 
ship  on  which  he  sailed  was  wrecked  while 
crossing  the  North  Sea.  It  was  caught  in  a 
storm  and  sprung  a  leak.  The  sea  was  very 
high  and  the  engines  were  all  under  water. 
Those  on  board  had  all  given  up  hope  when 
their  signal  of  distress  was  seen  by  another 
steamer,  which  sent  a  life  boat  to  their  as- 
sistance. Mr.  Sampson  helped  lower  a  life 
boat  from  their  own  vessel  but  it  was 
smashed  to  pieces.  A  second  boat  was  then 
lowered  and  after  a  great  deal  of  difficulty 
all  were  finally  taken  on  board  the  other 
steamer. 


^   ^.    >y 


^^^uJ^Q^ 


PAST  AXl^i   I'K1':SEXT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


321 


About  twenty-five  years  ago  Mr.  Samp- 
son came  to  the  United  States  and  first  lo- 
cated in  Decatur,  Illinois,  where  he  acted 
as  sewer  inspector  for  twelve  years  and  built 
the  first  trap  that  was  ever  used  in  a  sewer 
in  that  city.  For  the  past  five  years  he  has 
devoted  his  time  and  attention  to  farming, 
on  a  fine  place  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  left  to  his  wife  on  section  34,  Friends 
Creek  township,  where  he  resides,  and  a 
forty  acre  tract  just  across  the  road 
from  their  home.  There  was  nothing  on 
the  farm  when  it  came  into  his  possession, 
but  he  has  erected  a  good,  substantial  resi- 
dence, barn  and  other  outbuildings  and  now 
has  a  well  improved  place  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  raises  grain  and 
some  stock,  and  in  his  farming  operations 
has  prospered. 

In  1879  Mr.  Sampson  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Elizabeth  Hildebright,  a  na- 
tive of  Friends  Creek  township.  Her  father, 
Henry  Hildebright,  was  born  in  Hanover, 
Germany,  in  1824,  and  spent  the  first  eigh- 
teen years  of  his  life  in  his  native  land.  He 
then  came  to  America,  landing  in  New  York. 
Walking  across  the  Alleghany  mountains, 
he  first  settled  in  Ohio,  where  he  worked 
as  a  coal  miner  for  two  years,  and  then 
came  to  JNIacon  county,  Illinois,  making  his 
home  in  Friends  Creek  township  through- 
out the  remainder  of  his  life.  In  1859  he 
married  Miss  Margaret  Hetzel,  who  was 
from  Berlin,  Germany,  and  to  them  were 
born  two  children:  Elizabeth,  now  Mrs. 
Sampson,  and  Mrs.  Manford  Beckham.  The 
mother  died  in  1870,  and  in  May,  1879,  ;\Ir. 
Hildebright  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Mrs.  Mary  Bayer,  who  is 
still  living.  For  fifty-three  years  he  was 
a  resident  of  Macon  county  and  during  that 
time  he  steadily  prospered  in  his  farming 
operations,  owning  at  the  time  of  his  death 
four  hundred  acres  of  choice  land,  which 
was  worth  about  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and 
which  has  been  equally  divided  between  his 


daughters.  After  a  useful  and  well  spent 
life  he  died  December  28,  1897,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-four  years,  honored  and  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sampson  were  born 
two  children :  Sarah,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  nine  years;  and  Lizzie,  at  home.  The 
parents  are  both  earnest  members  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  are  highly  respected 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them.  Mr. 
Sampson  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  and  Sir 
Knight  and  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Alodern 
Woodmen  of  America  at  Argenta.  His  po- 
litical support  is  given  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party,  and  he  takes 
a  deep  and  commendable  interest  in  the  af- 
fairs of  his  adopted  country. 


GEORGE  STARE. 
In  the  history  of  pioneer  development  of 
Decatur  mention  should  be  made  of  George 
Stare,  for  he  came  to  the  present  site  of  the 
city  when  it  was  all  wild  prairie  land  and 
from  that  jieriod  up  to  the  time  of  his  death 
was  actively  associated  with  business  in- 
terests and  with  the  early  substantial  de- 
xclopnient  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in 
York  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1829,  and 
there  his  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed. 
L)n  leaving  his  native  state  in  1850  he  went 
to  Ohio,  but  the  following  year  returned  to 
Pemisylvania,  and  on  again  coming  west  in 
1852  spent  some  time  in  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
sota. It  was  in  1853  that  he  first  visited 
Decatur  and  the  following  year  located 
permanently  here.  Believing  that  the  op- 
portunities of  the  west  were  better  than  the 
business  privileges  of  the  east  he  estab- 
lished his  home  in  Macon  county,  finding 
here  a  region  in  which  the  work  of  civiliza- 
tion and  progress  had  scarcely  begun.  A 
few  houses  were  scattered  here  and  there 
through   the  district,  but  much  of  the  land 


322 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


was  still  uncultivated  and  many  of  the  now 
thriving  towns  and  villages  had  not  then 
sprung  into  existence. 

Mr.  Stare  established  the  Jirst  planing 
mill  in  ^ilacon  county  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber  for  some  years,  in 
partnership  with  his  brother,  the  late  John 
Stare.  The  product  of  their  mill  was  in  de- 
mand as  the  munber  of  settlers  increased 
and  they  did  a  good  business.  Near  their 
plant  on  Cerro  Gordo  street,  about  fifteen 
or  si.xteen  years  ago,  they  made  a  fruitless 
search  for  natural  gas,  sinking  from  eight 
to  nine  thousand  dollars  in  the  undertaking, 
but  the  enterprises  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected generally  prospered  and  he  left  his 
family  a  handsome  competency.  In  trade 
circles  in  Macon  county  he  was  prominently 
known  and  in  all  his  dealings  he  was  found 
to  be  reliable  and  upright. 

On  the  6th  of  IMarch,  1856,  Air.  Stare 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Barbara 
Barnett,  a  native  of  Lancaster,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  they  became  the  parents  of  five 
children,  who  are  now  living,  nainely :  Wil- 
liam, who  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
tile  at  Mendota,  Illinois ;  Mary  J.,  who  is 
the  widow  of  Henry  Kreidler  and  is  living 
with  her  mother  in  Decatur;  Emma,  the 
wife  of  A.  W.  Aliller,  of  Riverside,  Cali- 
fornia; Eva,  the  wife  of  Frank  M.  Butcher, 
a  resident  of  Los  .\ngeles,  California  ;  and 
Nonette,  the  widow  of  Herbert  Lorraine 
Hovey,  of  Rockyford,  Colorado.  Besides 
his  widow  and  children,  Mr.  Stare  had  sev- 
eral brothers  and  sisters  living  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  these  being  Moses  Stare,  of 
Decatur ;  Elias  A.  Stare,  of  Waukesha,  Wis- 
consin ;  Mrs.  H.  Kain,  Mrs.  Knapp,  Miss 
Nancy  Stare  and  Mrs.  Z.  T.  Blaine,  of  De- 
catur; Mrs.  J.  Markley,  of  Sangamon;  Mrs. 
E.  B.  Eicholtz,  of  St.  Louis ;  and  Mrs. 
Higgins,  of  Pawnee,  Illinois. 

In  public  afTairs  Mr.  Stare  was  prominent 
and  during  his  long  residence  in  Decatur 
vi'as  activelv  identihed  with    everv  worthy 


enterprise.  He  gave  an  unfaltering  support 
to  the  Republican  party,  but  never  sought 
political  honors,  though  he  was  a  member 
of  the  city  council  in  1873  ^"d  1874.  He 
was  a  charter  member  of  Grace  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  being  originally  con- 
nected with  Stapp's  Chapel,  and  it  was 
mainly  through  his  efforts  that  Grace 
church  was  built.  He  always  took  a  very 
active  and  prominent  part  in  church  work, 
was  a  teacher  in  the  Sabbath-school,  and 
a  member  of  the  official  board  of  the  church 
throughout  life.  A  man  of  considerable 
influence,  he  left  the  impress  of  his  indi- 
viduality upon  public  thought  and  opinion 
and  aided  in  shaping  the  public  policy  as 
Decatur  and  Macon  county  emerged  from 
primitive  conditions  and  pioneer  environ- 
ments to  take  their  place  among  the  leading 
cities  and  counties  of  this  great  common- 
wealth. His  life  was  upright,  his  actions 
manly  and  sincere  and  his  loyalty  to  the 
public  good  and  to  straightforward  prin- 
ciples was  unquestioned.  He  passed  away 
on  the  5th  of  July,  1892,  leaving  behind  him 
a  memory  that  is  cherished  by  his  many 
friends.  At  his  death  the  following  resolu- 
tions were  passed. 

"Whereas,  It  has  pleased  Almighty  God 
in  Flis  wise  providence  to  take  from  us  by 
death  our  beloved  brother,  George  Stare, 
we  therefore  adopt  the  following  as  a  tribute 
to  his  memory : 

■'Brother  Stare  was  a  member  of  Grace 
church  from  the  time  of  its  organization  t.) 
the  day  of  his  death.  In  his  private  char- 
acter and  in  his  official  capacity  as  trustee, 
steward,  class  leader  and  Sunday-school 
worker,  he  was  consistent,  earnest,  faithful 
and  efficient. 

"By  his  wise  counsel,  faithful  work  and 
generous,  self-sacrificing  devotion,  he  did 
much  to  build  up  the  church  and  make  it 
the  strong  organization  it  is. 

"We,  the  members  of  Grace  church, 
greatly  respected  and  loved  Brother  Stare 


PAST  AXl)   I'KKSEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


323 


wliile  living;  we  revere  and  clicrish  his 
memory  now  tliat  he  has  gone  from  ns. 
We  feel  that  in  his  tieath  the  community 
has  lost  a  highly  respected,  snbstantial  and 
useful  citizen,  and  we,  as  a  church,  have 
lost  a  faithful  and  true  broilur  and  tcllow 
worker  in  the  ciiurch. 

"We  desire  to  assure  his  beloved  wife. 
Sister  Stare,  and  all  the  members  of  the 
family,  that  in  their  deepest  affliction  they 
have  the  sincere  sympathy  and  earnest 
prayers  of  the  entire  members  of  Cjracc 
church. 

"Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  this  memorial 
be  presented  to  Sister  Stare." 

(Signed)  D.   S.    Shellabarger. 

J.  (i.   Badenhausen. 
11.   II.  Oneal. 

Mrs.  Stare  owns  a  beautiful  lionie  at  No. 
538  North  Franklin  street,  where  she  is 
living  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Kreidler. 


I.^AlAll  QL'FRRY. 
Among  the  native  sons  of  Macon  county 
who  have  witnessed  almost  her  entire  de- 
velopment and  growth  and  have  aided  ma- 
terially in  its  upbuilding  and  prosperity, 
especially  along  agricultural  lines,  must  be 
numbered  Isaiah  Querry,  who  was  born  on 
the  edge  of  the  timber  in  Whitmore  town- 
ship, January  6,  1839,  and  has  spent  his  en- 
tire life  in  that  locality.  His  parents  were 
Elisha  and  Polly  (Florey)  Querry.  both  na- 
tives of  X'irginia  and  the  latter  a  sister  of 
Mrs.  David  H.  Stuart  who  is  mentioned 
elsewhere  in  this  \olumc.  In  1829  the  father 
came  west  in  an  old  prairie  schooner  and 
entered  a  tract  of  land  on  section  14,  Whit- 
more township,  where  our  subject  was  born. 
He  subsequently  bought  more  land  and  con- 
tinued his  farming  operations  here  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1856.  His  wife 
survived  him  for  some  time  and  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-four  years.     In  their  family 


were  eight  children,  all  of  whom  reached 
years  of  maturity  and  six  of  the  number 
are  still  living,  namely:  Nathaniel,  John, 
Isaiah.  Loretta,  Sarah  and  Eliza,  but  our 
subject  is  the  onl}-  one  residing  in  Illinois. 

Like  most  boys  of  his  day  Isaiah  Querry 
acquired  his  education  in  a  log  schoolhouse 
and  his  earl\'  life  was  spent  in  a  rather  un- 
eventful manner  upon  the  home  farm.  In 
the  spring  of  1861  he  led  to  the  marriage 
altar  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Strope,  a  native  of 
()hio.  and  they  began  their  domestic  life 
upon  a  rented  farm  near  the  timlier,  where 
they  lived  for  a  year  and  a  half.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  Mr.  Querry  returned  to  the  old 
homestead  and  tenderly  cared  for  his  mother 
during  the  last  fourteen  years  of  her  life. 
Selling  forty  acres  of  the  home  place  he 
bought  an  im])ro\cd  tract  of  eighty  acres 
on  section  11,  Whitmore  township,  for 
which  he  paid  fifty-two  and  one-half  dollars 
]^er  acre,  but  which  is  now  worth  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  dollars  per  acre,  owing 
to  the  improvements  he  has  made  upon  it 
and  the  rise  in  land  values.  In  early  days 
he  used  a  single  shovel  ])low  and  cut  his 
grain  with  a  cradle  but  as  time  has  passed 
he  has  equipi)ed  his  farm  with  the  latest 
improved  machinery  and  to-day  has  one  of 
the  model  places  of  the  locality.  He  has 
made  a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  full  blood- 
ed Poland-China  hogs  and  draft  horses  and 
as  a  stock-raiser  has  met  with  success. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Querry  have  been 
born  the  following  children :  Mrs.  Annie 
Purrows,  now  a  resident  of  Iowa;  Mrs. 
Laura  Mathias,  of  Hickory  Point  township, 
this  county ;  Walter,  who  married  Mabel 
.Mathias  and  lives  in  Whitmore  township; 
Nettie,  widow  of  Dave  Welton  and  a" resi- 
dent of  Argenta ;  Edith,  a  resident  of  De- 
catur ;  Rinda  and  Lena,  both  at  home ;  and 
Mary,  who  died  of  consumption  in  the  win- 
ter of  1902,  her  death  being  a  sad  blow  to 
her  parents  and  many  friends. 

Politically   Mr.  Querry  is  an   ardent  Re- 


324 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


publican  and  has  once  or  twice  been  a  dele- 
gate to  the  county  conventions  of  his  party. 
He  attends  the  Old  Settlers'  reunions  and 
takes  an  active  interest  in  their  meetings. 
For  sixty-four  years  he  has  made  his  home 
in  Macon  county  and  has  been  an  eye  wit- 
ness of  almost  her  entire  development.  The 
difference  between  the  past  and  the  present 
can  scarcely  be  realized,  even  by  those  who 
have  been  active  participants  in  its  growth 
and  uplniilding,  and  the  present  generation 
can  have  no  conception  of  what  was  re- 
quired of  the  early  settlers  in  transforming 
the  wilderness  into  a  well  settled  and 
highly  cultivated  country.  In  the  work  of 
pogress  and  improvement  Mr.  Ouerry  has 
ever  borne  his  part. 


FRANCIS  M.  LOWRY. 

Francis  M.  Lowry  was  for  a  number  of 
years  connected  with  agricultural  interests 
in  Illinois  and  did  his  full  share  in  winning 
for  the  state  its  splendid  reputation  as  the 
best  agricultural  district  of  the  country.  He 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born  on  the  2d  of 
September,  1825,  and  his  parents,  Eli  and 
Elizabeth  (Davidson)  Lowry,  were  also 
born  in  the  Blue  Grass  state.  In  an  early 
day  they  came  to  Illinois,  establishing  their 
home  in  Fayette  county,  where  the  father 
engaged  in  merchandising  for  several  years. 
He  afterward  removed  to  Shelby  county, 
Illinois,  where  his  death  occurred.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  died  during  the  early 
youth  of  her  son  and  the  father  afterward 
married  again  and  his  second  wife  has  now 
passed  away.  There  we're  two  children  born 
of  the  first  union  who  are  yet  living,  one 
in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  the  other 
in  Shelby  county,  this  state. 

Francis  M.  Lowry  received  no  special  ad- 
vantages in  his  youth  and  what  he  ac- 
complished in  life  was  due  to  his  inherent 
force    of    character,   his    strong    determina- 


tion and  his  unfaltering  diligence.  He  at- 
tended only  the  common  schools  and  after- 
ward learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  while 
residing  in  Fayette  county.  He  did  not  find 
that  occupation  congenial,  however,  and 
resumed  farming,  which  he  carried  on  for 
several  years  in  Christian  county,  there  re- 
maining until  1854,  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Mount  Auburn.  There  he  again 
worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade  for  a  brief 
period,  but  after  his  marriage  he  resumed 
farming  in  Christian  county  and  followed 
that  occupation  continuously  throughout 
his  business  career. 

While  living  in  Fayette  county,  Francis 
M.  Lowr}'  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss 
Aleekey  M.  Grider,  a  native  of  Montgom- 
ery county,  Illinois,  born  on  the  24th  of 
May,  1827.  Her  parents  w'ere  Jackson  and 
Malinda  (Scribner)  Grider,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of  Ten- 
nessee. In  an  early  day  in  the  development 
and  improvement  of  this  state  Mr.  Grider 
came  to  Illinois  and  throughout  his  entire 
life  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits,  his 
death  occurring  in  Mount  Auburn,  Christian 
county.  His  wife  passed  away  in  Niantic, 
Macon  county,  in  :\Iarch,  1881.  The  home 
of  'Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lowry  was  blessed  with 
seven  children:  Andrew  J.,  who  married 
Nellie  Godfrey,  and  is  a  molder  by  trade, 
residing  in  Decatur;  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of 
Francis  Smith,  whose  home  is  now  in  Mo- 
weaqua  ;  Francis  ^I.,Avho  wedded  Lillie  Hoy- 
land,  and  is  a  blacksmith  of  Decatur;  C. 
Edgar,  who  married  Ollie  Robbins,  and  is 
a  machinist  of  Springfield,  Illinois  ;  Malinda, 
who  is  the  wife  of  William  P.  Jones,  a  coal 
miner  of  Macon  county ;  Harriet,  who  is  an 
operator  for  the  Western  Union  Telegraph 
Company,  and  resides  with  her  mother ;  and 
Martha  J.,  who  is  the  wife  of  Earl  Oben- 
jane,  of  Decatur.  He  is  employed  in  the 
Review  office  and  his  wife  in  the  Western 
Union  Telegraph  office. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Lowry 


u 


r 


f 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


327 


donned  lln'  bhn.'  unifurm  of  llu'  nation  and 
went  souili  in  defense  of  the  Union.  He 
was  a  bra\e  and  loyal  soldier,  ever  true  to 
the  cause  which  he  espoused,  and  for  three 
years  and  live  days  he  served  in  the  army. 
He  therein  contracted  the  disease  which 
caused  his  death  on  the  30th  of  June,  1873. 
He  voted  with  the  Republican  party  anil 
he  belonged  to  the  United  Brethren  church. 
His  life  was  in  harmony  with  its  teachings 
and  its  principles  permeateil  his  actions  and 
his  relations  to  his  fellow  men.  He  was 
always  straightforward  in  his  dealings  and 
his  genuine  worth  was  acknowledged  by  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  After  los- 
ing her  husband  Mrs.  Lowry  removed  to 
the  village  of  Niantic,  where  she  resided 
until  1887,  when  she  came  to  Decatur,  where 
she  has  since  made  her  home,  living  at  No. 
404  East  Division  street.  She  belongs  to 
the  United  Brethren  church  in  this  city  and 
is  widely  known  in  its  circles  and  elsewhere 
in  the  county. 


CAPTAIN  ROBERT  P.  LYTLE. 

Por  twenty-two  years  Captain  Robert  P. 
Lytle  has  been  connected  with  the  postoffice 
of  Decatur,  for  twelve  years  serving  as  post- 
master and  for  the  remainder  of  the  time 
as  assistant  postmaster.  He  is  acting  in 
the  latter  capacity  at  the  present  and  there 
has  been  no  more  trustworthy  ofificial  ever 
connected  with  the  mail  service  of  this  city 
than  Mr.  Lytle. 

Born  in  Pennsylvania,  on  the  8th  of  July, 
1837,  his  birthplace  was  in  Erie  county.  His 
paternal  great-grandfather  was  John  Lytle, 
a  soldier  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  The 
grandfather  was  John  Lytle  and  the  father 
of  our  subject  was  Andrew  Lytle.  The  lat- 
ter was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  the  year 
1806  and  became  a  tanner  by  trade.  He  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  for  some  years,  but  sub- 
sequently turned  his  attention  to  farming. 
For  a  mniihcr  of  vears  he  served  as  an  of- 


ficer in  the  Pennsylvania  militia.  In  the 
Keystone  state  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Nancy  McKay,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  died  in  1892,  her  home  being  in 
W'aterford,  Pennsylvania.  The  father  died 
in  1876. 

Captain    Lytle,    whose    name    introduces 
this  review,  is  indebted  to  the  i)idjlic  school 
system  of  his  native  city  for  the  educational 
privileges    he    enjoyed.      He    afterward    at- 
tended the  W'aterford  Academy  at  Water- 
ford,    Pennsylvania,    where   he   pursued   his 
studies    for   a    year.      He    then   accepted    a 
clerkship  in  a  general  store  owned  by  the 
Sharon    Iron    Company    at    Clay    Furnace, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  for  three 
years.    On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
removed  to  BuiTalo,  New  York,  where  he 
was    in    a    commercial    college    during   the 
winter  of   1857-58.     During  the  latter  year 
he  came  to  Illinois  and  settled  first  at  New 
Boston  in  Mercer  county,  where  he  accepted 
a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  a  general  store, 
Init  after  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil  war 
he  could  not  content  himself  to  remain  in 
business  life  while  his  country  was  in  dan- 
ger and  he  therefore  gave  up  his  position 
to   enlist  on   the   20th   of  August,    1861,   at 
Springfield,   as   a   member   of   Company   G, 
Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Infantry  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Southward  and  Colo- 
nel N.  B.  Buford.     The  regiment  was  sent 
to  Cairo,  Illinois,  in  September  of  the  same 
year  and  was  assigned  to  General  John  A. 
McClernand"s  Brigade,  which  was  composed 
of     the     Twenty-seventh,     Twenty-eighth, 
Twenty-ninth,     Thirtieth     and    Thirty-first 
of   the   Illinois   regiments.     With   his   com- 
mand Ca])tain  Lytle  participated  in  a  num- 
ber   of    engagements    and    skirmishes.      He 
was  present  at  the  battle  of  Belmont,  Mis- 
souri, on  the  7th   of  November,   1861,  and 
the    regiment    being    detached    from     Mc- 
Clcrnand's  Brigade  and  assigned  to  the  gun- 
l)oat    llotilla,    participated    in    the    siege    of 
Island  No.    10.     He  took  part  in  the  siege 


328 


PA^r  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COLXTV, 


of  Corinth  in  June,  1862,  was  at  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  from  September  11  to  Novem- 
ber 23,  and  during  this  time  participated  in 
the  battle  of  La  \'ergne,  followed  by  the 
battle  of  Stone  River.  On  the  19th  and  20th 
of  September,  1863,  he  was  in  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga  and  in  the  battle  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge  on  the  25th  of  November,  1863, 
at  which  place  he  was  wounded  in  the  right 
leg  and  right  arm.  In  consequence  he  was 
sent  to  the  hospital.  When  he  had  par- 
tially recovered  his  wounds  he  rejoined  his 
regiment  at  Loudon,  Tennessee,  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Rockyface  Ridge. 
Resaca,  Burnt  Hickory  and  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain. In  the  last  engagement,  June  27,  1864, 
he  lost  his  left  arm.  On  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  he  was  honorably  discharged 
and,  being  mustered  out  of  service,  returned 
to  Pennsylvania. 

Captain  Lytle  spent  the  winter  of  1864-5 
in  the  Kej'-stone  state  and  in  the  later  year 
went  to-  Nashville,  Tennessee,  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  American  Bridge  Company,  re- 
maining in  the  south  until  the  company 
closed  up  their  business  there.  He  then 
returned  to  the  north  and  since  1866  has 
been  a  resident  of  Decatur.  He  was  first 
employed  as  a  bookkeeper  by  William  Lint- 
ner  &  Company,  of  this  city,  remaining  with 
that  house  for  six  and  a  half  years.  In  1872 
he  organized  the  Decatur  Cofifin  Company 
in  partnership  with  Thomas  T.  Roberts,  the 
business  being  carried  on  under  the  firm 
style  of  Roberts  &  Lytle.  Thus  he  contin- 
t:ed  in  the  manufacture  of  coffins  and  cas- 
kets until  1875,  when  he  sold  his  interest, 
for  in  that  year  he  was  appointed  postmas- 
ter of  Decatur,  in  which  capacity  he  served 
for  twelve  years  under  various  administra- 
tions. On  the  expiration  of  his  term  in 
1887  he  again  entered  commercial  circles 
as  a  member  of  the  Lytle  &  Eckles  Hard- 
ware Company  and  for  five  years  was  asso- 
ciated with  that  business.  In  1893,  how- 
ever, the  firm  disposed  of  its  interests  and 


soon  afterward  Captain  Lytle  was  appointed 
assistant  postmaster  under  William  F.  Cal- 
houn. His  previous  connectiDn  with  the 
office  and  his  thorough  understanding  of 
the  business  make  him  a  most  capable  as- 
sistant and  one  who  merits  the  highest  con- 
fidence and  regard  of  those  with  whom  he 
is  associated  in  an  official  capacity. 

On  the  I2th  of  January,  1864,  Mr.  Lytle 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Smith  of  Waterford,  Pennsylvania,  a 
daughter  of  George  and  Mary  Smith.  Four 
children  were  born  of  this  union :  Harry 
^^'ells,  who  is  now  in  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri: Frank  A.,  of  Decatur;  Robert  B., 
who  died  in  1891  ;  and  Edith  May,  the  wife 
of  Craig  Smith,  a  resident  of  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania.  Both  the  Captain  and  ]\Irs. 
Lytle  are  well  known  in  Decatur  and  the 
circle  of  their  friends  is  almost  co-extensive 
with  the  circle  of  their  accpiaintances.  They 
reside  at  No.  521  West  Williams  street  and 
they  are  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
church,  with  which  the  Captain  has  been 
identified  for  more  than  thirty  years.  He 
takes  a  most  active  and  helpful  interest  in 
everything  pertaining  to  the  progress  and 
improvement  of  the  church.  In  his  political 
views  he  is  a  stalwart  Republican  and  has 
labored  earnestly  for  the  success  of  the  prin- 
ciples which  he  believes  will  best  promote 
county,  state  and  national  welfare.  He  was 
for  ten  years  chairman  of  the  Macon 
County  Republican  Central  Committee.  For 
three  years  he  was  township  and  city  col- 
lector and  in  these  various  positions  has 
manifested  the  same  loyalty  to  duty  that  he 
displays  in  the  postoffice.  He  is  a  man  of 
broad  capabilities,  is  ever  courteous  and  at 
all  times  is  a  gentleman  in  the  truest  and 
best  sense  of  the  term.  He  cares  not  for 
display  nor  is  there  about  him  the  least 
shadow  of  mock  modesty.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man of  fine  traits  and  thorough  culture,  oc- 
cupying a  leading  place  in  the  regard  of  his 
friends  as  well  as  in  official  circles  in  De- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


32t) 


catur.  He  takes  an  actixc  interest  in  the 
Grand  Army  and  its  work  and  is  past  com- 
mander of  the  post  at  Decatur,  which  was 
the  first  ever  organized,  this  being  the  birth- 
place of  the  order  known  as  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic.  lie  was  made  senior  vice 
commander  of  the  department  of  Illinois  in 
1888  and  has  frequently  been  a  delegate  to 
various  national  encampments. 


DA\ID  PATTERSON. 
In  reviewing  this  history  of  David  Patter- 
son one  is  reminded  of  the  words  of  a  great 
New  York  financier,  who  said:  "If  you  are 
not  a  success,  don't  blame  the  times  you 
live  in,  don't  blame  the  place  you  occupy, 
don't  blame  the  circumstances  you  are  sur- 
rounded with — lay  the  blame  where  it  be- 
longs— to  yourself.  Not  in  time,  jjlace  nor 
circumstance,  but  in  the  man,  lies  success. 
If  you  want  success  you  must  pay  the  price." 
Realizing  the  truth  of  this,  Mr.  Patterson 
has  paid  the  price  of  concentrated  effort, 
indefatigable  energy,  of  perseverance  and 
well  applied  business  principles  and  has 
won  the  victorj'  which  he  determined  to 
gain  when  he  started  out  upon  an  independ- 
ent business  career.  He  is  to-day  an  ex- 
tensive landowner  of  Macon  coimty  and  one 
of  the  representative  citizens  of  Decatur. 

A  native  of  Scotland,  Mr.  Patterson  was 
born  in  Dumfrieshirc,  in  April,  1835,  a  son 
of  George  Patterson,  who  died  when  the 
subject  of  this  review  was  but  six  years 
of  age.  Two  years  later  the  mother  also 
passed  away  and  thus  David  was  left  an 
orphan  when  a  little  lad  of  eight  summers. 
He  went  to  live  with  an  aunt,  with  whom  he 
made  his  home  for  three  years  and  during 
one  year  of  that  time  he  earned  a  small 
sum  of  money  by  herding  cattle.  When  a 
*  youth  of  eleven  years  he  began  work  as  a 
farm  hand  and  during  the  summer  months 
was    given    some    money    for    his    services. 


while  HI  the  winter  months  he  worked  for 
his  l)oard  and  the  privilege  of  attending 
school.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  his  youth 
was  a  period  of  toil.  He  had  few  of  the  ad- 
\antages  which  most  boys  enjoy,  the  cares 
and  responsibilities  of  life  coming  to  him 
very  early.  After  working  as  a  farm  hand 
for  a  time  he  secured  a  position  as  a  sheep- 
herder  in  the  mountains  and  was  thus  em- 
ployed until  he  was  about  fifteen  years  of 
age,  when  he  determined  to  prepare  for  a 
trade  and  served  an  ajiprenticeship  to  a  car- 
penter in  Dumfricshire,  the  man  by  whom 
he  had  previously  been  employed  going  as 
security  on  the  apprenticeship  bond.  This 
was  certainly  indicative  of  his  former  faith- 
fulness and  fidelit}-  to  the  earlier  employer. 
During  his  apprenticeshi])  he  also  attended 
school  for  three  months  during  the  year 
and  thus  his  education  was  completed,  save 
that  in  the  school  of  experience  he  has 
learned  many  valuable  lessons.  He  attend- 
ed school  altogether  for  perhaps  a  year,  but 
life's  practical  duties  have  brouglit  him 
knowledge  that  has  proven  of  marked  ben- 
efit in  the  active  affairs  of  life.  After  com- 
pleting a  four  years'  apprenticeship,  during 
which  time  he  had  become  master  of  car- 
l)entering.  he  was  employed  as  a  journey- 
man for  a  year,  but  business  opportunities 
were  not  very  great  in  his  native  land  and 
he  resolved  that  he  would  come  to  Amer- 
ica, where  he  hoped  to  have  better  advant- 
ages for  advancement. 

Having  no  money,  Mr.  Patterson  bor- 
rowed a  sum  sufficient  to  pay  his  passage 
across  the  ocean.  He  made  the  journey  in 
a  sailing  vessel  and  seven  weeks  and  three 
days  had  passed  ere  the  voyage  was  com- 
pleted and  anchor  was  dropped  in  the  Amer- 
ican harbor.  Mr.  Patterson  was  then  about 
twenty  years  of  age — a  young  luan  resolute, 
determined  and  enterprising.  Coming  at 
once  to  Illinois,  he  located  first  in  Sanga- 
mon county,  where  he  had  relatives  living 
and   soon   afterward   secured   a    position   at 


330 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AIACON  COUNTY. 


tin-  carpenter's  trade  in  Atlanta,  Logan 
county,  where  he  worked  for  two  weeks. 
He  then  went  to  Buffalo  Hart  Grove,  in 
Sangamon  count)-,  and  afterward  spent 
some  time  in  Missouri,  residing  in  Benton 
and  in  St.  Clair  counties  of  that  state  for 
six  years.  He  prospered  in  his  work  there 
and,  making  judicious  investments  of  his 
money,  became  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  of 
three  hundred  and  ten  acres  in  St.  Clair 
county.  He  not  only  was  interested  in 
general  farming  but  also  became  quite  well 
known  as  a  stock-dealer.  In  partnership 
with  a  cousin  he  purchased  four  hundred 
head  of  cattle  in  Missouri  with  the  intention 
of  bringing  them  to  Illinois,  where  he  hoped 
to  dispose  of  them  at  an  advanced  price, 
but  the  speculation  proved  unfortunate. 
This  was  the  year  of  the  great  frost  in  Au- 
gust, 1863,  and  he  thus  lost  all  that  he  had 
previously  saved.  He  did  not  allow  his 
losses,  however,  to  aft'ect  his  courage  or  his 
ambition,  and  on  returning  to  Illinois  he 
worked  at  his  trade  in  Mount  Pulaski,  Lo- 
gan county.  Later  he  returned  to  Missouri 
and  for  a  year  and  a  half  followed  carpenter- 
ing in  Sedalia. 

At  the  end  of  that  time  he  sold  his  farm 
property  in  St.  Clair  county  and  again  came 
to  Illinois.  For  some  time  thereafter  his 
energies  were  devoted  to  the  dual  occupa- 
tion of  carpentering  and  farming,  for  while 
working  at  building  operations  he  also  man- 
aged a  farm  which  he  had  rented  in  Logan 
county.  Thus  he  again  managed  to  gain 
a  start  in  the  world  and  when  he  had  won 
a  sufficit-frt  sum  of  money  he  purchased 
fifty-six  acres  of  land  on  section  18,  Austin 
township,  whereon  he  resided  until  his  re- 
moval to  Decatur.  He  then  put  aside 
carpenter  work  in  order  to  devote  his  en- 
tire attention  to  the  farm  and  gradually  he 
has  advanced  until  he  is  to-day  one  of  the 
most  j)rosperous  and  extensive  landowners 
of  the  county.  From  time  to  time  he  has 
added   to  his   property   until   he   now   owns 


fourteen  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Macon 
county.  He  erected  one  of  the  best  farm 
residences  of  his  township,  his  home  being 
a  commodious  one  and  in  the  rear  stand 
good  barns  and  all  the  necessary  outbuild- 
ings for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock. 
He  carried  on  farm  work  along  progressive 
lines  and  throughout  his  connection  with 
that  department  of  business  was  classed 
with  the  most  enterprising  agriculturists 
of  the  community.  In  1887  he  left  his  farm 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city  of  De- 
catur, where  he  is  now  engaged  in  real 
estate  operations.  Here  he  has  built  four 
residences  at  an  average  cost  of  five  thous- 
and dollars,  and  he  also  owns  a  business 
lot  at  the  corner  of  Church  and  Williams 
street,  another  at  the  corner  of  Cerro  Gordo 
and  Church  streets,  a  house  on  North  Ed- 
wards street  and  forty-three  acres  of  land 
near  the  Pugh  street  school,  all  of  which 
property  he  has  acquired  since  coming  to 
Decatur. 

In  1868  Mr.  Patterson  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Wright,  a 
native  of  Scotland,  and  unto  them  have 
been  born  three  children,  one  of  whom  is 
now  deceased.  John  T.,  who  is  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits  and  resides  in  Decatur, 
married  Emma  Christensen  and  has  three 
children,  one  son  and  two  daughters; 
David,  who  is  also  a  farmer  living  in  De- 
catur, married  Laura  Christensen,  a  sister 
of  his  brother's  wife,  and  they  have  three 
children;  Joseph  died  at  the  age  of  four 
years.  The  mother  of  these  children 
passed  away  in  September,  1875,  and  in 
October,  1876,  Mr.  Patterson  was  joined 
in  wedlock  to  i\Irs.  Fannie  (Smith)  Parks, 
a  native  of  Effingham  county,  Illinois. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Patterson 
has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but  has  never 
been  an  active  politician.  He  has,  however, 
served  for  a  number  of  terms  as  a  school  * 
director,  for  six  years  was  township  trustee 
and  for  two  years  represented  his  town  on 


;/,  jf,  ym^y^n^...^ 


PAST  AND  rRF.SENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


333 


the  board  of  supervisors.  His  attention, 
however,  has  chiefly  been  given  to  his  busi- 
ness affairs  and  along  lines  of  well  directed 
effort  he  has  achieved  success  that  enables 
him  to  be  numbered  among  the  capitalists 
of  his  adopted  county.  Obstacles  and  diffi- 
culties have  impeded  his  progress  and  yet 
he  has  surmounted  these  and  gone  steadily 
onward  to  the  goal  of  prosperity.  His 
career  is  that  of  an  upright  and  conscien- 
tious business  man  who  well  merits  the 
prosperity  that  has  come  to  him. 


FRANK  H.  WHITMER. 

Frank  H.  \Miitmer  is  one  of  the  younger 
re])resentatives  of  business  interests  in  De- 
catur, yet  is  one  of  the  most  progressive 
and  prominent.  Could  the  citizens  of  a  half 
century  ago  have  been  told  that  there  would 
in  the  course  of  a  few  years  be  instituted 
a  central  system  of  heating  for  a  locality, 
whereby  heating  plants  in  private  homes 
could  be  dispensed  with,  the  tale  would 
have  been  received  as  the  idea  of  a  dreamer, 
and  yet  this  has  come  to  pass  and  to-day 
there  is  scarcely  a  city  of  any  size  in  the 
United  States  that  does  not  possess  such  a 
system.  Frank  H.  Whitmer  is  now  the 
general  manager  of  the  Whitmer  Steam 
Heating  &  Power  Plant  of  Decatur,  which 
industry  is  classed  among  the  most  import- 
ant and  extensive  here. 

One  of  the  native  sons  of  the  city,  Mr. 
Whitmer  was  born  February  6,  1875,  and  is 
a  son  of  Henry  M.  and  Anna  (App)  Whit- 
mer. The  father  was  born  in  Pennsylvania 
near  Harri.sburg  and  was  a  mechanic  of 
natural  ability  in  that  direction.  In  his 
younger  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  sash  and  door  frames.  In  the 
j-ear  1859  he  came  to  Decatur,  finding  here 
a  small  city  with  few  industrial  interests, 
yet  giving  promise  of  future  development. 
Mr.  Whitmer  engaged  in  brick  contracting 


and  met  with  success  in  his  undertakings 
in  the  west.  He  was  the  only  one  of  the 
famil}-,  however,  to  come  to  Illinois.  In 
1892,  seeing  an  opening  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  new  business,  he  established  the 
Whitmer  Steam  Heating  &  Power  I'lant 
of  Decatur  and  continued  his  connection 
therewith  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
November  3,  1899,  when  he  was  sixty-four 
years  of  age.  He  was  a  man  of  splendid 
business  ability  and  of  keen  discernment 
and  his  efforts  proved  valuable  in  the  ex- 
pansion of  the  city  and  its  material  growth. 
His  widow  still  survives  him  and  is  living 
in  this  city.  They  were  the  parents  of  the 
following  named :  Edward,  who  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Jacksonville,  Illinois;  Alberta  B., 
who  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Byrne,  of  Chi- 
cago ;  Howard,  deceased ;  Cora,  the  wife  of 
Anluir  L.  McNabb,  of  Decatur;  and  Frank 
H.,  of  this  review. 

The  last  named  acquired  his  education  in 
the  ])ublic  schools  of  Decatur  and  spent  his 
youth  in  the  usual  manner  of  the  boys  of 
the  period,  enjoying  the  pleasures  of  the 
playground,  which  were  alternated  with 
school  and  other  duties.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen  years,  however,  he  entered  upon 
his  business  career  in  connection  with  the 
operation  of  the  heating  plant.  The  Whit- 
mer Steam  Heating  &  Power  Plant  has 
fifteen  thousand  feet  of  mains  and  fifty 
thousand  feet  of. radiation  and  covers  seven 
blocks  of  Decatur.  Seven  boilers  are  used 
with  a  total  capacity  of  seven  hundred  and 
forty  horse  power.  Two  teams  are  con- 
stantly employed  in  hauling  coal,  the  plant 
using  thirty  tons  of  coal  per  day.  Ordi- 
narily only  five  boilers  of  the  seven  are  in 
operation.  These  are  Babcock  &  Wilcox 
water  tube  boilers  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
horse  power  capacity  each,  and  there  are 
two  Oakes  fire  tube  boilers  of  one  hundred 
horse  power  each  and  three  of  eighty  horse 
power  each.  There  is  an  average  pressure 
carried   of   from   one   hundred   to   one   hun- 


334 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


dred  and  liftcen  pounds.  The  plant  was 
established,  as  before  stated,  in  1892  by 
Henry  M.  Whitnier,  and  the  son  Frank  H. 
Whitmer  early  became  interested  in  its 
workings.  The  business  grew  rapidly  and 
in  1894  two  large  boilers  were  added,  one 
of  which  is  kept  in  reserve.  Two  pumps 
arc  kept  busy,  supplying  water  which  is 
forced  into  two  large  tanks  and  from  there 
is  conveyed  to  the  boilers,  while  two  are 
kept  in  reserve.  A  double  system  is  used, 
so  that  if  one  part  of  the  plant  is  disabled 
from  any  cause  the  other  can  be  immedi- 
ately put  in  operation.  There  are  four  reg- 
ular firemen  and  one  extra  fireman  em- 
ploj^ed  and  its  extensive  business  in  its  vari- 
ous departments  is  under  the  management 
of  Frank  H.  Whitmer.  The  plant  is  now 
one  of  the  most  important  enterprises  in 
Decatur.  In  1899  Mr.  Whitmer  also  be- 
came interested  as  a  third  owner  in  the 
laundry  at  147  South  Water  street,  Decatur. 
For  a  time  the  owners  were  J.  H.  Rainey, 
E.  C.  Stein  and  F.  H.  Whitmer.  During 
the  first  year,  however,  Mr.  Whitmer  pur- 
chased Mr.  Rainey's  interest  and  the  busi- 
ness has  since  been  carried  on  under  the 
name  of  the  Decatur  Model  Laundry  Com- 
pany. All  the  latest  machinery  necessary 
to  enlarge  and  modernize  the  plant  was 
purchased  so  that  it  is  now  as  complete  in 
its  equipments  as  any  establishment  found 
in  any  city  of  the  Mississippi  valley. 

In  1896  Mr.  Whitmer  was  happily  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Lula  Mallory,  a  daughter  of 
Rollin  V.  Mallory,  of  Decatur.  They  oc- 
cupy an  enviable  position  in  social  circles, 
where  the  hospitality  of  many  of  the  best 
homes  in  this  cit}'  is  graciously  and  freely 
accorded  them.  Mr.  W'liitmer  became  a 
member  of  Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge,  No. 
189,  K.  P.,  in  1896,  and  he  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Iroquois  Club  and  of  the  lodge  of 
Stationary'  Engineers.  \\'hat  he  has  already 
accomplished  in  the  business  world  is  an  in- 
dication of  his  abilitv  and  argues  well  for  a 


successful  future.  He  stands  as  a  well 
known  representative  of  industrial  circles 
here  and  one  whose  faith  in  Decatur  is  in- 
dicated by  his  active  co-operation  in  public 
measures  for  the  general  good. 


ROBERT  TAGGART. 

Mr.  Taggart  became  a  resident  of  De- 
catur in  1890,  but  was  connected  with  a 
business  where  acquaintances  are  extensive- 
ly and  rapidly  formed  and  thus  he  became 
widely  known,  enjoying  in  large  measure 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  those  with 
whom  he  was  associated  so  that  his  death 
was  deeply  deplored  by  many  friends.  Dur- 
ing his  residence  in  Decatur  he  was  pro- 
prietor of  the  Central  Hotel.  A  native 
of  Ireland,  his  birth  occurred  on  the  Emer- 
ald Isle,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1857,  his 
parents,  being  Thomas  and  Martha  (Kings- 
bury) Taggart,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Ireland,  whence  they  came  to  America 
about  1859,  bringing  with  them  their  fam- 
ilv.  They  settled  in  Xenia,  Ohio,  where  the 
father  secured  a  position  as  baggage  master 
on  the  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad, 
serving  in  that  capacity  continuously  until 
his  death.    His  wife  also  died  in  Xenia. 

Robert  Taggart  attended  school  in  Xenia 
and  he  was  a  self-educated  as  well  as  self- 
made  man.  By  doing  chores  and  little  odd 
jobs  he  saved  up  enough  money  to  educate 
himself  and  thus  prepared  for  the  business 
world.  He  went  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  at- 
tended a  business  college  for  one  term.  Re- 
turning then  to  Xenia  he  there  began  brick- 
making,  but  continued  in  that  work  for 
but  a  short  time.  He  afterward  accepted 
a  position  as  a  clerk  in  a  hotel  in  Xenia 
known  as  the  old  Corey  House  and  thus  re- 
ceived his  first  experience  and  training  in 
the  work  which  was  to  be  the  source  of 
his  income  throughout  the  greater  part  of 
his  life.    He  proved  a  popular  clerk  because 


PAST  A\n  1 'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


335 


of  his  obliging  niannor,  liis  close  fidelity  to 
duty  and  his  devotion  to  the  interests  of 
those  whom  he  served.  For  several  years 
he  continued  as  clerk  in  Xenia  and  then 
removed  to  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  where  he 
still  continued  in  the  hotel  business.  He 
became  manager  of  the  N.  G.  Omer  House 
and  held  that  position  for  twelve  years,  on 
the  expiration  of  which  period  he  came 
to  Decatur.  .Arriving  in  this  city  in  1890 
he  purchased  what  is  known  as  the  Central 
Hotel  and  continued  to  conduct  it  with 
marked  success  until  his  death.  He  made 
it  an  excellent  hostelry  which  won  favor 
with  the  traveling  public  because  of  the  en- 
tertainment furnished  the  guests  by  a  host 
who  did  everything  in  his  power  to  pro- 
mote their  comfort  and  welfare,  wliilc  tlioy 
were  his  guests. 

Mr.  Taggart  was  married  December  19, 
1877,  in  Xenia,  Ohio,  to  Miss  Mary  (Ireen- 
wood,  a  native  of  that  city  and  a  daughter 
of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  ( Layman)  Green- 
wood. Tier  father  was  a  native  of  England, 
but  coming  to  America  resided  in  early 
manhood  in  \'irginia,  where  he  was  overseer 
of  slaves.  He  afterward  removed  to  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
until  his  death,  making  his  home  near  Xenia. 
His  wife  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
she,  too,  died  in  the  Buckeye  state.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taggart  were  born  five  chil- 
dren :  Ralph,  who  is  now  day  clerk  in  the 
St.  Nicholas  Hotel  of  this  city :  Thomas, 
who  is  a  clerk  in  the  chief  engineer's  office 
at  Chicago,  Illinois:  Robert,  who  is  serving 
as  a  clerk  in  a  hotel  at  Frcuchlick,  Indiana; 
Mary,  who  resides  at  home ;  and  Edgar, 
who  is  also  with  his  mother. 

In  his  ])olitical  views  Mr.  Taggart  was  a 
stalwart  Republican,  but  never  turned  aside 
from  business  cares  to  seek  political  prefer- 
ment. He  held  membership  in  the  Masonic 
lodge  at  Terre  Hautc;  Indiana,  and  also  at- 
tained the  Knight  Templar  degree  in  the 
commandery  there.     He  belonged  to  the  In- 


dependent Order  of  C)dd  I'^ellows  of  Xenia 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  For  three  years 
after  his  death  Mrs.  Taggart  conducted  the 
hotel,  showing  excellent  business  abilitj-  and 
marked  powers  as  a  manager.  She  then  pur- 
chased her  present  home  at  No.  443  North 
Morgan  street  in  Decatur,  where  with  her 
children  .she  now  resides.  She  is  quite  prom- 
inent in  the  social  circles  of  this  city  and  has 
many  warm  friends. 

i\Ir.  Taggart  passed  away  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1897,  at  Battle  Creek,  Michigan, 
and  was  buried  in  Greenwood  cemetery, 
Decatur.  He  was  prominent  and  influential 
in  Decatur,  \vhere  he  had  become  widely 
known  and  where  the  sterling  traits  of  his 
character  had  gained  for  him  warm  regard. 
He  was  richly  endowed  in  those  qualities 
of  manhood  that  win  friendship  and  he 
had  the  happy  faculty  of  drawing  closer  to 
him  as  the  years  passed  the  friends  whose 
regard  he  once  gained.  His  geniality  and 
courteous  manner  were  aUiong  the  salient 
features  of  his  career  and  added  to  these 
qualities  was  strong  determination  and  ex- 
cellent management,  which  in  his  business 
life  won  for  him  a  fair  measure  of  success. 


GEORGE  F.  LOWE. 
One  of  the  prominent  and  representative 
citizens  of  Pleasant  \'iew  township  in  the 
gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch.  He  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  in 
Summerfield,  St.  Clair  county,  and  belongs 
to  an  old  and  honored  family  of  this  state. 
His  father  Captain  George  Franklin  Lowe, 
was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1816,  but  was 
only  three  years  old  when  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  ])arents,  and  settled  in  St. 
Clair  county,  where  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject  "purchased  land,  which  later  became 
the  property  of  the  father.  A  part  of  the 
old   homestead   was    afterward    laid   out   to 


336 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


form  the  village  of  Stimnicrficlcl.  Tn  early 
manhood  Captain  Lowe  married  Miss 
Martha  Phillips,  who  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Illinois,  and  was  a  daughter 
of  Colonel  Philliiis,  who  entered  the  army 
as  a  private  during  the  Mexican  war  and 
rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  was  a  prom- 
inent and  c.\tensi\-e  farmer  of  Washington 
count\%  where  he  owned  about  a  section  of 
land.  When  the  country  became  involvecjl 
in  civil  war  the  father  of  our  subject  was 
commissioned  captain  of  a  company  or- 
ganized in  St.  Clair  county  and  assigned  to 
the  One  Hundred  and  Fifteenth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry.  After  the  war  he 
continued  to  make  his  home  in  that  county 
until  1881,  when  he  came  to  Macon  county 
and  purchased  a  farm  of  ninety-two  and  a 
half  acres  near  the  village  of  Macon,  but 
after  the  death  of  his  wife,  which  occurred 
in  1885,  he  sold  the  place  to  his  sons,  Al- 
bert and  George,  and  now  makes  his  home 
in  Kewanee.  Illinois,  where  he  owns  prop- 
erty. 

George  F.  Lowe  is  the  eighth  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  the  others 
being  as  follows:  J.  H.,  a  physician,  died 
in  Kewanee,  leaving  a  family ;  Emma  is  at 
home  with  her  father ;  Ellen  married  Dr. 
David  Alvis  and  lives  in  Kewanee;  Lucy 
is  the  wife  of  B.  H.  Ober,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  steam  heaters  in 
Duluth,  Minnesota;  A.  G.  married  Hattie 
Cameron  and  resides  in  Chicago,  although 
he  is  now  in  Texas;  Albert  married  Ruth 
Spencer  and  follows  farming  in  Shelby 
county,  Missouri ;  Addie  is  the  wife  of  John 
W.  Seibert,  who  owns  and  operates  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  near  Eldo- 
rado, Kansas;  F.  O.  married  Lena  Jacobs 
and  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine 
in  Kewanee,  Illinois ;  and  C.  E.  married 
Sarah  Hill  and  makes  his  home  in  Winfield, 
Kansas,  where  he  has  been  a  teacher  in  the 
Winfield  .'\cadcmy,  a  Methodist  institution, 


and  also  had  charge  of  the  accounts  of  the 
school. 

The  primary  education  of  our  subject  was 
obtained  in  the  schools  of  Summerfield  and 
he  later  attended  McKendree  College,  which 
was  then  in  charge  of  his  uncle  D.  W.  Phil- 
lips, as  president.  That  gentleman  was  also 
presiding  elder  in  the  Alton  district  for  a 
time  and  was  a  prominent  clergyman  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  died  in 
Chicago,  having  superannuated  relations 
with  the  church  at  that  time.  It  was  the 
intention  of  Mr.  Lowe  to  fit  himself  for  the 
medical  profession,  and  for  some  time  he 
studied  under  the  direction  of  his  brother, 
Dr.  J.  H.  Lowe,  of  Kewanee,  his  brother 
Frank  O.  being  a  student  there  at  the  same 
time.  The  latter  completed  his  course  and 
is  now  practicing  at  Kewanee,  but  our  sub- 
ject was  obliged  to  give  up  his  studies 
on  account  of  ill  health  and  in  1884 
commenced  farming  in  Alacon  '  county. 
As  previously  stated  he  and  his  brother, 
Albert,  now  of  Missouri,  bought  the  father's 
farm  in  this  county,  which  with  their  other 
property  here  made  them  owners  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy-two  and  a  half  acres. 
Our  subject  finally  sold  out  and  on  the  ist 
of  January,  iSqy,  went  to  Texas,  locating 
in  Brazoria  county  between  Houston  and 
Galveston,  where  he  engaged  in  the  fruit 
and  real  estate  business  for  nearly  two 
years.  He  next  made  his  home  in  the  Iron 
mountain  district  of  Missouri,  for  a  time, 
and  then  returned  to  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois. After  residing  for  a  short  time  in 
Blue  Mound  he  purchased  his  present  farm 
of  eighty  acres  on  section  35,  Pleasant 
View  township,  which  is  now  worth  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre. 
It  is  now  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  improved  in  a  worthy  manner. 

On  the  24th  of  March,  1887,  Mr.  Lowe 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Efifie  L. 
Reedy,  who  was  born  in  Ross  county, 
Ohio,  April   14,   1868,  a  daughter  of  Amos 


-l/K. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


339 


and  Rose  (Bookwalter)  Reedy,  in  whose 
family  are  four  children :  Elmer  E.,  who 
lives  with  his  parents  near  Macon;  Susie, 
now  the  widow  of  James  E.  House  and  a 
resident  of  Blue  Mound;  Effie  L.,  wife  of 
our  subject ;  and  IVIayme,  wife  of  E.  J. 
Divan,  a  real  estate  dealer  of  Decatur.  Un- 
to Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lowe  have  been  born  three 
children;  Bessie  E.,  born  October  27,  i88g; 
George  Mervil,  born  September  25,  1892; 
and  Wayne  Reedy,  born  January  4,  1895. 

As  a  Republican  .Mr.  Lowe  takes  quite 
an  active  and  influential  part  in  local  poli- 
tics and  has  been  a  delegate  to  the  county 
conventions  of  his  part)'.  He  is  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  at  Blue  Mound,  is  now  serving  as 
trustee.  He  is  widely  and  favorably  known 
ill  tlic  couniy  of  his  adoption  and  by  the 
possession  of  those  qualities,  which  in 
every  land  and  clime  command  respect,  he 
has  won  manv  friends. 


JOPLX  H.  CUL\'ER. 
The  term  "'captains  of  industry''  is  a  fa- 
miliar one  in  the  parlance  of  the  day  and 
has  arisen  from  the  conditions  existing  at 
the  present  age  of  the  world's  history  when 
business  activity  has  replaced  the  records 
of  wars  and  conquests.  The  men  who 
awaken  public  attention  and  regard  are  they 
who  are  controlling  the  large  commercial 
and  industrial  interests  of  the  country.  Each 
city  has  its  representative  men  who  have 
worthilj'  won  this  title  through  their  man- 
agement of  extensive  business  concerns. 
The  praise  and  compliment  it  implies  is 
due  John  H.  Culver,  of  Decatur,  whose  asso- 
ciation with  important  industries  has  caused 
him  to  be  classed  among  the  leading  resi- 
dents of  this  city  and  made  him  a  man  of 
wealth,  notwithstanding  that  in  his  career 
there  have  been  days  of  trial  and  discour- 
agement when  disaster  threatened  and  de- 


feat seemed  imminent.  His  capability,  per- 
severance and  honorable  dealing  have  tri- 
umphed over  adversity  and  now  he  stands 
as  one  of  the  foremost  representatives  of 
business  life  not  only  in  Decatur  but  in 
Illinois  as  well. 

A  native  of  Christian  county,  this  state, 
John  H.  Culver  was  born  on  the  26th  of 
Dcccmloer,  1858.  a  son  of  Edward  and  Eliza- 
beth (Scott)  Culver.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  also  engaged  in 
stock-raising.  He  became  well  known  as 
a  landowner  in  Xelnaska  but  made  his 
home  in  ^Macon  county  until  1883,  when  he 
removed  to  the  west.  He  passed  away  in 
Blue  Mound,  Illinois,  in  1891,  at  the  age  of 
sixt3--two  years,  and  his  wife  died  in   1884. 

John  H.  Culver  was  only  five  years  of  age 
when  brought  l)y  his  parents  to  Macon 
county.  Here  under  the  parental  roof  he  was 
reared  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  supple- 
mented his  early  educational  privileges  by 
study  in  the  normal  school  at  Taylorville. 
When  he  had  completed  a  thorough  busi- 
ness course  he  accepted  a  position  in  the 
office  of  his  brother,  J.  S.  Culver,  of  Tay- 
lorville, who  was  owner  of  an  extensive 
monument  establishment  there  and  at  sev- 
eral other  points.  John  H.  Culver  soon 
mastered  the  business  and  became  super- 
intendent of  the  plants.  On  attaining  his 
majority,  however,  he  returned  to  Macon 
county  and  through  the  succeeding  three 
years  was  engaged  in  teaching  school  with 
good  success.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  rejoined  his  brother,  who  in  the 
meantime  had  established  headquarters  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  and  there  he  devoted 
his  entire  attention  to  the  mastery  of  all  the 
details  of  monumental  work  save  the  strictly 
mechanical  jiart  of  the  business.  At  nine 
dift'erent  points  in  Illinois  his  brother  had 
established  monumental  works  and  was  in 
control  of  a  mammoth  enterprise  in  that 
line.  John  H.  Culver  eventually  became  a 
partner  in  the  enterprise  and  soon  afterward 


3i0 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


llicy  closed  all  the  branch  }-ards  and  greatly 
increased  the  capacit}'  of  the  central  estab- 
lishment. The)'  concentrated  their  work 
and  business  there,  their  patronage  being 
very  extensive  and  their  work  returning  to 
them  a  splendid  income.  Their  partnership 
continued  for  four  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  John  H.  Culver  sold  out  and  came  to 
Decatur,  arriving  in  1889. 

In  the  meantime  the  business  of  the  firm 
met  with  disaster,  not  through  any  lack  of 
capable  management  but  because  they  dis- 
charged a  debt  or  obligation  of  honor,  which 
left  them  financially  crippled.  They  had 
endorsed  for  the  contractor  on  government 
work  at  Fort  Rilej-,  Kansas,  and  as  he  failed 
to  carry  out  his  contract,  it  was  finished  by 
the  Culver  Brothers,  but  this  left  them  in 
very  straitened  financial  circumstances. 
When  John  H.  Culver  arrived  in  Decatur 
he  had  but  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  dol- 
lars, and  within  the  fourteen  3'ears  which 
have  since  elapsed  he  has  become  one  of 
the  wealthy  men  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
During  the  two  years  following  his  removal 
to  Decatur  he  was  upon  the  road  as  a  trav- 
eling salesman  for  his  monument  house  and 
his  business  reached  a  phenomenal  figure. 
He  worked  night  and  day  to  retrieve  his  lost 
fortunes  and  his  efTorts  were  ceaseless  until 
he  had  passed  the  financial  goal  which  he 
had  previously  reached.  In  1891  he  opened 
a  small  establishment  for  the  handling  of 
electrical  supplies.  Not  long  after  this  R. 
F.  Piatt  obtained  a  franchise  from  the  city 
for  commercial  lighting,  but  failing  in  the 
conduct  of  his  business  Mr.  Culver  and  his 
partners  fell  heir,  in  a  way,  to  his  franchise 
and  shortly  after  securing  another  franchise 
they  incorporated  the  Municipal  Electric 
Company  of  Decatur,  with  a  capital  stock 
of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  and  Mr.  Cul- 
ver as  the  president.  Thus  he  entered  upon 
a  new  field  of  labor,  which  he  has  expanded 
and  developed  until  the  scope  of  his  efforts 
is  most   far-reaching,  the  work  proving  of 


benefit  to  many  cities  as  well  as  a  source  of 
great  remuneration  to  himself.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  new  company  was  successfully 
managed  for  a  few  years  but  in  1895  failing 
health  compelled  Mr.  Culver  to  seek  a 
change  of  climate  and  he  went  to  Florida. 
Upon  his  return  a  few  months  later  he 
found  the  concern  in  the  hands  of  a  re- 
ceiver, but  with  his  customary  energy  he 
took  hold  of  the  business  and  within  ten 
months  the  receiver  was  discharged  and  the 
enterprise  once  more  on  a  paying  basis. 
The  capable  control  and  business  foresight 
of  Mr.  Culver  were  manifest  in  the  con- 
stantly increasing  success  attendant  upon 
this  enterprise  and  in  1898  the  plant  was 
sold  by  him  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
has  been  engaged  in  the  building  and  con- 
trol of  various  light,  water  and  heating 
plants  all  over  the  state  of  Illinois  and  yet 
retains  the  ownership  of  some  of  these,  in- 
cluding the  Tuscola  Light  &  Heating  Plant 
and  an  interest  in  the  Assumption  Light  & 
Heating  Company.  He  was  also  at  one 
time  the  owner  of  a  similar  plant  at  Mo- 
weaqua,  Illinois.  In  addition  to  his  own 
plants  ;Mr.  Culver  has  built  many  plants 
for  others  throughout  the  state,  including 
the  Capitol  lighting  plant  for  the  state  of 
Illinois  at  Springfield. 

He  who  reads  between  the  lines  will 
learn  of  the  wonderful  managerial  ability, 
marked  foresight,  undaunted  energy  and 
above  all  the  indefatigable  industry  of  John 
H.  Culver,  who  within  the  comparatively 
short  space  of  fourteen  years  has  built  up 
a  fortune  which  would  be  regarded  by  many 
as  a  splendid  achievement  of  an  entire  life- 
time. He  has  made  judicious  investments 
of  his  increasing  capital  in  real  estate  and 
now  has  large  property  interests,  including 
four  thousand  acres  of  land  in  ^linnesota, 
several  hundred  acres  in  the  corn  belt  of 
Illinois  and  also  property  in  Missouri  and 
Nebraska.     He  owns  the  Piatt,  ^lueller  & 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  CUUNTV. 


341 


W'heeland  block,  iho  posioftice  block,  the 
Culver  building  and  other  valuable  proper- 
lies  in  Decatur,  and  through  his  inxestments 
in  this  direction  has  done  much  for  the  ma- 
terial improvement  of  the  city. 

On  the  iilh  of  March,  1880,  in  Macon 
count}-,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  John 
H.  Culver  and  Miss  Florence  Flight,  a 
daughter  of  R.  W.  Ilight,  of  Macon  town- 
ship, and  unto  them  have  been  born  two 
children,  Elizabeth  and  Ruth,  both  attend- 
ing school  in  this  city.  Mrs.  Culver  has 
indeed  been  a  faithful  companion  and  help- 
mate to  her  husband,  encouraging  him  in 
the  dark  days  of  his  adversity  and  even  as- 
sisting him  in  his  efforts  to  regain  a  foot- 
ing in  the  business  world  by  acting  as  his 
bookkeeper  for  two  years  after  he  again 
started  in  business  in  this  city.  She  now 
presides  with  gracious  and  charming  hospi- 
tality over  their  beautiful  home  at  No.  412 
Prairie  avenue,  one  of  the  finest  residences 
of  the  city,  and  containing  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  complete  libraries  of  the  city. 
This  home  is  supplied  with  all  that  wealth 
can  secure  and  refined  taste  suggest  and  is 
a  fitting  monument  to  the  life  and  labors  of 
its  owner.  Both  Mr.  and  Airs.  Culver  are 
members  of  the  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 

Mr.  Culver  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  su])port  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Republican  party  and  keeps  well  in- 
formed on  the  issues  of  the  day  and  the 
great  questions  efTecting  the  nation's  wel- 
fare at  home  and  in  its  relations  with  for- 
eign powers.  He  is  the  secretary  of  the 
chamber  of  commerce  of  Decatur  and  is  un- 
tiring in  his  efforts  to  further  the  material 
welfare  of  the  city.  Fraternally  he  is  con- 
nected with  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312,  F.  &  A. 
M.,  of  which  he  is  a  past  master;  Macon 
Chapter,  No.  21,  R.  A.  M. ;  Decatur  Council, 
R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  Beaumanoir  Commandery, 
No.  9,  K.  T. ;  and  he  takes  a  deep  interest 
in  the  workings  of  the  craft.     He  is  also  a 


member  of  Mahommed  Temple  of  the  Mys- 
tic Shrine  at  I'eoria.  He  likewise  belongs  to 
the  r.encvoleiu  &  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
of  which  he  is  a  charter  member,  and  so- 
cially he  is  connected  with  the  Decatur  and 
Counlry  Clubs.  In  llie  fraternal  organiza- 
tions he  is  classed  as  a  most  valued  member 
because  of  his  absolute  fidelity  to  the  prin- 
ciples which  form  the  elements  of  friend- 
ship. In  a  review  of  his  business  career  it 
is  easily  seen  that  his  success,  although  it 
seems  almost  phenomenal,  cannot  be  at- 
tributed to  any  fortunate  combination  of  cir- 
cumstances. On  the  contrary  he  has  never 
let  pass  an  opportunity  to  better  his  condi- 
tion by  hard  work,  and  there  have  been 
times  in  his  business  career  when  he  worked 
almost  night  and  day.  He  has  ever  been 
conspicuous  among  his  associates  not  only 
for  his  success  but  for  his  probity,  fairness 
antl  honorable  methods.  His  identification 
with  industrial  interests  in  Decatur  covers 
fourteen  years  and  his  labors  have  extended 
far  beyond  the  bounds  of  this  cit}'.  During 
this  entire  time  he  has  so  conducted  his 
affairs  as  to  merit  the  confidence  and  es- 
teem of  the  entire  community  and  no  word 
of  censure  has  ever  been  uttered  against  his 
actions.  To  him  has  largely  been  due  the 
e.xi)ansit)n  of  industrial  interests  and  while 
far-reaching  have  been  his  efforts  and  bril- 
liant his  success,  his  labors  have  also  jjroven 
of  great  benefit  to  the  general  public  in  the 
stinuilus  given  to  business  activitv. 


ELI  S.  ULERV. 
One  of  the  most  prominent  and  wealthy 
citizens  of  Macon  county  whose  life  has 
been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this  review. 
He  was  born  in  Mount  Zion  township  on 
the  I2th  of  December,  1862,  his  parents  be- 
ing Eli  and  Mary  E.  (Dillon)  Ulery.  The 
mother,  who  died  at  the  early  age  of  twenty- 


342 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


eight  years,  was  a  native  of  Illinois  and  a 
daughter  of  Joshua  Dillon,  a  well  known 
stockdealer  and  prominent  citizen  of  Mount 
Zion.  Our  subject's  father  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  on 
coming  to  Illinois  in  1836  settled  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Mount  Zion,  but  four  years  later  re- 
moved to  a  farm  on  section  2,  Mount  Zion 
township,  which  he  had  purchased  and 
which  continued  to  be  his  home  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  very 
successful  farmer  and  accumulated  a  vast 
amount  of  property  although  he  began  life 
for  himself  with  a  capital  of  only  twelve 
dollars.  Industrious,  persevering  and  en- 
terprising, he  steadily  worked  his  way  up- 
ward until  he  was  one  of  the  most  prosper- 
ous men  of  his  community.  During  his 
active  business  life  he  gave  considerable  at- 
tention to  stock  and  in  early  days  drove  his 
cattle  across  the  country  to  the  New  York 
markets.  As  he  acquired  any  capital  he  in- 
vested it  in  new  land  and  in  his  speculations 
he  prospered.  In  politics  he  was  an  ardent 
Republican.  He  died  in  December,  1897, 
at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years,  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  had 
four  brother^,  all  of  whom  remained  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  all  are  now  deceased. 

Eli  S.  Ulery  began  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Mount  Zion  and  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  3'ears  entered  the  Christian 
Brothers  College  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Immediately  after  leaving  that  institution 
he  went  to  Colorado,  where  he  enjoyed  the 
novel  experiences  of  a  cowboy  in  the  Green 
Horn  mountains  between  Trinidad  and 
Pueblo  for  four  years.  At  the  age  of  eigh- 
teen he  returned  home  and  has  since  en- 
gaged in  farming,  the  buying  and  selling  of 
horses  and  the  shipping  of  stock.  In  1886 
he  took  charge  of  the  home  farm,  consisting 
of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  and  has  since 
added  to  his  property  from  time  to  time  un- 
til he  is  now  the  owner  of  eleven  hundred 
and  eighty  acres,  most  of  which  is  under  a 


high  state  of  cultivation  and  well  improved. 

On  the  loth  of  March,  1885,  Mr.  Ulery 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fannie  Gib- 
son Bell,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Lucy 
Bell,  of  Mount  Zion,  and  five  children  bless 
this  union,  namely:  Bernard  B.,  Simon  K., 
Mona  G.,  Earl  A.  and  Mary  I. 

In  1901  Mr.  Ulery  purchased  forty  acres 
of  land  of  S.  S.  Bilby  in  the  northern  part 
of  Mount  Zion  township  and  has  converted 
a  portion  of  it  into  picnic  and  pleasure 
grounds  at  a  considerable  cost,  naming  the 
place  Woodbine.  Here  he  has  erected  an 
artistic  log  cabin,  in  which  he  and  his  fam- 
ily spend  the  mid-summer  days ;  has  made 
a  beautiful  artificial  lake;  built  a  pavilion, 
water  tank,  boat  house  and  a  small  hotel  ; 
has  scattered  rustic  seats  throughout  the 
grounds,  which  are  ornamented  by  foun- 
tains, urns  and  beautiful  flowers.  The  lake 
is  about  twenty-four  feet  in  depth  and  on  it 
is  run  a  naphtha  launch.  Mr.  Ulery  is  very 
fond  of  sports  of  all  kinds  and  takes  espe- 
cial delight  in  fishing,  making  trips  for  this 
purpose  into  Louisiana,  Missouri  and  Ar- 
kansas. He  is  also  interested  in  a  fish  pond 
one-half  mile  south  of  Mount  Zion,  the 
other  owners  being  Alexander  Scott,  W.  S. 
Smith,  W.  C.  Smith  and  T.  C.  Stoner,  Jr. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  but  is  not 
active  in  political  afifairs.  He  is  a  typical 
American  citizen,  thoroughly  up-to-date  and 
progressive,  and  his  pleasant  genial  man- 
ners make  him  quite  popular  socially,  while 
in  business  affairs  he  is  prompt,  reliable 
and  energfetic. 


WALTER  M.  CRAWFORD. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
successful  and  progressive  farmers  of  Maroa 
township,  his  home  being  on  section  23. 
Although  he  started  out  in  life  for  himself 
with  no  capital,  he  has  by  persistent  effort 
and  untiring  labor  gained  a  nice  home  and 


o/e^ 


/^^^Pe^^uLLx^c^ 


PAST  AXr3  PRESENT  OF  ^lACOX  COUNTY. 


34t 


oinforlable  coiiipelencc  that  now  iiunibers 
lim  among  the  well-to-do  and  substantial 
;itizens  of  his  adopted  county. 

Mr,  Crawford  was  born  in  \'irginia,  Sep- 
tember 9,  1863,  and  is  the  fifth  in  order  of 
l)iri!i  in  a  family  of  nine  children,  the  par- 
ents being  Thomas  X.  and  Maria  (Lngar) 
Crawford.  By  occupation  the  father  was  a 
veterinary  surgeon  and  farmer.  Our  sub- 
ject acquired  his  early  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Roanoke  county,  Virginia, 
where  he  was  reared,  and  later  attended 
high  school  for  a  time.  He  began  his  busi- 
ness career  at  the  age  of  twenty  years  by 
paying  his  father  for  one  year's  work  in 
order  that  he  might  start  out  for  himself. 
Believing  that  he  could  do  better  in  the 
west  than  in  the  more  thickly  populated 
state  where  his  boyhood  was  passed,  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  1883  and  worked  by  the 
month  in  Macon  county  for  about  six  years. 
He  next  engaged  in  operating  rented  land 
for  eight  years,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  purchased  eighty  acres  acres  in  Maroa 
township  where  he  now  resides.  In  1897 
he  bought  another  tract  of  seventy  acres, 
and  to-day  has  a  well  improved  and  highly 
cultivated  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fi^ty 
acres  in  this  county  and  also  a  farm 
in  Grove  county,  Kansas.  Besides  the  cul- 
tivation of  his  own  land,  Mr.  Crawford  has 
charge  of  his  sister's  farm  of  eighty  acres. 
He  feeds  about  fifty  head  of  cattle  annually 
and  three  hundred  head  of  hogs,  and  finds 
this  branch  of  his  business  quite  profitable. 
He  is  a- stockholder  in  the  Farmer's  elevator 
at  Maroa  and  being  a  man  of  good  business 
ability  and  sound  judgment  he  usually  car- 
ries forward  to  successful  completion  what- 
ever he  undertakes. 

On  the  15th  of  February,  1889,  Mr.  Craw- 
ford married  Miss  Anna  Bell  Bricker,  and 
thoy  have  become  the  parents  of  three  child- 
ren, namely:  Ruth,  born  December  15, 
1893;  Irene,  born  February  18,  1895;  and 
Russell,  born  February  10,  1897.    Mr.  Craw- 


ford is  pre-eminently  a  self-made  man  and 
as  one  of  the  leading  and  successful  agricul- 
turists of  Macon  county  he  is  certainly 
deserving  of  honorable  mention  m  its  his- 
tory. 


GEORGE    J.    DANZEISEN. 

The  prosperity  of  any  community  de- 
pends upon  its  business  activity  and  the 
enterprise  manifested  in  commercial  circles 
is  the  foundation  upon  which  is  builded  the 
material  welfare  of  city,  state  and  nation. 
The  most  important  factors  in  public  life 
at  the  present  day  are  therefore  the  men 
who  are  in  control  of  successful  business 
interests  and  stich  a  one  is  George  J.  Dan- 
zeisen,  of  Decatur,  the  senior  partner  of  the 
firm  of  G.  J.  Danzeiscn  &  Sons,  pork  pack- 
ers, and  jobbers  and  dealers  in  beef. 

Mr.  Danzeisen,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  has  long  resided  in  Decatur  and 
the  residents  of  this  place  have  watched 
his  progress  from  a  humble  financial  posi- 
tion to  one  of  prosperity.  He  is  numbered 
among  the  worthy  citizens  that  the  father- 
land has  furnished  to  the  new  world,  for 
his  birth  occurred  in  Baden,  Germany,  on 
the  2ist  of  October,  1834.  He  is  a  son  of 
George  and  Sophia  (Loser)  Danzeisen,  who 
were  people  in  moderate  circumstances  in 
Germany,  where  they  spent  their  entire 
lives.  In  accordance  with  the  laws  of  his 
native  country  George  J.  Danzeisen  attend- 
ed school  between  the  ages  of  six  and  four- 
teen years  and  at  the  latter  age  he  put  aside 
his  text  books  in  order  that  he  might  pre- 
pare for  a  business  career,  which  he  did  by 
learning  the  butcher's  trade.  On  the  com- 
pletion of  the  three  years'  apprenticeship 
in   1854  he  sailed  for  America. 

Favorable  reports  concerning  the  business 
opportunities  of  this  great  country  had 
reached  him  and  he  believed  that  he  would 
have    better    advantages     in     the     United 


346 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


States,  where  competition  is  not  so  great 
and  where  privileges  are  broader  in  the  bus- 
iness world  than  in  the  old  country.  The 
vessel  in  which  he  sailed  dropped  anchor 
in  the  harbor  of  New  York  and  from  that 
city  he  proceeded  to  Sandusky,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  employed  on  a  farm.  Subsequently 
he  spent  a  year  in  the  service  of  the  San- 
dusky &  New  York  Railroad  Company  and 
on  the  expiration  of  that  period  went  to 
Minnesota,  where  he  was  employed  in  a 
brickyard  for  one  season.  In  the  following 
year  he  secured  employment  at  the  butcher's 
trade  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  there  his 
faithfulness  and  capability  led  to  his  contin- 
uance in  the  employ  of  one  firm  for  fifteen 
years.  He  had  the  entire  confidence  of 
those  whom  he  represented  and  well  mer- 
ited this  trust.  While  thus  employed  he 
managed  to  save  some  money  which  gave 
him  a  start  in  life. 

Mr.  Danzeisen  was  residing  in  St.  Louis 
at  the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  the  war 
of  the  Rebellion  in  1861.  He  then  joined 
the  home  guards  known  as  the  Third  Regi- 
ment of  Missouri  Home  Guards  and  served 
in  different  parts  of  the  state  until  honorably 
discharged.  He  then  returned  to  the  same 
establishment  and  remained  there  until 
1871.  In  that  year  George  J.  Danzeisen 
arrived  in  Decatur  and  has  since  been  a  fac- 
tor in  business  circles  of  this  city.  He  first 
opened  a  butcher  shop  and  meat  market, 
entering  into  partnership  with  Adam  Blenz. 
Their  business  was  begun  on  a  small 
scale,  but  gradually  they  increased  its  scope 
in  order  to  meet  the  growing  demands  of 
the  trade  and  for  twelve  consecutive  years 
the  partnership  was  maintained,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  Mr.  Blenz  purchased 
his  partner's  interest,  ]Mr.  Danzeisen  open- 
ing the  place  of  business  now  occupied 
by  him  at  130  Merchant  street.  As  his 
sons  became  old  enough  to  enter  business 
life  he  instructed  them  in  the  trade  which 
he  had  learned  in  his  youth  and  gradually 


admitted  them  to  a  partnership.  As  his 
means  accumulated  he  enlarged  his  business 
and  also  commenced  the  packing  business, 
the  curing  of  meats  and  the  manufacture 
of  sausages  of  all  kinds,  until  now  he  has 
an  extensive  plant  and  a  constantly  increas- 
ing patronage  that  has  already  reached  large 
and  profitable  proportions.  His  is  the  best 
equipped  retail  market  in  this  city  and  his 
packing  house,  which  is  situated  in  the 
southern  part  of  Decatur,  has  been  supplied 
with  the  latest  improved  machinery  neces- 
sary to  carry  on  the  extensive  business. 
He  has  erected  a  large  business  block  in 
which  his  retail  market  is  located  and  his 
enterprise  proves  not  only  of  value  to  him- 
self, but  to  the  surrounding  agricultural 
community  for  it  furnishes  a  market  for 
the  local  stock  dealers,  ^luch  of  the  meat 
which  he  sells  is  secured  through  the 
butchering  of  stock  raised  in  Macon  and  ad- 
jacent counties.  He  has  a  very  large  local 
trade  and  also  sells  to  other  cities  and 
towns  in  Illinois,  doing  both  a  retail  and 
wholesale  business.  It  furnishes  employ- 
ment to  thirty  men  and  the  firm  of  G.  J. 
Danzeisen  &  Sons  is  to-day  the  most  im- 
portant in  this  line  in  Decatur. 

In  October,  i860,  Mr.  Danzeisen  was 
united  in  marriage  to  iliss  Mary  Bercher, 
of  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  She,  too,  was  born 
in  Germany  and  by  her  marriage  has  be- 
come the  mother  of  the  following  children: 
William,  Oscar  J.,  and  Alfred,  all  of  whom 
are  associated  with  their  father  in  business. 
The  first  named  wedded  Miss  Louise  Blenz 
and  has  three  sons,  while  Oscar  J.  married 
Miss  Mattie  Banth  of  Decatur.  In  1892 
Mr.  and  Airs.  Danzeisen  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  the  fatherland  and  after  an  ab- 
sence of  thirty-eight  years  he  renewed  the 
friendships  of  his  youth  and  visited  again 
the  scenes  amid  which  his  boyhood  days 
were  passed.  Two  or  three  friends  accom- 
panied them  on  the  trip  and  this  visit 
abroad    was    a    most    enjoyable    one.      Mr. 


fWST  AXU  PRESENT  UE  .MACUX  CUUXTY. 


3-17 


Danzeisen  and  his  family  liold  membership 
in  the  First  Lutheran  church  and  contribute 
generously  to  its  support.  His  life  record 
is  indicative  of  the  opportunities  afforded 
in  America  to  young  men  who  are  willing 
to  work,  who  have  determination  to  over- 
come obstacles  and  whose  business  methods 
arc  in  harmony  with  the  strictest  com- 
mercial ethics.  He  has  achieved  a  success 
of  which  perhaps  he  did  not  dream  in  his 
youth  and  at  the  same  time  he  has  won  in 
trade  and  social  circles  an  honorable  name. 


WILLIAM  M.  BUXDY. 

Eor  twelve  years  \\'illiam  M.  Bundy  has 
been  engaged  in  business  in  Decatur  as  a 
dealer  in  sand  and  gravel,  and.  moreover, 
has  been  prominent  in  affairs  pertaining  to 
the  city's  welfare  and  progress,  while  in 
political  circles  he  is  recognized  as  an  active 
and  intluential  worker.  At  the  present 
time  he  is  representing  his  ward  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  and  Decatur  has 
profited  by  his  interest  in  her  behalf  along 
many  lines  of  progress  and  improvement. 

He  was  born  October  9,  1856,  in  Decatur 
township  in  an  old  log  house  standing  near 
the  southwest  corporation  line  of  the  city. 
This  .is  an  old  historic  landmark,  especially 
interesting  because  Abraham  Lincoln  is 
said  to  have  aided  in  its  erection.  Far  back 
from  the  road  it  stands,  almost  hidden  from 
view  by  vines  in  the  summer  time  and 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century  it  has  been  too 
old  and  broken  down  to  be  occupied  as  a 
human  habitation,  although  for  long  years 
after  it  was  deserted  by  the  family  it  served 
as  a  shelter  for  stock.  It  was  built  fully 
seventy-five  years  ago  and  information  is 
authentically  given  that  the  martyred  presi- 
dent of  Illinois  assisted  in  raising  this  pio- 
neer home.  The  present  residence  of  Mr. 
Bundy  is  within  sight  of  the  old  house 
which  served  as  his  birthplace. 


He  is  a  son  of  Elijah  and  Eliza  Ann 
(W'ray)  Bundy.  The  father  removed  from 
Hendricks  county,  Indiana,  to  Macon  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  early  life  and  for  thirty  years 
was  engaged  in  the  operation  of  a  sawmill, 
being  a  well  known  representative  of  indus- 
trial interests  in  this  part  of  the  state  at 
an  early  day.  He  also  engaged  in  farming 
to  some  extent.  His  father,  Alfred  Bundy, 
spent  his  life  in  Hendricks  count}',  Indiana, 
where  he  died  in  1897,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-eight  years.  The  son,  Elijah 
Bundy,  survived  him  for  only  about  two 
years  and  departed  this  life  in  1899,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five.  In  early  manhood  he  had 
wedded  Miss  Eliza  Ann  Wray,  a  daughter 
of  Hampton  Wray  of  Kentucky.  She  is 
still  living  and  is  a  most  estimable  lady  who 
fully  ])erformed  her  mother's  part  in  caring 
for  her  eleven  children,  doing  everything 
in  Ikt  power  to  promote  their  happiness 
ami  enhance  their  welfare.  The  members 
of  the  family  are  John,  William  M.,  Frank, 
\\'illis,  Laura,  Margaret,  Roy,  Ira  and  three 
who  have  passed  awaj- — James,  Etta  and 
Louis. 

Having  spent  his  entire  life  in  this  city 
W'illiam  M.  Bundy  has  a  wide  acquaintance 
in  Decatur  and  we  feel  sure  many  of  his 
friends  will  receive  with  interest  this  rec- 
ord of  his  career.  His  boyhood  days  were 
quietly  passed  in  the  enjoyment  of  the 
pleasures  of  the  playground  and  in  the  per- 
formance of  the  duties  of  the  schoolroom. 
His  business  training  was  received  in  his 
father's  sawmill  and  he  assisted  there  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber  for  some  time.  He 
also  worked  upon  the  home  farm,  perform- 
ing his  full  share  in  the  labors  of  plowing, 
planting  and  harvesting.  His  fitness  for 
leadership  in  public  affairs  has  long  been 
recognized  and  has  led  to  his  selection  for 
important  public  service.  In  1885  he  was 
elected  overseer  of  highways  and  continued 
to  fill  that  position  for  twelve  consecutive 
years  or  until  1897.     He  was  also  highway 


;u.s 


PAST  AND  PRESExVT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


commissioner  from   1897  until   1900  and  in 
1901  he  was  elected  alderman  of  his  ward  in 
Decatur,  being  at  the  present  time  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council.     He   exercises  his 
official    prerogatives    in    support    of    every 
measure  for  the  welfare  and  progress  of  the 
city  and  his  loyalty  to  the  general  good  is 
above   question.     He  has  always  been   an 
earnest  Republican,  more  or  less  active  in 
local  elections,  and  he  believes  it  the  duty 
as  well  as  the  privilege  of  every  American 
citizen  to  cast  his  ballot  in  support  of  the 
measures  which  he  believes  will  contribute 
to   state   and    national   prosperity.     During 
the  past  twelve  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  the  sand  and  gravel  business  in  Decatur, 
having    a    large    local    market    as    well    as 
making  extensive  shipments  to  other  towns. 
In  1875  occurred  the  marriage  of  William 
M.    Bundy    and    ]Miss    Margaret    Godett,    a 
daughter    of    Joseph    Godett,    who    was    a 
native  of  Nova  Scotia.     Their  children  are 
Nellie,  now  the  wife  of  John  Perl;    Jessie 
I.;     William    Guy;     and    Walter    Samuel. 
The  social  relations  of  Mr.  Bundy  connect 
him  with  Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge  No.  189, 
K.  P.;    and  Decatur  Lodge  No.  8,  of  the 
Loyal   Americans.      His   life   has   been    de- 
voted to  his  family,  his  friends,  his  political 
interests  and  his  business  affairs.     His  un- 
swerving purpose,  his  unquestioned  fidelity, 
his  unfaltering  honesty  and  his  unchanging 
will   have   commanded   the  highest   respect 
of  all. 


J.  T.  STUART. 
From  pioneer  times  down  to  the  present 
the  Stuart  family  has  been  represented  in 
Macon  county  and  the  name  figures  on  the 
pages  of  history  in  connection  with  agricul- 
tural interests  and  with  many  lines  of  prog- 
ress and  improvement  which  have  led  to  the 
substantial  upbuilding  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  J.  T.  Stuart,  of  this  review,  was  born 
July   23,    1836,  in   a  log  house   on   the   old 


homestead  in  W'hitmore  township  where  he 
now  resides,  his  parents  being  David  H. 
and  Sarah  (Florey)  Stuart,  of  whom  more 
extended  mention  is  made  in  the  sketch  of 
Oliver  Stuart  on  another  page  of  this  vol- 
ume. He  is  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth  in  a 
family  of  eight  children  and  the  second  old- 
est now  living.  The  family  was  established 
here  in  1829. 

During  his  boyhood  J.  T.  Stuart  attended 
the   subscription   schools,   the   little   temple 
of  learning  being  a   log  structure  supplied 
with  slab  benches  and  desks  and  a  large  fire 
place  at  one  end.    Leaving  school  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  then  devoted  his  entire  time 
and  attention  to  the  work  of  the  home  farm, 
having    previously    become    thoroughly    fa- 
miliar with  the  same  while  aiding  his  father 
in  the  operation  of  the  place.    He  has  passed 
through  all  of  the  pioneer  experiences,  being 
forced  to  endure  many  hardships  and  pri- 
vations   in    common    with    the   other    early 
settlers.      He    remembers    distinctly    when 
the  old  wooden  moldboard  plows  were  used 
and  in  the  cultivation  of  his  corn  he  used 
the  single  shovel  plow  for  many  years.    He 
has  cut  grain  with  a  sickle  and  has  used  the 
cradle  many  a  day.    Later  the  old  fashioned 
McCormick    reapers    came    into    use,    these 
being  operated  by  horse  power.     Although 
there  were  many  hardships  to  be  endured, 
the  pioneers  also  had  many  pleasures  and 
hospitality   reigned   supreme   in   their   little 
cabins.    The  latch-string  of  the  Stuart  home 
was  always  out  and  it  became  a  favorite 
stopping  place  for  those  traveling  between 
Decatur  and  Monticello,  no  one  ever  being 
turned  away.     The   Methodist  people  also 
held   services  here,   the   little   congregation 
being    seated    on    slab    benches    arranged 
around  the  room.    Decatur  at  that  time  was 
a    mere    village    and    the    county    was    but 
sparsely  settled.     Game  was  very  plentiful 
and  deer  was  often  seen.    Much  of  the  coun- 
try  was    covered   with   ponds    and   sloughs 
and  near  the  Stuart  homestead  on  section 


^..^^  ^./l^ 


PAST  A.Xl)  i'Kl-.SI'lXT  OV  MACON  COUXTY. 


351 


13.  Whitmorc  township,  was  much  swamp 
land,  but  it  has  since  been  tiled  and  drained 
and  converted  into  well  improved  and  valu- 
able farms.  After  the  death  of  his  parents 
our  subject  purchased  the  interest  of  the 
other  heirs  in  the  home  farm,  and  has  since 
bought  forty  acres  more,  making  a  good 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres,  which  . 
he  has  jilaced  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  improved  with  good  and  substan- 
tial buildings,  which  stand  as  monuments  to 
his  thrift  and  industry.  He  is  a  very  in- 
dustrious and  energetic  man  and  still  car- 
ries on  the  farm  with  the  assistance  of  his 
sons. 

In  i860  Mr.  Stuart  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Minerva  Young,  a  daughter 
of  Adam  and  Elizabeth  (Shaw)  Young,  who 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  early  set- 
tlers of  Whitmore  township,  this  county. 
Both  her  parents  are  now  deceased.  Of  the 
ten  children  born  to  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Stuart 
seven  are  still  living,  namely :  Addie,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Hedges,  now  a  resident  of 
Nebraska;  William,  who  married  Belle 
Funk,  now  deceased,  and  lives  in  Oakley 
township,  this  county ;  Emily,  at  home ; 
Samuel,  who  married  Eflfie  Williams  and 
resides  in  Iowa ;  Amanda,  wife  of  James 
Evans,  of  Marion,  Indiana ;  Frank,  who 
married  Nellie  Reed  and  makes  his  home  in 
Macon  county ;  Robert,  who  wedded  Mary 
Shank  and  lives  with  his  father.  James 
died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  The  chil- 
dren all  had  good  educational  privileges  and 
the  familv  is  one  of  prominence  in  the  com- 
munity where  they  reside. 

For  twelve  years  Mr.  Stuart  held  the  of- 
fice of  constable  and  was  school  director  in 
Whitmore  township  for  ten  years.  He  has 
always  done  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
interests  of  his  locality  along  educational, 
moral  and  social  lines,  and  is  accounted  one 
of  the  leading  and  valued  citizens  of  the 
community  where  he  has  now  made  his 
home  for  over  sixty-six  years. 


JOHN  A.  KECK. 

As  a  representative  of  the  manufactur- 
ing interests  of  Decatur  John  A.  Keck  has 
become  well  known.  The  avenues  of  activ- 
ity in  which  he  has  sought  an  outlet  for 
his  abilities  and  aspirations  have  invariably 
l^rofited  by  his  sterling  worth  and  common 
sense  methods.  He  is  numbered  among 
1  )ecatur"s  native  sons,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred here  on  the  25th  of  January,  1861. 
His  parents  were  Adam  and  Mary  (Filser) 
Keck,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many and  in  the  early  '50s  they  came  to 
Uecatur.  The  father  was  a  brewer  by  occu- 
pation and  for  twenty  years  he  conducted 
a  restaurant  in  this  city,  becoming  well 
known  to  the  business  public,  his  genial 
manner,  obliging  disposition  and  honorable 
business  methods  gaining  for  him  the  good 
will  of  the  public  and  therefore  a  large  share 
of  the  public  patronage.  He  passed  away 
in  1872  at  the  age  of  fifty-nine  years  and  his 
widow,  surviving  him  for  some  time,  died 
in  1886.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  of  whom  five  are  living:  Jacob; 
Ivlary,  who  is  the  wife  of  Adolph  Schlick ; 
Adam ;  Anna,  who  is  the  wife  of  William 
Young;  Salina ;  and  John  .'\.,  whose  name 
introduces  this  record.  The  other  children 
died  in  infanc}'. 

In  his  youth  John  A.  Keck  attended  the 
public  schools,  but  at  the  age  of  sixteen 
years  he  put  aside  his  text  books  and  began 
learning  the  tinner's  trade.  Six  months 
later  he  entered  the  printing  office  of  the 
firm  of  Kimball  &  Lindsay  as  an  apprentice, 
but  afterward  he  became  an  employe  of  the 
firm  that  is  now  the  Mueller  Manufacturing 
Company,  and  later  he  was  employed  with 
the  Decatur  Furniture  Company  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  cabinet-making.  With 
a  knowledge  of  various  business  interests 
he  started  out  upon  an  independent  ven- 
ture in  1882.  He  purchased  a  cigar  box 
manufactory  in  connection  with  Jacob  and 
John    Dipper   and    afterward    he    purchased 


352 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  latter's  interests  and  moved  the  estab- 
lishment to  East  Main  street,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  the  manufacture  of  cigar  boxes, 
the  enterprise  being  attended  with  success, 
there  being  a  good  demand  for  the  product 
of  the  factory.  It  was  necessary  to  enlarge 
the  plant  in  order  to  meet  the  growing  de- 
mands of  the  trade  and  in  1886  it  was  in- 
creased to  its  present  capacity.  It  was  also 
supplied  with  a  new  steam  engine  and  mod- 
ern machinery  was  added.  In  that  year  the 
business  was  removed  to  the  present  loca- 
tion at  the  corner  of  Wood  and  Church 
streets  and  in  1886  the  scope  of  the  business 
was  extended  by  adding  a  department  for 
the  manufacture  of  paper  boxes,  jewelry 
trays,  sample  cases  and  numerous  other 
manufactured  articles  along  this  line.  The 
output  of  the  house  is  now  sold  in  a  number 
of  states  and  seventeen  employes  are  in  the 
factory  at  Decatur. 

In  1886  Mr.  Keck  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Louise  Young,  a  native  of  Baden, 
Germany,  and  their  children  are:  Olga  E., 
Arthur  J.,  Werra  L.,  and  Elba  E.  Socially 
Mr.  Keck  is  identified  with  Decatur  Lodge 
No.  65.  I.  O.  O.  P.,  of  which  he  has  been 
a  member  since  1883.  He  also  belongs  to 
Coeur  de  Lion  Lodge  No.  17,  K.  P.,  and 
while  he  takes  pleasure  in  attending  the 
meetings  of  this  organization  and  in  ex- 
tending his  social  acquaintances  his  time 
is  most  largely  given  to  his  business  affairs 
and  his  enterprise  to-day  stands  as  a  monu- 
ment to  his  capability  and  untiring  energy. 
His  career  has  been  successful  chiefly  by 
reason  of  his  natural  ability  and  his  thor- 
ough understanding  of  the  business,  in 
which  as  a  young  tradesman  he  embarked. 
It  requires  something  beyond  ordinary 
business  capacity  to  manage  a  large  force 
of  employes  and  to  secure  a  profitable  in- 
come on  the  invested  capital.  This  Mr. 
Keck  has  done  and  to-day  he  is  enjoying 
the  well  earned  distinction  of  being  what 
the  public  calls  a  self-made  man. 


WILL  L.  SMITH. 

A\'ill  L.  Smith  is  now  practically  living 
a  retired  life,  making  his  home  in  Decatur, 
It  is  probable  that  no  resident  of  this  city 
outside  of  political  circles  is  so  well  known 
throughout  the  country  as  is  Mr.  .Smith. 
He  was  for  many  years  identified  with  one 
of  the  most  ])rominent  musical  organiza- 
tions of  the  LTnited  States — the  Swiss  Bell 
Ringers — and  in  the  interest  of  the  business 
he  traveled  not  only  in  this  country,  but 
also  through  Canada,  Mexico  and  Nova 
Scotia. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  native  of  Newark,  New 
Jersey,  born  on  the  19th  of  September, 
1835,  his  parents  being  Johnson  and  Emily 
(Townley)  Smith.  His  maternal  grand- 
father, Moses  Townley,  was  also  a  native 
of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  and  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade.  He  followed  that  occupa- 
tion through  his  entire  life  in  supporting 
his  family  and  always  remained  a  resident 
of  the  state  of  his  nativity.  Johnson  Smith, 
the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Springfield,  New  Jersey,  in  1805  and  after 
leaving  the  east  went  first  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  afterward  to  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky. In  1 841  he  took  up  his  abode  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  and  still  later  he  resided 
for  a  time  in  Carrollton,  Greene  county, 
Illinois.  In  December,  1855,  he  arrived  in 
Decatur  and  spent  his  remaining  days  in 
this  city,  passing  away  in  1870,  when  sixty- 
five  years  of  age.  In  early  life  he  had 
learned  the  shoemaker's  trade  with  his 
father  and  followed  that  pursuit  for  some 
3'ears  in  the  various  cities  mentioned.  After 
removing  to  Illinois,  however,  he  engaged 
in  the  nursery  business. 

Like  most  American  boys  ^^'ill  L.  .Smith 
obtained  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
and  when  quite  young  he  began  assisting 
his  father  in  the  nursery  business,  in  which 
he  gained  good  practical  knowledge.  Since 
1855  he  has  lived  in  Decatur  and  for  three 
years  was  proprietor  of  a  grocery  store  here. 


PAST  AXl)  TRKSF-XT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


353 


carrying  on  the  business  with  a  fair  degree 
of  success.  He  had  early  developed  un- 
usual musical  talent  and  on  the  19th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1857,  he  organized  the  Decatur 
Band,  which  afterwards  became  the  famous 
Goodman  Band,  which  is  one  of  the  best 
known  bands  of  the  ^Mississippi  valley.  He 
acted  as  its  leader  for  five  years  and  made 
it  an  organization  creditable  alike  to  the 
city  and  its  founder.  He  is  to-day  one  of 
the  valued  members  of  this  band  and  one  of 
its  oldest  representatives.  In  1864  Mr. 
Smith  became  connected  with  the  concert 
business  as  amusement  manager  and  one 
of  the  performers  of  the  company  known 
as  the  celebrated  Swiss  Bell  Ringers.  This 
company  was  at  first  called  the  Ladies'  Sil- 
ver Band  and  was  composed  of  eight  mem- 
bers. Subsequently,  however,  the  name  of 
the  Swiss  Bell  Ringers  was  taken  and  its 
title  became  known  throughout  North 
America.  Accompanied  by  his  wife,  Mr. 
Smith  conducted  this  company  and  traveled 
for  twenty-nine  consecutive  years,  covering 
practically  all  of  the  states  of  the  Union, 
together  with  the  countries  of  Canada,  Mex- 
ico and  Nova  Scotia.  The  company  was 
most  prosperous  between  the  years  1878 
and  1888.  It  terminated  its  trips  and  con- 
certs in  the  year  1892  and  the  company  then 
disbanded.  Returning  then  to  Decatur  Mr. 
Smith  established  his  home  and  has  since 
practically  lived  a  retired  life. 

On  the  nth  of  February,  1862,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Will  L.  Smith  and  Miss 
Sarah  Elizabeth  Coleman,  an  adopted 
daughter  of  John  W.  Coleman,  of  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  who  was  the  first  principal 
of  the  first  high  school  of  Decatur.  One 
child  was  born  of  this  marriage.  Charles 
Ellsworth  Smith,  who  died  in  i80  in  his 
thirty-second  year.  On  the  nth  of  October, 
1887,  he  had  married  Miss  Jennie  Agnes 
Palmer,  of  Chicago.  His  widow  and  one 
son  Lvbrand  Palmer  Smith,  who  was  born 


January  24.  1891,  survive  him  and  make 
their  home  in  this  city. 

in  his  political  views  Mr.  Smith  has  been. 
a  -Stalwart  Republican  since  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  party.  His  first  presidential 
vote,  however,  was  cast  for  Scott.  He  is  a 
member  of  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312,  F.  &  A. 
M.;  Celestial  Lodge,  No.  186,  I.  O.  O.  F.j 
Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge,  No.  189,  K.  P.; 
Fern  Temple,  No.  18,  Rath  bone  Sisters; 
and  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Eastern 
Star  and  of  the  Columbia  Rebekah  Lodge, 
No.  199,  I.  O.  .0.  F.  His  wife  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Rebekahs. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  most  entertaining  and 
companionable  gentleman,  and  traveling 
broadly  throughout  the  continent,  his  mind 
has  been  stored  with  many  interesting  in- 
cidents concerning  places  he  has  visited, 
])eople  he  has  met  and  humorous  situations 
he  has  encountered.  His  mind  has  also 
been  broadened  by  contact  with  the  world 
and  its  people  and  he  is  a  genial,  courteous 
gentleman,  one  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  -to 
know  and  meet  under  anv  circumstances. 


CHARLES  U.  DOWNEY. 
Charles  U.  Downey  is  the  junior  member 
of  the  firm  of  Downey  &  Sons,  dealers  in 
fine  monuments  in  Decatur.  He  is  a  young 
man,  jiossessing  energy  and  ambition  and 
is  a  prominent  factor  in  the  successful  con- 
duct of  the  enterprise,  with  which  he  is  now 
connected.  Lie  was  born  in  Taylorville,  Illi- 
nois, on  the  8th  of  October,  1873,  his  pa- 
rents being  M.  L.  and  Martha  (McCool) 
Downey.  His  father  was  a  son  of  Jacob 
Downey,  a  native  of  Guernsey,  Ohio,  and 
a  farmer  by  occupation.  It  was  in  the  year 
1875  that  Jacob  Downey  left  the  Buckeye 
state  and  came  to  Decatur,  where  he  spent 
his  remaining  days,  passing  away  at  the  age 
of  seventy-four  years.  His  wife,  who  was 
born  in  1816,  is  still  living.     The  maternal 


354 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Henry  Mc- 
Cool,  a  native  of  Canada,  who  spent  sev- 
eral of  his  last  years  in  traveling  through 
the  west.  In  1899  he  died  at  the  White 
Pass  in  Klondike. 

M.  L.  Downey,  who  is  the  senior  member 
of  the  firm  of  Downey  &  Son,  is  a  native 
of  Ohio.  He  came  to  Macon  county  thirty- 
four  years  ago  and  located  in  Macon  town- 
ship, where  he  followed  farming  until  1871. 
He  then  entered  the  employ  of  J.  S.  Culver, 
proprietor  of  marble  works  in  Taylorville 
and  in  1890  he  came  to  Decatur  as  an  em- 
ploye of  Mr.  Culver,  acting  as  a  stone-cutter 
in  the  Decatur  Monument  Works.  In  1901, 
associating  with  him  his  son,  Charles  U., 
he  established  his  present  business  on  North 
\\'ater  street,  where  all  tine  grades  of  monu- 
ment work  are  prepared  and  exhibited.  In 
early  manhood  he  wedded  ]\Iiss  Martha 
McCool,  a  native  of  Canada,  and  unto  them 
have  been  born  five  children,  of  whom 
Charles  U.  is  the  oldest.  The  others  are 
Myrtle,  the  wife  of  William  Junkens  ;  Laura, 
Louis  and  Hazel. 

Charles  U.  Downey  has  spent  his  entire 
life  in  Illinois.  His  youth  was  passed  in 
Taylorville  and  his  education  was  acquired 
in  the  public  schools.  He  began  learning 
his  trade  in  i8go  as  an  employe  of  J.  H.  Cul- 
ver of  Decatur  and  he  there  remained  un- 
til 1898,  when  he  went  to  the  west.  Lo- 
cating in  Denver,  Colorado,  he  worked  at 
his  trade  there  for  two  years  and  on  the 
expiration  of  that  period  located  in  Butte, 
Montana,  where  he  had  charge  of  the  monu- 
mental work,  belonging  to  L.  F.  Prescott. 
For  two  years  he  filled  the  position  of  su- 
perintendent and  then  in  October,  1901, 
he  returned  to  Illinois  and  has  since  been 
in  Decatur.  Here  he  opened  monumental 
works  in  partnership  with  his  father  at  No. 
344  North  Water  street  under  the  firm 
style  of  Downey  &  Son.  They  do  a  general 
line  of  monumental  and  cemetery  work  and 
have  secured  a  good  patronage  because  of 


the  splendid  character  of  their  output.  Both 
are  men  of  long  experience  in  this  line,  hav- 
ing practical  understanding  of  the  business 
both  in  principle  and  detail  and  added  to 
the  more  mature  judgment  of  the  father  is 
the  energ)%  laudable  ambition  and  helpful- 
ness of  the  son,  thus  making  the  firm  a 
strong  business  combination. 

In  1895  Charles  U.  Downey  became  a 
Mason,  being  raised  in  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312, 
F.  &  A.  M.  In  1896  he  was  joined  in  wed- 
lock to  -Minnie  M.  Hall,  a  daughter  of  Elias 
and  Marie  Hall,  of  Clinton,  Illinois.  They 
now  have  two  children,  Lyle  W.  and  Ver- 
neille  L.  Mr.  Downey  has  spent  almost 
his  entire  life  in  this  locality  and  is  imbued 
with  the  progressive  spirit  which  has  been 
the  dominant  factor  in  the  upbuilding  of  the 
middle  west.  He  is  a  genial  man  to  meet, 
whose  career  of  usefulness  and  activity  has 
netted  for  him  a  good  income. 


JOSEPH  LOVE. 
Joseph  Love,  who  in  1893  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Decatur  where  he  was  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  mattresses,  was  born  in 
Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  on  the  7th  of  April, 
1847,  his  parents  being  Samuel  and  De- 
borah (Mitchell)  Love,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  Buckeye  state.  Samuel  Love 
came  west  with  his  family  in  an  early  day 
and  established  his  home  in  Champaign 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  purchased  a  sec- 
tion of  land  from  the  government,  for  which 
he  paid  two  dollars  and  a  half  per  acre. 
Not  a  furrow  had  been  turned  or  an  im- 
provement made  upon  the  tract  but  with 
characteristic  energy  he  began  to  clear  it 
and  to  plow  and  plant  it.  Lie  also  erected 
good  buildings  and  in  course  of  time  de- 
veloped an  excellent  farm  which  he  con- 
tinued to  cultivate  and  which  he  made  his 
home  until  his  death.  His  wife  also  passed 
away  on  the  old  homestead  in  Champaign 


S'.^Jl^i/iPc  5  ^^C^(^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


357 


county  and  some  of  their  children  now  re- 
side upon  the  same  farm  there. 

Excellent  educational  privileges  were  af- 
forded to  Joseph  Love.  He  pursued  his 
early  studies  in  the  district  schools  and 
later  became  a  student  in  the  Champaign 
University,  in  fact,  he  was  one  of  its  first 
pupils  and  the  thorough  training  which  he 
there  received  well  prepared  him  for  life's 
practical  and  responsible  duties.  On  put- 
ting aside  his  text  books  he  began  farming 
near  the  old  homestead  in  Champaign  coun- 
ty and  while  thus  engaged  he  returned  to 
Ohio  in  1875  '"id  was  there  married  to  Miss 
Eliza  J.  Hanlon,  a  native  of  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  born  in  1849.  Her  parents  were 
William  and  Mary  (Stark)  Hanlon,  and  her 
father,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
spent  his  entire  life  in  Jefferson  county.  His 
widow  still  resides  there  and  has  reached 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years.  Five 
children  were  born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Love: 
Nellie  H-,  who  is  now  a  teacher  in  the  San- 
gamon street  school  in  Decatur;  Mary,  who 
occupies  a  position  as  private  secretary  in 
the  Boys'  School  in  Lake  Forest,  Illinois ; 
Louella,  who  is  a  stenographer  and  teacher 
in  Brown's  Business  College  of  Decatur ; 
Florence,  who  is  at  home  with  her  mother; 
and  one  that  died  unnamed  in  infancy. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Love  engaged  in 
general  farming  in  Champaign  county  until 
1893,  when  he  came  to  Decatur  and  estab- 
lished a  mattress  factory  near  the  home 
which  is  now  occupied  by  his  widow.  In 
the  new  enterprise  he  prospered  and  con- 
tinued in  the  business  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  did  excellent  work  and  secured 
a  liberal  patronage,  his  products  finding  a 
ready  sale  on  the  market.  In  business  af- 
fairs he  was  strictly  reliable  and  he  became 
a  well  known  and  respected  representative 
of  trade  interests  in  this  city.  He  was  en- 
ergetic, a  man  of  firm  purpose  and  strong 
will  and  in  all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow 
men  he  was  upright  and  honorable.     In  his 


political  views  he  was  an  earnest  Repub- 
lican, believing  firmly  in  the  party  and  its 
principles  yet  never  seeking  office.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  of  Decatur  and  his  life  was 
in  harmony  with  its  teachings.  He  died 
January  18,  1898,  leaving  not  only  a  com- 
fortable competence  to  his  widow  but  also 
an  honorable  name.  Mrs.  Love  now  occu- 
pies a  beautiful  home  at  No.  812  North 
College  street,  where  she  resides  with  her 
daughters.  They  are  well  known  in  Deca- 
tur and  enjoy  the  favor  and  friendship  of 
many  a  household  here. 


EDMUND  s.  McDonald. 

It  is  seldom  that  a  single  individual  wins 
success  and  prominence  along  more  than 
one  line,  and  yet  F.dmund  S.  McDonald  is 
to-day  accounted  one  of  the  distinguished 
lawyers  of  Decatur,  is  also  actively  con- 
nected wilh  the  corporation  interests  of  the 
city  and  is  one  of  the  large  landowners  of 
Macon  county.  In  no  profession  is  there 
a  career  more  open  to  talent  than  in  that  of 
the  law,  and  in  no  field  of  endeavor  is  there 
demanded  a  more  careful  preparation,  a 
more  thorough  appreciation  of  the  absolute 
ethics  of  life  or  of  the  underlying  principles 
which  form  the  basis  of  all  human  rights 
and  privileges.  Unflagging  application  and 
intuitive  wisdom  and  a  determination  to 
fully  utilize  the  means  at  hand,  are  the  con- 
comitants which  insure  personal  success 
and  prestige  in  this  great  profession,  which 
stands  as  the  stern  conservator  of  justice; 
and  it  is  one  into  which  none  should  enter 
without  a  recognition  of  the  obstacles  to  be 
overcome  and  the  battles  to  be  won,  for 
success  does  not  perch  on  the  falchion  of 
every  person  who  enters  the  competitive 
fray,  but  comes  only  as  the  diametrical  re- 
sult of  capacity  and  unmistakable  ability. 
Possessing  all  the  requisite  qualities  of  the 


358 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


able  lawyer,  he  now  stands  among  the  lead- 
ing representatives  of  the  legal  fraternity  of 
Decatur. 

Mr.  .McDonald  was  born  in  Wood  county, 
West  Virginia,  on  the  Ohio  river,  Septem- 
ber 2,  185 1.  His  paternal  grandfather, 
John  McDonald,  was  a  native  of  Scotland, 
and  died  during  the  infancy  of  his  son  John, 
who  was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  two 
sons  and  two  daughters.  The  father  of  our 
subject  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  during  his  infancy  was  taken  to 
Ohio,  the  family  home  being  established 
near  the  Ohio  river,  in  Cincinnati.  While 
yet  a  boy,  he  was  employed  in  a  distillery 
and  in  the  milling  business.  Later  he  was 
employed  on  the  river,  running  between 
Cincinnati  and  New  Orleans.  He  first  act- 
ed as  a  pilot  and  afterward  became  captain 
and  part  owner  of  a  vessel.  On  abandoning 
the  water  he  came  to  Illinois,  in  1853,  and 
spent  the  first  year  of  his  residence  in  this 
state  in  Scott  county.  In  1854  he  removed 
to  Decatur,  and  soon  after  located  in  Long 
Creek  township,  Macon  county,  where  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  and  carried  on 
general  farming  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1880,  when  he  had  reached  the 
venerable  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  His 
wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Nancy 
L.  Sisson,  died  in  July,  1901,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three  years.  She  belonged  to  one 
of  the  old  and  prominent  families  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  her  ancestors  did  active  service 
for  their  country  in  the  Revolution  and  in 
the  war  of  1812.  Unto  John  and  Nancy  L. 
(Sisson)  McDonald  were  born  eight  chil- 
dren :  Florence  L.,  who  is  now  the  wife  of 
Zenas  R.  Prather ;  Edmund  S. ;  Andrew  F. 
and  Randoll  F.,  twins ;  Alice,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Ira  Baird ;  John  A.;  George  W. ; 
and  Sheridan,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een months.  With  the  exception  of  the  last 
named  all  are  yet  living. 

At  the  usual  age  Edmund  S.  McDonald 
began   his  education   in   the  public  schools 


and  afterward  pursued  a  three  years"  course 
in  the  Northwestern  University,  completing 
his  studies  there  in  1872.  He  then  engaged 
in  teaching  school  for  two  years  and  he  be- 
gan reading  law  in  the  office  of  Nelson  & 
Robey,  of  Decatur,  and  they  directed  his 
studies  for  three  jears.  He  was  then  ad- 
mitted to  practice,  but  desiring  to  be  still 
better  prepared  for  his  chosen  work  he  spent 
two  years  as  a  student  in  the  office  of  the 
firm  of  Crea  &  Ewing.  In  1880  he  opened 
an  office  of  his  own  in  the  Powers  block, 
where  he  remained  until  1889,  when  he  re- 
moved to  his  present  location  in  the  Opera 
House  block.  He  has  enjoyed  a  lucrative 
practice  and  has  one  of  the  best  law  libraries 
and  best  equipped  offices  in  Decatur.  In 
1891  he  w'as  admitted  to  practice  in  the 
United  States  supreme  court.  His  knowledge 
of  the  law  is  comprehensive  and  exact.  He 
is  a  strong  advocate  of  the  jury,  concise 
in  his  appeals  before  the  court  and  is  a  safe 
counsellor.  His  logical  grasp  of  facts  and 
principles  and  of  the  law  applicable  to  them 
has  been  a  potent  element  in  his  success. 
He. throws  himself  easily  and  naturally  into 
an  argument  and  his  presentation  of  a  cause 
speaks  a  mind  trained  in  the  severest  school 
of  investigation,  and  to  which  the  closest 
reasoning  is  habitual  and  easy.  Mr.  Mc- 
Donald, however,  has  not  confined  his  atten- 
tion entirely  to  his  legal  practice,  but  has 
made  extensive  and  judicious  investments 
in  various  corporations  of  the  city  and  is 
one  of  the  largest  landowners  in  Macon 
county. 

In  August,  1892,  occurred  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  McDonald  and  Miss  Annabelle 
Thomas,  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Jennie  Thomas, 
of  Decatur.  Their  children  are  Edmund 
Urban  and  Valerian.  Mr.  ^McDonald  be- 
longs to  the  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  A.  F.  & 
A.  M. ;  to  Celestial  Lodge,  No.  186,  I.  O.  O. 
F. ;  and  to  Coeur  de  Lion  Lodge,  No.  17, 
K.  P.  In  politics  he  is  an  active  Republican, 
taking  a  helpful  part  in  campaign  work,  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


359 


lias  delivered  many  addresses  in  support  of 
the  party  and  its  principles.  In  1889  he 
was  elected  city  attorney  and  in  1891  was 
re-elected  to  that  office.  His  time  is  now 
largely  occupied  with  the  important  duties 
■of  an  extensive  practice.  Affable  and  genial 
in  manner  he  makes  many  friends  and  is 
held  in  high  resrard  bv  all  who  know  him. 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  DAVIS. 

Throughout  his  entire  life  William  II. 
Davis  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  a 
work  of  great  benefit  to  his  fellow  men. 
For  many  years  he  practiced  medicine  and 
for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  a 
representative  of  the  Christian  ministry, 
laboring  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
church  as  he  had  previously  done  for  the 
temporal  welfare.  In  1888  he  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Decatur  and  the  recognition  which 
is  ever  given  true  worth  of  character  was 
accorded  him.  He  was  born  in  Ross  county, 
Ohio,  August  13,  1824,  his  parents  being 
Isaac  and  i\Iary  (Brown)  Davis,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Ohio.  In  1828  they 
removed  westward,  settling  in  Pike  county, 
Illinois,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  a  few  years.  He  afterward  estab- 
lished his  home  in  the  village  of  Perry  in 
Pike  county,  and  there  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising for  several  years.  He  next  re- 
moved to  Logan  couiuy,  Illinois,  where  he 
remained  for  a  short  lime,  coming  thence  to 
Macon  county,  locating  in  the  village  of 
Mount  Zion.  He  there  lived  retired,  en- 
joying well  earned  rest  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death. 

Rev.  ^^'illiam  H.  Davis  was  reared  amid 
the  refining  influences  of  a  good  home  and 
received  his  early  mental  training  in  the 
common  schools  of  Pike  county,  Illinois,  to 
which  place  he  had  been  taken  by  his  pa- 
rents during  his  early  childhood.  Later  he 
attended  college  in  Springfield,  Illinois.    His 


strong  mentality  and  tastes  led  him  to  seek 
activity  in  professional  lines  and  determin- 
ing to  enter  upon  the  practice  of  medicine 
he  began  studying  with  his  uncle,  who  was 
a  practicing  physician  in  Griggsville,  Pike 
county,  Illinois.  I'^or  a  few  years  he  con- 
tinned  his  reading  under  the  direction  of 
his  uncle,  and  then  went  to  Chicago,  where 
he  attended  the  Rush  .Medical  College,  being 
graduated  there  in  the  class  of  1852,  F"ol- 
lowing  the  completion  of  his  collegiate 
course  he  returned  to  Griggsville,  where  he 
practiced  for  several  years. 

While  in  that  place  Rev.  Davis  was  tmited 
in  marriage  in  1848  to  Miss  Eleanor  C. 
Randall,  a  native  of  .\lton,  Illinois,  born 
on  the  1st  of  .\ugust,  1828.  and  a  daughter 
of  josiah  and  i''.lizal)elh  (.^nadon)  Randall. 
The  father  was  a  fanner  by  occupation  and 
with  his  family  resided  in  Madison  county, 
Illinois,  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life. 
P.oth  he  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  that 
county.  The  homo  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis 
was  bless,ed  with  ten  children,  six  of  whom 
are  living.  Isaac  first  married  a  Miss  Pratt 
and  after  her  death  wedded  a  Miss  John- 
,son.  They  reside  in  Chicago  and  he  is 
cashier  for  the  Pratt  &  Buckley  Elevator 
&  (irain  Company  of  Decatur.  Edward  R. 
married  Miss  Peake  and  resides  in  Spring- 
field, while  his  business  connection  is  that 
of  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  cracker  house 
of  Decatur.  Newton  married  Miss  Tacy 
Entriken,  of  Ohio,  and  is  bookkeeper  and 
cashier  for  F.  M.  Pratt,  a  grain  merchant 
of  Decatur.  Charles  wedded  Miss  May  Kerr 
and  after  her  death  married  Nellie  Freid- 
land  and  is  deputy  clerk  of  Boone  county, 
Missouri.  J.  Frank  is  bookkeeper  for  Cham- 
bers. Bering  &  Quinlin  Company  of  De- 
catur. George,  the  youngest  of  the  family, 
is  a  harness  manufacturer  of  Decatur, 
Those  who  have  passed  away  are  Mary 
Elizabeth,  Ella  L.,  Mary  Emma  and  James 
Barger. 

.After  his   marriage   Dr.   Davis  continued 


SCO 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AIACON  COUNTY. 


to  engage  in  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Griggsville  for  seven  years.  He  then  aban- 
doned that  profession  in  order  to  enter  the 
ministry  and  began  preaching  as  a  member 
of  the  Illinois  Methodist  Episcopal  confer- 
ence, lie  first  preached  at  Jacksonville, 
Illinois,  and  afterward  at  different  places 
in  the  circuit  for  twenty-three  years,  when 
on  account  of  advanced  age  and  ill  health 
he  gave  up  the  active  work  of  the  ministry 
and  established  his  home  in  Decatur  in 
1888.  Here  he  took  charge  of  a  small  church, 
but  after  a  time  his  health  became  worse 
and  he  was  forced  to  abandon  ministerial 
work  altogether.  His  life  was  one  of  great 
usefulness  both  in  the  medical  fraternity 
and  in  the'  ministry.  He  always  labored  for 
his  fellow  men  and  his  efforts  were  most 
effective  in  building  up  the  church  and  pro- 
moting the  cause  of  Christianity.  He  was 
not  denied  the  harvest  of  his  labors  nor  of 
the  aftermath  and  many  there  are  who  yet 
have  reason  to  bless  his  memory  for  the  aid 
which  he  gave  them  in  understanding  life 
and  its  purposes.  In  early  years  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and 
he  favored  every  improvement  that  would 
benefit  his  fellow  men  and  tend  to  advance 
moral  development.  His  death  occurred  on 
the  nth  of  January,  1899,  but  though  he 
has  passed  away  his  memory  is  still  revered 
and  is  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
knew  him.  In  October  prior  to  his  demise 
Rev.  and  Mrs.  Davis  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  anniversary,  having  for  fifty  years 
traveled  life's  journey  together,  sharing 
with  each  other  its  joys  and  sorrows,  its  ad- 
versity and  prosperity  and  doing  all  in  the 
name  of  Him  who  came  not  to  be  minis- 
tered unto  but  to  minister  to  mankind.  Mrs. 
Davis  is  now  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Decatur  and  the  family 
is  well  known  in  this  city.  She  has  a  nice 
residence  at  No.  1204  North  College  street, 
where  she  and  her  sons  reside. 


CHAMBERS  A.  McLEAN,  M.  D. 

Chambers  A.  ^^IcLean,  a  physician  of  De- 
catur who  for  forty  years  has  made  his 
home  in  Alacon  countj',  was  born  in  Flem- 
ing county,  Kentucky,  on  the  24th  of 
May,  1832.  His  parents  were  James  and 
Charlotte  M.  A.  (Argo)  McLean,  the  for- 
mer of  Scotch-Irish  lineage  and  the  latter  of 
Scotch  descent.  John  McLean,  the  grand- 
father of  the  Doctor,  came  to  America  from 
the  north  of  Ireland  and  located  in  Ger- 
mantown,  Brighton  county,  Kentucky, 
where  he  followed  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing. He  was  a  strict  Presbyterian  in  his 
religious  faith  and  lived  an  upright,  honor- 
able life,  leaving  the  impress  of  his  indi- 
viduality for  good  upon  the  community 
with  which  he  was  associated.  He  reached 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years  and 
passed  away  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  The  maternal  grandfather  of  the  Doc- 
tor was  Purnell  Argo,  who  was  of  Scotch 
birth  and  after  crossing  the  Atlantic  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Fleming  county,  Kentucky. 
During  the  residence  of  James  McLean  in 
that  county  he  followed  the  blacksmith's 
trade  for  a  number  of  years.  His  wife  died 
when  their  son  Chambers  A.  was  only  about 
six  years  of  age  and  the  father  afterward 
wedded  Mrs.  Rebecca  (Moren)  Scott.  His 
death  occurred  about  1842.  By  his  first 
union  he  had  three  children  but  James  \\'ill- 
iam  and  Nancy  are  now  deceased,  leaving 
the  Doctor  the  only  survivor.  By  the  second 
marriage  there  were  two  children:  ^Irs. 
Eliza  Ann  Hilligoss,  now  deceased,  and  one 
that  died  in  early  childhood. 

In  the  county  of  his  nativity  Dr.  McLean 
spent  the  days  of  his  early  boyhood  and 
youth  and  there  acquired  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  common  schools,  which 
he  attended  only  through  the  winter 
months,  for  during  the  summer  season  his 
services  were  needed  upon  the  home  farm. 
Thus  he  was  reared  to  farm  life,  becoming 
familiar  with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that 


E.  M.  MERKIB 


MRS.  E.  M.  MERRIS 


PAST  AND   PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COLXTV. 


3G5 


fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist,  but  he 
spent  about  fifteen  mouths  learning  the 
shoemaker's  trade.  When  a  young  man 
he  began  stutlying  medicine,  which  he  prac- 
ticed for  fifteen  years.  He  then  attended 
the  Eclectic  Medical  College  of  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  and  was  graduated  in  that  institution 
with  the  class  of  1S71.  He  is,  hawever, 
largely  self-educated,  having  acquired  the 
greater  part  of  his  knowledge  by  arduous 
study  at  night.  He  has  burned  the  mid- 
night oil  on  many  an  occasion  and  has  thus 
made  himself  familiar  with  higher  mathe- 
matics. Latin  and  German,  lie  is  now  a 
gentleman  of  scholarly  attainments,  well  in- 
formed and  of  broad  culture,  and  while  he 
has  gained  a  comprehensive  and  accurate 
knowledge  of  the  science  of  medicine  he  has 
also  extended  his  reading  into  many  other 
fields. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  1855,  Ur.  McLean 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lucy  A. 
Tajdor,  a  daughter  of  Charles  A.  and  Judith 
(Newcombe)  Taylor.  Six  children  were 
born  unto  them,  four  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, but  only  Mabel  and  William  arc  now 
living.  Those  deceased  are  Sabina  A.,  Jo 
Henry,  Charles  B.  and  John  J.  William 
married  Miss  Margaret  P.  Crocker  and  is 
now  a  resident  of  Maroa,  Illinois,  where 
he  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine. 
He  has  four  children:  John  C.  Franklin 
C,  Edwin  P.  and  Louise. 

On  leaving  college  Dr.  McLean  of  this 
review  went  to  Maroa  and  began  practice. 
He  made  his  home  in  that  place  for  twenty 
years  and  during  that  time  enjoyed  a  large 
and  lucrative  i)atronage.  the  ])ublic  recog- 
nizing his  skill  and  ability  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  calling.  When  two  decades  had 
passed  he  came  to  Decatur,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  Here  he  has  also  engaged 
in  general  practice  and  has  enjoyed  a  good 
business,  which  has  brought  to  him  a  com- 
fortable living.  The  Doctor  is  conscien- 
tious in  his  work  and  has  a  deep  interest  in 


the  practice  of  medicine  both  from  a  scien- 
tific standpoint  and  because  of  his  sympathy 
with  his  fellow  men.  He  also  has  the  strict- 
est regard  for  the  ethics  of  the  profession 
and  by  continued  reading  his  knowledge  has 
compassed  all  of  the  improvements  known 
to  the  medical  fraternity  and  when  his  judg- 
ment has  sanctioned  any  new  idea  or 
method  of  progress  he  has  readily  adopted 
it  for  the  good  of  his  fellow  men.  In  his 
political  views  he  is  connected  with  the 
Democracy,  but  has  neither  sought  nor  de- 
sired official  recognition.  He  belongs  to 
the  Masonic  fraternity  and  he  and  his  wife 
arc  members  of  the  Christian  church.  He 
enjoys  an  enviable  standing  in  the  pro- 
fessional and  social  world  of  Decatur  and  is 
possessed  of  those  admirable  personal  char- 
acteristics which  win  and  retain  friendship. 


liLLKRV  M.  .MKRRIS. 
For  many  years  this  gentleman  was  ac- 
tively identified  with  the  agricultural  in- 
terests of  Macon  county  and  through  indus- 
try, enterprise  and  good  management  he 
acquired  a  handsome  competence  which  now 
enables  him  to  live  a  retired  life  in  his  pleas- 
ant home  at  Macon.  A  native  of  Illinois, 
lie  was  born  in  Sangamon  county  on  the  1st 
of  March,  1823,  and  is  a  worthy  representa- 
tive of  an  honored  pioneer  family  of  cen- 
tral Illinois,  his  parents  being  Stanton  and 
Elizabeth  (Piper)  Merris.  The  family  is  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent.  Our  subject's  father 
was  born  in  Wrmont  in  1794,  a  son  of  El- 
lery  and  IClizabeth  ( liromley)  Merris,  and 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  In  early  life 
he  accompanied  his  father  on  the  latter's 
removal  to  Canada,  where  he  spent  four  or 
five  years  and  then  went  to  Ohio,  becom- 
ing one  of  ihe  ])iiMK'er  settlers  of  that  state. 
He  made  his  home  there  for  about  six 
years  and  in  the  meantime  was  married  in 
1810.      llv    his   next   removal   he   l^ecame   a 


366 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


resident  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  which  was 
then  on  the  western  frontier  and  contained 
only  four  or  five  log  houses.  Three  years 
later  Mr.  Merris  settled  in  what  is  now 
Scott  county,  four  miles  •  east  of  Naples, 
which  at  that  time  formed  a  part  of  Morgan 
county.  He  bought  two  hundred  and  eighty 
acres  of  prairie  and  timber  land  on  the 
river  bottom  and  engaged  in  farming  there, 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  5th 
of  January,  1847.  His  widow  subsequently 
made  her  home  w.ith  her  son,  Stanton,  in 
Pike  county,  Illinois,  where  she  died  in 
1856.  She  was  a  native  of  Kentucky.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  children, 
namely:  Eliza,  who  died  April  i,  1854; 
Julia,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
years ;  Ellery  M.,  of  this  review ;  William ; 
Daniel,  who  was  engaged  in  farming  up  to 
within  the  last  ten  years  but  is  now  con- 
ducting a  broom  manufactory  at  Canon 
City,  Colorado;  Stanton,  and  Elizabeth. 
Only  two  of  the  number  are  now  living. 

The  educational  advantages  which  Ellery 
M.  Merris  enjoyed  were  limited  as  he  was 
only  able  to  attend  school  for  about  nine 
months  during  his  entire  boyhood,  his  serv- 
ices being  needed  at  home  in  the  work  of 
the  farm.  The  subscription  school  which 
he  attended  was  conducted  in  an  old  log 
structure,  so  common  on  the  frontier  at 
that  time,  one  log  being  cut  out  for  a  win- 
dow and  covered  with  greased  paper.  The 
building  was  heated  by  an  old  fashioned  fire- 
place which  would  hold  a  back  log  ten  feet 
in  length.  From  Sangamon  county  our  sub- 
ject removed  with  his  parents  to  Scott 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  subsequently  en- 
tered a  tract  of  government  land,  which  he 
fenced  with  rails  that  he  split  and  that  were 
in  use  for  forty  years. 

Mr.  Merris  remained  with  his  father  until 
his  marriage,  which  was  celebrated  March 
17,  1842,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  IMiss 
Nanc}^  Van  Gundy,  who  is  of  German  de- 
scent.    Her  father,  David  Van  Gundy,  was 


a  miller  bj'  trade  and  followed  that  occu- 
pation in  Pennsylvania  in  early  life.  Later 
he  removed  to  Ohio  and  from  there  to  what 
is  known  as  the  American  Bottom  near  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  There  he  wedded  Miss 
Alary  Conrad,  who  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  that  state,  June  29,  1822.  Mr.  Van 
Gundy  spent  his  last  days  with  his  son 
George  in  Scott  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
died  in  1862,  his  wife  having  passed  away 
some  time  previousl)'.  They  had  eight 
children,  of  whom  five  are  still  living,  name- 
ly: Mary,  wife  of  John  Smallwood,  a  re- 
tired farmer  living  near  Lincoln  in  Taze- 
well county,  Illinois ;  John,  a  retired  farmer 
of  Decatur;  Adam,  a  retired  farmer  of 
Bluffs,  Scott  county ;  Martha,  w'ife  of  Eras- 
mus Allison,  who  is  living  retired  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri ;  and  Nancy,  wife  of  our 
subject. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merris  were  born  fif- 
teen children:  George  W.,  who  died  of 
cancer  in  February,  1897,  leaving  a  wife  and 
five  children;  Asa  and  John  A.,  both  re- 
tired farmers  of  Macon ;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Peter  Blair,  a  mechanic  and  carpenter  of 
Findlay,  Illinois;  Sarah,  wife  of  John  Arm- 
strong, who  owns  and  operates  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Macon  town- 
ship :  Julia,  wife  of  Charles  Renshaw,  a  car- 
penter of  Hennessey,  Oklahoma;  Alartha, 
wife  of  John  McCool,  a  farmer  of  iNIissouri ; 
Daniel,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  near 
Oakley,  Illinois ;  Ida,  wife  of  Eli  Combs,  of 
Findlay ;  David  and  Franklin,  both  de- 
ceased ;  and  three  who  died  in  infancy. 
George  W.  served  for  three  years  in  the 
Union  army  during  the  Civil  war  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Six- 
teenth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  and  was 
honorably  discharged  in  August,  1865,  For 
about  half  the  time  he  was  ill  in  the  hos- 
pital, spending  one  year  in  the  hospital  at 
Camp  Butler.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Merris  have 
fifty-four  grandchildren  and  fourteen  great- 
erandchildren. 


PAST  AND  I'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


3(17 


After  his  marriage  our  subject  purcliased 
forty  acres  of  wild  laud  iu  Scott  couuty,  a 
part  of  which  is  now  within  the  corporate 
limits  of  Bluffs,  and  he  paid  for  the  same 
two  hundred  dollars.  He  improved  that 
place  and  engaged  in  its  operation  for  twelve 
years,  after  which  he  sold  out  and  removed 
to  Pike  county,  purchasing  a  tract  of  one 
hun<lred  acres  one  mile  west  of  Griggsville 
for  forty-five  dollars  per  acre  and  selling  it 
three  years  later  at  sixty  dollars.  He  ne.xt 
located  near  Lake  Fork  in  Logan  county, 
where  he  bought  a  farm  and  lived  on  the 
same  for  eight  years.  On  disposing  of  that 
property  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  South  ^[acon  township,  this  county,  it 
being  now  the  Combs  farm,  and  after  resid- 
ing there  for  three  years,  Mr.  Mcrris  bought 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  on 
Findlay  creek,  five  miles  east  of  Macon. 
He  fenced  the  land,  built  a  comfortable  resi- 
dence and  placed  the  land  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation.  Later  he  exchanged  that 
place  with  his  son  for  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  si.xty  acres  in  Milam  township, 
which  he  now  owns  and  which  he  has  great- 
ly improved  in  many  ways.  This  place  he 
now  rents.  He  also  purchased  another 
farm,  on  which  he  lived  for  some  time,  but 
sold  that  in  the  summer  of  1902.  In  the 
spring  of  1887  he  removed  to  the  town  of 
^facon  and  has  since  lived  retired.  Here 
he  owns  three  lots  and  a  house  which  he 
has  remodeled  and  enlarged,  making  a  very 
pleasant  and  desirable  home  for  himself 
and  wife.  While  living  in  the  country  he 
gave  considerable  attention  to  the  raising 
of  shorthorn  cattle,  Berkshire  hogs  and 
sheep  and  found  that  business  quite  profit- 
able. He  has  not  only  gained  for  himself 
a  comfortable  competence  but  has  also  as- 
sisted his  children  in  getting  a  start  in  life 
and  all  are  now  quite  well-to-do. 

Since  1855  Mr.  Merris  has  been  a  resident 
of  ^[acon  county,  and  in  its  development 
and  prosperity  he  has  taken   an  active  in- 


terest. He  has  been  called  upon  to  fill  a 
number  of  local  offices,  having  capably 
served  as  assessor  of  Milam  township  three 
years  and  tax  collector  of  the  same  town- 
ship. During  the  greater  part  of  his  life 
he  has  filled  the  office  of  school  director  and 
for  seven  years  was  alderman  of  Macon. 
Further  office  he  has  refused  to  accept  and 
he  has  never  been  a  politician  in  the  sense 
of  office  seeking.  He  is  a  supporter  of  the 
Prohibition  party,  and  both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  though 
they  now  attend  the  Presbyterian  church, 
the  former  denomination  having  no  house 
of  worship  in  Macon.  They  are  widely 
and  favorably  known  and  have  a  host  of 
warm   friends  throughout  the  county. 


GEORGE  W.  LEHN. 
George  W.  Lehn  is  one  of  the  younger 
representatives  of  the  agricultural  commun- 
ity of  mini  township,  his  home  being  on 
section  24,  where  he  owns  and  operates  a 
good  farm.  He  claims  R'lacon  county  as 
his  native  place,  for  he  was  born  in  Illini 
township,  on  the  ist  of  November,  1874, 
his  parents  being  John  P.  and  Tabitha 
(Jones)  Lehn,  whose  sketch  appears  on 
another  page  of  this  volume.  Our  subject 
obtained  his  elementary  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  township, 
and  later  took  a  course  at  Brown's  Busi- 
ness College  in  Decatur. 

Since  leaving  school  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years  Mr.  Lehn  has  devoted  his  entire 
time  and  attention  to  farm  work  and  aided 
in  the  operation  of  the  old  home  farm  until 
twenty-six  years  of  age.  He  is  a  thorough 
and  systematic  farmer  and  usually  carries 
forward  to  successful  completion  whatever 
he  undertakes.  He  received  eighty  acres 
of  land  from  his  father's  estate  and  has 
built  thereon  a  good  barn  and  otherwise 
improved   the  place.     The  land   is  under  a 


308 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACON  COUNTY. 


liigh  state  of  cultivation  and  yields  a  good 
return  for  the  care  and  labor  Ijestowed  upon 
it. 

On  the  20th  of  February,  1901,  Mr.  Lehn 
married  Miss  Lois  L.  Baum,  a  daughter 
of  William  and  Nettie  Baum,  of  Illini  town- 
ship. She  began  her  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  Hickory  Point  township 
and  for  two  years  was  a  student  in  the 
high  school  of  Decatur.  She  was  also  given 
instruction  on  the  piano. 

By  his  ballot  Mr.  Lehn  supports  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  Republican  party.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Church  of  God  of  Boil- 
ing Springs  in  Hickory  Point  township, 
which  he  joined  three  years  ago,  and  he  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  young  farm- 
ers of  his  community. 


BENJAMIN  PARKER. 

Benjamin  Parker,  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising and  progressive  agriculturists  of 
Maroa  township,  residing  on  section  4,  was 
born  in  that  township  in  1871,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  S.and  Mary  A.  Parker.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  New  Jersey  and  an  early 
settler  of  Macon  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
successfully  engaged  in  farming  throughout 
life,  owning  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  fine  farming  land  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Our  subject  is  indebted  to  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  township  for  the  early 
educational  privileges  he  enjoyed  and  later 
he  attended  college  at  Dixon,  Illinois,  for 
one  year.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  be- 
gan farming  on  land  left  him  by  his  father 
and  has  since  devoted  his  energies  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  Besides  his  own  farm  he 
generally  operates  a  rented  tract  and  in 
1903  cultivated  eighty  acres  in  this  way. 
He  has  spent  over  five  thousand  dollars  in 
imjiroving  his  place;  has  put  in  a  splendid 
system  of  water  works;  and  has  built  a 
house  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand   dollars. 


It  is  heated  by  a  hot  air  furnace  and  is  up- 
to-date  in  all  its  appointments.  Mr.  Parker 
carries  on  both  farming  and  stock-raising 
and  in  both  branches  of  his  business  he  is 
meeting  with  good  success. 

In  1893  was  celebrated  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Clara  B.  Longstreet,  a  daughter  of 
John  Longstreet,  a  wealthy,  retired  farmer 
now  living  in  Maroa.  Three  children  bless 
this  union,  namely :  Hazel  Naomi,  John  L. 
and  Lloyd  D.  The  parents  both  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  church  and  Mr. 
Parker  also  belongs  to  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity  at  Maroa.  He  filled  the 
office  of  assessor  in  the  spring  of  1903  and 
by  his  ballot  he  supports  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party.  A  wide- 
awake, energetic  business  man  and  a  citizen 
of  known  reliability,  he  stands  high  in  the 
community  where  he  has  always  made  his 
home  and  where  he  is  so  widely  known. 


JAMES  G.  UNDERWOOD,  M.  D. 
In  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Illinois 
Dr.  Tames  G.  Underwood  became  well 
known  and  many  to-day  have  reason  to 
bless  his  memory  for  the  aid  which  he  ren- 
dered in  times  of  sickness  and  distress.  He 
was  born  in  \'ermont  on  the  9th  of  June, 
1819.  The  Underwood  family  is  of  Scotch- 
Irish  extraction  and  was  founded  in  Amer- 
ica by  two  brothers,  one  of  whom  settled  in 
Vermont  and  the  other  in  Maryland.  Our 
subject's  wife  has  a  genealogical  record  of 
the  familv.  The  Doctor's  father,  Silas  Un- 
derwood, was  a  farmer  and  a  very  promi- 
nent citizen  in  the  Green  Mountain  state. 
He  was  frequently  called  to  public  office, 
serving  in  various  official  positions  where 
he  discharged  his  duties  with  promptness 
and  fidelity.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  in 
Vermont. 


^ 


OiyU^<L^   Ci-  7l{yrn/c 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


371 


Tlie  ]~)octor  ac<|uirc(l  his  education  in  liis 
native  state  and  remained  a  resident  of  \  er- 
niont  until  tliirl\-  years  of  age,  when  in  1849 
he  came  to  the  .Mississippi  valley,  settling 
first  in  Wayne  county,  Wisconsin.  He  had 
previously  prepared  for  the  practice  of  med- 
icine, and,  opening  an  office  in  Wisconsin, 
he  there  carried  on  business  for  a  few  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  he  came  to  lUinois, 
living  in  Greene  and  Pike  counties  for  one 
year.     He  then  came  to  Macon  count)'. 

It  was  in  tliis  county  that  Dr.  Underwood 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarali  \. 
Humphrey,  a  native  of  Morgan  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Bower)  Humphrey.  Her  parents  were 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  in  the  year  1828 
came  to  this  state,  settling  in  what  was 
then  Morgan,  now  Scott,  county,  Illinois. 
They  there  lived  for  several  years  and  then 
came  to  Macon  county,  where  Mr.  Hum- 
phre\-  built  what  is  now  the  Catholic  con- 
vent. He  erected  it  for  hotel  purposes  and 
continued  in  that  line  of  business  here  for 
many  years.  He  afterward  removed  to 
I'nion  county,  Illinois,  and  established  his 
home  on  a  fruit  farm,  engaging  in  liorticul- 
tural  jnirsuiits  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1865.  He  was  one  of  the  honored 
pioneers  of  the  state  and  aided  largely  in 
promoting  its  early  development  and  prog- 
ress. His  widow  survived  him  for  some 
time  and  died  in  Chicago. 

Unto  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Underwood  were  born 
six  children:  Helen,  who  is  now  living  in 
Nebraska  ;  Lewis,  who  is  a  job  printer  in 
the  Herald  office  in  Decatur:  Marcus,  who 
resides  in  Chicago,  and  is  employed  by  the 
Chicago  Telephone  Company ;  Cornelia, 
who  is  bookkeeper  for  the  T,  T.  Springer 
Grocery  Company  in  Decatur  and  lives  with 
her  mother  :  and  Edna  and  Ernest,  who  have 
passed  away. 

After  his  marriage  Dr.  Underwood  located 
in  Logan  county.  Illinois,  where  he  contiued 
in   the  practice  of  his   profession   with   ex- 


cellent success  for  several  years,  and  also 
superintended  the  cultivation  of  his  farm, 
lie  tlKii  removed  to  L^nion  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  in  practice  for  ten  years 
and  on  the  expiration  of  that  decade  he  took 
up  his  abode  in  Columbus,  Cherokee  coun- 
ty, Kansas,  where  he  devoted  his  energies 
to  the  alleviation  of  human  suffering  until 
called  to  his  final  rest  on  the  9th  of  No- 
\eml)er,  1875.  IK-  h;id  a  large  practice  dur- 
ing his  residence  in  this  city  and  was  a 
prominent  physician,  gaining  success  by 
reason  of  his  ability  that  brought  him  a 
large  patronage.  His  memory  is  cherished 
by  many  who  knew  him  for  he  had  endeared 
himself  to  all  through  "the  possession  of 
qualities  that  everywhere  command  respect, 
confidence  and  regard.  He  bore  an  excel- 
lent reputation  both  as  a  man  and  citizen. 
.\fter  his  death  Mrs.  Underwood  returned 
to  Illinois  and  has  since  made  he  home  in 
Decatur,  where  she  owns  a  nice  residence 
at  No.  239  Condit  street,  where  she  and  her 
children  are  living. 


ALEXIS   R.   MONTGOMERY. 

There  is  ever  a  degree  of  satisfaction  and 
profit  in  scanning  the  life  history  of  one  who 
has  attained  to  an  eminent  degree  of  success 
as  the  direct  result  of  his  own  efforts,  who 
has  had  the  mentality  to  direct  his  endeavors 
toward  the  desired  ends  and  the  singleness  and 
steadfastness  of  purpose  which  have  given  due 
value  to  each  consecutive  detail  of  effort.  As 
a  distinctive  type  of  a  self-made  man  we  can 
refer  with  singular  propriety  to  the  honored 
subject  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this 
review,  who  is  the  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Union  Iron  Works  of  Decatur. 

Mr.  Montgomery  is  a  native  of  North  Caro- 
lina, his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  village  of 
Statesville,  on  the  loth  of  October.  1851.  His 
paternal  grand fatlier,  James  Montgomery,  was 


372 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


a  native  of  Virginia  and  was  descended  from 
Scotcli-Irish  ancestry.  He  became  a  farmer 
and  planter  and  was  well  known  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  It  was  there  that  John  E.  Alont- 
gomery,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born 
and  reared.  He  afterward  removed  to  North 
Carolina,  and  in  the  year  1867  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Illinois,  establishing  his  home  in  Hills- 
boro,  Montgomery  county,  where  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits.  By  trade  he  was  a 
tinner  and  for  a  time  was  employed  in  the 
Union  Works  of  Decatur.  Subsequently,  how- 
ever, he  returned  to  his  old  home  in  North 
Carolina,  where  he  became  ill  and  there  his 
life's  labors  were  ended  in  death.  The  wife 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Catherine  Ramseur, 
and  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina.  Her 
father  was  David  Ramseur,  who  was  of  Ger- 
man lineage. 

In  a  private  school  in  the  south  Alexis  R. 
Montgomery  began  his  education,  which  was 
continued  in  the  district  schools  of  Montgom- 
ery county,  Illinois.     He  afterward  became  a 
student  in  the  public  schools  of  Taylorville, 
Illinois,  wherein  he  completed  his  education. 
On  putting  aside  his  text  books  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  position  of  deputy  postmaster 
in  Taylorville,  which  position  he  filled  for  two 
years.    He  then  came  to  Decatur  in  1873  and 
through  the  two  succeeding  years  was  em- 
ployed as  a  salesman  in  the  mercantile  house 
of  J.  N.  Randall.     In  1875  he  became  book- 
keeper for  the  Union  Iron  Works,  filling  that 
position  until    1882.     His   identification   with 
this   business   covers   twenty-eight   years   and 
in  1884  he  was  made  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  company,   while  James  Millikin   was 
elected   its   president.     Mr.   Montgomery  has 
since  acted  in  that  capacity  and  not  a  little  of 
the  success  of  the  undertaking  is  attributable 
to  his  supervision  and  his  active  co-operation 
and  his  sound  business  judgment.     The  com- 
pany manufactures  corn  shellers  and  elevator 
machinery  and  has  always  been  noted  for  its 
excellent  workmanship.    The  corn  sheller  has 


been  manufactured  on  a  very  extensive  scale, 
being  sold  throughout  the  corn  belt  of  the 
civilized  world.  The  house  has  ever  main- 
tained a  high  reputation  for  the  excellence  of 
Its  work,  which  is  secured  through  the  em- 
ployment of  skilled  operatives  and  through  the 
use  of  the  latest  improved  machinery.  A  large 
force  of  men  is  annually  employed  and  the 
yearly  output  reaches  a  large  amount. 

In    1874   Mr.    Montgomery   was   united   in 
marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Cecil  Oglesby,  of  Decatur, 
a  daughter  of  Willis  Oglesby,  and  they  have 
two  children:     Jessie  A.  and  Noy  Oglesby. 
They  all  hold  membership  in  the  First  Presby- 
terian   church,    in   which    they   have   taken    a 
very  active  part,  contributing  generously  to  its 
support.     Mr.  Montgomery  has  filled  various 
offices  in  the  church.    He  is  likewise  a  director 
of  the  James  Millikin  University.    In  seeking 
for  the  causes  which  have  contributed  to  his 
success   we   find   them   not   so  much   in  their 
rarity  as  in  their  harmonious  union  and  they 
may  be  summed  up  by  saying  that  he  has  the 
manners  of  a  gentleman  and  the  habits  of  a 
man  of  business — a  combination  of  qualities 
that  are  bound  to  produce  the  highest  results. 
It  is  no  very  rare  thing  for  a  poor  boy  in  our 
country  to  become  a  prosperous  man  and  oc- 
cupy a  commanding  position  in  the  business 
world,  but  many  who  have  fought  their  way 
from    poverty   to   wealth,    from   obscurity    to 
prominence,  retain  some  scars  and  marks  of 
the  conflict.     They  are  apt  to  be  narrow  and 
grasping,  even  if  not  sordid  and  unscrupulous. 
Mr.  Montgomery,  however,  is  an  instance  of 
a  man  who  has  achieved  success  without  pay- 
ing the  price  at  which  it  is  often  bought,  for 
his   prosperity  has  not  removed  him   farther 
from  his  fellow  men,  but  has  brought  him  into 
closer  and  more  intimate  relations  with  them. 
The  more  means  he  has  had  the  more  he  has 
done  for  those  around  him  and  for  the  welfare 
of  the  city,  and  now  he  is  numbered  among 
the  most  prominent  as  well  as  prosperous  citi- 
zens of  Decatur. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  iMACON  COUNTY. 


373 


CHARLES  H.  FAITH. 

Charles  H.  Faith  is  one  of  the  important 
factors  in  the  business  circles  of  Warrens- 
burg,  Illinois,  where  as  a  grain  dealer  he 
is  now  doing  a  good  business.  In  his  special 
field  of  endeavor  he  has  met  with  excellent 
success  and  by  the  energy  and  zeal  he  has 
manifested  he  has  won  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  the  public. 

Mr.  Faith  was  born  in  Deer  Park,  Mary- 
land, Maj'  21,  1857.  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph 
Faith,  a  retired  farmer  now  living  in  De- 
catur, Illinois,  whose  birth  occurred  in 
Loraine,  Germany,  April  25,  1823.  Our 
subject's  paternal  grandfather,  Paul  Faith, 
was  a  native  of  Alsace,  France,  and  spent 
his  entire  life  in  that  country.  Soon  after 
his  death  his  widow  crossed  the  Atlantic 
and  became  a  resident  of  Baltimore.  Here 
Joseph  Faith  acquired  a  limited  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  that  city.  He 
served  a  si.x  years'  apprenticeship  to 
the  machinist's  trade  and  when  his  term 
expired  worked  in  Cumberland,  Maryland, 
removing  to  the  latter  place  in  the  ■40s. 
For  twenty-three  years  he  continued  to  fol- 
low his  chosen  occupation  and  being  an 
expert  workman  he  secured  a  good  compe- 
tence. On  the  I2th  of  November,  1844,  he 
married  Miss  Catherine  Hesson,  a  native  of 
Maryland  and  a  daughter  of  Lewis  Hesson. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  made  his  home  in 
Cumberland.  Maryland,  aiid  in  1865  re- 
moved to  Fulton  count}',  Pennsjdvania, 
where  he  established  a  shop  and  continued 
to  work  at  his  trade.  In  1871  he  came  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  and  purchased  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  one 
mile  west  of  Warrensburg,  although  there 
was  no  town  there  at  that  time.  Thirty- 
five  acres  of  this  land  had  previously  been 
broken  and  to  its  further  development  and 
cultivation  he  devoted  his  energies  for  some 
years.  He  aided  materially  in  the  growth 
and  upbuilding  of  that  section  of  the  county. 


Renting  his  farm  in  1887,  lie  removed  to 
Warrensburg,  and  on  the  28th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1896,  took  up  his  residence  in  Decatur, 
where  he  now  lives  retired  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  a  well  earned  rest  and  the  fruits  of 
his  former  toil.  He  cast  his  first  prpsiden- 
tial  vote  for  James  K.  Polk  in  1844,  and  at 
state  and  national  elections  always  sup- 
ports the  Democratic  party  but  at  local 
elections  votes  independent  of  party  lines, 
endeavoring  to  support  the  candidate  best 
(|ualiticd  for  the  office.  Prnth  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church 
of  Decatur  and  are  highly  respected  and 
esteemed  bj'  all  who  know  them. 

Unto  this  worthy  couple  were  born  four- 
teen children,  of  whom  eight  sons  and  three 
daughters  are  living,  namely:  William,  a 
resident  of  Hancock,  Washington  county, 
.Maryland;  Lewis,  who  holds  a  responsible 
position  in  the  same  county ;  Ella,  widow  of 
Stephen  Witcher,  of  Decatur;  John;  Charles 
II.,  whose  name  introduces  the  sketch;  Eli, 
a  resident  of  Chicago  ;  Harry,  who  makes  his 
home  in  Illiopolis;  George,  a  farmer  of  Illini 
township,  Macon  county ;  Sadie,  wife  of 
John  D.  Childs;  Mollic,  wife  of  Dr.  Fisher, 
i)f  Chicago;  and  Thomas,  who  is  interested 
in  tlic  Chicago  Eye,  Ear,  Nose  and  Throat 
College  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Franklin  streets,  Chicago. 

Charles  H.  Faith  attended  school  in  Han- 
cock, Maryland,  until  fifteen  years  of  age, 
and  then  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  locating 
near  the  present  village  of  Warrensburg. 
He  began  farming  for  himself  upon  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Illini  township,  and  contin- 
ued to  follow  that  occupation  until  1883, 
when  he  removed  to  Warrensburg  and  em- 
barked in  the  grain  business  with  Z. 
Baughn,  under  the  firm  name  of  Baughn  & 
Company,  this  connection  being  continued 
for  three  years.  He  next  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  C.  J.  Oflf  under  the  name  of  C.  H. 


374 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Faith  &  Company,  and  in  1902  the  firm  was 
changed  to  Faith  &  Dewein,  which  it  still 
remains.  Besides  their  elevator  at  War- 
rensburg  they  also  own  and  operate  another 
at  Heman,  Macon  connty,  which  together 
have  a  capacity  of  one  lunidred  thousand 
bushels,  so  that  they  are  numbered  among 
the  leading  grain  dealers  of  this  section  of 
the  state.  They  are  progressive,  wide- 
awake business  men  and  are  meeting  with 
good  success. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  1879,  Mr.  Faith 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Henrietta 
Baughn,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Han- 
nah (Mowry)  Baughn.  Ten  children 
blessed  this  union :  Pearl,  now  the  wife  of 
William  Avers,  by  whom  she  has  one  child, 
Ruth  ;  Grace,  who  is  quite  a  musician  and 
-is  the  wife  of  Victor  Dewein,  by  whom  she 
has  one  child,  Margaret;  Georgia,  who  has 
just  graduated  from  the  Decatur  high 
school ;  Mabel,  Ruth,  William,  Julia,  Charles 
H.,  Jr.,  and  Harold,  all  at  home ;  and  James, 
who  died  in  infancy.  The  two  older  daugh- 
ters were  married  in  the  same  room  where 
the  ceremony  was  performed  that  made 
their  father  and  mother  man  and  wife. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Faith  is  a 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, and  he  also  belongs  to  the  encamp- 
ment and  patriarch  militant  in  the  latter  or- 
der. He  is  now  serving  as  treasurer  of  the 
subordinate  lodge.  The  Republican  party 
has  always  found  in  him  a  stanch  supporter 
of  its  principles  and  he  has  served  on  the 
township  central  committee,  has  been  town 
clerk  and  constable,  school  director  for 
many  years,  and  president  of  the  village 
board.  Pre-eminently  public  spirited  and 
progressive,  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
valued  and  useful  citizens  of  the  com- 
munity, and  no  trust  reposed  in  him  has 
ever  been  misplaced. 


OLIVER  T.  CROW. 

With  the  agricultural  interests  of  Pleas- 
ant \Tew  township  Oliver  T.  Crow  has  long 
been  identified  and  is  to-day  operating  a  fine 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
acres.  A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  in 
Licking  county,  that  state,  on  the  4th  of 
February,  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Jenny)  Crow.  The  father  was 
also  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state  and  was 
of  German  descent,  but  the  mother  was  born 
in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia.  Her  father 
was  captain  of  a  boat  on  the  Ohio  river. 
In  1856  John  Crow  brought  his  family  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  and  after  residing 
for  a  short  time  in  the  village  of  Macon  he 
removed  to  section  36,  Pleasant  View  town- 
ship, where  he  had  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  from  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  and 
erected  a  house  thereon.  Later  he  removed 
to  section  34  in  the  same  township  and  con- 
tinued to  follow  agricultural  pursuits 
throughout  his  active  business  life. 

Oliver  T.  Crow  is  the  seventh  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  the  oth- 
ers being  Sarah,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Hardy 
Markwell;  Charles,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  \-ears ;  IMatilda,  wife  of  William 
Markwell,  a  dairyman  of  Bement ;  Caroline, 
wife  of  J.  P.  Nutter,  postmaster,  merchant 
and  stock-buyer  of  Talmo,  Kansas ;  E.  W., 
who  married  Nannie  Deatley,  and  is  en- 
gaged in  the  grain  business  in  Blue  Mound, 
Illinois  ;  Corinda,  who  died  in  infancy  ;  John, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years ;  Le- 
nora,  who  died  in  young  womanhood ;  and 
Libbie,  who  died  in  early  life. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  only  three 
years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  to  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
and  he  was  reared  and  educated  in  Pleas- 
ant View  township,  but  was  forced  to  leave 
school  at  an  early  age  and  begin  work. 
During  his  boyhood  he  hauled  wood  from 
Flat  Branch,  a  distance  of  six  miles,  and 
also  engaged  in  farming.     In  1874  he  com- 


(^/"-^(^  oi L  ( ixxjutn 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AlACON  COUNTY. 


•.Vi 


inenced  farming  on  liis  own  account,  oper- 
ating a  rented  farm  in  Christian  county  for 
two  years,  and  then  removed  to  section 
34,  Pleasant  \'ie\v  township,  where  the  fol- 
lowing two  years  were  passed.  For  eight 
years  he  lived  on  the  Baldwin  farm,  and 
then  removed  to  his  present  place,  where 
he  rents  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven 
acres  of  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  well  improved.  .\  good  practical 
agriculturist,  he  has  met  with  success  in 
his  chosen  occupation. 

On  the  i8th  of  February,  1875,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Crow  and  .Miss 
Alice  J.  Scott,  who  was  born  in  IMacon 
county  and  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  Niantic  and  Blue  Mound.  Her  parents, 
Joseph  and  Sarah  (Whiteside)  Scott,  were 
also  natives  of  Illinois,  their  births  hav- 
ing occurred  near  Edwardsville,  in  Madi- 
son county.  Her  maternal  great-grand- 
father. Colonel  Whiteside,  was  a  prom- 
inent early  settler  of  this  state  and  a 
noted  Indian  fighter.  His  son,  \\"illiam 
W'hitcside,  the  grandfather  of  .Mrs.  Crow, 
was  a  pioneer  of  Macon  county.  Mrs.  Crow 
is  the  oldest  in  a  family  of  eight  children, 
the  others  being  Mary,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  Ida,  deceased  wife  of  Charles  Clark, 
of  Decatur;  Minnie,  wife  of  William  David- 
son, of  Rochester,  Nebraska ;  Hattie,  widow 
of  E.  W.  Whaley ;  May,  wife  of  Amos  Da- 
vidson, of  Christian  county,  Illinois;  and 
William,  who  married  Lilly  Marshall  and 
lives  in  Christian  county. 

Eight  children  blessed  the  union  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Crow;  Johnny,  born  November 
19.  187(1,  died  .April  23,  1877;  Willie  E.,  born 
April  22,  1878,  married  Myrtle  Hays  and 
lives  in  Mowcaqua,  Illinois.  Of  the  two 
children  born  to  them,  one  is  living,  Cdenn. 
Edith,  born  March  28,  1S80,  is  the  wife  of 
Charles  Ferry,  a  farmer,  and  to  them  were 
born  three  children,  but  only  Mabel  is  now 
living.  Eva,  born  January  9,  1883.-  is  the 
wife  of  Charles  Nichols,  a  farmer  of  South 


Macon  township.  Ezra  \\  .,  born  March  23, 
1886,  and  Ray,  born  July  14,  1890,  are  both 
at  home.  Walter,  born  C)ctober  3,  1893, 
died  October  11,  1893.  Don,  born  July  8, 
1894,  is  at  home. 

.Mr.  Crow  is  liberal  in  his  religious  views 
but  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church.  I-ralcrnaliy  he  is  connected  with 
the  .Modern  \\  oodmen  of  America,  and  po- 
litically is  identified  with  the  Democracy, 
taking  an  active  part  in  the  work  of  his 
party.  He  has  filled  the  offices  of  highway 
commissioner,  constal)le  and  tax  collector, 
serving  in  the  last  capacity  for  three  terms. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  industry  and  use- 
fulness, and  he  has  always  been  found  true 
to  any  trust  reposed  in  him  whether  public 
or  private. 


FREDERICK  BUTZIEN. 

I'Vederick  I'utzicn  is  the  oldest  represen- 
tative of  the  furniture  business  in  Decatur, 
although  at  the  present  time  he  is  living  a 
retired  life.  He  came  to  this  city  in  1853 
and  began  the  manufacture  of  furniture  and 
with  this  department  of  the  work  and  also 
with  the  retail  trade  he  was  connected  for 
many  years.  He  has  now  passed  the  sev- 
enty-eighth mile-stone  on  life's  journey  and 
lives  quietly  at  his  pleasant  home,  his  for- 
mer toil  making  it  possible  for  him  to  enjoy 
all  of  the  comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries 
of  life.  He  is  connected  with  our  German- 
American  citizenship,  his  birth  having  oc- 
curred in  Prussia  on  the  i8th  of  October, 
1825.  His  parents,  Frederick  and  Caroline 
(Cook)  Butzien,  spent  their  entire  lives  in 
Germany.  In  early  life  the  father  followed 
the  tailor's  trade,  but  afterward  engaged  in 
farming  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

In  accordance  with  the  laws  of  his  native 
country  Frederick  Butzien  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools.  He  was  a 
voung  man  of  about  twenty-five  years  when 


378 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


he  determined  to  seek  a  home  in  the  new 
world  and  sailed  for  America  in  company 
with  his  brother,  Charlie,  who  afterward 
died  in  Peru,  Indiana.  They  landed  in  New 
York  and  our  subject  went  direct  to  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin,  where  he  was  employed 
in  a  box  factory  for  a  short  time.  He  then 
removed  to  LaSalle,  Illinois,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  carpentering  and  assisted  in  build- 
ing the  bridge  across  the  river.  Subsequent- 
ly he  made  his  way  to  New  Orleans,  where 
he  worked  in  a  furniture  manufacturing  es- 
tablishment for  one  winter,  but  on  account 
of  the  yellow  fever  in  the  south  he  returned 
north  and  settled  in  Springfield,  Illinois, 
which  was  then  the  termination  of  the  rail- 
road. 

Soon  afterward  he  walked  from  Spring- 
field to  Decatur,  arriving  here  in  the  spring 
of  1853.  The  now  thriving  city  with  its 
splendid  business  enterprises,  fine  buildings 
and  excellent  improvements  was  then  a 
mere  town  and  -hacV  little  importance  as  a 
trade  center.  Mr.  Butzien  began  working 
for  E.  D.  Carter  in  the  furniture  manufac- 
turing business,  continuing  with  that  gen- 
tleman for  two  years,  after  w'hich  he  fol- 
lowed carpentering  for  a  few  years.  He 
then  began  manufacturing  furniture  on  his 
own  account,  his  place  of  business  being  on 
South  Water  street.  He  made  all  kinds  of 
furniture  and  coffins,  selling  to  both  the 
wholesale  and  retail  trade  and  he  made  all 
of  the  furniture  used  in  the  old  Macon 
county  courthouse.  For  ten  years  he  con- 
tinued in  that  business  and  then  sold  out 
the  undertaking  business  to  Mr.  Aungst, 
after  which  he  built  a  brick  building  on 
East  Main  street  and  opened  a  retail,  furni- 
ture store,  which  he  conducted  for  twenty- 
eight  years.  Almost  continually  from  the 
time  of  his  arrival  in  Illinois  up  to  the  time 
of  his  retirement  from  business  life  he  was 
connected  with  the  furniture  trade  either 
as  a  manufacturer  or  as  a  retail  dealer.  In 
this  way  he  became  widely  known  through- 


out the  county  and  a  liberal  patronage  was 
accorded  him.  Eventually  he  sold  his  busi- 
ness to  Messrs.  Fisk,  Scoville  and  Bach- 
man  and  removed  to  South  Wheatland 
township,  Macon  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  three 
acres,  three  miles  southeast  of  Decatur. 
There  he  carried  on  general  farming  for 
seven  years,  when  on  account  of  advanced 
age  he  returned  to  the  city  and  has  since 
lived  retired  here. 

On  January  16,  1856,  in  Decatur,  Mr. 
Butzien  was  married  to  his  cousin,  Miss 
Fredericka  Butzien,  who  was  born  in  Ger- 
many August  2.2,  1834,  a  daughter  of  his 
mother's  sister.  Her  death  occurred  Janu- 
ary 29,  1899.  There  were  five  children 
born  of  this  marriage :  Henry,  born  Decem- 
ber 21,  1856,  married  Emma  Prall  and  they 
now  reside  in  Denver,  Colorado,  where  he 
is  engaged  in  the  furniture  business ; 
Emelia,  born  June  2,  1859,  is  deceased ; 
Albert,  born  ]\Iarch  25,  1861,  has  passed 
away;  Frederick,  born  March  4,  1863,  is 
also  deceased ;  and  Alice  L.,  born  Decem- 
ber 15,  1866,  is  now  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Linth- 
icun.  They  reside  with  her  father  in 
Decatur  and  ^Ir.  Linthicun  superintends 
his  farming  interests,  riding  out  each  morn- 
ing to  the  farm  and  returning  in  the  even- 
ing. Mrs.  Butzien  and  the  deceased  chil- 
dren are  all  buried  in  Greenwood  cemetery, 
Decatur. 

Mr.  Butzien  has  made  for  himself  a  most 
enviable  and  creditable  business  record.  He 
is  a  self-made  man,  whose  good  fortune  is 
not  attributable  to  luck,  but  has  resulted 
from  earnest  labor,  careful  management  and 
diligence.  He  now  owns  the  residence  which 
he  occupies  at  No.  246  Mill  street;  business 
property  on  East  Main  street ;  a  residence 
at  No.  502  East  Prairie  avenue;  and  his 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  three  acres  in 
South  Wheatland  township.  He  has  never 
held  any  offices,  although  his  friends  have 
solicited   him   to   become   a    candidate    for 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


379 


county  coroner.  His  political  allegiance  is 
given  to  the  Democracy.  He  aided  in  or- 
ganizing the  German  Aid  Society  in  De- 
catur, which  meets  in  Turner  Tall  and  of 
which  he  is  now  the  oldest  member.  He 
also  belongs  to  the  German  Lutheran  church 
at  Decatur.  For  half  a  century  he  has  lived 
in  the  city  and  is  well  known  as  one  of  its 
pioneer  residents  and  prominent  and  influ- 
ential representatives.  His  life  record  shows 
what  can  be  accomplished  in  this  land  where 
ambition  and  effort  are  not  hampered  by 
caste  or  class  and  where  all  are  equal  before 
the  law  and  where  the  road  to  opportunity 
and  success  is  open  to  those  who  will  walk 
therein. 


LOUIS  D.  BARBEY. 
From  a  very  early  age  Louis  D.  Barbey 
has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources 
and  because  of  his  carefully  directed  labor, 
his  firm  purpose  and  his  unfaltering  per- 
severance he  has  gained  for  himself  a  cred- 
itable position  and  desirable  success  as  a 
representative  of  the  business  interests  of 
Decatur,  where  he  is  now  conducting  a  gro- 
cery store.  He  was  born  in  Bond  county, 
Illinois,  on  the  29th  of  July,  1874,  and  is  a 
son  of  J.  S.  and  Adella  Barbey,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Switzerland.  After 
coming  to  America  the  father  became  a 
prominent  furniture  dealer  and  undertaker 
of  Greenville,  Illinois,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  business  for  eighteen  years.  He 
was  well  known  and  highly  respected  and 
through  a  long  period  was  a  representative 
merchant  of  that  town.  He  has  now  passed 
away,  but  his  widow  resides  in  St.  Louis, 
Missouri.  By  that  union  were  born  seven 
children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
Those  still  living  are  E.  J.,  who  is  married 
and  resides  in  West  Virginia ;  J.  S.,  who  is 
employed  in  the  Moorehouse  &  Wells  store 
in  Decatur ;  Louis  D. ;  Delia,  the  wife  of  J. 


T.  Tinslcy,  of  Pennsylvania;  and  Charley, 
who  is  an  electrician  of  St.  Louis.  . 

Louis  D.  Barbey  began  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  Greenville,  Illinois, 
but  at  an  early  age  put  aside  his  text  books, 
to  become  a  factor  in  the  business  world. 
When  a  youth  of  fourteeen  he  arrived  in 
Decatur.  Previous  to  that  time  he  worked 
in  a  drug  store  in  Greenville  for  a  short 
period.  On  coming  to  Decatur  he  secured 
a  position  in  a  grocery  store  at  the  meager 
salary  of  three  dollars  per  week,  but  as  he 
mastered  the  business  and  made  his  labors 
of  value  to  his  employer  his  wages  were 
correspondingly  increased  and  for  eight 
)-ears  he  remained  in  the  service  of  J.  G. 
Cloyd.  He  managed  to  save  most  of  his 
salary  during  that  period  and  in  May,  1900, 
with  the  capital  that  he  had  thus  acquired 
he  opened  a  grocery  store  on  his  own  ac- 
count, being  associated  with  W.  T.  J.  Coop- 
er, under  the  firm  style  of  Barbey  &  Cooper. 
Their  store  is  now  located  at  No.  116  East 
Prairie  avenue,  where  the  firm  carries  a 
large  stock  of  fancy  and  staple  groceries. 
Having  throughout  almost  his  entire  life 
been  connected  with  this  line  of  trade  Mr. 
Barbey  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  it  and 
splendidly  qualified  to  carry  on  a  successful 
business.  The  firm  is  now  well  established 
in  trade,  employing  nine  clerks  and  assist- 
ants. 

On  the  30th  of  November,  1897,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Barbey  and  Miss  Har- 
riet Farner,  a  daughter  of  Michael  and  Jen- 
nie (Shutter)  Farner.  The  lady  is  a  native 
of  Decatur  and  a  representative  of  one  of 
the  old  families  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barbey  attend  the 
Christian  church  and  they  occupy  a  pleas- 
ant home  at  No.  128  East  Marietta  street, 
which  was  recently  purchased  by  him. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Barbey  is 
a  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  or  de- 
sired office,  preferring  to  give  his  attention 
to  his  business  affairs.     He  is  popular  with 


380 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


his  fellow  citizens  because  of  his  social 
nature  and  creditable  record  in  business  cir- 
cles. He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
Lodge  and  to  the  Fraternal  Army  of  Amer- 
ica. Pie  has  led  a  very  busy  and  active  life 
and  deserves  great  credit  for  what  he  has 
accomplished.  A  self-made  man,  he  has  yet 
attained  success  that  many  a  man  of  twice 
his  years  might  well  envy.  He  has  won 
and  enjoys  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his 
fellow  citizens  and  is  distinctively  one  of 
the  leading  merchants  of  Decatur,  with 
whose  interests  he  has  now  been  long  iden- 
tified. 


J.  H.  STOUTENBOROUGH. 
One  of  the  well  improved  and  highly  cul- 
tivated farms  of  AJaroa  township  is  that  be- 
longing to  J.  H.  Stoutenborough  on  section 
8,  where  he  is  successfully  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising  at  the  present  time. 
His  early  home  was  in  Ohio,  his  birth  oc- 
curring in  Warren  county,  that  state,  and 
his  parents  are  Garrett  and  Margaret  Stout- 
enborough, whose  sketch  appears  on  an- 
other page  of  this  volume.  Although  born 
in  the  Buckeye  state,  our  subject  was  prin- 
cipally reared  in  DeWitt  county,  Illinois, 
his  early  life  being  spent  upon  a  farm.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  years  he  began  farming 
on  his  own  account  upon  land  belonging 
to  his  father  and  was  thus  employed  for 
five  years.  During  the  following  season  he 
was  engaged  in  the  tile  business  at  Maroa 
and  in  1881  he  removed  to  his  present  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  was 
given  him  by  his  father.  He  and  his  father 
have  made  first  class  improvements  upon 
the  place,  including  the  erection  of  a  good 
house  and  barn,  and  have  set  out  both  shade 
and  fruit  trees.  The  well  tilled  fields  yield 
a  golden  tribute  in  return  for  the  care  and 
labor  bestowed  upon  them  and  everything 
about  the  farm   denotes  the  supervision  of 


a  careful  and  painstaking  owner  as  well 
as  a  man  of  good  business  ability  who  thor- 
oughly understands  the  vocation  he  has 
chosen  as  a  life  work. 

Mr.  Stoutenborough  was  married  in  1880, 
the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Ella 
Baird,  a  daughter  of  William  Baird,  who  is 
a  wealthy  retired  farmer  and  an  early  set- 
tler of  Maroa  township.  By  this  union  were 
born  four  children  but  only  one  is  now  liv- 
ing— Frank  B.,  now  eighteen  years  of  age. 
Air.  and  Mrs.  Stoutenborough  are  both 
members  of  the  Christian  church  and  are 
people  of  prominence  in  the  community 
where  they  reside.  In  his  political  affilia- 
tions Mr.  Stoutenborough  is  a  Republican 
and  he  takes  a  deep  and  commendable  in- 
terest in  public  affairs  as  every  true  Ameri- 
can citizen  should  do. 


J.  A.  EYMAN. 

J.  A.  Eyman,  whose  business  interests  in 
Argenta  would  be  a  credit  to  a  city  of  much 
larger  size,  belongs  to  the  class  of  self-made 
men  whose  enterprise,  industry  and  integ- 
rity have  been  the  foundation  upon  which 
they  have  builded  their  success.  Advance- 
ment, gradual  and  continuous,  has  marked 
his  business  career  and  he  is  now  carrying 
on  a  mercantile  establishment  which  an- 
nually returns  to  him  a  good  income.  A 
nati\'e  of  Illinois,  he  was  born  in  Illini  town- 
ship, near  Warrensburg,  August  7,  1869, 
and  is  a  son  of  Horatio  and  Salina  J.  (Milor) 
Eyman,  the  former  a  native  of  St.  Clair 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  latter  of  Macon 
county.  By  occupation  the  father  was  a 
farmer  and  owned  and  operated  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Macon  county. 
The  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet A.  Freeman,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers 
of  Macon  county. 

Upon  the  home  farm  J.  A.  Eyman  was 
reared  and  his  earlv  education  was  obtained 


EDWARD  C.  BASSEY 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


383 


in  the  district  scliools.  Later  he  became  a 
student  in  the  ticni  City  Business  College, 
of  Quincy.  Illinois,  and  was  thus  well 
e(|uipped  for  the  responsible  duties  of  a 
business  career.  Putting  aside  his  text- 
books he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  a  furniture 
store  in  Michigan,  in  which  he  remained  for 
two  years  and  then  returned  to  Illinois, 
embarking  in  business  on  his  own  account 
in  Argenta.  He  purchased  the  furniture 
store  of  S.  Gerber  for  nine  hundred  dollars, 
and  conducted  the  business  at  the  old  stand 
for  three  or  four  years,  when  his  increased 
trade  justified  his  removal  into  the  Carr 
building,  in  which  he  remained  for  four 
years.  In  October,  u)02,  he  erected  the 
building  which  he  now  occupies.  It  is  a 
modern  two-story  brick  structure  splendid- 
ly equipped  for  the  conduct  of  the  business. 
His  stock  consists  for  the  most  part  of 
household  furnishings  and  stoves.  It  is 
very  large  and  complete  and  presents  a 
s])lendid  appearance.  It  would  do  credit 
to  a  town  many  times  the  size  of  Argenta. 
The  arrangement  of  the  goods  is  neat  and 
attractive,  prices  arc  reasonable  and  the 
business  methods  of  the  house  commend  it 
to  the  patronage  of  the  public.  Mr.  Eyman 
is  now  enjoying  a  large  trade  and  his  suc- 
cess is  certainly  well  deserved.  He  also 
carries  on  an  undertaking  business  in  con- 
nection with  his  store.  His  brother,  H.  II. 
Kyman,  clerks  for  him  and  lives  with  him. 
The  stock  now  carried  is  valued  at  eight 
thousand  dollars  and  comprises  all  grades 
of  goods,  such  as  are  in  demand  by  a  gen- 
eral trade. 

In  ii/x)  Mr.  b'.yman  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Anna  1'..  Reynolds,  a  native  of 
.\rgenta  and  a  daughter  of  Mrs.  Frances 
McKee.  Unto  Mr.  and  !Mrs.  Eyman  one 
daughter  has  been  born.  Ncffa  May.  whose 
birth  occurred  January  3,  1902.  Mrs.  Ey- 
man belongs  to  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian church.  Mr.  I'^yman  holds  member- 
ship  with    the    Masons,  with    the   Odil   Fel- 


lows, the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  and  is  a  valued  representa- 
tive of  these  fraternities,  enjoying  the  high 
regard  of  his  brethren  of  the  orders.  His 
political  allegiance  is  given  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  he  is  now  serving  as  one 
of  the  trustees  of  the  village.  He  owns  a 
beautiful  residence  here  in  addition  to  his 
Inisiness  property  and  is  one  of  the  enter- 
])rising,  progressive  men  of  the  town,  deep- 
ly interested  in  its  welfare  and  manifesting 
his  interest  by  hearty  co-operation  in  move- 
ments for  the  general  good.  Along  legiti- 
mate lines  of  trade  he  has  gained  prosperity 
and  his  record  is  creditable  and  honorable. 
His  genuine  worth  has  gained  for  him  the 
respect  of  his  fellow  men  and  Argenta 
counts  him  one  of  its  most  prominent  and 
influential  citizens. 


EDWARD  C.  BASSEY. 
Edward  C.  Bassey  is  a  splendid  type  of 
the  self-made  man,  a  man  who  at  the  out- 
set of  his  career  had  no  pecuniary  advant- 
ages or  the  aid  of  influential  friends,  but 
with  the  realization  of  the  fact  that  there 
is  no  royal  road  to  wealth  placed  his  de- 
pendence upon  the  f|ualities  that  always 
insure  success — indefatigable  industry,  un- 
abating  energy  and  unfaltering  persever- 
ance. Ste])  by  step  he  has  advanced  until 
he  is  to-day  connected  with  one  of  the  most 
prominent  industries  that  have  given  De- 
catur leadership  in  the  industrial  circles  of 
Illinois,  being  the  secretary  of  the  F.  B. 
Tait  Manufacturing  Company. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Bassey  has  been  a 
resident  of  Decatur.  His  birth  occurred 
in  Hanover,  (k'rmany.  on  the  24th  of  Fcb- 
ruarv.  1S48,  and  he  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Christina  Bassey.  both  of  whom  spent  their 
entire  lives  in  their  native  land.  In  the 
schools  of  thai  country  he  jiursued  his 
education  between  the  ages  of  six  and  sev- 


3Si 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


enteen  years.  Later  he  still  further  pre- 
pared for  business  life  by  a  commercial 
course  in  a  college  at  South  Salzgitter.  On 
completing  his  education  Mr.  Bassey  en- 
tered upon  his  business  career  as  a  clerk  in 
a  grocery  store,  where  he  was  employed  for 
three  years,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
he  became  manager  of  a  store.  Following 
this  period  in  his  life  Mr.  Bassey  came  to 
the  new  world,  taking  passage  upon  a  west- 
ward-bound sailing  vessel  which  left  the 
port  of  Liverpool  for  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts. The  voyage  completed,  he  made 
his  way  direct  to  New  York  city,  and  thence 
to  Cairo,  Illinois,  coming  from  the  latter 
place  to  Decatur.  For  a  time  he  was  em- 
ployed by  J.  A.  Jones,  a  prominent  farmer, 
in  whose  service  he  remained  for  fourteen 
months.  He  then  accepted  a  position  as 
bookkeeper  for  John  and  Samuel  McRob- 
erts,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  gro- 
ceries, with  whom  he  remained  for  two 
years.  He  was  next  employed  by  H. 
Mueller,  and  for  two  years  was  connected 
with  that  firm.  He  was  next  in  the  United 
States  railroad  mail  service,  running  from 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  to  Peoria,  and  later 
from  St.  Louis  to  Decatur,  while  still  later 
he  was  transferred  to  another  route,  going 
by  way  of  Lafayette,  Indiana,  to  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  on  the  night  line.  When  a  short 
time  had  elapsed,  however,  he  resigned  this 
position  and  returned  to  Decatur,  again  en- 
tering the  employ  of  the  H.  Mueller  Manu- 
facturing Company  in  the  capacity  of  book- 
keeper and  office  manager,  a  position  he 
held  for  three  years.  In  Chicago,  Illinois, 
he  was  employed  by  the  Western  Woolen 
Milling  Company  for  a  time  and  on  again 
coming  to  Decatur  he  accepted  the  position 
of  office  manager  for  F.  B.  Tait  &  Com- 
pany. In  1R07  this  business  was  merged 
into  the  new  firm  of  F.  B.  Tait  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  which  was  incorporated.  At 
that  date  Mr.  Bassey  became  secretary  of 
the  company,  in  which  capacity  he  has  con- 


tinued to  the  present  time,  and  he  is  now 
one  of  the  stockholders  of  the  concern.  This 
company  was  capitalized  for  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  present  officers 
are  F.  B.  Tait,  president  and  treasurer;  D. 
\^^  Tait,  vice  president ;  and  E.  C.  Bassey, 
secretary.  The  officers,  together  with  C.  E. 
Boyer,  constitute  the  board  of  directors. 
This  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant industries  of  the  city  and  one  of  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  the  state.  They  have 
a  modern,  extensive  and  well-equipped  plant 
and  its  products  find  a  ready  sale  through- 
out the  United  States  at  the  highest  market 
prices.  The  company  has  ample  capital 
for  conducting  its  business  and  the  men  who 
are  guiding  its  affairs  are  thoroughly  experi- 
enced and  possessed  of  every  business  qual- 
ification necessary  for  the  prosperous  con- 
duct of  the  enterprise.  The  company  man- 
ufactures all  kinds  of  corn  and  farm  im- 
plements and  their  goods  are  shipped 
throughout  the  corn  growing  belt  of  the 
United  States.  They  also  handle  a  varied 
line  of  high-class  buggies,  carriages,  wagons, 
general  farming  implements  and  gasoline 
engines  and  are  jobbers  for  the  same.  The 
plant  covers  an  entire  block  of  ground  two 
hundred  and  sixty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  and  the  buildings  are  of  brick  and  most 
modern  in  every  particular.  In  addition  to 
the  main  building,  which  is  occupied  by  the 
offices,  sample  rooms  and  warehouse,  and 
which  is  four  stories  in  height  with  a  base- 
ment, there  is  a  machine  shop,  a  foundry 
and  a  blacksmith  shop,  all  built  of  brick. 
The  company  employs  from  eighty  to  one 
hundred  skilled  workmen  and  eight  travel- 
ing salesmen  upon  the  road. 

In  1870  Mr.  Bassey  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Louisa  Bernhardt,  a  sister  of 
Mrs.  H.  Mueller.  She,  too,  was  born  in  the 
fatherland,  and  in  her  early  girlhood  came 
to  the  United  States.  By  her  marriage  she 
has  become  the  mother  of  two  children  :  Ed- 
ward H.,  who  is  now  in  the  employ  of  Pet- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


385 


tibone^  Mullikin  &  Company,  a  railroad  sup- 
ply house,  of  Chicago ;  and  Ella,  at  home. 
The  family  residence  is  at  No.  545  North 
Jackson  street,  and  in  addition  to  this  Mr. 
Bassey  is  the  possessor  of  valual)le  city 
property.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  also  has 
membership  relations  with  the  Modern 
AVoodnun.  His  position  to-da}'  as  one  of 
the  most  prominent  and  prosperous  Inis- 
iness  men  of  Decatur  is  in  marked  contrast 
to  his  condition  when  he  came  to  America 
as  a  j'oung  man.  His  career  is  certainly 
creditable,  and  there  is  perhaps  no  historj' 
in  this  volume  that  indicates  more  clearly 
the  force  of  energy,  determination  and  hon- 
orable effort  in  the  active  affairs  of  life.  He 
has  certainly  met  with  excellent  success, 
and  the  position  to  which  he  has  already 
attained  in  business  circles  tests  his  su- 
periority in  the  control  of  important  con- 
cerns. 


Rt)nERT  WALTER. 

The  world  acknowledges  the  leadership 
of  Germany  in  musical  circles  and  it  is  sel- 
dom that  one  can  find  a  son  of  the  father- 
land who  has  not  a  deep  love  for  music  and 
considerable  ability  in  that  direction.  Hav- 
ing cultivated  his  talents  along  tliat  line, 
Robert  Walter  has  attained  consiclerahle 
prominence  in  musical  circles  and  has  for 
a  number  of  years  been  leader  of  the  Good- 
man Fourth  Infantry  Band  playing  the  E 
flat  clarinet. 

Professor  Walter  was  born  in  Saxony, 
Germany,  of  German  parentage,  on  the  22d 
of  May,  1859,  and  when  only  about  twelve 
years  of  age  began  studying  music  which 
course  he  followed  in  connection  with  the 
pursuance  of  a  course  in  the  public  schools. 
He  first  made  a  specialty  of  the  violin  and 
afterward  turned  his  attention  to  the  clari- 
net.    A  j'oung  man  of  eighteen   years  he 


determined  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  United 
States  and  in  1877  crossed  the  Atlantic.  For 
two  years  he  traveled  with  the  Golden  Dra- 
matic Company  tii rough  the  central  west 
and  south  and  in  1886  he  came  to  Decatur, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  The  following 
year  he  was  made  director  of  Goodman's 
Fourth  Infantry  Band.  In  1857  a  brass 
band  was  organized  and  called  the  Decatur 
Cornet  Baud.  In  i860  the  Decatur  Silver 
Cornet  Band  was  organized  with  about  fif- 
teen nu^nbcrs  and  in  1867  another  organ- 
ization was  effected.  In  the  year  1872  Pro- 
fessor Goodman  was  secured  as  leader  and 
at  once  began  the  re-organization  of  the 
band  which  has  ever  since  retained  his 
name.  For  ten  years  he  remained  as  its 
leader  or  until  his  death  in  1882.  In  1887 
Professor  C.  A.  Foster,  who  had  formerly 
been  at  the  head  of  the  musical  organiza- 
tion, again  became  the  leader  and  thus 
served  until  1887,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  Professor  Robert  Walter.  When  the 
last  named  took  charge  there  were  twenty- 
four  members  and  by  his  untiring  eft'orts 
the  band  had  been  increased  to  thirty-six 
members.  Professor  Walter  is  a  thorough 
musician  and  as  an  interpreter  and  director 
of  band  music  has  few  equals,  being  a 
master  of  the  clarinet  he  has  developed  a 
first  class  reed  section  from  among  his  tal- 
ented pupils.  The  Goodman  Band  has  kept 
abreast  with  the  times  in  their  repertoire  of 
music  and  by  constant  rehear.sals  is  able  to 
render  some  of  the  most  beautiful  strains 
of  the  greatest  composers.  The  Goodman 
Band  was  made  a  regimental  band  of  the 
Fourth  Regiment  in  tqoi  and  is  still  in  the 
service. 

In  1890  Professor  Walter  took  charge  of 
the  opera  house  orchestra  and  has  since 
acted  in  this  capacity,  succeeding  Olaf  Bull 
as  its  director.  His  great  love  of  music  has 
been  fostered  throughout  the  years  from 
his  early  boyhood  and  his  talents  have  been 
developed  by  careful  and  broad  study.     He 


386 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


is  very  prominent  socially  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Benevolent  Protective  Order 
of  Elks  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fra- 
ternity. (Jourteons  and  genial  in  manner 
he  has  won  friends  wherever  he  has  gone 
antl  is  a  valued  representative  of  the  musical 
schools  of  Decatur. 


EDGAR  D.  CARR,   M.   D. 

Careful  preparation  and  advanced  study 
have  well  equipped  Dr.  Carr  for  the  practice 
of  medicine,  and  Argenta  is  fortunate  in 
having  a  man  of  marked  ability  to  admin- 
ister to  the  needs  of  the  sick  and  suffering 
here.  The  Doctor  is  one  of  the  native  sons 
of  the  town,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
1863.  His  father.  Dr.  Robert  F.  Carr,  was 
a  graduate  of  the  Albany  Medical  College 
of  New  York  and  came  to  Argenta  in  1856, 
being  one  of  the  first  physicians  to  locate  in 
this  part  of  the  county.  His  practice  ex- 
tended over  a  wide  area  and  he  formed  an 
extensive  acquaintance,  being  held  in  the 
highest  regard  both  socially  and  profes- 
sionally.    He  died  in  the  year  1893. 

In  Lincoln,  Illinois.  Dr.  Edgar  D.  Carr 
pursued  his  early  education  and  then  de- 
termined to  follow  in  the  professional  foot- 
steps of  his  father  and  make  the  practice 
of  medicine  his  life  work,  he  entered  the 
Rush  Medical  College  of  Chicago  and  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1887.  He  then 
took  up  his  abode  in  Argenta,  opened  an 
office  and  engaged  in  practice  for  four  years. 
Desiring  to  still  further  broaden  his  knowl- 
edge and  increase  his  efficiency  as  a  medical 
practitioner  he  then  went  to  Europe,  spend- 
ing eighteen  months  in  Berlin,  where  he 
did  post-graduate  work  in  clinical  medicine. 
He  has  always  been  a  close  and  earnest 
student,  discriminating  and  sound  in  judg- 
ment and  his  labors  have  been  attended 
with  splendid  results.  Returning  from 
luiropc   to   his   native   land,   he   once   more 


located  in  Argenta,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained in  practice.  He  is  very  careful  in 
the  diagnosis  of  a  case  and  his  opinions  are 
very  rarely,  if  ever,  at  fault.  His  interest 
in  his  profession  is  deep  and  sincere  and 
arises  from  his  love  of  scientific  research 
and  from  a  genuine  interest  in  humanity — ■ 
two  qualities  which  are  absolutely  essential 
to  the  highest  success  in  the  medical  pro- 
fession. 

The  Doctor  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, being  a  Knight  Templar  and  a 
member  of  Peoria  Consistory.  In  his  polit- 
ical views  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  never 
sought  or  desired  office,  preferring  to  give 
his  time  and  attention  to  his  business  aiifairs. 
Several  years  agohebuilt  a  store  and  stocked 
it  with  drugs.  He  has  since  engaged  in  this 
line  of  trade  and  in  the  same  building  he 
has  his  office,  which  is  well  equipped  with 
all  the  appliances  that  are  of  value  in  the 
conduct  of  his  practice.  His  patronage  is 
extensive  and  the  favorable  judgment  which 
the  public  passed  upon  him  at  the  outset 
of  his  career  has  in  no  degree  been  modi- 
fied or  set  aside,  but  on  the  other  hand  has 
been  strengthened  as  the  years  have  passed 
by.  He  is  a  member  of  the  County,  State 
and  American  Medical  Societies,  and  thus 
keeps  in  touch  with  the  advanced  thought 
of  the  profession. 


FRANK  -M.  MERIDITH. 
Frank  M.  Meridith  is  one  of  the  younger 
representatives  of  business  interests  in  De- 
catur, but  is  now  prospering  in  his  under- 
takings and  his  labors  are  adding  to  the 
sum  total  of  business  activity  upon  which 
the  prosperity  and  growth  of  the  city  rests. 
He  was  born  in  Bath  county,  Kentucky,  on 
the  I2th  of  August,  1868,  and  is  a  son  of 
Thomas  and  lilla  (Anderson)  Meridith. 
On  leaving  his  native  state  the  father  be- 
came a  resident  of  Champaign  county,  Illi- 


DR.  D.  W.  PORTER 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


389 


nois,  where  he  followed  fanning  and  also 
engaged  in  teaching.  llis  death  occurred 
when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  tifly-lhrec 
years.  In  the  family  were  nine  children, 
but  only  six  are  now  living,  namely :  Ver- 
million P.,  Robert  S.,  Thomas  G.,  Hester, 
Belle  and  Frank   .M. 

The  last  named  acquired  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Champaign  county, 
Illinois,  mastering  the  branches  of  learning 
thai  usually  constitute  the  curriculum  in  the 
iniblic  schools  of  this  state.  .\t  the  age  of 
twenty  years  he  began  railroading,  being 
first  employed  by  the  Wabash  Railroad 
Company.  He  was  afterward  with  the  Van- 
dalia  Company  and  subsequently  with  ihe 
Nickle  Plate  Road,  serving  first  as  brake- 
man  and  afterward  being  promoted  to  the 
position  of  conductor.  In  1895,  however, 
he  severed  his  connection  with  railroad 
service  and  on  the  21st  of  December,  of  that 
year,  became  an  active  factor  in  business 
interests  in  Decatur  as  proprietor  of  a  stor- 
age, transfer  and  furniture  industry  located 
at  No.  700  to  706  North  Broadway.  He  has 
since  conducted  a  large  establishment  ami 
success  has  attended  his  efforts,  lie  has 
now  an  extensive  outfit,  including  moving 
vans  and  a  number  of  teams,  in  addition  to 
his  warehouse  and  storage  rooms. 

Mr.  Meridith  is  well  known  and  popular 
in  social  circles.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
the  -Masonic  fraternity .  since  1889  and  is 
now  affiliated  with  .Macon  Lodge,  No.  8, 
A.  F.  &  .\.  .M.;  and  with  Decatur  Chapter, 
No.  Ill,  ( ).  H.  .S.  He  likewise  has  mem- 
bership relations  with  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  Auierica  and  the  Benevolent  Pro- 
tective (  )rder  of  lilks,  anil  in  public  affairs 
he  has  been  quite  prominent,  serving  for  six 
years  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  of 
Decatur.  He  has,  however,  never  been  an 
active  ])olitician  in  the  sense  of  office  seek- 
ing. His  time  is  largely  taken  up  with  his 
business  aft'airs  and  he  regards  the  pursuits 


of  private  life  as  abundantly  worthy  of  his 
best  efforts. 

(  )n  the  _'4lh  of  .\ugust,  1903,  Mr.  Meri- 
dith was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Belle 
Wheeler,  of  Decatur,  a  daughter  of  J.  L. 
Wheeler,  of  this  citv. 


1)I':.\.\IS  W  .  PORTER,  .M.  D. 

Dr.  Dennis  W.  Porter,  who  successfully 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Blue 
Mound  for  several  years,  was  a  man  whose 
worth  and  ability  gained  him  success,  honor 
and  public  confidence.  He  enjoyed  the 
well-earned  distinction  of  being  what  the 
world  calls  a  self-made  man,  and  an  analyza- 
tion  of  his  character  reveals  the  fact  that 
enterprise,  perseverance  and  w-ell-directed 
cft'ort  were  the  essential  features  in  his 
prosperity. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Belmont  county, 
Ohio,  on  the  25th  of  April,  1844,  and  was 
a  son  of  William  Wilson  Porter,  who  was 
a  cabinet-maker  of  Belmont  county,  where 
he  spent  his  entire  life.  Our  subject  and  a 
sister  were  the  only  ones  of  the  family  to 
come  to  Illinois,  the  latter  being  Mrs. 
Sophia  Sanders,  now  a  resident  of  Pawnee, 
Illinois.  Two  brothers  are  residents  of 
Kansas.  The  Doctor  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
count)-,  and  while  only  a  boy  came  to  Illi- 
nois, locating  first  at  Ccntralia,  where  he  at- 
tended college  for  a  few  years.  He  then 
decided  to  enter  the  medical  profession,  but 
had  no  money  with  which  to  pursue  his 
studies.  Coing  to  Pawnee  he  worked  at  the 
blacksmith's  trade  for  five  years  and  also 
taught  in  the  country  schools  near  there 
for  about  two  years.  During  that  time  he 
managed  to  save  enough  money'  to  take  a 
medical  course  and  then  entered  Rush  Med- 
ical College.  Chicago,  where  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  the  class  of  1878  and  received  his 
degree. 


390 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OP  MACON  COUNTY. 


On  leaving  thai  institution  Dr.  Porter 
went  to  Stonington,  Christian  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  first  hung  out  his  shingle 
and  engaged  in  practice  there  for  eight 
years.  In  the  meantime  he  was  married  at 
Stonington  to  Miss  Lillian  C.  Wetzel,  who 
was  born  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois,  a 
daughter  of  B.  Frank  and  Sarah  (Hartwcll) 
Wetzel.  It  was  about  1859  that  her  father 
settled  in  Christian  county,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  for  many  years,  but  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  with  his  son  in  ]Mowea- 
qua,  Illinois.  His  wife  is  deceased.  Unto 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Porter  were  born  three  chil- 
dren, namely:  Hattic,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Cyrus,  who  resides  with  his  mother 
•  and  is  clerking  for  the  Scovill  Company,  of 
Decatur ;  and  George  Glenn,  also  at  home. 

After  his  marriage  Dr.  Porter  continued 
to  engage  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Stonington  until  1886,  when  he  went  still 
farther  west  and  settled  in  Grant,  Nebraska, 
where  he  was  in  practice  for  four  years  and 
a  half.    On  his  return  to  Illinois  at  the  end 
of  that  period  he  took  up  his  residence  in 
the  village  of  Blue  Mound,  ]Macon  county, 
making   his    home    there    until    the     early 
part   of    1901,    when   he  was   taken   ill    and 
retired  from  professional  life.     He  removed 
to   Decatur  and   there  spent  his  last  days, 
dying  on  the  23d  of  October,  1901.     In  his 
profession   he   met   with   excellent   success, 
having  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
science  of   medicine  and  its  application  to 
the    needs    of    suffering   humanity,    and   he 
built  up  a  large  practice  at   Blue  Mound. 
He  stood  high  in  the  esteem  of  his  profes- 
sional brethren  and  was  an  honored  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Medical  Board  of  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  and  of  the  :Macon  County  Med- 
ical  Society. 

In  his  social  relations  the  Doctor  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  all  at  Blue 
Mound.     ITc  always  took  a  verv  active  in- 


terest in  politics  and  was  unswerving  in 
liis  allegiance  to  the  Democratic  party.  He 
held  the  office  of  town  clerk  in  Stoning- 
ton for  a  few  years  and  was  also  mayor  of 
r>lue  Mound  for  a  time.  In  all  the  relations 
of  life  he  was  found  true  to  any  trust  re- 
posed in  him  and  was  a  faithful  member  of 
the  -Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Blue 
Mound,  to  which  his  wife  also  belonged 
(luring  their  residence  there,  but  she  now 
holds  membership  in  Grace  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  of  Decatur.  She  and  her  chil- 
dren reside  at  No.  1036  West  Wood  street, 
where  they  have  a  nice  home.  She  is  an 
estimable  lady  of  many  sterling  qualities 
and  has  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  the  com- 
munitv. 


JOHN  S.   CHILDS. 
For  one-third  of  a  century  John  S.  Childs 
was  a  representative  of  the  agricultural  in- 
terests of  Macon  county  and  since  1890  he 
has  lived  retired  in  Decatur,  the  competence 
which   he   acquired   in   former   years   being 
sufficient  to  supply  him  with  all  of  the  com- 
forts and  man}^  of  the  luxuries  of  life.    His 
rest  is  well  merited  for  his  business  career 
was  ever  straightforward  and  he  was  always 
honorable   in   his   dealings   with   his  fellow 
men.     ^Ir.  Childs  is  a  native  of  Burlington 
county.  New  Jersey,  born  on  the  5th  of  De- 
cember, 1829,  his  parents  being  Joshua  and 
Ann    (Wilkins)    Childs.     The   family  is  of 
English    lineage   and    the    ancestors    were 
Quakers  or  Friends  in  religious  faith.     At 
an   early   day   representatives  of   the   name 
became  residents  of  Pennsylvania  and  John 
Childs    the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was 
born   in  that  state  near  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia.    He  lived,  however,  for  a  number 
of  years  in   New  Jersey  and   it  was   there 
that  Joshua    Childs   was   born,   reared   and 
made  his  home  throughout  his   entire  life. 
.\fter    arrixing    at    years    of    maturity    he 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNT\' 


391 


wedded  Miss  Ann  W'ilkins,  who  was  also 
born  and  died  in  New  Jersey.  He  passed 
away  in  tlie  prime  of  life,  leaving  a  widow 
and  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Childs  were  consistent 
Christians  and  members  of  the  Baptist 
church. 

As  Mrs.  Cliilds  was  left  in  limited  finan- 
cial circumstances  it  became  necessary  that 
the  children  should  be  separated  and  dif- 
ferent members  of  the  household  went  to 
live  with  various  families  in  New  Jersey. 
John  S.  Childs,  whose  name  introduces  this 
review,  made  his  home  with  his  grandfather 
for  a  time  and  attended  the  little  Quaker 
schoolhouse  on  the  hill,  which  still  stands 
and  was  in  use  up  to  a  few  years  ago.  His 
educational  privileges,  however,  were  very 
limited  for  it  became  necessary  that  he  pro- 
vide for  his  own  support  and  at  an  early 
age  he  began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade. 
An  important  and  valuable  factor  in  shaping 
his  career  was  the  instruction  which  he  re- 
ceived in  the  little  Quaker  meetinghouse 
near  his  home.  The  building  was  a  historic 
one  erected  in  1777  and  thus  it  stood  as  a 
mute  reminder  of  the  events  of  more  than 
a  century.  On  completing  the  carpenter's 
trade,  which  he  learned  under  the  direction 
of  Henry  Satterthwait,  a  Quaker,  Mr. 
Childs  sought  employment  and  on  looking 
aliout  for  a  favorable  location  he  determined 
to  follow  the  advice  of  Horace  Greeley  and 
"go  west." 

It  was  in  November,  1851,  that  Mr.  Childs 
arrived  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  where  for 
a  few  months  he  worked  at  his  trade.  He 
then  removed  to  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  but 
after  a  brief  period  came  to  Illinois.  In  the 
fall  of  the  same  year,  however,  Mr.  Childs 
went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  thence  to 
Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  entered  the 
service  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railroad 
Company  as  a  bridge  carpenter.  It  was 
during  his  residence  in  the  capital  city  that 


he  became  acquainted  with  Miss  Cathrine 
F.  Brown,  of  Springfield,  a  daughter  of  Re- 
son  D.  anil  Rachel  (Ernest)  Brown,  who 
were  natives  of  Kentucky  and  early  settlers 
of  Illinois.  Mr.  Childs  sought  the  hand  of 
the  young  lady  in  marriage  and  on  the  9th 
of  November,  1S54,  they  were  united  in  the 
lioly  bonds  of  wedlock.  Mrs.  Childs  was 
born  and  reared  in  Sangamon  county  and 
for  almost  a  half  century  has  traveled  life's 
journey  with  her  husband,  sharing  with  him 
the  joys  and  sorrows,  the  adversity  and 
prosperity  which  checker  the  careers  of  all. 
After  his  marriage  Mr.  Childs  took  up 
his  abode  upon  a  farm  near  Pleasant  Plains 
and  there  resided  until  1857,  when  he  came 
to  Macon  county  and  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  near  Warrens- 
burg.  This  was  a  tract  of  raw  prairie,  en- 
tirely unimproved.  Not  a  furrow  had  been 
turned  or  a  rod  of  fence  built  and  there  were 
no  buildings  upon  the  place.  His  knowl- 
edge of  carpentering  now  stood  him  in  good 
stead  for  he  erected  a  small  house,  after 
which  he  commenced  to  cultivate  and  de- 
velop his  land.  He  also  early  turned  his 
attention  to  the  raising  of  hogs  and  it  was 
in  this  line  of  business  activity  that  Mr. 
Childs  largely  acquired  his  comfortable  for- 
tune. He  found  this  a  profitable  source  of 
income  and  as  his  means  accumulated  he 
purchased  more  hogs  and  also  added  to  his 
farm  until  he  was  the  possessor  of  six  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  valuable  land.  An- 
nually he  raised  from  one  to  five  car-loads  of 
hogs  and  became  known  as  one  of  the  lead- 
ing representatives  of  this  department  of 
farm  work  in  Macon  and  surrounding  coun- 
ties. He  also  engaged  in  the  raising  of 
horses  and  cattle  and  in  his  farm  work  was 
very  progressive,  using  the  latest  improved 
machinery  and  doing  everything  to  facili- 
tate his  labors  and  make  his  place  of  greater 
value.  He  kept  apace  with  the  universal 
progress  along  agricultural   lines  and   con- 


392 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


tinned  to  reside  upon  his  farm  for  a  third  of 
a  century,  yearly  adding  to  his  income 
through  indefatigable  labor,  careful  man- 
agement and  honorable  business  methods. 
He  yet  owns  his  farm  property  and  fre- 
quently drives  from  the  city  to  his  country 
place,  supervising  its  interests. 

The  home  of  Air.  and  Mrs.  Childs  has 
been  blessed  with  nine  children :  Leona  L., 
who  is  now  the  w-ife  of  Louis  Stoakey,  of 
Harristown,  Illinois;  Noah  H.,  of  Decatur; 
John  D.,  of  Decatur; -Dr.  Timothy  S.,  who 
is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  dentistry  in 
this  city ;  Annis,  who  is  the  wife  of  Dr. 
Howard  Batchelder,  of  Omaha,  Nebraska ; 
Charles  L.,  who  has  just  resigned  the  posi- 
tion of  superintendent  of  the  Bartonville 
Insane  Asylum ;  Hattie  E.,  who  is  book- 
keeper for.  the  Paries  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany ;  Jessie,  who  died  in  her  eighteenth 
year ;  and  Edna  E.,  at  home.  The  family 
home  is  an  attractive  and  commodious 
dwelling  at  No.  535  Prairie  avenue,  which 
is  one  of  the  principal  residence  streets 
of  the  city.  In  addition  to  this  property 
his  possessions  comprise  three  finely  culti- 
vated farms  which  are  rented,  bringing  to 
him  a  good  income  annually. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Childs  was  long 
a  Democrat  and  voted  for  the  men  and 
measures  of  that  party,  but  on  the  nomina- 
tion of  \A'^illiam  Jennings  Bryan  upon  a 
free  silver  platform  he  decided  to  cast  his 
ballot  for  the  Republican  candidate  and 
voted  twice  for  Major  McKinley.  In  the 
year  1866  he  was  elected  supervisor  of  Illini 
township  and  for  five  years  acted  in  that 
capacity.  Otherwise  he  has  never  been  ac- 
tive in  politics  as  an  officeholder,  preferring 
to  give  his  time  and  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness affairs,  which  have  been  so  capably 
managed  that  his  industry,  frugality  and 
sound  judgment  have  brought  to  him  a 
good  property  which  will  supply  him  with 
manv  comforts  through  the  evening  of  life. 


JUERGEN  H.  NOTTELMANN. 

For  the  past  eight  years  J.  H.  Nottelmann 
has  been  identified  with  the  business  in- 
terests of  Warrensburg  as  a  dealer  in  lum- 
ber, sash,  doors,  blinds,  lath,  shingles,  paints 
and  oils,  in  partnership  with  his  father  un- 
der the  firm  style  of  H.  Nottelmann  &  Son. 
A  young  man  of  superior  executive  ability 
and  sound  judgment,  he  already  occupies  a 
good  position  in  the  business  world,  and 
has  a  fine  prospect  of  reaching  the  topmost 
round  of  the  ladder  of  prosperity. 

A  native  of  ilacon  county,  Mr.  Nottel- 
mann was  born  in  Niantic,  on  the  13th  of 
December,  1872,  and  is  a  son  of  Herman 
and  Anna  (Jacobsen)  Nottelmann,  both  na- 
tives of  Germany.  When  a  young  man  the 
father  emigrated  to  the  new  world  and  for 
several  3'ears  made  his  home  in  Chicago, 
where  he  was  employed  as  head  clerk  in  the 
domestic  department  for  Charles  Gossage  & 
Company.  In  the  fall  of  1871  his  residence 
and  all  his  belongings  were  destroyed  in 
the  great  Chicago  fire,  and  the  follow'ing 
March  came  to  Macon  county,  making  his 
home  in  Niantic  ever  since.  During  that 
entire  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  general 
merchandising  at  that  place  and  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the 
county.  His  famih'  numbers  seven  chil- 
dren, three  sons  and  four  daughters:  Au- 
gusta, now  the  wife  of  J.  Frank  Beall,  a 
grain  dealer  of  Niantic ;  one  who  died  in  in- 
fancy; Juergen  H.,  of  this  review;  Anna, 
wife  of  Charles  Pritchett,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  hardware  and  undertaking  business 
at  Latham ;  Henning  H.,  who  married  Delia 
Culp  and  is  a  lumber  dealer  of  Latham ; 
Dora,  at  home ;  and  John  B.,  who  is  a  grad- 
uate of  Brown's  Business  College  of  Deca- 
tur and  is  now  employed  as  stenographer 
for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  at  Chi- 
cago. 

Juergen  H.  Nottelmann  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Niantic  and 
the  Springfield  Business  College,  where  he 


J.  C  BOYCE 


PAST  AXl)  rRi:SF.XT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


:H}5 


was  graduated  in  1894.  He  began  his  busi- 
ness career  as  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store, 
and  after  leaving  college  continued  in  that 
position  until  1896,  when  in  partnership 
with  his  father  he  opened  a  lumberyard  at 
\\'arrensburg  under  the  firm  name  of  H. 
Xottclmann  &  Son.  They  still  carry  on  the 
business  and  under  the  able  management 
of  our  subject  they  are  meeting  with  marked 
success  in  the  undertaking. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  1899,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Nottelmann  and 
Miss  Emma  B.  Albert,  who  was  born  in 
W'arrensburg  and  completed  her  education 
in  the  common  and  high  schools  of  Deca- 
tur. Her  parents  are  Martin  and  Eldorado 
(Xorman)  Albert,  natives  of  Ohio.  Our 
subject  and  his  wife  now  have  a  little  daugh- 
ter, Agnes  E.,  born  January  27,  1902. 

Socially  Mr.  Nottelmann  affiliates  with 
iho  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
he  is  also  a  member  of  Hoo  Hoo  Lumber 
Association,  which  holds  its  meetings  on 
the  9th  day  of  the  ninth  month  each  year. 
In  religious  views  he  is  liberal  and  in  poli- 
tics is  independent.  He  has  never  cared 
for  official  honors,  preferring  to  give  his 
undivided  attention  to  his  business  affairs 
and  having  prospered  he  is  to-day  the  owner 
of  some  residence  property  and  business 
lots  in  Warrensburg  besides  his  lumber 
yard.  He  is  quite  popular  in  both  business 
and  social  circles,  and  is  highly  esteemed 
bv  all  who  know  him. 


J.  C.  BOYCE. 
J.  C.  Boycc  is  one  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  Mount  Zion,  where  he  is  carrying  on  an 
extensive  business  as  a  dealer  in  grain,  lum- 
ber and  builders'  hardware.  Upon  the  com- 
mercial activity  of  any  community  depends 
its  prosperity  and  the  men  who  are  recog- 
nized as  leading  citizens  are  those  who  are 
at    the    head   of   important   business    enter- 


prises. Mr.  Boyce  is  a  man  of  broad  capa- 
bilities and  generall)'  carries  forward  to 
successful  completion  whatever  he  under- 
takes. 

.\  nati\c  of  \  ennont,  he  was  born  in 
I'ouhney,  Rutland  county,  that  state,  on  the 
26th  of  February,  1848.  His  father,  Henry 
Pioyce,  was  a  Canadian  by  birth,  and  in 
I  arly  manhood  married  Miss  Amelia  Bethel, 
who  was  born  in  Scotland.  After  living  for 
some  years  in  \'ermont,  they  removed  to 
New  York  state,  where  the  father  died,  in 
1881,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  and 
the  mother,  in  the  fall  of  1891,  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years.  They  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  six  of  whom  are  still  living, 
but  our  subject,  who  is  the  sixth  in  order  of 
birth,  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  living 
in  the  west. 

J.  C.  Boyce  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Em- 
pire state  and  soon  after  attaining  his  ma- 
jority learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  On 
coming  to  Illinois  he  first  located  in  Chi- 
cago, January  3,  1872,  but  it  was  not  long 
before  he  went  to  Areola,  where  he  worked 
at  his  trade  for  a  short  time.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Chicago  and  was  variously  em- 
ployed in  that  city  as  a  carpenter  and  con- 
tractor until  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
Vandalia  Railroad,  erecting  the  first  grain 
elevator  for  that  company  in  1873.  He  con- 
tinued to  work  at  his  trade  for  some  years, 
liuilding  principally  houses. 

At  midnight,  July  4,  1873,  Mr.  Boyce  ar- 
rived in  Mount  Zion  and  here  he  began  deal- 
ing in  grain,  coal,  lumber  and  builders'  hard- 
ware, in  partnership  with  John  Scott,  in- 
vesting six  hundred  dollars  in  the  enter- 
prise. This  connection  continued  from  the 
1st  of  April,  1886,  until  October  12,  1889, 
when  our  subject  bought  Afr.  Scott's  inter- 
est in  the  business  and  has  since  extended 
his  operations.  The  business  was  started  in 
a  very  small  way,  the  office  of  the  company 
being  only  twelve  feet  square.  It  was  later 
enlarged   to  eighteen  by  twenty  feet,  and 


39ti 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  xMACON  COUNTY. 


subsequently  the  present  buildings  were 
erected  in  1890,  consisting  of  a  store  room, 
elevator  and  lumber  sheds.  Under  the  man- 
agement of  our  subject  the  business  has  now 
reached  extensive  proportions,  bringing  him 
a  good  income.  He  has  just  built  an  ele- 
vator calculated  to  hold  thirty  thousand 
bushels  of  shelled  grain. 

In  1880  Mr.  Boyce  married  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Gibb,  a  native  of  Scotland,  who  came 
to  this  country  with  her  parents  when  only 
six  years  old.  Her  father  was  John  Gibb, 
a  representative  of  a  noted  Scottish  family. 
Religiously  Mr.  Boyce  is  a  member  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  and  social- 
ly is  connected  with  Ionic  Lodge,  No. 
312,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Decatur,  having  been 
made  a  Mason  in  that  city  in  1898,  and  he 
also  belongs  to  Mount  Zion  Lodge,  No. 
300,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  Mount  Zion. 

He  is  a  representative  of  that  class  of 
citizens  who,  while  advancing  individual 
success,  also  promote  the  public  welfare.  He 
stands  high  in  business  circles  as  a  man  of 
progressive  ideas  and  known  reliability,  and 
he  merits  the  confidence  so  freely  accorded 
him. 


WILLIAM  HAMSHER. 
In  a  history  of  Macon  county,  past  and 
present,  it  is  incumbent  that  we  make  men- 
tion of  William  Hamsher,  for  he  was  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Decatur,  and  as  one 
of  its  pioneers  he  should  certainly  find  rep- 
resentation in  this  volume.  Great  changes 
have  occurred  here  since  the  time  of  his 
arrival.  A  little  log  building  constituted 
the  courthouse  in  Macon  county  and  there 
were  many  log  cabins  in  the  embryo  city 
when  he  established  his  home  in  Illinois. 
He  was  a  native  of  Cumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  born  on  the  5th  of  October. 
1824.  His  parents  always  made  their  home 
in  the  east  and  there  passed  away  many 
years  ago.     There  were  several  cliildren  in 


the  family,  however,  who  came  to  the  west 
and  located  in  Decatur,  and  four  of  the  fam- 
ily are  now  living,  namely :  Barnett  K., 
who  is  now  secretary  for  the  Herald-De- 
spatch Company  and  manager  of  the  Herald 
Printing  and  Stationery  Company ;  Samuel 
W.,  who  holds  the  position  of  janitor  in 
the  postoflice  at  Decatur;  ]\Irs.  Williams,  of 
Decatur;  and  ]\Irs.  Samuel  Rotz,  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family, 
William  Hamsher  received  only  a  common- 
school  education.  In  early  manhood  he 
wedded  Miss  Sophia  Bear,  the  marriage  be- 
ing celebrated  in  his  native  state.  The  lady 
was  also  a  native  of  Cumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  belonged  to  a  family  that 
has  many  representatives  in  Decatur  at 
the  present  time.  Her  death,  however,  oc- 
curred on  the  8th  of  February,  1879,  and 
the  two  children  of  that  marriage,  Daniel 
F.  and  Susanna  M.,  are  also  deceased. 

After  his  marriage,  in  1858,  William 
Hamsher  came  with  the  balance  of  the 
Hamsher  family  to  Macon  county  and  es- 
tablished his  home  in  the  little  village  of 
Decatur.  It  was  then  a  small  place  similar 
to  other  villages  which  are  established  on 
the  frontier.  Many  of  the  little  houses  were 
constructed  of  logs  and  everything  was 
primitive  in  character  and  few  of  the  com- 
forts of  the  older  east  were  to  be  enjoyed 
here.  Mr.  Hamsher  opened  a  shop  and  be- 
gan working  at  the  wagon-maker's  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  many  years.  He 
was  thus  engaged  at  the  time  of  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  His  patri- 
otic spirit  being  aroused  by  the  attempt 
of  the  south  to  overthrow  the  Union,  he  en- 
listed in  1861  as  a  member  of  Company  K,. 
One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infan- 
trv.  going  to  the  front  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  Boyd.  The  company  was  engaged 
in  many  battles,  but  Mr.  Hamsher  was 
vcrv   fortunate    in    that   he    was    never    in- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


397 


juroil  ami  ai  llie  expiration  of  liis  lerm  of 
service  lie  was  discharged  at  Springfield. 

Returning  to  his  home,*  Mr.  Ilamsher 
once  more  became  connected  with  the  in- 
dustrial interests  of  Macon  county,  work- 
ing at  the  wagon-maker's  trade  in  Decatur. 
He  conducted  his  business  here  until  fail- 
ing health  forced  him  to  retire  from  that 
line  of  activity  and  he  took  up  his  abode 
upon  a  farm  near  Decatur.  He  resided  there 
for  only  a  brief  i)eriod,  however,  and  then 
again  established  his  home  in  this  city, 
where  he  lived  retired  until  his  death. 

.Mr.  Hamsher  was  married  a  second  time 
in  Decatur  to  Mrj.  Mary  I.  (Tweedy)  Gray, 
a  native  of  New  York,  born  November  7, 
1830.  The  lady  is  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Tweedy,  who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage, 
and  on  coming  to  America  settled  in  Can- 
ada. He  also  resided  in  New  York  for  a 
short  time,  but  later  removed  to  .Montreal, 
Canada,  where  he  engaged  in  merchandis- 
ing. His  wife  and  all  of  his  children,  with 
the  exception  of  Mrs.  Flamsher,  died  in 
Montreal  of  cholera  within  a  period  of  four 
weeks.  The  surviving  daughter  was  first 
married  to  John  A.  Gray,  of  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania,  who  took  up  his  abode  in 
Decatur  at  an  early  day  and  here  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  cigars  until  his  death. 
There  was  one  child  by  that  marriage:  John 
A.,  who  wedded  .Miss  Blanche  Willcutt, 
and  resides  in  Schaller,  Iowa,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  dealing  in  grain. 

Mr.  Hamsher  was  a  member  of  the  Bethel 
Church  of  God  in  Decatur,  and  his  wife  be- 
longs to  the  Baptist  church  of  this  city. 
She  was  left  in  very  comfortable  circum- 
stances and  now  owns  a  beautiful  home  at 
1606  East  ^lain  street.  Mr.  Hamsher  ac- 
quired his  possessions  along  legitimate  bus- 
iness lines.  He  realized  that  honesty  is  the 
best  policy  and  was  ever  fair  and  straiglit- 
forward  in  all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow- 
men.     No   one   ever   spoke   against   his   in- 


tegrity and  all  who  knew  him  entertained 
for  him  the  highest  regard.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  Post,  of  De- 
catur, and  in  his  political  views  was  a  Re- 
publican, taking  an  active  interest  in  all  of 
its  work.  He  died  May  6,  1899,  ^"^l  the  po- 
sition which  he  held  in  the  public  regard 
was  .shown  by  the  fact  that  his  was  one 
of  the  largest  funerals  ever  held  in  the  city. 
His  friends  gathered  to  pay  their  last 
tribute  of  respect  to  him  whom  they  had 
loved  and  honored. 


JOSEPH   MILLS. 

Joseph  Mills,  the  president  of  the  ^lills 
Lumber  Company  of  Decatur  and  thus  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  leading  indus- 
tries of  the  city,  occupies  a  position  of  prom- 
inence in  business  circles.  His  connection 
with  this  enterprise  dates  from  1886  and 
during  the  intervening  period  the  success 
of  the  business  may  be  largely  attributed 
to  him. 

Mr.  Mills  is  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Essex,  Union 
county,  on  the  2d  of  March,  1826.  He  is 
descended  from  English  ancestry,  the  fam- 
ily having  been  founded  in  America  by  rep- 
resentatives of  the  name  who  came  from 
England  during  colonial  days.  Samuel 
Mills,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was 
likewise  born  in  New  Jersey  and  when  the 
colonists  attempted  to  throw  off  the  yoke 
of  British  oppression  he  joined  the  conti- 
nental army  and  served  as  a  valiant  soldier 
of  the  Revolutionary  war.  While  in  camp 
his  regiment  was  surprised  by  a  night  at- 
tack and  during  that  struggle  Samuel  Mills 
was  wounded  by  a  bayonet.  In  times  of 
peace  he  followed  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing, carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits  dur- 
ing the  greater  part  of  his  life.  His  death 
occurred  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of 


398 


I'AST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COL'NTY. 


seventy  j'cars.  In  his  family  were  five  chil- 
dren, including  Stewart  Mills,  the  father  of 
our  subject.  He,  too,  was  born  in  New 
Jersey  and  was  reared  to  farm  life  and  be- 
came an  agriculturist.  As  a  companion  and 
helpmate  lor  life's  journey  he  chose  Nancy 
Sutton,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Sutton,  also 
a  resident  farmer  of  New  Jersey,  while  her 
grandfather  was  one  of  the  heroes  of  the 
Revolution.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mills  became  the 
parents  of  five  children :  Alary,  now  de- 
ceased ;  Hannah,  the  widow  of  William 
\\'illiams;  Joseph,  of  this  review;  Phoebe, 
the  wife  of  Jesse  Fowler;  and  Electa,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Lyon.  The  father  died  in 
1868,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  and 
the  mother  long  survived  him,  passing  away 
at  the  advanced  age  of  one  hundred  and 
four  years.  She  remained  upon  the  home- 
stead and  when  a  centenarian  could  read 
without  glasses,  her  eyesight  seeming  to  be 
renewed  in  her  last  years.  She  held  mem- 
bership with  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
the  world  was  better  for  her  having  lived, 
for  she  exerted  a  strong  influence  for  good 
in  the  lives  of  those  with  whom  she  came 
in  contact. 

In  his  youth  Joseph  Mills  was  inured  to 
the  labors  of  the  home  farm,  where  he 
worked  until  he  reached  the  age  of  seven- 
teen, when  he  began  learning  the  carpen- 
ter's trade.  After  serving  a  four  years'  ap- 
prenticeship he  was  employed  for  some  time 
as  a  journeyman  and  through  a  long  period 
was  connected  with  the  building  interests. 
In  1853  ^J^f.  -\Iills  left  his  old  home  in  New 
Jersey  and  came  to  the  west,  casting  in  his 
lot  with  the  early  settlers  of  Decatur,  whose 
business  enterprise,  activity  and  keen  dis- 
cernment were  lajnng  the  foundation  for 
the  present  prosperity  and  progress  of  the 
city.  For  a  half  century  he  has  now  made 
his  home  here.  He  first  purchased  property 
on  the  corner  where  the  S3mdicate  block 
now  stands  and  became  connected  with  the 
business  interests  here  as  a  contractor  and 


builder.  His  thorough  understanding  of 
the  trade,  his  excellent  workmanship  and 
his  faithfulness  to  the  terms  of  a  contract 
soon  secured  him  a  liberal  patronage  and 
he  continued  to  conduct  a  profitable  busi- 
ness in  that  line  until  1878,  when  he  aban- 
doned that  work  in  order  to  engage  in  a 
kindred  industry,  becoming  a  partner  of  \V. 
B.  Har}'  in  the  lumber  business.  Mr.  Hary 
had  been  lus  former  partner  in  contracting 
for  a  number  of  years  before  they  went  into 
the  lumber  business.  This  connection  was 
maintained  until  the  death  of  Air.  Hary  in 
1886,  when  Mr.  Mills  purchased  his  in- 
terest from  the  estate.  On  the  ist  of  Janu- 
ary, 1891,  the  business  was  incorporated,  a 
.'^tock  company  being  formed  under  the  firm 
name  of  the  Mills  Lumber  Companv,  with 
Joseph  Mills  as  the  president ;  Jacob  Willis, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  and  Albert  Good- 
man, manager.  The  business  of  the  com- 
pany has  steadily  increased  and  its  sales 
now  annually  reach  a  large  figure.  They 
deal  extensively  in  all  kinds  of  lumber, 
handling  everything  needed  in  their  line  for 
the  construction  of  public  or  private  build- 
ings. The  business  policy  inaugurated  by 
Mr.  Mills  at  the  outset  of  his  career  has 
ever  been  maintained.  The  work  is  carried 
on  systematically  and  success  has  been  won 
along  the  line  of  time-tried  maxims. 

Ere  leaving  the  east  Mr.  Mills  was  united 
in  marriage  on  the  22d  of  IMa}^,  1848,  to 
Aliss  Eliza  Lansing,  whose  parents  were 
Benjamin  and  Anna  (Hill)  Lansing,  the 
former  a  native  of  New  York  and  the  latter 
of  New  Jersey.  Five  children  were  born 
of  this  union,  but  only  one  is  now  living: 
Anna,  who  married  John  W.  Shellabarger, 
of  Salina,  Kansas,  and  had  five  children  but 
only  two  are  now  li\ing,  Edgar  and  Edith. 
Another  daughter  of  Air.  and  Airs.  Alills 
was  Emma,  who  became  the  wife  of  Sig- 
mund  Schulof  and  died  leaving  a  daughter. 
Pearl,  now  the  wife  of  William  Wittke,  of 
New  York  city,  and  the  mother  of  a  little 


DR.  0.  F.    PARKER 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ^fACON  COUNTY. 


4(il 


daughter.  The  oilier  members  of  the  Mills 
family  were  Josephine,  Stella  ami  Coriene. 
The  wife  ami  mother,  who  was  a  consistent 
and  devoteil  member  of  the  Baptist  church, 
passed  away  on  the  Jd  of  .March,  1886,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-nine  years,  and  on  the  ist 
of  January,  1888,  Mr.  Mills  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Sini 
Taylor,  the  widow  of  Frank  Taylor,  and  a 
daughter  of  Lars  Larson,  who  was  a  native 
of  Denmark.  The  family  home  is  an  at- 
tractive residence  on  North  Main  street,  in 
addition  to  which  Mr.  Mills  owns  other  val- 
uable city  property. 

In  his  political  views  he  was  originally 
a  Republican,  supporting  that  party  from 
1856  until  1S72.  He  then  voted  for  Horace 
Greeley  and  since  that  time  has  affiliated 
with  the  Democracy.  For  six  years  he 
served  as  alderman  of  Decatur  from  the 
first  ward  and  has  been  assistant  super- 
Visor,  but  has  preferred  to  perform  his  du- 
ties rather  as  a  private  citizen  than  as  an 
official.  He  belongs  to  Decatur  Eodgc,  No. 
65,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  in  the  fraternity  as  well  ' 
as  in  business  and  social  circles  is  held  in 
the  highest  regard.  The  character  and  posi- 
tion of  Mr.  Mills  illustrates  most  happily 
for  the  purpose  of  this  work,  the  fact  that 
if  a  young  man  be  possessed  of  the  proper 
attributes  of  mind  and  heart  he  can  unaided 
attain  to  a  position  of  unmistakable  prece- 
dence and  gain  for  himself  a  place  among 
the  men  who  are  foremost  factors  in  shap- 
ing the  business  history  of  their  various 
communities.  His  career  proves  that  the 
only  true  success  in  life  is  that  which  is  ac- 
complished by  personal  effort  and  consecu- 
tive uidustry.  It  proves  that  the  road  to 
success  is  open  to  all  young  men  who  have 
the  courage  to  tread  its  pathway,  and  the 
life  record  of  such  men  should  serve  as  in- 
spiration to  the  young  of  this  and  future 
generations,  and  teach  by  incontrovertible 
facts  that  success  is  ambition's  answer. 


OSCAR  F.  PARKER,  M.  D. 

Few  men  were  more  prominent  or  more 
widely  known  in  the  enterprising  city  of 
1  )ecalur  than  Dr.  (J.  F.  Parker  during  the 
ihiriy-three  years  of  his  residence  here.  lie 
was  an  important  factor  in  business  circles 
and  his  popularity  was  well  deserved  as  in 
him  were  embraced  the  characteristics  of 
an  unbending  integrity,  unabated  energy 
and  inilusiry  that  never  flagged.  He  was 
public  spirited  and  thoroughly  interested 
in  whatever  tended  to  promote  the  moral, 
social  and  material  welfare  of  the  city. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Peru,  New  York, 
on  the  /th  of  November,  1818,  a  son  of  Dr. 
Francis  and  Sarah  Parker.  His  father,  who 
was  also  a  physician,  was  engaged  in  prac- 
tice at  Parishville,  New  York,  for  many 
years,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  there. 
Our  subject  acquired  his  literary  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  place, 
and  having  decided  to  enter  the  medical  pro- 
fession, he  became  a  student  at  Jefferson 
.Medical  College,  of  Philadelphia,  where  he 
was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1851.  lie 
then  joined  his  father  at  Parishville,  St. 
Lawrence  county.  New  York,  and  together 
they  engaged  in  practice  at  that  place  until 
our  subject  came  west.  In  the  meantime 
he  was  married  in  1856  to  Miss  Calista  L. 
Flanders,  also  a  native  of  the  Empire  state, 
born  in  Lawrence,  St.  Lawrence  county. 
New  York,  in  1832.  Her  father,  Samuel 
Flanders,  was  a  millwright  by  trade  and 
from  New  York  removed  to  Ohio,  where 
he  built  a  number  of  mills  throughout  the 
state,  making  his  home  there  until  his  death. 
To  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Parker  was  born  but  one 
child:  Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  Virgil  Hos- 
letler,  of  Decatur. 

-After  his  marriage  the  Doctor  continued 
his  residence  in  Parishville,  New  York,  until 
1865,  when  he  came  to  Decatur,  Illinois, 
and  began  practice  here  with  Dr.  Josiah 
pjrown.  Two  years  later  the  partnership 
was  dissolved  and  ]")r.  Parker  cmbarK-cd  in 


402 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


in  the  drug  business,  opening  a  store,  on 
East  Main  street,  near  Water  street,  wliich 
he  conducted  until  failing  health  caused  his 
retirement  from  business.  He  died  in  this 
city  on  the  i6th  of  December,  1897,  honored 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  Mrs. 
Parker  is  still  living  in  Decatur,  where  she 
owns  a  large  and  beautiful  residence  at  No. 
341  West  Macon  street,  and  her  daughter 
resides  with  her. 

Tn  early  life  the  Doctor  was  a  Whig  in 
politics,  and  after  the  dissolution  of  that 
party  joined  the  Republican  ranks.  While 
living  in  New  York  he  became  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  but  never  united 
wnth  any  of  the  lodges  after  coming  to  De- 
catur. In  citizenship  he  was  loyal,  in 
friendship  faithful,  and  in  his  family  he  was 
known  as  a  devoted  husband  and  father. 
Throughout  his  entire  life  he  commanded 
the  respect  of  his  fellow-men  by  reason  of 
his  genuine  worth,  and  his  loss  was  deeply 
mourned  throughout  the  community. 


CHARLES  HAYS. 

One  of  the  leading  and  representative  cit- 
izens of  Hickory  Point  township  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this  re- 
view. Throughout  his  active  business  life 
he  has  followed  farming  with  good  success 
and  is  to-day  the  owner  of  a  well  improved 
and  valuable  place  on  section  26.  His  en- 
tire life  has  been  passed  in  this  township, 
his  birth  occurring  September  27,  1859,  on 
the  old  homestead,  which  is  on  section  23 
on  the  Bloomington  road,  where  his  brother 
Frank  now  resides. 

John  R.  Hays,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  on  a  farm  in  Wayne  county,  In- 
diana, September  5,  1830,  and  was  one  of 
a  family  of  eight  children,  whose  parents 
were  John  and  Rebecca  (Hadley)  Hays. 
Our  subject's  grandfather  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania   and   of   Scotch-Irish   descent. 


His  children  were  Ebcnezer ;  Xancy;  John 
R. ;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Alexander  Brett ;  Ben- 
jamin; Cynthia,  wife  of  Isaac  Skillman,  of 
Oregon  ;  William  ;  and  Thompson  H. 

John  R.  Hays  was  only  four  years  old 
when  the  family  removed  from  the  county 
of  his  nativity  to  X'ermilion  county,  Illinois, 
locating  near  Danville.  A  year  later  they 
went  to  Piatt  county,  and  in  1841  came  to 
Macon  county,  taking  up  their  residence  on 
section  26,  Hickory  Point  township,  where 
our  subject  now  resides.  This  farm  was 
improved  by  the  grandfather,  who,  in  con- 
nection with  general  farming,  was  quite 
extensively  engaged  in  stock  raising.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  lad  of  eleven 
years  when  he  settled  here  and  amid  pio- 
neer scenes  he  grew  to  manhood.  The  near- 
est school  house  was  then  northwest  of  De- 
catur, two  miles  and  a  half  distant  from  his 
home,  but  a  few  years  later  another  was 
erected  in  Hickory  Point  township  a  mile 
and  a  half  away.  Although  his  educational 
advantages  were  limited  he  became  a  well 
informed  man  through  reading,  experience 
and  observation.  He  remained  on  the  home 
place  until  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  when 
his  father  gave  him  eighty  acres  of  land  and 
he  started  out  in  life  for  himself.  Being 
industrious,  energetic  and  progressive,  he 
met  with  marked  success  in  his  farming 
operations  and  added  to  his  property  from 
time  to  time  until  he  had  six  hundred  acres 
of  choice  land,  well  improved  and  under 
excellent  cultivation.  He  always  took  a 
deep  interest  in  public  affairs  and  most  ef- 
ficiently filled  the  offices  of  school  director, 
township  collector  and  county  supervisor. 
On  the  26th  of  March.  1857,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Rachel  Montgomery, 
a  daughter  of  William  F.  and  Amelia  (Su- 
ver)  Montgomer3\  and  unto  them  were 
born  four  children,  as  follows:  Charles,  of 
this  review ;  William,  also  a  resident  of 
Macon  county;  Frank,  who  lives  on  his 
father's    old    homestead    in    Hickory    Point 


PAST  AXn  PRESEXT  OF  MACOK  COUNTY. 


403 


township;  and  Cynthia,  who  died  April  15, 
1872.  The  family  is  one  of  prominence  in  the 
communiiy  where  they  reside  and  wherever 
known  its  members  are  held  in  high  regard. 
The  father  passed  away  March  24,  1900,  and 
the  mother  is  still  living.  They  were  both 
honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
them. 

Charles  Hays  was  reared  and  educated 
in  much  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  boys, 
aiding  in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  and 
pursuing  his  studies  in  the  district  school. 
Since  attaining  to  man's  estate  he  has  fol- 
lowed farming  and  is  now  living  on  the 
place  where  his  grandfather  located  on  com- 
ing to  this  country  in  1841.  He  has  two 
hundred  acres  of  rich  and  arable  land  and 
the  well  tilled  fields  and  the  neat  and  thrifty 
appearance  of  the  farm  testify  to  the  super- 
vision of  a  careful  and  painstaking  owner. 

In  1889  Mr.  Hays  led  to  the  marriage 
altar  Miss  Elizabeth  Landis,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Amanda  (Reeser)  Landis,  of  Bearsdale,  and 
four  children  bless  their  union,  namely :  Ed- 
win, Robert,  and  Ora  and  Oma,  twins.  Mr. 
Hays  casts  his  ballot  for  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  he 
has  served  as  school  director  in  his  dis- 
trict. He  is  public  spirited  and  progressive 
and  never  withholds  his  support  from  any 
enterprise  which  he  believes  will  prove  of 
public  benefit. 


.MARTIN  V.  LONERGAN,  M.  D. 
Dr.  Martin  V.  Lonergan,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Decatur,  is 
known  as  a  successful  and  skillful  physi- 
cian and  surgeon,  one  who  has  given  years 
of  thought  and  painstaking  preparation  to 
his  profession  and  who  is  thoroughly  quali- 
fied for  its  practice.  Nature  endowed  him 
with  the  elements  necessary  for  success  as 
a    practitioner    for   he    is    sympathetic,    pa- 


tient anil  lliouglilfiil  and  in  the  hour  of  ex- 
tremity cool  and  courageous.  Though  his 
practice  engrosses  much  of  his  attention  he 
still  finds  time  to  keep  in  touch  with  the 
advancement  made  by  the  profession  and 
avails  himself  of  every  development  in 
remedial  agencies. 

Dr.  Lonergan  was  born  on  the  4th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1852,  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania. .A.S  the  name  indicates  the  family 
is  of  Irish  lineage.  The  father,  Michael 
Lonergan,  was  born  in  County  Waterford, 
Ireland,  and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade 
there  ere  his  emigration  to  the  new  world. 
When  a  young  man,  however,  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  LTnited  States  and  es- 
tablished his  home  in  Philadelphia.  There 
he  met  and  married  Miss  Margaret  Dona- 
hue, who  was  born  in  County  Tipperary, 
Ireland,  and  who  had  come  with  her  parents 
to  this  country.  The  year  1856  witnessed 
the  removal  of  Michael  Lonergan  and  his 
family  from  Pennsylvania  to  Illinois.  Set- 
tling in  Jacksonville,  he  there  followed 
carpentering  until  1870,  when  he  disposed 
of  his  business  and  property  interests  there 
and  invested  his  money  in  a  farm  in  San- 
gamon county,  devoting  his  remaining  days 
to  agricultural  pursuits  and  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  quiet  life  of  the  farm.  He  died 
in  1888  at  the  age  of  seventy  years  and  his 
widow  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead. 
Both  were  communicants  of  the  Catholic 
church  and  Mr.  Lonergan  gave  his  political 
support  to  the  Democracy,  for  he  believed 
its  platform  contained  the  best  elements 
of  good  government.  Unto  this  worthy 
couple  were  born  six  children :  Martin ; 
John,  who  resides  upon  the  old  home  farm; 
Maurice  ;  Maggie ;  and  two  who  have  passed 
away. 

When  Dr.  Lonergan  was  but  four  years 
of  age  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois 
and  pursued  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Jacksonville  until  he  reached  the 
age  of  fourteen.     He  then  entered  upon  his 


404 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


business  career  by  becoming  an  employe 
in  a  store  of  that  city,  but  later  he  continued 
his  studies  in  the  Whipple  Academy  and 
subsequently  prepared  for  the  duties  of  bus- 
iness life  by  a  course  in  Brown's  Com- 
mercial College.  He  worked  in  the 
store  during  the  day,  attending  school  at 
night.  The  elemental  strength  of  his  char- 
acter was  thus  manifested  and  gave  promise 
of  a  successfid  future,  because  success  is 
more  often  the  result  of  strong  purpose 
and  close  application  than  of  any  other 
elements.  With  educational  work  Dr.  Lon- 
ergan  was  also  connected  for  some  time, 
having  for  five  years  engaged  in  teaching 
in  Sangamon  county.  It  was  his  desire, 
however,  to  become  a  member  of  the  med- 
ical fraternity  and  he  began  reading  in  the 
ofHce  of  Dr.  David  Prince,  of  Jacksonville, 
ere  he  discontinued  his  work  as  a  member 
of  the  teacher's  profession.  Later  he  pur- 
sued a  course  of  lectures  in  the  Long  Island 
Hospital  College  in  Brooklyn  and  was  next 
a  student  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons  in  New  York.  He  also  took  a 
post-graduate  course  in  the  Chicago  Poly- 
clinic in  1888  and  in  1894  in  the  New  York 
Polyclinic  and  the  same  year  served  as 
house  physician  in  the  Mothers  and  Babies 
Hospital,  New  York.  The  money  for  his 
collegiate  'course  he  earned  through  his  own 
labors  and  when  his  capital  became  ex- 
hausted he  again  accepted  a  position  as  a 
school  teacher  in  order  to  gain  the  funds 
necessary  for  the  completion  of  his  course  in 
medicine.  He  was  graduated  in  1877  and 
through  the  influence  of  his  roommate,  J. 
A.  Dawson,  lie  located  at  Casner,  Illinois, 
in  March,  1878,  there  opening  an  oiifice. 

One  of  his  first  patients  was  Mrs.  Will- 
iam Wilson,  who  subsequently  became  his 
mother-in-law.  Becoming  acquainted  with 
the  daughter,  ]\Iary,  he  sought  her  hand  in 
marriage,  and  on  the  14th  of  November, 
1878,  the  wedding  ceremony  was  solemn- 
ized.    She  was  born   and  reared  in  Mount 


Zion  township,  Macon  tount}-,  and  b)-  her 
marriage  became  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  are  now  living:  Ellis 
C.  and  Bertha  j\Iay.  The  first-born,  Bertie, 
died  at  the  age  of  only  four  years,  and  John 
M.  died  at  seventeen  years  of  age. 

The  first  wife,  Mary,  died  on  the  14th 
anniversary  of  their  marriage,  November 
14,  1901,  and  the  Doctor  was  again  mar- 
ried November  27,  1902,  to  Mary  E.  Dres- 
back. 

In  his  professional  career  Dr.  Lonergan 
has  been  quite  successful.  He  continued 
a  partner  of  Dr.  Dawson  until  November, 
1883,  and  since  that  time  has  practiced 
alone.  He  owns  a  good  drug  store  and  has 
a  liberal  patronage  in  that  line  as  well  as  in 
medical  practice.  He  continued  to  make 
his  home  in  Casner  until  1S95,  when  he  came 
to  Decatur  and  has  since  been  active  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  this  city.  He 
keeps  thoroughly  informed  concerning  the 
advancement  made  by  the  profession  and 
has  long  since  demonstrated  his  skill  in 
handling  intricate  cases.  Socially  he  is  a 
member  of  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312,  A.  F.  &  A. 
M. ;  Macon  Chapter,  No.  12,  R.  A.  M.;  and 
Decatur  Council,  No.  21,  R.  &  S.  M.,  all  of 
this  city.  He  was  likewise  a  member  of 
Casner  Lodge,  No.  463,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  of  which 
he  served  as  noble  grand.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Macon  County  Medical  So- 
ciety; the  Illinois  State  Medical  and  the 
American    Medical   Association. 

The  Doctor  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  cause 
of  temperance  and  does  everything  in  his 
power  for  the  suppression  of  the  use  of  in- 
toxicants. He  manifests  his  principles  in 
this  by  his  ballot,  voting  for  the  Prohibition 
party,  with  wliich  he  has  been  allied  since 
age  gave  to  him  the  right  of  franchise. 
He  and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
Cnndjerland  Presbyterian  church  and  he  is 
a  man  of  broad  humanitarian  principles, 
whose  influence  has  alwa3's  been  on  the  side 
of  right  and  justice.     He  believes  that  the 


CHARLES  LEWIS 


MRS-  CHARLES  LEWIS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


4  lit 


most  iinporiaiit  work  of  man  is  the  develop- 
ment of  honorable  character  and  has  ever 
used  his  inHuence  in  behalf  of  the  promotion 
of  moral  proijress  in  the  communities  in 
which  he  has  lived. 


CHARLES  LEWIS. 

Cliarles  Lewis,  one  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  Hickory  Point  township,  who  is  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  general  farming  and 
stock-raising,  was  born  in  Warwickshire, 
England,  on  the  27th  of  November,  1832,  a 
son  of  William  and  Ann  (Clark)  Lewis, 
who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  that  country. 
Of  their  eight  children  those  still  living  arc: 
Isaac,  who  still  makes  his  home  in  England  ; 
Charles,  of  this  review ;  George,  a  wealthy 
resident  of  England ;  and  Thomas,  who  is 
now  li\-ing  in  Missouri. 

Our  subject's  early  advantages  were  very 
meager,  and  since  the  age  of  fourteen  years 
he  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  re- 
sources for  a  livelihood.  lie  worked  hard 
during  his  boyhood  at  various  occujialions, 
being  employed  on  farms  a  part  of  the  time 
and  also  at  brick  and  tile  making. 

Witli  the  hope  of  bettering  his  financial 
condition  Mr.  Lewis  came  to  America  in 
the  fall  of  1864  and  spent  the  first  winter 
in  X'ermont.  r.cfore  leaving  England  he 
borrowed  fifty  dollars  from  his  brother 
William,  tlu-n  li\  ing  in  \^ermont,  to  help  pay 
his  expenses  to  the  new  world.  In  1865 — 
the  year  of  President  Lincoln's  assassina- 
tion—he came  to  Macon  county,  in  company 
with  his  wife  and  four  children  and  his 
brother  William's  wife  and  their  four  chil- 
dren. They  made  the  trip  west  by  way  of 
P>ufl['alo,  New  York,  and  Logansport,  Indi- 
ana. Through  soiue  mistake  the}'  were  put 
on  the  wrong  train  at  the  latter  place  and 
taken  to  a  station  seven  miles  out  of  their 
waj-.  As  Mr.  Lewis  was  entirely  unfa- 
miliar with  this  jiart  of  the  country  he  was 


at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do,  but  a  kind- 
hearted  man  came  to  his  assistance  with  a 
wagon  anil  conveyeil  the  women  and  chil- 
dren as  far  as  the  Wabash  trestle  work.  Our 
subject  then  carried  the  children  across  and 
led  the  women  to  a  place  of  safety.  As  he 
did  not  know  at  what  minute  a  train  might 
appear,  this  was  an  experience  never  to  be 
forgotten. 

Arriving  in  Macon  county  he  first  settled 
in  Decatur  township,  where  he  lived  in  a 
shanty  for  about  two  years,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Hickory  Point  township,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  brick, 
making  the  brick  for  the  house  of  John 
Hanks,  a  relative  of  President  Lincoln,  and 
receiving  in  exchange  eleven  acres  of  land 
on  section  33,  which  forms  a  part  of  his 
present  farm.  In  later  years  this,  caused 
considerable  trouble  in  his  securing  a  title 
to  the  land.  Mr.  Lewis  also  made  the  first 
tile  ever  manufactured  in  the  county  and 
was  among  the  first  to  drain  the  land.  They 
brought  the  machinery  for  his  tile  factory 
from  l-',nglan(l.  .As  the  years  have  passed 
he  has  steadily  prospered  in  his  business  af- 
fairs and  is  to-day  the  owner  of  a  fine  stock 
farm  of  three  hundred  and  thirty-one  acres 
of  choice  land  in  Hickory  Point  township. 
The  ])asturage  is  good  and  all  the  grain  that 
he  raises  he  feeds  to  his  stock,  having  two 
hundred  and  fifty  head  of  Shropshire  sheep 
and  thirty-five  head  of  cattle. 

P.efore  leaving  JCngland  Mr.  Lewis  was 
married  in  the  town  of  Coventry  to  Miss 
Enuna  Jane  PiCtts,  who  was  also  a  native 
of  \\'ar\vickshirc.  and  died  in  Macon  coun- 
ty, I  Illinois,  in  iS^jS,  lea\ing  five  small  chil- 
dren. One  child  born  to  them  died  in  Eng- 
lan.  The  others  are  as  follows:  George,  a 
successful  farmer  of  .\ustin  township,  this 
county,  married  Sarah  Kirkpatrick,  and  has 
four  children,  one  of  whom  is  Mrs.  Nellie 
P.elford,  who  has  five  children;  Mary  Jane 
is  the  wife  of  John  Bear,  and  has  three  chil- 
dren ;  Fannie  is  the  wife  of  Ira  Parrish,  of 


410 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Ilarristown  townsliip,  and  has  two  children ; 
Charles  married  Kate  dicker,  by  whom  he 
has  three  children,  and  they  live  on  his 
father's  farm ;  Emma  is  the  wife  of  Giis 
Parrish,  of  Mount  Auburn,  Christian  coun- 
ty, and  they  have  two  children.  As  will 
be  seen,  Mr.  Lewis  has  fourteen  grand- 
children  and   five   great-grandchildren. 

On  the  loth  of  October,  1871,  Mr.  Lewis 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Miss  Catharine  Hastie,  who  was  born 
in  Dumfrieshire,  Scotland,  November  22, 
1828,  a  daughter  of  Adam  and  Margaret 
(Tait)  Hastie,  who  both  died  in  Scotland. 
Mrs.  Lewis  is  the  youngest  of  their  nine 
children  and  the  only  one  living  with  tlie 
exception  of  her  brother  Robert,  a  resident 
of  California.  Another  brother,  William, 
died  in  this  county  and  was  buried  in  Boil- 
ing Springs  cemetery.  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship. Emigrating  to  America  in  1866  she 
came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  with  her 
brother-in-law,  Andrew  Myers,  and  a  niece. 
She  has  been  to  her  husband  a  faithful  com- 
panion and  helpmate  and  carefully  reared 
his  children.  By  her  aid  and  encourage- 
ment she  has  materially  assisted  him  in  se- 
curing a  home  and  competence  and  she  cer- 
tainly deserves  much  credit  for  what  she  has 
done.  She  takes  much  pleasure  in  her  flow- 
ers which  adorn  the  front  yard  and  add 
much  to  the  beauty  and  attractive  appear- 
ance of  the  place.  She  presides  with  gra- 
cious dignity  over  her  home,  which  is  a  com- 
fortable brick  residence,  noted  for  its  hos- 
pitality and  good  cheer. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  Mr.  Lewis  has 
supported  the  Republican  party  and  its  nom- 
inees. He  was  reared  an  Episcopalian,  but 
he  and  his  wife  now  attend  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church  of  Decatur,  in  which  she 
holds  membership.  She  is  an  active  worker 
in  the  cause  of  Christianity  and  the  children 
were  reared  amid  good  influences.  Mr. 
Lewis  belongs  to  that  class  of  men  whom 


the  world  terms  self-made,  for  coming  to 
this  country  empty-handed,  he  has  con- 
quered all  the  obstacles  in  the  path  to  suc- 
cess, and  has  not  only  secured  a  comfortable 
competence  but  has  gained  the  good  will 
and  friendship  of  those  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact  either  in  business  or  social 
life. 


J.  M.  PERSINGER. 

For  a  third  of  a  century  J.  M.  Persinger 
was  a  leading  business  man  of  Maroa,  and 
the  commercial  interests  of  the  town  were 
well  represented  by  him.  He  located  here 
at  an  early  day  in  the  development  of  Maroa 
and  the  growth  of  his  business  kept  pace 
with  the  growth  of  the  city,  the  years  bring- 
ing to  him  a  large  patronage,  which  was 
well  merited  by  reason  of  his  energy,  his 
honorable  methods  and  his  straightforward 
dealings  with  his  fellow  men.  When  called 
to  his  final  rest  he  left  behind  him  an  honor- 
able record  and  his  memory  is  yet  cherished 
and  revered  by  many  who  knew  him. 

Mr.  Persinger  was  born  in  Shelby  county, 
Ohio,  in  1837,  and  upon  the  home  farm  was 
reared,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the 
labor  of  field  and  meadow,  and  thus  forming 
habits  of  industry.  When  seventeen  years 
of  age  he  began  teaching  school  and  fol- 
lowed that  profession  until  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war,  when  he  became  a  member 
of  the  bodyguard  of  John  C.  Fremont. 
This  company,  however,  was  disbanded,  and 
returning  home  Mr.  Persinger  enlisted  as  a 
member  of  the  Ninety-ninth  Ohio  Infantry 
under  Colonel  Sweeny.  He  participated  in 
eighteen  battles,  but  was  never  wounded 
nor  ill  in  the  hospital.  He  rendered  valua- 
ble service  to  his  country  as  a  brave  and 
loyal  soldier  and  on  being  mustered  out  he 
returned  to  Sidney,  Ohio.  He  then  again 
engaged  in  teaching  school  for  a  year  or 
two. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


411 


In  1866  Mr.  i'crsinger  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  .Miss  Sarah  Beck,  a  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Mary  Beck,  the  former  a  farmer 
of  Montgomery  county,  Ohio.  She  acquired 
her  education  in  the  Centerville  Academy 
and  in  the  Lebanon  College  of  Ohio.  The 
year  following  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Persinger  removed  to  Maroa,  becoming 
early  settlers  of  this  place,  and  with  the 
business  history  of  the  town  Mr.  Persinger 
became  closely  identified.  He  formed  a 
partnership  with  J.  C.  Beatty  and  opened  a 
harness  and  saddlery  store.  The  new  firm 
prospered  and  in  1878  they  purchased  the 
hardware  stock  of  Hartman  Brothers.  In 
the  same  year  S.  M.  .\dams  purchased  the 
hardware  and  implement  store  of  John  H. 
Crocker,  and  the  stock  of  both  houses  was 
consolidated  and  the  business  continued 
under  the  name  of  Persinger,  .Vdams  & 
Company,  a  relation  that  was  maintained 
until  1882,  when  Mr.  .Vdams  withdrew  and 
the  firm  of  Beatty  &  Persinger  became  the 
owners  of  both  stores.  This  .arrangement 
was  continued  until  January,  1885,  when 
the  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Beatty 
taking  the  harness  and  saddlery  business, 
while  .Mr.  Persinger  retained  the  hardware 
stock.  He  was  then  alone  until  1889  and 
in  the  meantime  he  extended  the  field  of  his 
trade  operations  by  adding  a  stock  of  furni- 
ture in  1886.  Three  years  later  he  admitted 
T.  P.  Miller  to  a  partnership  in  the  business 
and  the  firm  became  Persinger  &  Miller,  a 
relation  that  was  maintained  milil  March, 
1893.  when  Mr.  Miller  withdrew,  Mr.  Pers- 
inger continuing  alone  in  the  conduct  of  his 
large  store.  In  1894  he  added  an  undertak- 
ing department  and  in  May,  1900,  he  sold  his 
hardware  and  furniture  stock  to  J.  M.  Ram- 
mel  &  Company.  He  then  retired,  after 
thirty-three  years  of  active  business  life  in 
Maroa.  Not  a  business  man  of  the  city  at 
that  time  was  connected  with  the  trade  in- 
terests of  Maroa  as  long  as  Mr.  Persinger, 
and   he   always   maintained   a   place   in   the 


front  rank  as  a  leading,  progressive  and  re- 
liable merchant.  He  was  never  known  to 
take  advantage  of  his  fellow  men  in  any 
transaction,  content  to  realize  a  fair  profit 
antl  valuing  his  own  self-respect  and  the 
regard  of  his  fellow  men  more  than  wealth 
or  position.  He  sold  his  business  for  sev- 
enty-five liundred  dollars  in  cash,  thus  re- 
ceiving a  merited  reward  for  his  life  of  in- 
dustry and  enterprise. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Persinger  was  born 
one  son,  Rolland  E.,  whose  birth  occurred 
in  1870.  He  acquired  his  early  education  in 
-Maroa  and  later  attended  the  University 
of  Illinois  for  one  year.  He  afterward  spent 
a  year  in  Grant  University  of  Tennessee 
and  tlicn  became  a  student  in  the  college 
at  Bioomington,  this  state.  On  putting 
aside  his  text  books  he  returned  to  his  home 
in  Maroa  and  was  engaged  in  the  hardware 
business  with  his  father  until  1895,  when  he 
accepted  the  position  of  secretary  to  the 
Crocker  Elevator  Company,  which  position 
he  is  now  filling  and  the  success  of  the  bus- 
iness is  attributed  in  no  small  degree  to  his 
efforts.  The  companj-  operates  six  different 
elevators  in  Macon  county  and  handles  a 
large  amount  of  grain  raised  in  this  locality. 
In  public  affairs  Rolland  Persinger  is  also 
prominent.  He  was  elected  city  clerk  in 
1897  and  mayor  of  Maroa  in  1899,  and  his 
official  service  was  satisfactory  to  the  gen- 
eral public  and  reflected  credit  upon  his 
own  loyal  citizenship.  Socially  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  Masons,  belonging  to  the 
lodge  of  Maroa.  He  is  likewise  a  member 
of  the  I'enevolent  Protective  Order  of  Elks 
at  Clinton.  His  political  support  is  given 
the  Republican  party  and  he  is  widely  and 
favorably  known  in  business,  political  and 
fraternal  circles  in  this  part  of  Illinois. 

Mr.  Persinger  held  membership  with  the 
Grand  .Army  of  the  Republic,  being  con- 
nected with  the  post  in  Maroa.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  to 
which  his  wife  also  belongs,  and  in  his  po- 


412 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


litical  affiliations  he  was  a  Republican,  as 
was  his  father  and  is  his  son.  Matters  of 
citizenship  relating  to  the  public  welfare 
elicited  liis  attention  and  his  co-operation 
was  many  times  given  to  movements  for  the 
general  good.  lie  guided  his  Hfe  by  honor- 
able principles  and  was  well  worthy  the  con- 
fidence and  regard  so  uniformly  tendered 
him.  He  died  October  17,  1900,  and  thus 
one  more  name  was  dropped  from  the  roll 
of  Maroa's  citizens  who  had  long  been  ac- 
tive in  her  public  and  business  life,  but 
while  he  has  passed  away  the  work  which 
he  accomplished  lives  after  him,  and  his 
name  is  honored  and  his  memory  cherished 
by  those  among  whom  he  had  long  lived 
and  labored,  exemplifying  in  his  life  a  high 
type  of  American  manhood.  His  widow, 
now  living  in  Maroa,  owns  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  Macon  county  and  a 
business  block  in  Maroa,  which  is  now  oc- 
cupied by  a  grocery  and  restaurant.  After 
her  husband's"  death  the  old  home  was  sold 
and  a  handsome  home  erected  in  Maroa, 
where  she  and  her  son  are  still  living. 


GEORGE  B.  SPITLER. 

George  B.  Spitler,  one  of  the  leading  bus- 
iness men  of  Mount  Zion,  has  shown  in 
his  successful  career  that  he  has  the  ability 
to  plan  wisel}^  and  execute  with  energy,  a 
combination  which,  when  possessed  by  men 
of  any  walk  of  life,  never  fails  to  effect  nota- 
ble results.  For  twenty  years  he  has  made 
his  home  in  Mount  Zion  and  his  name  is  in- 
separably connected  with  its  business  in- 
terests. 

Mr.  Spitler  was  born  on  the  14th  of  April, 
1854,  in  Lura)^  Virginia,  of  which  state 
his  parents,  Wesley  and  Ann  (Varner) 
Spitler,  were  also  natives.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  Abram  Spitler,  was  a  life-long 
resident  of  the  Old  Dominion  and  was  of 
German   descent,   and   his   maternal   errand- 


father,  David  Varner,  was  also  a  native  of 
\'irginia.  The  father  was  born  in  181 1  and 
throughout  the  years  of  his  active  business 
life  engaged  in  farming  and  surveying.  On 
leaving  his  native  state  in  1833  he  removed 
to  Jasper  county,  Indiana,  where  he  has 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  but  is  now 
living  in  Effingham  county,  Illinois.  His 
wife  died  in  187S  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine 
years.  Ten  children  were  born  to  them,  but 
five  died  in  infancy,  those  still  living  being 
Sallie,  wife  of  J.  M.  Lecrone,  a  resident  of 
EffinghaiVi  county,  Illinois ;  Molly,  wife  of 
George  W.  Shull,  of  Montrose,  Illinois; 
Abram,  who  makes  his  home  in  Mattoon, 
Illinois;  and  George  B.,  the  youngest  of  the 
family.     David  died  in  January,  1891. 

The  house  in  which  our  subject  first  saw 
the  light  of  day  was  built  of  log  and  weath- 
erboarded.  It  is  still  in  a  good  state  of  pres- 
ervation and  has  been  the  home  of  some  of 
the  Spitler  family  for  at  least  two  hundred 
years,  being  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
Jacob  Spitler.  Our  subject  received  his 
early  education  in  the  country  schools  near 
his  boyhood  home  and  when  young  learned 
telegraphy,  acting  in  the  capacity  of  oper- 
ator and  agent  for  the  Vandalia  Railroad 
sj'stem  for  some  time.  He  was  in  the  train 
despatcher's  office  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana, 
for  two  years,  and  on  leaving  the  employ 
of  that  company  he  entered  the  service  of 
the  Illinois  Midland  Railroad  as  train  de- 
spatcher,  which  position  he  held  for  two 
years.  In  the  meantime  the  office  was  re- 
moved from  Paris,  Illinois,  to  Decatur, 
where  he  remained  a  year  and  a  half. 

In  the  spring  of  1883  Mr.  Spitler  bought  a 
stock  of  goods  in  partnership  with  William 
Conn  and  opened  a  general  store  in  Mount 
Zion,  but  at  the  end  of  a  year  he  purchased 
Mr.  Conn's  interest  and  has  since  carried 
on  the  business  alone.  He  has  enlarged  his 
store  and  increased  his  stock  until  he  now 
has  a  first-class  establishment.  For  sixteen 
vears  he   was   also  interested   in   the  grain 


DWIGHT  F    LEWIS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


41. ■ 


business  and  in  1895  bnik  the  elevator  at 
.Mount  Zion  now  owned  and  conducted  by 
W.  S.  Smith,  selling  out  five  years  later. 
Mr.  Spitler  was  the  originator  of  the  Mount 
Zion  Telephone  Company,  whicli  he  carried 
on  as  organized  until  June,  1903,  when  he 
bought  the  Moultrie  county  line  and  consoli- 
dated the  two.  The  latter  had  been  estab- 
lished in  1896.  The  new  system  now  ex- 
tends from  Sullivan  to  Decatur,  connecting 
Mount  Zion,  Dalton  City  and  Lake  City, 
and  it.  has  phones  in  most  of  the  farm 
houses  along  the  route,  three  hundred  be- 
ing now  in  operation.  Mr.  Spitler  has  also 
been  identified  with  other  business  enter- 
prises which  have  met  with  marked  success. 
In  1900  he  became  a  third  owner  in  the 
Mount  Zion  Nursery  with  E.  R.  Hurlbert 
and  W.  B.  Hunter,  which  business  has 
steadily  prospered  from  the  beginning.  He 
has  extensive  farming  interests  in  Mount 
Zion  township  and  makes  his  home  on  sec- 
tion 10,  just  a  short  distance  east  of  the^ 
village  of  Mount  Zion. 

On  January  18,  1892,  Mr.  Spitler  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ida  P).  Smith,  a 
daughter  of  George  A.  and  Martha  (Wilson) 
Smith,  who  were  natives  of  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  their  parents  being  from  Tennessee. 
She  was  making  her  home  in  Mount  Zion 
at  the  time  of  her  marriage.  In  his  political 
views  Mr.  Spitler  is  a  stalwart  Democrat 
and  for  some  time  he  served  as  chairman  of 
the  central  committee  of  Mount  Zion  town- 
ship, but  the  greater  part  of  his  time  and 
attention  is  devoted  to  his  business  interests. 
Since  his  arrival  in  Mount  Zion  he  has  been 
an  important  factor  in  its  advancement  and 
prosperity.  The  man  who  establishes  on  a 
firm  basis  ami  conducts  large  and  paying 
enterprises  docs  more  for  a  city  than  he  who 
gives  large  sums  of  money  for  its  embellish- 
ment, for  the  fnrnicr  furnishes  tlic  means 
of  livelihood  to  many  and  promotes  com- 
mercial activity,  which  is  essential  to  the 
welfare  of  any  community.     .Mr.   Sjiitler  is 


recognized  as  one  of  the  prominent  business 
men  of  Macon  county  and  is  a  popular  and 
honored  citizen  of  Mount  Zion. 


DWTGHT   V.   LEWIS. 

The  mercantile  history  of  Decatur  would 
be  incomplete  without  mention  of  Dwight 
F.  Lewis,  who  for  a  quarter  of  a  century 
was  connected  with  commercial  interests 
here  and  throughout  that  period  he  sus- 
tained a  most  enviable  reputation,  having 
the  trust  of  the  public  to  a  high  degree.  A 
native  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  he  was 
born  on  the  l6th  of  July,  1829,  a  son  of 
Charles  and  Melissa  (^Dodge)  Lewis,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Connecticut,  where 
the  father  was  engaged  in  carding  wool 
and  in  the  dyeing  business  for  many  years. 
He  afterward  came  to  the  Mississippi  val- 
ley and  resided  in  Decatur  until  his  death, 
while  his  wife  also  passed  away  in  this  city. 
There  is  but  one  of  their  children  now  liv- 
ing here,  H.  B.  Lewis,  who  is  a  retired 
grocery  merchant,  residing  on  College 
street. 

To  the  public  school  system  of  his  native 
state  Dwight  F.  Lewis  was  indebted  for 
the  educational  privileges  he  enjoyed,  but 
his  opportunities  were  somewhat  limited. 
However,  in  later  years,  he  became  a  well- 
informed  man,  adding  continually  to  his 
knowledge  b}'  reading,  observation  and  ex- 
perience, lie  was  married  in  Herkimer 
county.  New  York,  to  Miss  Mary  Jane 
Grove,  of  Onondaga  county,  that  state.  She 
was  born  January  10,  1832,  a  daughter  of 
.Adam  and  ICliza  (Hoag)  Grove.  The  father 
was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  Empire 
state.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewis  were  born 
three  children  :  Charles  H.,  who  now  holds 
the  position  of  freight  agent  in  Decatur  in 
connection  with  the  \\'abash  Railroad  Com- 
])an}- ;  George  T.,  who  is  also  a  clerk  in  the 


416 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Wabash  freight  office,  and  resides  with  his 
mother ;  and  William  H.,  who  occupies  a 
similar  position  and  who  married  Miss 
Laura  Ryder,  their  home  being  on  Marietta 
street,  in  this  city. 

At  the  time  of  his   marriage   Mr.   Lewis 
came  to  the  west,  believing  that  he  might 
have  better  business  opportunities  to  gain 
a  good  living  for  himself  and  his  bride  in 
this  district  of  the  country,  which  was  then 
not  so  thickly  settled  as  the  older  portions 
of    the   east.     Its   rapid    growth,  however, 
furnished    excellent   business   openings   and 
he  resolved   to   try   his   fortune   in    Illinois. 
Accordingly  he  settled  in  Rockford,  where 
he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  for  a  few 
-months,  and  then  came  to  Decatur  in  1856. 
The  embryo  city  bore  little  resemblance  to 
•  the  Decatur  of  the  present  day.    There  were 
many  evidences  of  frontier  life  still  existing 
here  and  the  town  was  small  but  its  future 
seemed  bright  and  Mr.  Lewis  identified  his 
interests   with    the   business   affairs   of   the 
city.     He  worked   at   the   carpenter's  trade 
for   four   years   and    then    with    the   capital 
he   had   acquired   through   his   own    energy 
and  economy  he  established  a  grocery  store 
on  Broadway.     After  remaining  there  for  a 
few  years  he  removed  to  the  corner  of  Cerro 
Gordo  and   Alorgan   streets,  where  he  con- 
ducted his  store  for  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
In  that  time  Mr.  Lewis  became  very  widely 
known   in   business  circles  of  the  city  and 
was  honored  and  respected  by  all,  not  alone 
on  account  of  the  excellent  success  which 
he  achieved,  but  also  because  of  the  straight- 
forward  business   policy  he   ever   followed. 
He  was  energetic,  j)rompt  and  notably  re- 
liable   in    all    his   trade   transactions,    never 
making  an  engagement  that  he  did  not  fill 
nor  incurring  an  obligation  that  he  did  not 
discharge.      One   of  his    friends   remarked: 
"Everybody  knew  Dwight  Lewis  and  liked 
him."     This  is  certainly  an  indication  of  a 
splendid    character — one    that    commanded 
the  respect  and  good  will  of  all. 


Mrs.  Lewis  resides  in  a  beautiful  home 
at  No.  450  North  Morgan  street.  She  is 
a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  De- 
catur and  is  a  lady  whose  friends  are  many. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Lewis  was  a  Re- 
publican of  unfaltering  faith  in  the  party 
and  its  principles.  He  died  April  26,  1900, 
and  a  feeling  of  deepest  regret  spread  about 
the  city  when  the  news  of  his  demise  was 
received.  In  everything  pertaining  to  the 
upbuilding  of  Decatur  he  took  an  active 
part  and  was  a  liberal  contributor  to  the 
enterprises  which  insured  its  progress.  He 
was  a  self-made  man  in  the  fullest  sense  of 
that  oft  misused  term,  his  prosperity  in  life 
being  due  to  his 'industry  and  integrity.  His 
life  was  a  living  illustration  of  what  ability, 
energy  and  force  of  character  can  accom- 
plish, and  it  is  to  such  men  that  the  west 
owes  its  prosperity,  its  rapid  progress  and 
its  advancement. 


AIRS.  MARGARET  ANN  FREEMAN. 

Among  the  old  and  honored  citizens  of 
Macon  county  must  be  numbered  Mrs. 
JMargaret  Ann  Freeman,  who  is  one  of  the 
few  remaining  ''  snowbirds,"  a  name  given 
to  those  who  arrived  here  before  the  great 
snow  of  1830-31.  She  has,  therefore,  wit- 
nessed almost  the  entire  development  and 
improvement  of  this  section  of  the  state 
and  can  relate  many  interesting  incidents  of 
pioneer  days  when  this  was  a  wild  region 
largely  covered  with  ponds  and  sloughs. 

Mrs.  Freeman  was  born  on  the  loth  of 
May,  1822,  in  Montgomery  county,  Vir- 
ginia, a  few  miles  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge 
mountains,  and  one  of  the  most  pleasant 
recollections  of  her  childhood  is  that  of  the 
beautiful  forest  covered  mountain  range 
lying  to  the  southeast.  Her  parents  were 
Abraham  and  Barbara  Allen  (Alaury)  Shep- 
pard,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and 
the  latter  of  Pennsylvania.    The  father  was 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


41' 


born  on  the  4lh  of  July,  1776 — the  natal  day 
of  this  great  republic — and  was  a  son  of 
John  Shcppard,  who  came  to  this  country 
from  England  in  colonial  days.  After  the 
Revolutionary  war,  .Mrs.  Freeman's  father 
located  near  Newburg  in  Montgomery 
county,  Virginia,  where  he  rented  a  farm 
of  a  large  landowner,  and  in  connection 
with  its  operation  he  conducted  a  distillery, 
in  this  way  using  all  the  grain  raised  upon 
his  place.  With  the  aid  of  his  sons,  who 
were  half-brothers  of  Mrs.  Freeman,  he 
hauled  the  finished  product,  together  with 
cured  pork  fattened  at  the  distillery,  to 
Lynchburg,  a  distance  of  over  one  hundred 
miles,  that  being  the  nearest  available  mar- 
ket. For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Sheppard 
married  Barbara  Allen  Maury,  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Christina  (Sprinkel)  Maury. 
Her  grandfather  Maury,  was  a  school 
teacher  by  profession.  In  September,  1830, 
they  started  west,  accompanied  by  the 
smaller  children  of  the  family  and  a  few  of 
I\Irs.  Freeman's  grown  half-brothers.  The 
mother  and  the  younger  children  rode  in  an 
old-fashioned  carryall,  a  wagon  being  the 
conveyance  for  the  remainder  of  the  party. 
They  were  many  days  upon  the  road  but 
finally  arrived  in  Decatur,  Illinois,  on  the 
loth  of  October.  It  was  impossible  to  find 
a  house  to  live  in  as  the  few  log  buildings 
then  on  the  site  of  Decatur  were  then  all 
occupied,  so  the  family  went  into  camp 
upon  some  open  ground  adjoining  the  court- 
house, it  being  the  present  site  of  the  St. 
Nicholas  Hotel.  There  they  remained  until 
the  weather  became  very  cold  and  they 
were  compelled  to  look  for  better  quarters. 
Mr.  Sheppard  then  rented  a  house  on  the 
Smallwood  farm  near  the  present  city  lim- 
its on  the  north  but  as  the  former  tenant 
could  not  move  out  for  a  few  weeks,  they 
found  temporary  shelter  in  a  blacksmith 
shop,  which  was  fitted  up  for  their  accom- 
modation. 
By  his  first  marriage  .\braham  Sheppard 


had  five  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely: 
James,  born  February  9,  1796;  William, 
born  March  28,  1799;  Mrs.  Mary  Manlcy, 
born  December  i,  1801  ;  John,  born  October 
25,  1803;  Stephen  R.,  who  was  born  Jan- 
uary II,  1806",  and  was  first  married  in 
Montgomery  county,  Virginia,  January  10, 
1825,  to  a  Miss  Snuffer,  and  second  in  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  January  17,  1833,  to  Mary 
Hawks ;  Letitia,  who  was  born  April  24, 
1808,  and  died  in  Virginia  ;  Russel,  who  was 
born  yVugust  16,  1810,  and  was  married  in 
Macon  county  in  1832  to  Sarah  Manley,  but 
died  on  the  24th  of  June,  1839;  and  Rhoda, 
who  was  born  December  28,  1813,  and 
was  married  in  Macon  county  to  Albert 
Lemons.  FIcr  death  occurred  September 
27,  1836.  Five  children  were  born  unto 
Abraham  and  Barbara  Allen  (Maury)  Shep- 
pard, as  follows:  Henry  Allen,  born  Nov- 
ember 6,  1817,  died  in  Montgomery  county, 
Virginia,  June  20,  1824;  Margaret  Ann, 
now  Mrs.  Freeman,  is  the  next  in  order  of 
birth;  Elizabeth  Jane,  born  July  3,  1824, 
married  John  Spangler,  of  Macon  county; 
Leurany,  born  March  28,  1827,  married 
Freeman  Jones  and  died  August  6,  1901, 
while  visiting  her  sister,  Mrs.  Freeman,  and 
she  left  several  children,  one  of  whom  is 
Mrs.  Houchin,  a  resident  of  Jefferson  City, 
Missouri ;  and  Rachel  E.,  born  May  19, 
1829,  married  John  Hull,  of  Logan  county, 
Illinois,  and  later  went  to  Kansas,  where 
she  died  in  May,  1902.  Her  children  now 
live  near  Sabetha,  that  state. 

Amid  pioneer  surroundings,  Mrs.  Free- 
man grew  to  womanhood  and  on  the  nth 
of  October,  1838,  she  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  James  Milor,  of  Ohio,  the  cere- 
nionv  being  performed  by  Elijah  Freeman, 
a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  lived  on  a  farm 
adjoining  that  of  her  father,  about  three 
miles  east  of  Lincoln's  log  cabin  in  Harris- 
town  township,  and  who  was  the  father  of 
her  second  husband,  James  Freeman.  Mr. 
Milor  look  up   government   land  a   mile  or 


418 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


two  north  of  Harristowii  and  partially  im- 
proved the  place  but  unfortunately  became 
ill  and  died  in  1845  before  it  was  proved  up 
and  it  went  back  to  the  government.  By 
that  union  three  children  were  born:  Will- 
iam Marion  Milor,  born  August  30,  1839, 
married  a  ;\Iiss  Dunlap  and  in  1876  went 
to  Kansas.  He  had  three  sons,  Franklin, 
Elmer  and  William.  Saline  Jane  Milor, 
born  December  11,  1841,  was  married  Jan- 
uary 2,  1862,  to  Horatio  J.  Eyman  and 
spent  her  life  on  a  farm  about  two  miles 
southeast  of  Warrensburg,  where  she  died 
March  24,  1896.  ^Ir.  Ej'man  was  born  July 
21,  1825.  and  died  December  16,  1882.  Their 
children  were  as  follows :  Lillie  May,  born 
December  9,  1862,  died  January  7,  1873 ; 
Charles  W.,  born  July  11,  1865,  was  killed 
in  a  planing  mill  in  Decatur,  November  5, 
1893;  Minnie  Ann,  born  October  11,  1867, 
was  married  April  22,  1891,  to  Edwin  F. 
Boss,  of  Petoskey,  ^Michigan,  where  they 
now  reside,  and  they  have  one  child,  L. 
Cecil,  born  November  17,  1892 ;  John  A., 
born  August  7,  1869,  now  a  furniture  dealer 
and  undertaker  of  Argenta,  Illinois,  was 
married  November  22,  1900,  to  Anna  B.  Rey- 
nolds, of  that  place,  and  they  have  one  child, 
Nefifa,  born  Januarj^  22,  1902;  James  M., 
born  September  11,  1871,  was  married  De- 
cember 17,  1901,  to  Cora  Culp  and  lives  on 
the  old  home  farm,  which  he  owns ;  Arthur 
M.,  born  October  8.  1873,  died  September 
18,  1874;  Sarah  Margaret,  born  August  31, 
1875,  was  married  May  31,  1903,  to  Dr.  F. 
B.  Baker,  of  Chicago,  where  they  reside ; 
Samuel,  born  December  25,  1878,  died  on 
the  same  day ;  and  Harry  Horatio,  born 
February  7,  1883,  is  with  his  brother,  John 
\.,  in  Argenta.  John  McHenry  Milor,  the 
youngest  child  by  Afrs.  Freeman's  first  mar- 
riage, was  born  March  11,  1843,  ^"<^1  was 
married  June  13,  1875,  to  Eliza  Cathey,  at 
Greenville,  Michigan,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  nurser}'  business  for  several 
years  and  later  in  merchandising.    In  .\pril, 


1879,  he  removed  his  stock  of  goods  to  Pe- 
toskey, Michigan,  and  conducted  the  first 
exclusive  shoe  store  at  that  place.  He  also 
carried  on  a  general  store  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death  except  for  a  few  years  when  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  woodenware. 
He  died  October  15,  1899,  leaving  two 
children  :  Carroll,  who  was  born  in  Green- 
ville, Michigan,  August  28,  1876;  and  Win- 
nie E.,  born  in  Petoskey,  October  17,  1879. 
They  now  reside  with  their  mother  in  the 
latter  city. 

Left  a  widow  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
years  with  three  small  children  depending 
upon  her,  Mrs.  Freeman  had  to  fight  the 
battle  of  existence  in  a  frontier  covmtry  with 
the  wolves  howling  nightly  in  the  forest 
not  far  from  her  log  cabin  home.  She  was 
again  married  on  the  4th  of  July,  1847,  her 
second  union  being  with  James  Freeman, 
shortly  after  his  return  from  the  Mexican 
war,  in  which  he  had  served  as  a  private 
in  Company  C,  Fourth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  enlisted  on  the  27th  of 
August,  1846,  and  was  discharged  on  ac- 
count of  illness  at  New  Orleans,  May  25, 
1847,  before  the  expiration  of  his  term  of 
enlistment.  The  first  lieutenant  of  his  com- 
pany was  Richard  Oglesby,  who  afterward 
became  so  distinguished  and  beloved  by  the 
people  of  Illinois.  The  regiment  saw  some 
severe  service  in  the  campaign  under  Gen- 
eral Taylor  and  in  the  march  to  the  City 
of  ^Mexico.  A  relic  much  treasured  by  the 
children  of  Mrs.  Freeman  is  a  letter  from 
Tampico,  Mexico,  written  by  James  Free- 
man to  the  3'oung  widow,  Margaret  Milor, 
proposing  marriage.  This  was  written  on 
his  learning  of  the  death  of  her  first  hus- 
band. After  their  marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Freeman  lived  on  a  farm  southwest  of  De- 
catur, about  three  miles  east  of  the  Lincoln 
log  cabin,  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  6th  of  .\pril,  i860. 

There  were  seven  children  born  of  the 
second    union,    namelv :      Cerilda    D..    born 


oJ]/h><~^^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


421 


April  7.  1848,  was  married  June  25,  1876,  to 
L.  E.  Mackey,  now  a  resident  of  Indianap- 
olis, Indiana,  and  their  children  are  Mar- 
garet May,  who  married  John  McClintock 
and  has  one  child,  Laveta  Evans ;  and 
William  Allen,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Hoaglin  and  has  one  child,  Herman  Evans. 
Susan  Lavena,  born  February  7,  1850,  died 
August  30,  1859.  Joel  Seth,  born  March 
28,  1852,  was  named  for  Captain  Joel  S. 
Post,  who  was  second  lieutenant  in  Mr. 
Freeman's  company  in  the  Mexican  war. 
Matilda  Ann,  born  March  15,  1854,  is  the 
wife  of  William  Minson,  living  east  of  De- 
catur, and  their  children  are  Claud,  Roy, 
Jessie,  George,  Otis  and  Ruth.  The  last 
named  is  now  deceased.  James  Douglas, 
born  .Vpril  12,  1856,  entered  the  retail  shoe 
business  at  Petoskey,  Michigan,  in  1882, 
and  continued  in  the  same  until  1893,  when 
he  accepted  a  posilittn  as  traveling  salesman 
for  a  wholesale  shoe  house,  with  headquar- 
ters at  Kalamazoo,  Michigan.  He  was  mar- 
ried October  26,  1882,  to  Ida  M.  Boss,  and 
they  have  three  children :  Lowell  C,  who 
was  born  October  25,  1884,  and  is  now  a 
promising  student  of  architecture  and  civil 
engineering;  Homer  D.,  who  was  born 
March  16,  1889,  and  died  January  27,  1890; 
and  Bessie  AT.,  born  July  18,  1891.  Rosclla, 
born  April  3,  1859,  was  married  November 
2,  1881,  to  F.  B.  Ritchie,  a  dealer  in  im])le- 
ments  and  coal  in  Warreiisburg,  Illinois, 
and  they  had  two  children,  Litta,  born  Feb- 
ruar)^  22,  1888,  and  Vilas  Lamar,  born  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1891,  who  died  in  infancy.  Racliel 
Emeline,  born  January  11,  1861,  died  in 
December  of  the  same  year. 

For  the  past  twenty  years  Mrs.  Freeman 
has  lived  with  her  daughter  Mrs.  Ritchie 
at  a  pleasant  home  in  Warrensburg,  where 
she  dispenses  a  cordial  old-fashioned  hospi- 
tality to  ever}-  visitor.  She  is  remarkably 
vigorous  for  one  of  her  years,  her  faculties 
of  sight  and  hearing  are  still  keen,  and  being 
very  active  she  still  takes  enjoyment  in  per- 


forming llu-  lighter  household  tasks.  Her 
memory  is  good  and  she  delights  in  telling 
many  interesting  reminiscences  of  pioneer 
days.  One  of  these  is  a  tale  of  apparent 
danger  but  with  a  rather  ludicrous  ending. 
One  dark  night  her  grandfather,  John  Shep- 
pard,  who  was  then  living  near  the  Blue 
Ridge  mountains,  was  aroused  by  a  terrific 
noise  near  the  river  and  concluded  it  was  a 
1)and  of  marauding  Indians,  who  were  then 
quite  hostile.  Believing  that  they  would 
attempt  to  kill  the  entire  family  the  grand- 
mother hastened  to  arouse  her  children  and 
prepare  for  flight,  but  on  going  out  to  learn 
the  cause  of  the  noise  her  husband  found, 
to  his  great  relief,  that  the  disturbance  was 
caused  by  two  colored  women  who  were  at 
the  river  washing  clothes  in  the  old  way 
and  who,  becoming  involved  in  a  quarrel, 
had  fallen  to  belaboring  each  other  with  the 
heavy  wooden  paddles  used  to  beat  the  gar- 
ments on  the  rocks.  Mrs.  Freeman  has  been 
a  life-long  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
first  attending  meetings  in  Illinois  in  the  old 
courthouse  at  Decatur  soon  after  the  arriv- 
al of  the  family  in  this  county.  She  is  be- 
loved by  all  who  know  her  and  has  a  wide 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  through- 
out this  section  of  the  state  where  she  has 
so  lonsjf  resided. 


JOHN  P.  PARKER. 
John  P.  Parker,  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Maroa,  now  retired  from  active  business 
cares,  was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  in 
1853,  and  is  a  son  of  James  S.  and  Rachel 
Parker,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made 
in  the  sketch  of  James  H.  Parker,  on  an- 
other page  of  this  volume.  Our  subject  was 
only  eighteen  months  old  when  brought  by 
his  parents  to  Illinois,  and  he  is  indebted 
to  the  schools  of  this  state  for  the  educa- 
tional privileges  he  enjoyed  during  his  boy- 
hood and  youth.     Until  twenty  years  of  age 


4a2 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


he  remained  under  the  parental  roof,  giving 
his  father  the  benefit  of  his  labors  in  the 
operation  of  the  home  farm.  Later  he  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  his  own  account  for  ten 
years  and  is  still  the  owner  of  four  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  of  valuable  and  well-im- 
proved land  in  Maroa  township  and  eighty 
acres  in  Blue  Mound  township,  besides  a 
nice  house  and  lot  in  the  village  of  ^laroa, 
where  he  now  lives.  While  on  the  farm  he 
gave  considerable  attention  to  the  raising 
of  cattle  and  horses  and  had  a  fine  herd  of 
registered  shorthorns.  He  continued  to 
handle  fancy  horses  for  five  or  six  years 
after  coming  to  Maroa,  and  as  a  stock- 
dealer  he  met  with  excellent  success,  being 
a  good  judge  of  all  kinds  of  farm  animals. 
He  has  traded  to  a  considerable  extent  in 
western  lands  and  has  placed  good  inprove- 
ments  on  all  the  land  which  he  owns,  in 
this  way  materially  advancing  the  interests 
of  the  localities  where  he  owns  property. 
He  seems  to  have  inherited  much  of  the 
business  ability  of  his  father,  who  was  a 
very  successful  man  and  who,  during  that 
first  twenty-one  years  of  his  residence  in 
Macon  county,  bought  and  paid  for  twenty- 
one  hundred  acres  of  land.  For  the  past  few 
years  our  subject  has  been  living  a  retired 
life  in  Maroa,  having  already  acquired  a  suf- 
ficient competence  to  enable  him  to  lay  aside 
all  business  cares. 

Mr.  Parker  was  married  in  1875  to  IMiss 
Hannah  E.  Gray,  who  was  born  and  reared 
in  Maroa  township,  a  daughter  of  John  N. 
Gray.  Two  children  blessed  this  union: 
Elzina,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year;  and 
James  G.,  now  twelve  years  of  age.  The 
parents  are  both  active  and  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  Mr.  Parker  is  also  connected  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  served  as  road  com- 
missioner one  term.  He  is  extremely  benev- 
olent, being  noted  for  his  kindness  and  liber- 


ality to  the  poor,  and  no  worthy  one  has 
ever  sought  his  aid  in  vain.  Especially  has 
he  given  his  assistance  to  young  men  just 
making  a  start  in  life,  having  aided  a  num- 
ber in  this  way.  His  life  has  been  manly, 
his  actions  sincere,  his  manner  unafifected, 
and  his  example  is  well  worthy  of  emula- 
tion. 


WILLIAM    S.    GARVER. 

William  S.  Garver,  who  is  conducting 
business  at  No.  222  and  224  East  Wabash 
avenue,  Decatur,  under  his  own  name,  is 
well  known  in  commercial  circles  in  this 
city.  He  is  yet  a  young  man,  but  has  al- 
ready attained  success  that  many  an  older 
man  might  well  envy.  He  was  born  in 
Humboldt,  Kansas,  on  the  6th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1870,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  H.  aad 
Sarah  J.  (Magee)  Garver.  The  Garver 
family  was  established  in  America  at  an 
early  period  in  the  colonization  of  this 
country,  the  first  of  the  name  in  the  new 
world  being  Jacob  Gerber,  who  came  from 
Europe.  His  descendants  were  John,  Sam- 
uel; Nancy,  Christian  and  Jacob  F.  Among 
his  children,  Jacob  F.  is  the  direct  ancestor 
of  the  subject  of  this  review,  the  grand- 
father of  the  Carvers  who  settled  near  De- 
catur, Illinois.  The  descendants  of  the  or- 
iginal ancestors  became  residents  of  Wash- 
ington county,  Ataryland ;  of  Lancaster, 
Franklin  and  Dauphin  counties,  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  and  of  different  parts  of  Ohio.  The 
name  has  undergone  many  changes  in  spell- 
ing as  the  family  has  thus  become  separated. 
Those  in  Pennsylvania  have  generally 
spelled  the  name  as  does  the  subject  of  this 
review,  while  the  branches  of  the  family  in 
Maryland  and  Ohio  use  the  spelling  of 
Garver,  Gerber,  Garber  and  even  Carver  is 
found.  To-day  representatives  of  the  name 
are  found  in  nearly  all  the  states  and  terri- 
tories of  the  Union. 

Christian    Garver,   the  father  of  the   Illi- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


423 


nois  branch  of  the  family,  removed  from 
Lancaster  to  Dauphin  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  died  in  1841.  Jacob  Carver,  the 
grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  married  in 
1820  in  Dauphin  county,  Pennsylvania,  to 
Susan  Hisey,  and,  removing  westward, 
took  up  his  abode  near  the  city  of  Decatur, 
Illinois,  in  the  year  1838.  There  he  resided 
continuously  until  1S71,  when  he  went  to 
Humboldt,  Kansas,  where  his  wife  died  in 
1878,  leaving  ten  children.  Jacob  Garver 
passed  away  in  Macon  county,  Illinois,  in 
1888  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  Their 
children  were  C.  H.,  Nancy,  J.  H.,  Barbara, 
-Mary,  D.  II.,  S.  11.,  Susan,  D.  H.  and  A.  II. 
After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  Jacob  Gar- 
ver was  again  married,  his  second  union  be- 
ing with  Christina  Servin,  whom  he  wedded 
in  1881. 

Samuel  H.  Garver,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  after 
arriving  at  years  of  maturity  was  married 
in  1856  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Magee,  a  daughter 
of  John  Magee,  who  came  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  from  Ohio,  in  the  year  1829.  Mrs. 
Magee  was  born  in  Ohio  and  by  her  mar- 
riage she  became  the  mother  of  ten  chil- 
dren, eight  of  whom  are  now  living,  as  fol- 
lows :  J.  U.,  who  is  superintendent  of  the 
pumping  station  on  the  Sandwich  Islands; 
Ellen,  who  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  Quigley, 
of  Jennings,  Louisiana ;  Samantha,  who  is 
the  wife  of  Louis  Moomey,  of  Decatur; 
Amelia  the  wife  of  James  Huff,  of  Ham- 
mond, Illinois;  William  S.,  of  this  review; 
Frank,  who  is  living  on  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  Macon  county;  Theodore,  who  is  a 
member  of  the  regular  army  in  the  United 
States  Cavalrj^  and  has  entered  upon  his 
second  term  of  three  years,  being  now  sta- 
tioned in  the  Philippines;  and  two,  who  died 
in  childhood.  The  parents  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Jennings,  Louisiana. 

William  S.  Garver  was  only  four  years 
of  age  when  his  parents  came  from  Hum- 
boldt,   Kansas,  to   Macon    county,   Illinois, 


and  here  he  was  reared  on  the  home  farm, 
acquiring  his  education  in  the  common 
schools.  Entering  upon  his  business  career 
he  engaged  first  in  the  grain,  feed  and 
grocery  business  at  No.  620  East  Eldorado 
street,  in  Decatur,  during  the  years  1894 
and  1895.  In  1897  he  opened  a  place  at 
No.  1036  North  Water  street  and  in  1900 
he  came  to  his  present  location  at  Nos.  222 
and  224  East  Wabash  avenue,  Decatur, 
where  he  is  buying  and  selling  grain  and 
feed  and  doing  a  custom  grinding  business. 
He  is  a  man  of  energy  and  enterprise  and 
is  prospering  in  his  work.  Mr.  Garver  be- 
longs to  Celestial  Lodge,  No.  186,  I.  O.  O. 
F.  He  is  one  of  the  young  business  men 
of  the  city  and  in  trade  circles  as  well  as 
in  social  life  he  has  gained  many  friends. 


CHARLES  C.  H.  COWEN. 

To  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  now  devoting 
his  attention,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  energetic  and  reliable  business  men 
of  Warrensburg.  His  life  has  been  mainly 
passed  in  Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Magnolia,  Putnam  county,  this  state, 
June  24,  1861,  and  he  was  named  for  his 
father's  preceptor.  Dr.  Charles  C.  Ilildreth, 
of  Zanesville,  Ohio.  His  father.  Dr.  Jesse 
.M.  Cowen,  was  a  native  of  Muskingum 
county,  Ohio,  and  a  son  of  Robert  Cowen. 
Our  subject's  great-grandfather,  who  also 
bore  the  name  of  Robert  Cowen,  was  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent  and  was  one  of  three 
brothers  who  came  to  this  country  from 
Ireland  at  an  early  day.  Robert  Cowen, 
Jr.,  made  farming  his  life  occupation.  Fle 
married  Miss  Martha  Miller,  who  was  a  life- 
long resident  of  the  Buckeye  state  and  lived 
10  be  nearly  ninety  years  of  age. 

Dr.  Jesse  M.  Cowen,  our  subject's  father, 
was  graduated  at  the  Ohio  Medical  College 
in    1858    and    soon    after   receiving   his   de- 


■i'24 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AIACON  COL'XTY. 


gree  came  In  illiiu)is,  making  the  journey  by 
boat  down  the  Ohio  and  up  the  Mississippi 
and  Illinois  rivers  to  Henry,  Illinois,  and 
thence  across  the  country  to  Magnolia, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  until  1869  with  the  exception  of 
the  three  years  he  spent  in  the  army  during 
the  trying  days  of  the  Rebellion.  In  the 
fall  of  1862  he  enlisted  as  surgeon  in  the 
Seventy-seventh  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, which  left  Peoria  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Greer.  The  regiment  was 
first  with  the  Army  of  the  West  and  later 
with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Before 
entering  the  service  Dr.  Cowen  was  mar- 
ried at  Hennepin  in  i860  to  Miss  Amelia 
Ann  Dent,  a  native  of  Putnam  county,  Illi- 
nois, a  daughter  of  George  and  Comfort 
Dent,  who  were  from  Virginia.  Her  father 
became  quite  an  extensive  farmer  of  this 
state.  Mrs.  Cowen  was  one  of  two  daugh- 
ters in  a  large  family,  the  oldest  son  being 
Thomas  Ijams  Dent,  a  prominent  lawyer 
of  Chicago.  She  was  a  distant  relative  of 
Mrs.  Julia  (Dent)  Grant,  the  wife  of  General 
U.  S.  Grant.  She  was  educated  at  the  Rock 
River  Seminary  in  INIount  Morris,  Illinois, 
and  was  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement, 
as  well  as  a  devout  and  earnest  Christian 
worker  in  the  INIethodist  Episcopal  church. 
In  1869  Dr.  Cowen  and  his  wife  removed 
to  Hennepin,  Illinois,  which  was  the  old 
historic  French  trading  post  in  the  west 
and  is  to-day  one  of  the  quaint  old  towns  of 
the  state,  being  without  railroad,  telegraph 
or  other  connection  with  the  outside  world, 
although  it  was  formerly,  during  steamboat 
days,  one  of  the  busy  towns  of  the  state. 
Mrs.  Cowen  died  there  of  rheumatism  of 
the  heart  when  only  thirty-six  years  of  age, 
leaving  many  friends  as  well  as  relatives 
to  mourn  her  loss.  Our  subject  at  that  time 
was  only  fourteen  and  his  brother  Robert 
M.  was  twelve.  The  latter  is  now  married 
and  living  in  Peoria.  He  had  six  children 
but  the  oldest  is  now  deceased.    Dr.  Cowen 


was  the  only  son  in  a  family  of  several  chil- 
dren. He  long  survived  his  wife,  dying  at 
Hennepin  of  apoplexy  in  September,  1890, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years.  Both  were 
laid  to  rest  in  the  Hennepin  cemetery.  For 
many  years  he  was  leader  of  the  choir  and 
chorister  in  the  Jilethodist  Episcopal 
churches  of  Magnolia  and  Hennepin  and  was 
also  leader  of  musical  clubs  in  both  towns. 
1  le  was  a  man  highly  honored  and  esteemed 
by  all  who  knew  him  on  account  of  his 
many  sterling  traits  of  character. 

Charles  C.  H.  Cowen's  early  education 
was  hmited  to  the  common  branches  taught 
in  the  public  schools  of  Hennepin  but.  a 
solid  foundation  for  knowledge  acquired  in 
subsequent  years  was  laid  bj'  his  parents  at 
home.  Until  eleven  years  of  age  he  assisted 
in  the  work  of  the  farm  during  the  summer 
months,  while  during  the  winter  season  he 
attended  school.  During  the  early  '80s 
he  entered  the  employ  of  Ed  White,  who 
was  serving  as  postmaster  at  Bureau  Junc- 
tion, Illinois,  and  was  engaged  in  business 
as  a  general  merchant  and  grain  dealer. 
fie  remained  there  four  years,  during  which 
time  the  business  passed  into  other  hands. 
The  following  year  was  spent  at  Peoria 
in  the  wholesale  dry  goods  house  of  Day 
Brothers  &  Company,  and  he  was  next  em- 
ployed in  a  dry  goods  house  in  Chicago  for 
one  year.  For  two  years  he  was  engaged 
in  railroad  claim  work  for  the  ^Missouri  Pa- 
cific Railroad  Company  at  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, and  for  the  Santa  Fe,  at  Galveston, 
Texas,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  came 
to  Warrensburg,  Illinois,  where  he  resumed 
merchandising  with  his  former  employer, 
Ed  White.  The  business  being  sold  to  D. 
C.  Myers  in  1896,  Mr.  Cowen  has  since  been 
engaged  in  the  insurance  and  real  estate 
business  on  his  own  account. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  1893,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Cowen  and  Miss 
Millie  Pearce  Batchelder,  a  daughter  of 
John  J.  and  Alary  F.   (Thorndike)   Batchel- 


PAST  AXU  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


■i2-> 


der.  Her  oleiiientary  education  was  acquircil 
in  the  district  school  near  her  childhood 
home  and  she  afterward  attended  the  De- 
catur high  school,  where  she  was  graduated 
in  1889.  Later  she  was  graduated  at  Knox 
College,  Galesburg,  Illinois,  which  was  then 
under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Bateman,  who 
had  formerly  served  as  state  superintendent 
of  public  instruction.  In  1891  and  1892 
she  taught  in  the  Ryerson  school  of  Chicago, 
after  having  cadetted  in  the  Ogden  school 
on  the  north  side  of  that  city.  By  her  mar- 
riage she  has  become  the  mother  of  two 
children :  Joy  Batchelder,  born  January  9, 
i80;  and  Nira  Elizabeth,  born  April  22, 
1900.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cowen  are  both  mem- 
bers of  mini  Congregational  church,  located 
on  land  set  apart  for  church  purposes  on 
her  father's  farm,  and  she  is  also  a  charter 
member  of  Concordia  Club,  which  is  a 
literar}-  and  musical  organization  formed  in 
1899.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  are  very 
popular  socially  and  have  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  in  the  community 
where  thev  now  make  their  home. 


JOHN  WHEELER  BROWN. 
For  many  years  J.  Wheeler  Brown  was 
connected  with  agricultural  interests  in 
Christian  county,  Illinois,  but  in  more  recent 
years  has  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to 
the  banking  business,  which  he  is  now  fol- 
lowing in  Blue  Mound.  He  was  born  near 
North  Stonington,  Connecticut,  September 
17,  1838.  His  father,  John  Denison  i3rown, 
was  born  in  North  Stonington,  March  23. 
1809,  and  was  the  oldest  son  of  John  and 
Sally  (Denison)  Brown.  His  ancestry, 
however,  can  be  traced  back  to  Lad}^  .Anne 
Bordell,  a  member  of  the  English  nobility. 
After  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  the 
father  of  our  subject  was  joined  in  wedlock 
to  ^lary  Ann  Wheeler,  who  was  the  third 
in    a    familv   of  twelve   children   born    unto 


Peres  and  Desire  (Wheeler)  Wheeler.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  traces  her  ancestry 
back  for  thirty-five  generations,  through 
Godfrey  I,  Henry  II,  Lambert  III,  Lady 
(ieoberga,  wife  of  Lambert  of  Lorain  I, 
Charles,  duke  of  Lorain,  Louis  II,  King  of 
France,  Charles  III,  King  of  France,  Louis 
H,  King  of  France,  Charles  II,  King  of 
France,  Louis  I,  King  of  France,  to  Em- 
peror Charlemagne,  born  in  742  A.  D.  The 
Wheelers  were  also  connected  with  the 
Grant  family,  of  whom  General  LI.  S.  Grant 
was  the  most  illustrious  member,  and  both 
the  Grant  and  Wheeler  families  were  repre- 
sented in  the  Revolutionar)^  war.  At  an 
early  period  in  the  development  of  Christian 
county,  Illinois,  John  Dcnisnn  P.rown  lo- 
cated there  with  his  family,  and  in  1839 
secured  a  tract  of  land  on  which  he  de- 
veloped a  good  farm,  making  there  a  com- 
fortable home  for  his  family.  When  thirty- 
two  years  of  age  he  united  with  the  Baptist 
church  at  Stonington,  Christian  county,  Ill- 
inois, and  seven  years  later  was  chosen  one 
of  its  deacons,  in  which  capacity  he  acted 
for  over  thirty  years,  and  though  seventy 
years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death,  he 
was  active  to  the  last  in  anything  that  con- 
cerned the  church  and  its  welfare.  Both  the 
father  and  mother  of  our  subject  have 
passed  away. 

J.  Wheeler  Brown  received  but  limited 
educational  privilfeges,  attending  school  for 
only  about  three  months  in  each  year.  His 
first  teacher  was  the  late  Judge  Wilham 
Hammer,  who  died  but  a  few  years  ago, 
and  under  whose  instruction  he  pursued 
his  preliminary  studies  in  the  winter  of 
1S43-4.  His  best  mental  training,  however, 
was  received  from  his  father,  who  was  him- 
self a  well  educated  man,  taking  an  active 
interest  in  educational  affairs,  and  who,  in 
connection  with  Judge  William  S.  Frink,  of 
Taylorville,  was  instrumental  in  securing 
the  services  of  two  of  the  most  prominent 
teachers  that  ever  came  to  the  west — Miss 


4-28 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Buraham,  who  taught  in  Sloiiington,  and 
Miss  Holland,  who  taught  in  Taylorville, 
both  from  Governor  Slade's  school  in  Mas- 
sachusetts. When  not  engaged  in  the  duties 
of  the  school-room  Mr.  Brown  worked  in 
the  fields  and  meadows  and  early  became 
familiar  with  the  experiences  that  fell  to  the 
lot  of  farmer  boys  in  the  west  in  those  days. 

On  the  30th  of  September,  1862,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rebecca  T.  Cath- 
erwood,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Lydia 
Catherwood,  and  one  of  a  family  of  ten 
children,  four  of  the  number,  Catherine, 
Joseph,  Allen  and  Mrs.  Brown  are  now  de- 
ceased; the  others  being  John,  William  T., 
Mrs.  Eliza  J.  Bonnel,  J.  Steele,  Lydia  A. 
and  Mrs.  Emma  Powell.  Mrs.  Brown  re- 
moved with  her  parents  to  Guernsey  county, 
Ohio,  in  1846,  and  there  her  father  died. 
The  family  afterward  went  to  Shelby  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1857,  and  in  1859  took  up 
their  abode  near  Old  Stonington,  Christian 
county,  Illinois.  On  the  30th  of  September, 
1862,  Rebecca  Catherwood  gave  her  hand  in 
marriage  to  J.  Wheeler  Brown,  and  for 
twenty-eight  years  she  resided  with  him 
upon  the  old  home  farm. 

Mr.  Brown  continued  to  reside  on  the 
old  homestead  which  had  been  purchased 
by  his  father  in  1839,  until  September,  1890, 
when  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Normal, 
Illinois,  there  remaining  for  nearly  two 
years.  On  the  ist  of  August,  1892,  he  went 
to  Moweaqua,  and  in  connection  with  Will- 
iam Miller,  now  of  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  the 
late  Hon.  D.  P.  Keller,  he  established  the 
Commercial  Bank  under  the  firm  style  of 
Miller,  Brown  &  Keller.  This  institution 
opened  its  doors  for  business  on  the  2d 
of  December,  1892,  and  Mr.  Brown  re- 
mained in  Moweaqua  until  the  ist  of  May, 
1896,  when  he  came  to  Blue  Mound,  having 
in  connection  with  Ralph  Ayers  purchased 
the  bank  of  J.  M.  Brownback.  About  the 
1st  of  May,  1900,  Mr.  Brown  purchased  his 
partner's  interest  and  in  turn  sold  him  his 


uwn  interest  in  the  Commercial  Bank  at 
Moweaqua.  He  then  transferred  one-third 
of  the  Blue  Mound  bank  to  his  son,  John  A. 
Brown,  and  the  present  firm  of  J.  W.  Brown 
&  Company  was  established.  They  are  now 
conducting  a  good  banking  business,  having 
a  large  patronage  and  enjoying  in  high  de- 
gree the  confidence  of  the  public. 

Alter  the  removal  to  Blue  Mound  Mr. 
Brown  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  his  wife,  who  died  on  the  2d  of  October, 
1896,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  old  Ston- 
ington cemetery.  Her  mother,  Mrs.  Lydia 
Catherwood,  died  in  Taylorville  in  the 
spring  of  1897,  at  the  very  advanced  age  of 
ninety-three  years.  She  was  noted  for  her 
strong  religious  character  and  her  upright 
life.  In  the  fall  of  1867  Mrs.  Brown  was 
converted  and  immediately  united  with  the 
"Nebraska  Schoolhouse  Class,"  which  at 
that  time  was  an  auxiliary  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  at  Moweaqua.  In  1890  she 
transferred  her  membership  to  the  church  in 
Normal,  and  after  the  removal  of  the  family 
to  Moweaqua  she  joined  the  ]\Iethodist 
church  in  that  place,  remaining  a  consistent 
member  there  until  her  death.  She  took 
great  pleasure  in  aiding  in  the  work  of  the 
churches  to  which  she  and  her  husband  be- 
longed, being  especially  active  in  the  Ladies* 
Missionary  Society,  and  as  long  as  health 
permitted  she  faithfully  attended  the  church 
and  worshiped  at  all  its  services.  She  was 
a  devoted  and  loving  wife  and  mother  and 
her  loss  was  very  deeply  felt,  not  only  by 
her  immediate  family,  but  by  many  friends 
throughout  the  county.  Unto  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs. 
Brown  were  born  four  children :  John 
Arthur,  who  is  now  the  junior  member  of 
the  banking  firm  of  J.  W.  Brown  &  Com- 
pany, of  Blue  Mound ;  Mary  A.,  now  Mrs. 
J..  Riley  Anderson,  and  the  mother  of  ten 
children;  Grace  L.,  wife  of  O.  E.  Briggs; 
and  S.  Agnes,  at  home  with  her  father. 

^Tr.  Brown  has  always  given  his  political 
support  to  the  Republican  party.     He  has 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


429 


held  nor  sought  no  office  save  township  po- 
sitions. W'liilc  Hving  upon  his  farm  he  was 
called  upon  by  his  fellow  townsmen  to  serve 
in  a  numb'er  of  local  offices  and  was  super- 
visor, overseer  and  justice  of  the  peace.  Fe 
was  also  school  airector  for  seventeen  years. 
In  May,  1845,  lie  became  one  of  the  scholars 
in  the  Sunday-school  organized  at  Old 
Stonington — the  first  Sunday-school  formed 
in  Christian  count)-,  Illinois.  In  November, 
1850,  he  united  with  the  Baptist  church  at 
that  place  and  has  held  membership  there- 
with continually  since.  Fraternally  he  is 
a  Master  Mason,  belonging  to  Blue  Mound 
Lodge,  No.  682,  F.  &  A.  M.  In  his  business 
life  he  has  prospered.  For  long  years  he 
followed  farming,  and  in  connection  with  his 
banking  and  property  interests  in  Blue 
Mound  ho  still  owns  six  hundred  acres  of 
land  in  Prairieton  township.  Christian 
county,  a  part  of  which  is  included  within 
the  old  homestead,  which  came  into  his 
father's  possession  in  1839.  He  was  only 
about  a  year  old  when  the  family  came  to 
Illinois,  and  in  this  state  he  has  spent  his 
remaining  days,  always  living  in  this  por- 
tion of  the  state.  He  is,  therefore,  well 
known  to  its  citizens  and  his  life  history 
has  been  such  as  to  win  for  him  the  regard 
and   confidence   of   his   fellow   men. 


ROBERT  N.  BAKER. 
Robert  N.  Baker  was  a  life  long  resident 
of  Macon  county  and  spent  many  years  in 
Decatur,  where  he  became  widely  known  as 
a  citizen  of  worth  and  one  of  business  enter- 
prise and  integrity.  He  was  born  on  a  farm 
near  Antioch  in  Macon  county  on  the  loth 
of  September,  1834,  and  was  a  son  of  James 
and  Arrahnah  (Hodge)  Baker,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Tennessee.  In  an 
early  day  they  came  to  Macon  county  and 
established  their  home  upon  a  farm  near 
Antioch,  first  living  in  a  log  cabin  after  the 


primitive  manner  of  the  times,  but  later 
building  a  more  comfortable  and  modern 
residence.  The  father  continued  to  engage 
In  farming  on  the  old  family  homestead  near 
Antioch  throughout  his  remaining  days, 
but  he  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  passing  away 
when  about  forty  years  of  age.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  thereafter  his  widow  resided 
on  the  old  home  farm  and  then  removed  to 
the  village  of  Mount  Zion,  where  she  made 
her  home  with  her  daughter  for  a  few  years. 
Afterward  she  came  to  the  city  of  Decatur, 
where  she  continued  to  reside  until  called 
to  her  final  rest  in  1896.  There  were  but 
two  children  in  the  family,  the  daughter 
being  Sarah  Ann,  the  wife  of  James  Greg- 
ory, of   Lovington,   Macon  county. 

Robert  N.Baker, who  was  the  older,  began 
his  education  in  the  common  schools  near 
his  native  place  and  acquired  a  good  prac- 
tical knowledge  of  the  English  branches  of 
learning.  He  was  reared  upon  the  old 
home  farm  and  after  he  had  attained  his 
majority  he  engaged  in  farming  on  his  own 
account  near  his  father's  homestead  for  a 
few  years,  but  later  he  sold  his  property 
and  came  to  Decatur.  After  his  marriage 
he  was  employed  as  express  messenger  by 
both  the  American  and  Pacific  Express 
Companies,  but  finally  secured  a  position 
with  the  latter  which  enabled  him  to  remain 
at  home.  Previous  to  this  time  his  services 
had  called  him  upon  the  road.  He  con- 
tinued with  the  express  company  until  his 
death  and  was  one  of  its  most  faithful  and 
trusted  employes.  In  his  work  he  was  sys- 
tematic and  methodical,  prompt  and  re- 
liable and  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  all 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

In  the  city  of  Decatur  Mr.  Baker  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sylvira  M.  Mat- 
thews, a  native  of  Fayette  county,  Indiana, 
and  a  daughter  of  Gerard  and  Sarah 
(Cooper)  Matthews,  who  were  natives  of 
Baltimore,  Alaryland,  whence  they  removed 
to   the   west,   settling    in    Fayette   county. 


430 


PAST  AND  PRESENt  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Indiana.  There  the  father  was  engaged 
in  farming  for  thirteen  years,  after  which 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Springfield,  llli- 
n(_)is,  where  he  spent  one  winter.  C_)n  the 
e.xpiration  of  that  period  he  settled  on  a 
farm-  in  Sangamon  county,  this  state,  mak- 
ing it  his  home  for  several  years  and  then 
came  to  IMacon  county,  purchasing  a  farm  in 
Blue  iMound  township,  on  which  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  up  to  the  tiiue  of  his  death. 
His  attention  and  energies  were  devoted  to 
general  farming  and  to  the  raising,  buying 
and  shipping  of  stock  and  his  business  af- 
fairs were  capably  managed.  He  died  at 
the  age  of  forty-eight  years,  in  the  prime  of 
life,  and  his  wife  passed  away  when  forty- 
seven  years  of  age.  They  were  the  parents 
of  five  children,  who  are  now  living,  namely  : 
Mrs.  Baker;  John,  a  retired  farmer  residing 
in  Decatur;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Bell,  a  resident  of 
Springfield,  Illinois;  Mary  J.,  whose  home 
is  in  Nebraska:  and  Mrs.  S.  M.  Trump,  who 
resides  in  Indiana.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Baker  was  born  one  son,  Lewis  G.,  who 
married  Emma  Wagner,  and  resides  in 
Decatur.  He  is  now  express  messenger  for 
the  Pacific  Express  Company,  his  route  be- 
ing between  Decatur  and  Moberly.  He  also 
has  one  child,  Gladys,  aged  eleven  years. 

Mr.  Baker  Avas  a  citizen  of  prominence, 
active  in  public  affairs  and  several  times 
was  solicited  to  become  a  candidate  for 
public  office,  although  his  aspirations  were 
not  in  that  direction.  He  served  as  city 
marshal  of  Decatur  for  one  year  and  was 
urged  to  become  a  candidate  for  sherifif  of 
Macon  county,  but  declined  the  nomina- 
tion. In  his  political  views  he  was  a  Re- 
publican and  took  a  deep  interest  in  poli- 
tics, believing  firmly  in  the  principles  of  the 
party  and  doing  everything  in  his  power  to 
secure  their  adoption.  He  held  membership 
in  the  Masonic  Lodge  at  Decatur  and  be- 
longed to  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  of  which  his  wife  is  also  a  member. 


His  life  was  honorable,  his  actions  kindly 
and  sincere  and  the  salient  traits  of  his 
character  were  such  as  won  for  him  the 
regard  and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he 
vvas  associated.  He  passed  away  April  i, 
1899,  but  his  memory  is  still  cherished  and 
revered  by  those  who  knew  him.  Mrs. 
Baker  now  owns  and  occupies  a  nice  resi- 
dence at  No.  404  West  Decatur  street, 
which  was  built  by  her  husband.  She  is 
an  estimable  lady  and  has  many  friends  in 
this   city. 


GEORGE  FAITH. 

This  well  known  and  progressive  citizen 
of  mini  township,  who  is  now  so  success- 
fully engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising 
on  section  11,  was  born  in  Cumberland 
county,  Maryland,  on  the  26th  of  January, 
1863,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Catherine 
(Hasine)  Faith.  His  paternal  great-grand- 
father was  born  in  Alsace-Loraine,  Ger- 
many, though  it  then  formed  a  part  of 
France,  and  he  was  of  French  descent,  while 
his  wife  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  Holland, 
and  was  of  Dutch  ancestry.  Our  subject's 
father  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
April  25,  1823,  and  in  early  manhood  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Catherine  Hasine,  a  native  of  the 
same  state,  whose  birth  occurred  on  the  5th 
of  March,  1826.  For  some  years  he  worked 
at  the  machinist's  trade  in  Cumberland, 
.Maryland,  but  finally  selling  his  property 
in  the  east  he  came  to  Illinois  in  the  spring 
of  1871  and  settled  on  a  farm  west  of  War- 
rensburg  in  Macon  county,  his  time  being 
devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits  until  his 
retirement  from  active  labor.  He  and  his 
wife  are  now  living  in  Decatur  and  they 
have  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who 
know  them.  More  extended  mention  is 
made  of  them  in  the  sketch  of  Charles  H. 
Faith,  on  another  page  of  this  volume.- 

George  Faith  is  the  eleventh  in  order  of 


PETER  BETZER 


PAST  A\D  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


43:3 


binh  in  a  family  of  fourteen  cliildren.  nine 
of  whom  came  witli  tlie  parents  to  Illinois. 
Our  subject  completed  his  education  in 
the  schools  of  Warrensburg,  and  on  laying 
aside  his  text  books  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years  he  devoted  his  entire  time  to  farming, 
giving  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  labors 
until  twenty-two  years  of  age,  when  he  went 
to  Stanton,  Kansas,  and  pre-empted  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  government  land. 
After  constructing  a  dugout,  in  which  to  live, 
and  a  sod  barn,  he  began  to  break  and  im- 
provehis  land  and  planted  a  number  of  trees. 
Selling  out  in  iSgq.  he  returned  to  Illinois, 
and  entered  the  employ  of  C.  J.  Off. of  Peoria, 
training  race  horses.  Two  years  later  we 
again  find  him  in  Warrensburg  and  he  is 
now  successfully  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock-raising  on  his  own  account,  feeding 
over  one  htmdred  and  thirty  hogs  and  a 
large  number  of  cattle  for  market.  He  has 
a  good  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
in  .\ustin  township  and  carries  on  his  worlv 
in  a  most  approved  manner. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1890,  Mr.  Faith 
married  Miss  Alice  Schroll,  of  Warrens- 
burg, the  only  child  of  D.  L.  and  Alice 
(Watkins)  Schroll.  Her  father  is  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war  and  endured  all  the  hard- 
ships of  army  life  while  assisting  the  gov- 
ernment in  her  efforts  to  preserve  the 
Union.  Mrs.  Faith  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  Macon  county  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
of  Warrensburg.  The  children  born  to  our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  David  Franklin, 
whose  birth  occurred  August  21,  1891  ;  and 
Edna  Joy.  born  October  11,  1893.  Politi- 
cally Mr.  Faith  is  independent,  and  socially 
is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and  Good  Templars.  In  this  county 
where  he  has  so  long  made  his  home  he  is 
widely  and  favorably  known,  and  wherever 
he  has  lived  he  has  made  many  friends  for 
he  is  ])leasant  and  courteous  in  manner. 


PETER    BETZER. 

Peter  P)etzcr,  who  was  one  of  the  old  and 
prominent  citizens  of  Macon  county,  took 
up  his  abode  in  this  part  of  the  state  in 
1856,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  re- 
mained a  valued  citizen  of  the  community, 
interested  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  gen- 
eral welfare  and  active  in  support  of  many 
measures  for  the  public  good.  He  was  a 
native  of  Cliillicothe,  Ross  county,  Ohio, 
born  on  the  17th  of  January,  1820.  His  pa- 
rents were  William  and  ■Margaret  (Mc- 
Ilarvey)  Betzer,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Pennsylvania,  whence  they  removed  to 
Ross  county,  Ohio,  at  an  early  period  in 
the  development  of  that  portion  of  the 
Buckeye  state.  There  the  father  engaged  in 
farming  until  his  death,  and  the  mother  also 
passed  away  there. 

Mr.  Betzer  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  county  and  in  early 
life  learned  the  plasterer's  trade,  which  he 
followed  in  Ohio  for  a  number  of  years. 
While  still  making  his  home  in  the  state 
of  his  nativity  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Bunn,  also  a  native  of 
Ross  county,  Ohio,  born  on  the  30th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1823.  Ilcr  parents  were  Ezekiel 
and  Mary  (Prutzman)  Bunn,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  whence  they 
removed  to  Ross  county,  Ohio,  the  father 
becoming  identified  with  agricultural  pur- 
suits, nis  death  occurred  in  that  county, 
after  which  his  widow  came  to  Decatur  and 
spent  her  last  days  in  the  home  of  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Betzer,  where  she  died  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Betzer  were  born  four  chil- 
dren: W.  O.  died  October  16,  1875;  Alice 
M.  is  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  C.  D.  Camp,  a 
practicing  physician  of  Chicago;  Margaret 
is  the  wife  of  Benton  Blackstone,  who  is 
connected  with  the  firm  of  Linn  &  Scruggs, 
of  Decatur ;  and  Frank  C.  married  Florence 
Ellis  and  they  have  three  children;  Frank 


434 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


E.,  Florence  Ada  and  William  Cass.  He 
and  his  family  now  reside  with  ^Irs.  Bet- 
zer  and  he  is  engaged  in  the  grain  business 
ill  Decatur. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Betzer  settled 
upon  a  farm  in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  and  was 
engaged  in  its  improvement  and  cultivation 
for  a  few  years,  or  until  1856,  when,  thinking 
that  he  might  have  better  business  oppor- 
tunities in  the  west,  he  came  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Macon  county.  Here  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  in  Hickory  Point 
township  and  resided  thereon  for  eleven 
years,  devoting  his  energies  to  general  farm- 
ing with  good  success.  Then  on  account  of 
impaired  health  he  sold  his  property  and 
in  1867  took  up  his  abode  in  Decatur,  pur- 
chasing a  residence  on  North  street,  after 
which  he  lived  a  retired  life  until  called 
to  his  final  home.  He  died  on  the  17th  of 
January,  1876,  which  was  the  fifty-sixth 
anniversary  of  his  birth. 

In  public  affairs  he  had  been  prominent 
and  active  and  he  served  as  assessor  of  his 
township  in  Macon  count)'  for  one  year 
and  as  township  collector  for  two  years. 
His  political  allegiance  was  given  to  De- 
mocracy and  his  religious  faith  was  indi- 
cated by  his  membership  in  the  German 
Reformed  church  of  Ross  county,  Ohio. 
The  Betzer  family  became  prominent  in 
Macon  county  and  ]\Tr.  Betzer  was  widely 
and  favorably  known,  the  sterling  traits  of 
his  character  winning  him  the  friendship 
and  favor  of  many  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact.  His  business  career  was  attended 
with  prosperity,  owing  to  the  capable  con- 
duct of  his  affairs,  his  laudable  ambition 
and  his  indefatigable  industry.  Mrs.  Bet- 
zer, who  still  survives  her  husband,  owns 
a  nice  brick  residence  at  No.  406  West  ]\Ia- 
con  street,  where  she  is  living  with  her  son 
and  his  family.  She  also  has  other  property 
on  North  street,  in  Decatur,  and  thus  is 
comfortab'v   situated   in    life. 


HARRY  L.  HOLIDAY. 
Harrj'  L.  Holiday,  who  is  a  traveling 
salesman  of  Decatur,  was  born  in  Fairfield, 
Iowa,  December  8,  i860,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  P.  and  Frances  A.  (Wright)  Holiday. 
The  father  was  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  was 
a  native  of  Xenia,  Ohio,  while  the  mother, 
who  was  born  in  Hagerstown,  Maryland, 
was  of  Irish  lineage.  When  only  nine  years 
of  age  John  Holiday  was  left  an  orphan 
but  in  connection  with  his  three  sisters 
he  maintained  the  old  family  home  until 
all  had  reached  adult  age.  By  trade  Mr. 
Holiday  became  a  carpenter  and  followed 
that  pursuit  throughout  his  active  business 
career.  About  1840  he  came  to  Macon 
county,  journeying  by  stage  from  Indiana 
to  Mount  Zion.  He  then  forded  the  river 
on  .  horseback  and  continued  on  his  way 
until  he  reached  Decatur,  arriving  here 
before  any  railroad  was  built  in  the  county. 
He  was  thus  one  of  its  pioneer  settlers  and 
he  took  an  active  and  helpful  part  in  the 
work  of  progress  and  improvement.  A 
number  of  years  later  he  removed  to  Fair- 
field, Iowa,  where  the  subject  of  this  review 
was  born.  He  had  been  married  before 
coming  to  the  west  and  eight  children 
graced  the  union,  of  whom  one  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  others  are  as  follows :  J.  W., 
who  married  Emma  Davis,  by  whom  he  has 
four  children,  and  is  now  living  in  Bur- 
lington, Iowa ;  C.  W.,  who  married  Jennie 
Leisk,  but  is  now  a  widower;  J.  Frank, 
who  wedded  Sallie  Delzell  and  is  located 
in  2\Iorning  Sun,  Iowa ;  James  F.,  who 
wedded  Mary  Priest,  of  Decatur,  and 
has  one  son ;  C.  D.,  who  married  Emma 
Christman  and  is  living  in  Chicago ;  Harry 
L.,  of  this  review;  Fannie,  the  wife  of 
Lyman  Crosthwait  of  Nebraska,  by  whom 
she  has  three  sons.  In  1869  the  father  re- 
turned from  Iowa  to  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  continued  to  work  at  his 
trade  until  his  death.  He  assisted  in  the 
erection  of  many  buildings  in  this  city  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


435 


did  considerable  contracting  on  his  own 
account.  He  was  a  devoted  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  died  in 
that  faith  June  26,  1897,  when  seventy- 
nine  years  of  age.  His  widow  still  survives 
him  and  is  now  living  with  her  son,  Dr. 
J.  W.  Holida3%  of  Burlington,  lovva,  in  the 
seventy-eighth  year  of  her  age. 

Harry  L.  Holiday,  who  was  the  seventh 
in  order  of  birth  in  their  family,  pursued  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  Decatur  and 
after  putting  aside  his  text  books  learned 
the  carriage-maker's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  four  years.  On  the  24th  of  June, 
1886,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Standard 
Oil  Company  as  a  salesman  and  has  since 
remained  with  that  corporation,  for  which 
he  is  now  doing  special  work,  his  duties 
being  of  an  important  and  responsible 
nature.  That  he  has  the  entire  confidence 
of  those  wimm  he  represents  is  indicated 
by  his  long  continuance  in  the  one  cm- 
ploy. 

On  the  27th  of  January,  1894,  .Mr.  Holi- 
day was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eu- 
genia Maxfiold.  a  daughter  of  B.  F.  and 
Charlotte  J.  (Davis)  ^laxfield.  The  father 
was  a  natixo  of  Kentucky  and  the  mother 
of  Illinois.  C^f  their  three  children  one  is 
now  deceased  and  the  youngest  sister  of 
.Mrs.  Holiday  is  Ella  M.  Maxfield,  who  re- 
sides in  Decatur  with  our  subejct  and  his 
wife. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Holiday 
is  a  Republican,  firm  in  support  of  the 
principles  of  the  party,  but  never  an  office- 
seeker.  He  has  witnessed  the  growth  and 
development  of  Decatur  from  a  very  early 
period.  He  has  seen  it  when  it  was  but  a 
village  and  in  his  boyhood  days  he  had 
ample  opportunity  to  indulge  his  love  of 
hunting  in  this  locality.  He  yet  enjoys 
that  sport  and  follows  it  to  some  extent 
during  periods  of  rest  and  recreation.  In 
his  business  affairs  he  is  methodical  and 
during  his  long  connection  with  the  Stand- 


ard Oil  Company  he  has  kept  an  accurate 
account  of  all  business  transactions  to 
which  he  can  refer  on  a  moment's  notice. 
In  all  his  trade  dealings  he  has  been 
strictly  fair  and  reliable  and  is  justly  re- 
garded as  a  man  of  strong  individuality 
and  upright  character  and  as  one  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Macon  county  he  certainly 
deserves  representation  in  this  volume. 


JABEZ  J.  COMBS. 

Jabez  J.  Combs,  an  honored  and  highly  re- 
spected citizen  of  Macon,  now  living  a  re- 
tired life,  was  born  in  Wilkes  county,  North 
Carolina,  December  7,  1824,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Asenath  (Ellis)  Combs,  also 
natives  of  that  state,  the  former  born  in  1802, 
of  English  ancestry,  and  the  latter  in  1800  of 
A\>lsh  lineage.  In  early  life  the  father 
was  engaged  in  farming  in  North  Carolina 
and  from  there  removed  to  Indiana  in  1833, 
becoming  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that 
state,  where  he  improved  a  farm  and  made 
it  his  home  until  his  death  in  1866.  His 
wife  survived  him  a  few  j'ears  and  died  in 
1872.  They  were  married  in  North  Caro- 
lina and  became  the  parents  of  eight  child- 
ren, five  of  whom  are  still  living,  namely: 
Jabez  J.,  of  this  review ;  Niram,  a  farmer 
of  Hancock  county,  Indiana ;  ]\Iartha,  who 
lives  on  the  old  home  place  in  the  Hoosier 
state;  Eli,  who  is  also  living  on  the  home 
farm  and  is  unmarried ;  and  William,  who 
married  Bell  Fauset  and  occupies  a  part 
of  the  old  homestead. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  quite 
young  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  to  Indiana  and  upon  the 
home  farm  in  that  state  he  grew  to  manhood, 
his  education  being  acquired  in  a  log  school 
house  with  slab  seats,  greased  paper  win- 
dows and  an  old-fashioned  fireplace.  The 
farm  consists  of  over  five  hundred  acres 
and  is  to-dav  one  of  the  finest  and  best  im- 


436 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OI-    .MACON  COUNTY. 


proved  places  in  that  part  of  the  state, 
but  when  the  land  came  into  posses.sion  of 
our  subject's  father  it  was  covered  with 
a  dense  growth  of  timber  and  was  entirely 
unimproved.  In  those  early  days  the  fam- 
ily had  to  haul  their  corn  thirty  miles  to 
mill  and  were  forced  to  endure  all  the 
hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  life. 

On  attaining  his  majority  Jabez  J.  Combs 
left  the  parental  roof  and  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade,  at  which  he  worked  for  sev- 
eral years.  In  the  meantime  he  was  mar- 
ried, November  4,  1849,  to  Miss  Sarah 
Whitaker,  who  was  born  December  2,  1832, 
a  daughter  of  James  and  Susan  (Cullison) 
^^'hitaker.  Twelve  children  blessed  this 
union,  namely:  Judson  is  now  proprietor 
of  a  general  store  at  Moweaqua,  Illinois; 
Edward  r>.  is  a  farmer  of  South  Macon 
township  this  county;  Albert  is  now  a 
bookkeeper  in  a  general  store  in  Paunee, 
Nebraska,  but  was  formerly  engaged  in 
teaching  school  and  was  principal  of  the 
schools  at  that  place  for  several  years; 
William  AI.  is  at  home  with  his  parents ; 
Susan  died  at  the  age  of  five  years;  Eli  S. 
is  carrying  on  a  lumber  and  coal  yard  at 
Findlay,  Illinois;  James  A.  was  at  one  time 
bookkeeper  in  the  Woodcock  Bank  of 
Macon  but  is  now  with  his  brother,  Eli, 
in  the  lumber  and  coal  business  at  Findlay ; 
Mary  C,  wife  of  O.  S.  Highley,  a  farmer  of 
South  Macon  township ;  Flora  B.,  wife  of 
Frank  Tomlinson,  a  farmer  of  the  same 
township;  .A.da  L.,  wife  of  Benjamin  Arm- 
strong, superintendent  of  the  coal  mines 
at  Niantic,  Macon  county;  Ethel,  wife  of 
Orin  Lindley,  a  farmer  of  South  Alacon 
township;  and  Sarah,  wife  of  Robert  Pat- 
terson, Jr.,  a  dealer  in  horses  and  mules  at 
Macon.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Combs  take  a  just 
pride  in  their  family  as  none  of  their  sons 
drink  or  have  any  bad  habits.  They  also 
have  twenty  grandchildren  and  one  great- 
grandchild. 

Coming   to    Illinois    in    .\pril,    1861,    Mr. 


Combs  tirst  settled  in  Christian  county, 
where  he  engaged  in  farming  upon  rented 
land  for  four  years,  and  then  removed  to  the 
village  of  Macon,  which  at  that  time  con- 
tained not  more  than  a  half  dozen  houses. 
After  working  at  his  trade  in  that  place 
for  four  years  he  resumed  farming  upon 
rented  land  in  South  Macon  township,  this 
county,  and  continued  to  engage  in  agricul- 
tural pursuits  for  twenty-two  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  he  sold  out  and  returned 
to  Macon,  where  he  has  since  lived  a  re- 
tired life,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  Here 
he  owns  a  nice  home  and  eight  lots,  the 
residence  being  surrounded  by  beautiful 
shade  trees  and  a  small  orchard  which  fur- 
nishes its  fruits  in  season.  When  Mr. 
Combs  came  to  this  part  of  the  country 
ponds  and  sloughs  were  to  be  seen  on  every 
hand,  there  were  no  roads,  and  it  looked 
as  though  this  region  would  never  be  fit 
for  habitation.  There  were  only  two  houses 
between  Macon  and  Mt.  Auburn,  and  our 
subject  has  watched  with  interest  the 
development  of  the  county,  at  the  same  time 
aiding  in  its  upbuilding.  He  has  contrib- 
uted liberally  of  his  means  to  churches 
and  schools  and  in  other  ways  has  mate- 
rially advanced  the  interests  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  has  lived. 

For  over  half  a  century  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Combs  have  traveled  life's  journey  together 
as  man  and  wife,  their  mutual  respect  and 
love  increasing  as  the  years  have  gone  by. 
.A.S  children  they  attended  school  together 
and  through  the  long  years  that  have  since 
passed  they  have  never  had  a  quarrel  or 
misunderstanding  of  any  kind.  Both  are 
earnest  members  of  the  Baptist  church  of 
Moweaqua  and  their  lives  have  been  in  har- 
mony with  its  teachings.  Politicalh'  Mr. 
Combs  is  a  Republican  but  has  never  cared 
for  office,  though  he  served  as  road  com- 
missioner for  a  few  terms.  He  is  now  near- 
ing  the  eightieth  milestone  on  life's  journey 
but  is  still  hale  and  hearty  for  nature  deals 


# 


MOSES  E.  BATCHELDER 


MRS.  MOSES  E.  BATCHELDER 


PAST  AND   PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


439 


kindly  willi  the  man  who  abuses  not  licr 
laws,  and  he  has  the  confidence  and  respect 
of  all   wiio   know   liini. 


MOSES  E.  BATCHELDER. 
There  is  particular  satisfaction  in  revert- 
ing to  the  life  history  of  the  honored  and 
venerable  gentleman  whose  name  initiates 
this  review,  since  his  mind  bears  impress 
of  the  early  historical  annals  of  the  country 
and  from  the  fact  that  he  is  a  worth)-  repre- 
sentative of  a  very  old  and  patriotic  family. 
Me  was  born  on  the  uth  of  July,  1823,  in 
Hampton  I-"alls,  Rockingham  county.  New 
Hampshire,  of  which  state  his  parents, 
Moses  and  Abigail  (Drake)  Batchelder, 
were  also  natives.  On  the  paternal  side  he 
traces  his  ancestry  back  to  Rev.  Stephen 
Batchelder,  who  was  born  in  iMigland  in 
1 561,  and  came  to  America  in  1632.  Ho 
was  an  Episcopalian  minister  and  was  eject- 
ed from  his  vicarage  because  of  his  religious 
views.  He  brought  with  him  to  this  coun- 
try his  grandson.  Nathaniel  Batchelder, 
Jr.,  who  -founded  the  old  homestead  at 
Hampton  Falls,  New  Flampshire,  in  1638. 
The  latter's  fourth  child  was  Josiah  Batch- 
elder,  whose  youngest  son  was  David,  the 
grandfather  of  onr  subject.  David  Batch- 
elder  wedded  Mary  I'.mery,  who  was  per- 
sonally ac(|uainte(l  with  the  nurse  of  Han- 
nah Dustin,  who  was  captured  by  a  north- 
ern tribe  of  Indians.  Mrs.  P.atchelder  was 
familiar  with  all  the  circumstances  leading 
U[>  to  this  capture.  At  night  Mrs.  Dustin 
and  her  nurse  would  be  placed  on  rugs  of 
skins  ;ind  the  Indians  wijuld  lie  all  around 
them  with  thOir  feet  upon  the  women,  .\fter 
several  days  spent  in  captivity  the  Indians 
got  drunk  on  some  rum  they  had  secured  and 
in  the  night  Mrs.  Dustin  and  the  nurse 
quietly  got  up  and  killed  the  seven  red  men 
while  they  slept.  They  thus  macLe  their  es- 
cape, and  on  her  return  home  Mrs.   Dustin 


found  that  her  husband  had  erected  a  new 
house  on  the  site  of  the  one  burned  when  she 
was  taken  prisoner.  Our  subject  well  re- 
members his  grandmother  telling  this  and 
other  wonderful  tales  of  early  New  England 
life.  She  was  born  in  1741  and  died  in  1834. 
Three  of  her  brothers  were  soldiers  in  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  endured  all  the 
hardships  of  army  life  at  that  time.  On  one 
occasion  one  of  her  brothers  was  granted  a 
twenty-four  hour  leave  of  absence  and  re- 
turned home.  Being  in  rags  his  mother 
asked  him  if  her  other  sons  were  in  the 
same  condition,  and  wdien  told  that  they 
were  she  went  to  a  cupboard,  got  a  pair  of 
sheep  shears  and  told  her  youngest  son  to 
go  to  the  barn  and  shear  some  sheep  and 
bring  the  fleece  to  the  house.  She  thcK 
sent  for  a  shoemaker  and  with  his  assist- 
ance and  that  of  three  women  she  made 
three  full  suits  of  clothes,  including  stock- 
ings and  shoes,  all  from  raw  material,  before 
the  twenty-four  hours  expired,  which  was 
no  easy  undertaking  in  those  days,  when 
all  sewing  had  to  be  done  by  hand,  not  to 
say  anything  of  the  carding,  spinning  and 
weaving.  All  of  her  sons  survived  the  war. 
Moses  E.  Batchelder  was  educated  in  the 
school  at  Hampton  Falls,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  attended  during  the  winter  months 
until  seventeen  years  of  age,  while  he 
worked  on  the  home  farm  during  the  sum- 
mer. .\fter  leaving  school  he  engaged  in 
general  farming  and  also  assisted  in  carry- 
ing on  a  lumber  business  in  the  east.  C)n 
the  22d  of  January,  1832.  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  L.  Batchelder, 
a  daughter  of  Colonel  Nathaniel  Batchelder, 
of  Pittsfield,  New  Hampshire.  .She  was  born 
in  March,  1822,  and  was  educated  in  Pitts- 
field.  Five  children  blessed  this  union : 
Fred  Janness,  who  married  l^^lizabcth  J. 
Jones,  and  lives  in  lUini  townslii]) ;  .\a- 
thaniel  Cary  and  Frank  Drake,  both  at  home 
with  their  parents ;  Edward  L.,  who  is  en- 
gaged   in    farming    south    of    W'arrcnsburg, 


440 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Illinois ;  and  Clarence  Emery,  who  owns 
and  operates  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  near  Lamar,  jMissouri. 

It  was  in  1864  that  Mr.  Batchelder 
brought  his  family  to  Illinois  and  purchased 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on 
section  19,  lllini  township,  Macon  county, 
paying  for  the  same  thirty  dollars  per  acre. 
In  1867  he  bought  another  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acre  tract  for  ten  dollars  per  acre  and 
to  the  cultivation  and  improvement  of  his 
land  he  has  since  devoted  his  attention  with 
marked  success.  He  has  also  raised  consid- 
erable stock  and  has  found  that  branch  of 
his  business  quite  profitable. 

Since   his   earliest   years    Air.   Batchelder 
has  always  taken  a  great  interest  in  politi- 
cal  affairs   and   well   remembers  the   cam- 
paign cries  of  "Tippecanoe  and  Tyler,  too," 
and   "Old  Tipp's  the  boy  that  swings    the 
flail   and   makes  the    Locos   all   turn   pale." 
He  also  remembers  when  Jackson  was  first 
elected  president  in  1828.    At  that  time  men 
would  work  from  fourteen  to  fifteen  hours 
and   would   only   earn   fifty   cents   per  day. 
Mr.   Batchelder  cast  his  first  vote  for  the 
Whig  candidate  of  1844,  and  since  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Republican  party  has  been 
one  of  its  stanch  supporters.     He  served  as 
school    director    a    good    many    years    and 
has  always   aided  in  promoting  any  enter- 
prise calculated  to  advance  the  educational, 
moral  and  social  welfare  of  his  community. 
He  and  his  wife  are  to-day  the  only  charter 
members   of  the  Congregational   church   of 
lllini    township    now    living    in    the    town- 
ship, and  they  are  people  highly  respected 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them. 


WALTER  POPE. 

Although  a  number  of  years  have  passed 

since  Walter  Pope  departed  from  the  scene 

of  earthly  activities  he  is  yet  remembered 

by  many  who  knew  him  well  and  esteemed 


and  honored  him.     He  was  an  active  factor 
in  business   life   in  Decatur  for   long  years 
and   was   one   of   the    early   settlers   of    the 
county,  dating  his  residence  here  from  1856. 
Mr.  Pope  was  born  in  County  Waterford, 
Ireland,    on    the    19th    of    November,    1835, 
and    his    parents,    Mr.    and    Mrs.    William 
Pope,  were  also  natives  of  that  county  and 
there    spent    their    entire    lives.      The    son 
acquired  a  common  school  education  on  the 
Emerald  Isle  and  remained  a  resident  of  his 
native   land    until    about   twenty-one   years 
of  age,  when,  thinking  to  benefit  his  finan- 
cial conditions  in  the  new  world  he  crossed 
the    Atlantic    to   America.      He   had    heard 
favorable   reports   concerning  the   business 
opportunities    of    this    countrj^    and   he    re- 
solved that  he  w'ould  make  his  home  here. 
He    first   settled    in    Quebec,    but    only    re- 
mained there  for  a  short  time,  after  which 
he  came  direct  to  the  city  of  Decatur,  where 
his  remaining  days  were  passed.    He  began 
work  here  as  a  common  laborer  and  a  few 
years  later  he  purchased  a  horse  and  dray 
and  began  teaming.    This  was  the  extent  of 
iiis  outfit  for  several  years  and  then  when 
his    financial    resources    had    increased    he 
purchased  -more  horses  and  drays  until  he 
controlled   and   operated    nearly   the   entire 
drayage  system  of  Decatur.     He  continued 
in  the  transfer  business  until  October,  1894, 
receiving  a  very  lil)eral  patronage,  whereby 
a  large  sum  of  money  was  annually  returned 
to    him    in    compensation    for   his    services. 
At    length    failing    health    obliged    him    to 
put  aside  the  arduous  duties  of  a  business 
career  and  for  several  months  he  lay  ill  at 
his  home  and  then  death  came  and  on  the 
2ist  of  July,  1893,  he  passed  away. 

Mr.  Pope  was  married  in  Decatur  in  1864 
to  Miss  Margaret  Turner,  also  a  native  of 
Ireland,  and  a  daughter  of  James  and  :Mary 
Turner,  who  were  likewise  born  on  the 
Emerald  Isle,  where  her  father,  a  brick-layer 
by  trade,  was  connected  with  the  building 
interests  for  a  number  of  years.     In    1850, 


i'AST  AXl)  l'Ri:SK\T  OF  MACON  COLNTY. 


■Ul 


accompanied  by  his  family,  he  bade  adieu 
to  friends  and  native  land  and  sailed  for  the 
new  world,  taking  up  his  abode  in  New 
Orleans,  but  the  climate  did  not  seem  to 
agree  with  hinr  and  because  of  his  ill  health 
he  started  to  return  lo  Irehuul.  He  died, 
however,  ere  reaching  his  destination.  His 
widow  went  back  to  Ireland  in  later  years 
and  there  spent  her  last  days. 

JMr.  and  Mrs.  Pope  never  had  any  child- 
ren of  their  own.  They  were  very  con- 
genial and  companionable,  however,  and 
theirs  was  a  happy  married  life.  Mr.  Pope 
never  sought  or  held  office,  preferring  to 
give  his  time  and  energies  to  his  business 
affairs  and  the  enjoyments  of  social  life.  He 
\-oted  with  the  Democratic  party,  believing 
firmly  in  its  principles  and  desiring  its  suc- 
cess. In  his  business  afifairs  he  was  very 
successful  and  became  a  prominent  citizen 
of  Decatur,  widely  known  and  honored  be- 
cause of  his  fidelity  lo  strict  business  ethics 
and  his  just  and  honorable  dealing  at  all 
times.  Mrs.  Pope  is  now  the  owner  of 
much  valuable  property  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  city,  including  her  residence  at  No. 
702  East  Wood  street,  also  three  other 
houses  and  lots  on  the  same  street,  a  house 
and  lot  on  East  Williams  street  and  another 
on  East  Jackson  street.  .She  is  a  member  of 
St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church  and  like  him 
she  shares  in  the  high  regard  of  many 
friends. 


DA\'1D  E.  BRETT. 

There  are  in  every  comnumity  men  of 
great  force  of  character  and  exceptional 
ability,  who  by  reason  of  their  capacity  for 
leadcrshi])  become  recognized  as  foremost 
citizens  and  take  an  active  and  prominent 
part  in  the  affairs  of  the  locality  with  which 
they  are  connected.  Such  a  man  is  'David 
E.  Brett,  who  is  serving  as  supervisor  of 
Hickory  T'oint  township. 

A   native    of   this   county,   he   was   born 


May  2T„  1859,  on  the  old  homestead  on  sec- 
lion  35,  Hickory  Point  township,  where  he 
now  resides.  His  father,  David  J>rett,  was 
born  in  Prince  William  county,  Virginia, 
on  the  2 1  St  of  December,  1817,  and  was  a 
son  of  Richard  A.  and  Margaret  (Lee) 
Brett.  Tire  grandfather  was  also  a  native  of 
the  C)ld  Dominion  and  of  English  descent. 
In  his  family  were  fifteen  children,  all  of 
whom  grew  to  man  and  womanhood. 

The  father  of  our  subject  attended  a  sub- 
scription school  conducted  in  an'  old  log 
cabin,  and  the  knowledge  there  accjuired 
was  greall\-  supplemented  in  later  years  by 
reading  and  observation,  which  made  him  a 
well  informed  man.  He  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  coming  west  and  after 
the  death  of  his  father  took  charge  of  the 
old  homestead  in  Virginia.  It  was  in  1835 
that  he  arrived  in  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
and  after  spending  two  years  on  a  rented 
farm  in  Decatur  township,  he  removed  to 
Hickory  Point  township,  where  he  entered 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  from 
the  go\ernment,  paying  one  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  acre.  In  1848  he  purchased  the 
farm  on  section  35  where  our  subject  now 
resides  and  look  up  his  residence  thereon 
in  1852,  making  it  his  home  throughout  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  In  1847  '^c  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Wheeler, 
and  to  whom  were  born  five  children:  Annie 
M.;  Richard,  who  is  engaged  in  farming 
on  sectic)n  4,  Hickory  Point  township; 
Frances,  wife  of  John  Christie,  of  the  same 
township ;  Edward,  who  died  when  about 
one  year  old ;  and  David  E.,  of  this  re- 
view. 'J'he  mother  died  on  the  7th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1864,  in  the  faith  of  the  Christian 
church,  of  which  she  was  a  faithful  and  con- 
sistent member.  The  father  was  a  Baptist 
and  in  ])olitics  was  a  stanch  Republican. 
11  r  fdled  the  offices  of  school  director  and 
school  trustee  but  never  cared  for  political 
preferment.  After  a  useful  and  well  spent 
life   died   on   the   old   homestead    December 


442 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


29,  1893,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him. 

Mr.  Brett,  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch,  gave  his  father  the  benefit  of  his 
labors  upon  the  home  farm  during  his 
minority,  and  for  a  year  and  a  half  after  his 
marriage  he  remained  there.  In  the  spring 
of  1885  he  removed  to  Maroa  township,  but 
in  1896  returned  to  the  old  homestead  on 
section  35,  Hickory  Point  township,  where 
he  is  now  living.  He  has  set  out  a  young 
orchard  and  made  a  number  of  other  im- 
provements to  the  place. 

On  the  8th  of  November,  1883,  Mr.  Brett 
was  united  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Addie  S. 
Rife,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rosanna 
(Campbell)  Rife,  both  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  mother  was  born  in  Adams 
county,  that  state,  and  followed  teaching 
in  early  life.  Mrs.  Brett's  ancestors  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Macon 
county,  her  paternal  grandfather  having 
located  here  in  1832.  His  father  was  of 
German  and  his  mother  of  English  descent. 
In  the  family  were  three  children,  namely : 
Jacob;  Joseph,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Brett; 
and  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Andrew  Trimmer, 
whose  sketch  appears  on  another  page  of 
this  volume.  The  father  of  these  children 
was  a  charter  member  of  Boiling  Springs 
church,  which  he  helped  to  organize,  and  to 
which  he  was  a  most  liberal  contributor. 
In  business  affairs  he  met  with  success  and 
he  not  only  left  a  comfortable  competence 
but  also  the  priceless  heritage  of  an  untar- 
nished name.  His  word  was  considered  as 
good  as  his  bond  and  he  was  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  In  early 
life  Joseph  Rife  accompanied  his  father  on 
his  removal  to  this  state  and  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Decatur  to  Miss  Rosanna  Campbell. 
They  spent  their  married  life  on  his  father's 
old  homestead  where  their  son,  Frank,  now 
resides.  Mr.  Rife  died  May  23,  1892,  and 
his  wife  passed  away  on  the  21st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1886.     They  were  the  parents  of  eight 


children,  namely;  Mrs.  Mary  Carruthers, 
now  a  resident  of  Wichita,  Kansas ;  Mrs. 
Minnie  Moore,  of  Niantic,  Illinois;  Addie 
S.,  wife  of  our  subject;  Mrs.  Cora  Willard, 
of  Johnson  City,  Illinois ;  Frank,  who  is 
single  and  lives  at  Bearsdale ;  James  B. : 
Elizabeth  A. ;  and  Harry  L.,  deceased.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Brett  have  three  children:  Edna 
E.,  David  Franklin  and  Harry  Richard. 

Since  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Brett 
has  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  and 
has  taken  quite  an  active  and  influential 
part  in  political  affairs.  Since  1896  he  has 
served  continuously  as  a  director  of  the 
Mound  school  and  is  now  president  of  the 
board.  He  was  elected  townsship  collector, 
and  so  acceptably  did  he  fill  the  office  that 
he  was  re-elected  the  following  year,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1903,  he  was  chosen  to  the 
office  of  supervisor.  His  official  duties  have 
always  been  most  capably  and  satisfactorily 
discharged,  and  he  has  done  all  within  his 
power  to  promote  the  interests  of  his  town- 
ship and  county. 


JACOB  \V.  BARTH. 
Among  the  representatives  of  real  estate 
and  insurance  business  in  Decatur  is  Jacob 
W.  Barth,  who  has  here  resided  since 
i8q2.  He  was  born  in  Newark,  Ohio,  on 
the  7th  of  April,  i860,  and  is  a  son  of 
Michael  and  .\nna  Maria  (Dittus)  Barth. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Stuttgart,  Ger- 
man}-, and  in  1832  came  to  America,  locat- 
ing first  in  Ohio.  At  the  time  of  the  Civil 
war  he  responded  to  the  call  of  his  adopted 
country  for  aid  and  served  for  eleven 
months  as  a  private  in  the  Union  army. 
He  joined  the  Seventy-sixth  Ohio  \'olun- 
teer  regiment,  was  assigned  to  Company  E 
and  remained  with  that  command  until  re- 
ceiving an  honorable  discharge  on  account 
of  physical  disability.  He  afterward  re- 
moved to  Illinois,  settling  in  Macon  county 
in   1868.     He  purchased  a  farm  in  Friends 


PAST  AND  rKi:SF.XT  OV  MACOX  COUNTY. 


445 


Creek  towiishii)  cast  of  Maroa  aiul  with 
characteristic  energy  began  its  develoi)- 
ment.  placing  it  under  a  higli  state  of  cul- 
tivation. There  he  carried  on  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  his  life's  labors  were 
ended  in  death  in  1892,  when  he  was 
seventy-six  years  of  age.  His  wife,  to 
whom  he  was  married  in  Ohio  in  1857,  died 
in  the  year  1888.  at  the  age  of  sixty  years. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Dittus.  who 
lived  and  died  in  Germany,  in  which 
country  Mrs.  Earth  was  born.  V>y  her 
marriage  she  became  the  mother  of  four 
children:  John  A.,  who  is  now  living  in 
York,  Nebraska ;  Jacob  \\'..  whose  name 
introduces  this  record;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Joe  Schall,  also  of  York,  Nebraska ;  and 
Annie  P.,  the  wife  of  Oscar  Allcrt.  of 
Louisville,  Colorado. 

Jacob  W.  Barlh  acquired  his  preliminary 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  later  he 
pursued  a  business  course  in  the  Indianap- 
olis Business  University,  in  which  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  18S8.  The 
duties  of  the  home  farm  next  demanded 
his  attention  and  he  there  remained  until 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  his  agricultural  interests  and  in 
1892  removed  to  Decatur.  Here  he  estab- 
lished a  real  estate  and  insurance  business, 
in  which  he  has  since  successfully  contin- 
ued. He  has  won  for  himself  a  good  client- 
age and  has  written  a  large  amount  of  in- 
surance, annually  receiving  therefrom  a 
profit  that  has  made  his  income  a  desirable 
one.  He  has  also  informed  himself  thor- 
oughly concerning  realty  values  and  loca- 
tions and  has  thus  been  enabled  to  place  at 
the  disposal  of  his  clients  propert}^  inter- 
ests such  as  they  desire,  while  in  the  con- 
duct of  his  negotiations  he  has  won  fair 
success. 

On  the  27th  of  December.  1899,  Mr.  Earth 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Barbara 
K.  Klenk.  a  daughter  of  David  and  Anna 
(Mezger)   Klenk.     They  are  well  known  in 


Decatur  and  lia\c  llic  warm  friendship  of 
a  large  circle  of  acquaintances.  Mr.  Barth 
of  this  review  votes  with  the  Republican 
party,  but  is  not  active  in  politics,  preferring 
to  give  his  time  and  attention  to  his  busi- 
ness interests  and  to  the  enjoyment  of 
pleasures  of  home  and  social  life. 


COLONEL  NATILAN  \\\  TUPPER. 

Colonel  Nathan  W.  Tupper  was  one  of  the 
earh'  members  of  the  Macon  coimty  bar, 
becoming  an  attorney  of  Decatur  at  an 
early  date.  He  settled  here  in  April,  1855, 
when  the  greater  part  of  the  ground  on 
whicli  the  city  now  stands  was  a  cow  pas- 
ture, lie  gained  distinction  as  one  of  the 
leading  attorneys  of  this  part  of  the  state 
and  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  and 
his  talents  upon  the  early  judicial  history  of 
Macon  county. 

Colonel  Tupper  was  born  in  St.  Lawrence 
county.  New  York,  July  8,  1830,  a  son  of 
Harvey  and  Joanna  (Willis)  Tupper,  both 
of  wliom  were  natives  of  the  Empire  state, 
where  they  resided  until  1833.  They  then 
removed  to  Akron,  Ohio,  and  afterward  to 
Sheboygan  Ealls,  Wisconsin.  His  death 
occurred  at  Sheboygan  Falls  and  his  widow 
afterward  removed  to  Missouri,  where  her 
last  days  were  spent. 

As  Colonel  Tupper  had  little  interest  in 
farm  work,  desiring  to  become  an  attorney, 
he  did  not  occupy  and  operate  the  farm 
which  his  father  had  secured  for  him  in 
Wisconsin,  but  left  that  state  and  went  to 
Potsdam,  New  York.  There  he  boarded 
with  an  aunt  while  attending  the  St.  Law- 
rence Academy,  wherein  he  pursued  his 
studies  for  a  few  years.  He  then  began 
teaching  school  in  Potsdam  and  afterward 
became  principal  of  the  schools  at  that 
place,  but  this  he  regarded  merely  as  an  ini- 
tial step  to  other  professional  labor  for 
throughout  all  this  time  it  was  his  ambition 


446 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


to  become  a  nicmber  of  the  bar  and  also 
was  the  goal  toward  which  he  was  striving. 
He  devoted  all  of  his  leisure  time  outside 
of  the  school  room  to  the  study  of  law  and 
thus  continued  his  teaching  and  study  until 
1852,  when  he  returned  to  Sheboygan  Falls, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  then  opened  an  ofifice,  practicing 
in  that  place  for  one  year.  Early  in  the 
year  1854  he  removed  to  West  Bend,  Wash- 
ington county,  Wisconsin,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  year  and  in  1855  he  came  to 
Decatur. 

In  the  previous  year — 1853 — Colonel  Tup- 
per  had  been  married  in  St.  Lawrence 
county.  New  York,  to  Miss  Lamira  M.  Peck, 
a  native  of  Alalone,  New  York,  born  Febru- 
ary II,  1829,  and  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Myra  (Hickok)  Peck,  who  were  natives 
of  Vermont.  After  their  marriage,  how- 
ever, they  settled  in  Malone,  New  York, 
where  the  father  owned  and  operated  a 
tannery  and  was  also  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  shoes.  He  died  in  that  place 
but  his  wife,  long  surviving  him,  died  at  the 
age  of  ninety-two  years  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter,  Mrs.  Tapper,  in  Decatur.  Unto 
Colonel  Tupper  and  his  wife  were  born 
three  children :  Herbert  Eugene  died  at  the 
age  of  six  months.  Sheridan,  who  is  now 
a  very  prominent  actor  on  the  American 
stage,  residing  in  New  York  city,  was  asso- 
ciated with  Roland  Reed  and  other  noted 
actors  and  at  the  present  time  is  connected 
with  the  William  H.  Crane  Company.  He 
married  Ada  Shattuck,  an  actress,  and  they 
make  their  home  in  New  York  city,  al- 
though Mr.  Tupper  owns  property  in  De- 
catur near  his  mother's  residence.  He  and 
his  wife  usually  spend  their  summer  months 
in  this  city,  visiting  his  mother.  Emorett, 
the  youngest  of  the  family,  died  at  the  age 
of  ten  months. 

When  Colonel  Tupper  came  to  Decatur 
he  found  that  the  little  village  was  situated 
in  the  midst  of  a  district  which  was  largely 


wild  prairie  land  and  what  is  now  the  pub- 
lic square  of  the  city  was  then  covered  with 
weeds.  In  the  village,  however.  Colonel 
Tupper  opened  a  law  office,  forming  a  part- 
nership with  Mr.  Thorpe,  with  whom  he 
practiced  for  a  number  of  years.  He  then 
entered  into  partnership  with  Judge  Will- 
iam E.  Nelson,  who  is  still  residing  in  De- 
catur and  who  is  represented- elsewhere  in 
this  work.  They  opened  an  office  in  the  old 
Power's  Building,  practicing  there  together 
for  several  years,  during  which  time  they 
secured  a  very  large  and  distinctively  repre- 
sentative clientage.  Colonel  Tupper  had  a 
broad  and  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  jurisprudence.  His  arguments 
were  forceful,  his  logic  convincing  and  his 
appeals  were  strong  so  that  his  presentation 
of  a  case  always  carried  weight  with  judge 
and  jury  and  seldom  failed  to  gain  the  ver- 
dict desired. 

The  Colonel  continued  in  the  active  prac- 
tice of  the  law  until  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war  when  his  patriotic  spirit  was 
aroused  and  he  offered  his  aid  to  his  country 
in  defense  of  the  Union.  He  became  col- 
onel of  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Illi- 
nois Regiment  and  in  command  of  his 
troops  went  to  the  front  and  participated 
in  many  important  battles.  In  1862  he  was 
taken  ill  and  never  recovered  his  health 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  term  of  ser- 
vice. Returning  to  his  home  in  Decatur 
on  the  7th  of  January,  1864,  he  lay  ill 
until  the  loth  of  March,  following,  when 
he  was  called  to  his  final  rest,  thus  practi- 
cally giving  his  life  in  defense  of  his  country. 
His  political  support  was  given  to  the  De- 
mocracy in  early  life,  but  when  the  Civil  war 
was  inaugurated  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the 
new  Republican  party,  which  stood  as  the 
defender  of  the  Union.  He  was  a  man  of 
marked  personality  and  strong  individuality 
and  the  salient  features  of  his  career  were 
such  as  to  win  for  him  the  unqualified  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  his  fellow  men.   He  was 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


447 


ever  fearless  in  defense  of  his  honest  convic- 
tions and  no  trust  reposed  in  him  was  ever 
betrayed.  He  gained  distinction  at  the  bar 
and  upon  the  field  of  battle  and  as  long 
as  memory  remains  to  the  American  people 
he  will  be  honored  as  one  whose  life  was 
given  as  a  noble  sacrifice  to  his  country. 
Mrs.  Tup])er  now  owns  a  nice  home  at  No. 
247  West  i'.ldcirado  street,  where  she  has 
resided  for  the  past  forty-eight  years.  She, 
too,  is  well  known  in  Decatur  and  is  a  mein- 
ber  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  here. 


AMSTEAD  S.  KNOUFF. 
In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of 
A.  S.  Knouff  we  present  to  our  readers  the 
life  record  of  one  whose  success  has  been 
worthily  achieved  through  his  own  efforts. 
Decatur's  enterprise  and  commercial  activ- 
ity, which  characterize  both  the  city  and  the 
people,  naturally  cause  one  to  ask  what  arc 
a  man's  business  connection.  The  business 
history  of  Amstead  S.  KnoufY  in  recent  years 
is  one  well  known  to  the  ])eople  of  this  city 
for  the  Decatur  Lumber  &  Manufacturing 
Company,  with  which  he  is  financially  con- 
nected, is  well  known  to  the  public.  The 
enterprise  has  become  an  important  factor 
in  industrial  circles  here  and  the  methods 
employed  in  its  conduct  indicate  the  excell- 
ent business  capacity,  keen  foresight  and 
energy  of  the  owners. 

Mr.  Knouff  was  born  on  the  17th  of 
March,  1837,  upon  a  farm  in  Guernsey 
county,  Ohio.  His  father,  Henry  KnoufT, 
was  a  native  of  Frederick  City,  Maryland, 
his  birth  having  occurred  there  about  forty 
miles  northwest  of  Washington,  D.  C.  The 
family  is  of  German  lineage  and  there  is  a 
German  Bible  possessed  by  representatives 
of  the  name  which  is  one  hundred  and  sixty 
years  old.  In  his  boyhood  days  Henry 
Knouff  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Ohio,  a  home  being  established 


just  across  the  line  from  Wheeling,  West 
X'irginia,  where  for  a  number  of  years  after 
attaining  to  man's  estate  Henry  Knouff 
engaged  in  the  shipping  of  produce,  flour, 
bacon  and  other  articles  of  food  by  flatboat 
to  New  Oreleans.  This  was  before  the  ad- 
vent of  railroads  when  all  transportation 
was  by  means  of  water.  Later  Mr.  Knouff 
removed  to  a  farm  in  Guernsey  county, 
Ohio,  and  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits 
until  his  death.  In  his  political  views  he 
was  a  Democrat  in  early  life,  but  at  the  time 
of  the  Civil  war  he  espoused  the  cause  of 
the  Republican  party,  which  was  the  de- 
fender of  the  Union  and  remained  one  of 
its  stanch  advocates  until  his  demise.  In 
early  manhood  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Mary  Kinsey,  who  was  born  in  the  city 
of  Dover,  Delaware,  and  was  of  Scotch 
lineage.  Her  grandparents  on  the  maternal 
side  were  slaveholders  in  Delaware,  but 
gave  to  their  bondsmen  freedom.  When 
i\frs.  Knouff  was  quite  a  young  girl  her 
parents  removed  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
and  later  to  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania.  A 
number  of  years  afterward  they  went  to 
Ohio,  settling  in  the  vicinity  of  West  Vir- 
ginia and  it  was  in  that  locality  that  Mary 
Kinsey  became  the  wife  of  Henry  Knouff. 
She  was  a  lady  of  superior  mental  culture, 
being  well  informed  on  many  subjects. 
She  read  extensively,  keeping  in  touch  with 
standard  works  and  current  literature.  In 
her  religious  faith  she  was  a  Methodist. 
Mr.  Knouff,  who  was  reared  in  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  became  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church  later  in  life  and  both 
were  earnest  Christian  people.  He  died  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years  and 
his  wife  passed  awa\'  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Ohio  A,  S.  Knouff 
of  this  review  pursued  his  education,  mas- 
tering the  branches  of  reading,  writing, 
arithmetic  and  higher  mathematics,  includ- 
ing algebra  and  geometry,  chemistry,  nat- 


448 


PAST  A\D  PRESENT  OP  MACOX  COUNTY. 


iiral  philosophy,  astronomy,  history,  mental 
and  moral,  philosophy,  elocution  and  the 
theory  and  practice  of  teaching.  His  early 
aml)iti(jn  was  to  secure  superior  educational 
ad\antages  and  he  devoted  his  meager  earn- 
ings during  his  school  years  to  the  purchase 
of  books.  He  has  always  been  a  great 
reader  and  is  to-day  a  well  informed  man, 
keeping  in  touch  with  the  world's  progress 
along  literary  as  well  as  other  lines.  He 
was  graduated  from  the  Ohio  public  schools 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  and  when  seven- 
teen years  was  employed  as  a  teacher  there. 
his  identification  with  educational  work  in 
that  capacity  covering  a  decade.  He  was 
quite  successful  in  the  schoolroom,  impart- 
ing readily  and  clearh'  to  others  the  knowl- 
edge that  he  had  acquired.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  purchased  a  four  year's  scholarship 
in  a  college  with  a  view  to  preparing  him- 
self for  the  profession  of  law,  but  conditions 
over  which  he  had  no  control  led  him  into 
commercial  lines  and  his  ambition  to  be- 
come a  member  of  the  bar  was  never  re- 
alized. 

After  retiring  from  the  profession  of  teach- 
ing Mr.  Knouff  entered  into  partnership 
relations  with  his  father-in-law  in  the  live 
stock  trade,  shipping  cattle  and  other  stock 
to  the  eastern  markets,  principally  to  Bal- 
timore, but  occasionally  to  Philadelphia, 
Pittsburg  and  New  York.  For  several 
years  he  followed  that  pursuit  and  later 
he  devoted  some  time  to  the  raising  of 
cattle  and  sheep  upon  his  farm  in  Ohio. 
Afterward  he  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods 
business  and  in  the  conduct  of  a  general 
store  in  the  Buckeye  state.  At  the  time  of 
the  Civil  war  he  was  engaged  in  the  cattle 
trade  and  traveled  over  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Railroad  when  it  was  hazardous  to 
make  such  a  trip,  being  menaced  by  the 
rebel  forces.  On  one  return  trip  he  and  his 
partner  lost  three  thousand  dollars  in  cur- 
rency, the  train  being  captured  and  burned 
and  the  passengers  robbed  by  Colonel  John 


S.  Mosby.  At  the  time  General  Lee  men- 
aced Baltimore  Mr.  Knouff  corralled  his 
cattle  under  the  range  of  the  guns  of  Fort 
Henry  for  protection. 

On  disposing  of  his  business  interests  in 
Ohio  he  removed  to  Illinois  and  engaged  in 
the  grain  trade,  also  dealing  in  hay.  He 
afterward  conducted  a  grocery  store  at 
Pana,  Illinois,  for  two  years.  In  1890  he 
]}urchased  an  interest  in  the  business  of  the 
Decatur  Lumber  &  Manufacturing  Com- 
]jany,  of  Decatur,  with  which  he  is  now 
actively  identified  as  a  stockholder  and  as 
one  of  its  officers,  being  the  secretary  at 
the  time  of  this  writing.  This  company 
maufactures  doors,  sash  and  blinds,  store 
and  office  fixtures  and  fine  interior  finish- 
ings and  also  deals  in  lumber,  lath  and 
shingles.  The  factor}-  and  lumber  yards 
cover  a  space  of  ground  one  hundred  and 
thirty  by  three  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
adjacent  to  the  Wabash  Railroad  tracks, 
thus  securing  to  them  good  shipping  facili- 
ties. This  company  commenced  business 
in  1888  with  a  capital  stock  of  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  and  in  1892  increased  the  cap- 
ital stock  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
and  enlarged  the  plant.  They  have  from 
time  to  time  made  many  improvements 
until  now  they  have  one  of  the  best 
equipped  plants  in  this  part  of  the  state. 
The  company  has  furnished  the  interior 
finish  for  a  large  nimiber  of  the  best  build- 
ings erected  throughout  this  section  of  Illi- 
nois, shipping  within  a  radius  of  one  hun- 
dred miles.  The  present  officers  of  the 
company  are  Thomas  \'.  Jones,  president; 
J.  B.  Good,  vice  president ;  H.  M.  Prescott, 
treasurer :  and  A.  S.  Knouff,  secretary. 
All  are  practical  men  in  their  line  of  busi- 
ness and  they  have  made  a  decided  success 
in  the  control  and  enlargement  of  this  enter- 
prise. 

In  1861  ^Ir.  Knouff'  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Margaret  Depew,  the  wedding 
taking  place  at  her  father's  home  in  Ohio. 


WILLIAM  ARMSTRONG 


URS.  ELIZABETH  ARMSTRONG 


PAST  Ai\v>  PRESEXT  OF  MACOX  CUUXTV. 


453 


Slie  is  a  daughter  of  Abraham  Dcpew, 
now  deceased,  who  was  born  in  Xew  York 
and  was  a  cousin  of  the  Hon.  Chauncey  At. 
Dcpew.  the  present  I'niicd  ."States  senator 
from  Xew  Yori<.  There  was  a  marked 
resembhmce  in  their  facial  contour  and  ex- 
pression and  JMrs.  KnonlT's  father  was  a 
man  of  tine  physi(iue  and  marked  personal- 
itv.  She  has  one  brother  livint:^  in  Barnes- 
ville,  Ohio,  and  two  sisters  in  this  state. 
one  in  l-".lIworth.  Kansas,  a  fourth  in  Ore- 
gon, while  her  \oungest  sister  is  in  St. 
Louis  and  is  the  wife  of  T.  U.  llallard,  the 
president  of  the  Si.  Louis  Chamber  of 
Commerce.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Knonff  lost  two 
children  in  infancy  and  their  only  living 
child  is  X'irginia  \l.  She  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Ohio,  continued  her 
studies  in  Zanesville  and  pursued  a  course 
in  music  in  DePauw  University  of  Indiana. 
She  is  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  F.  Fribley,  of 
Decatur,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  Chicago 
College  of  Dental  Surgery  and  is  practicing 
his  profession  here.  Both  the  doctor  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  this  city. 

Mr.  Knoutt"  cast  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  .Abraham  Lincoln  and  his  views  on 
political  (|ueslions  are  full)-  in  accord  with 
the  principles  and  policy  of  the  Republican 
party.  He  took  an  active  interest  in  politi- 
cal work  when  in  ( )hio.  but  he  has  never 
sought  any  position  of  public  trust  as  a 
reward  for  his  i)arty  fealty.  .About  forty 
years  ago  he  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  under  the  jjastorate  of 
Rev.  C.  W.  P.  Hamilton,  the  father  of 
Bishop  j.  W.  Hamilton,  of  that  denomina- 
tion, and  his  wife  became  a  mendjer  of  the 
same  church  during  her  girlhood.  Mr. 
Knouft'  has  a  firm  faith  in  the  validity  of  the 
scriptures  and  believes  in  the  doctrines  and 
polity  of  the  denominations.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  hold  membership  in  the  h'irst 
.Methodi.st  Episcopal  church  of  Decatur.  In 
matters  of  citizenship  he  is  public  spirited 


and  progressive,  co-o])eralmg  in  many 
movements  for  general  progress  and  mater- 
ial upbuilding  here.  Wherever  he  is  found 
he  is  a  social,  affable  and  genial  gentleman, 
whose  alTairs  are  conducted  in  an  upright 
way  and  all  honor  and  esteem  him  for  his 
many  virtues  and  genuine  worth.  .Success 
is  not  measured  by  the  heights  which  one 
may  chance  to  occu])y,  but  by  the  distance 
i)etween  the  starting  point  and  the  altitude 
he  has  reached  and  therefore  Mr.  Knouff 
has  gained  splendid  success — a  just  reward 
of  meritorious,  honorable  effort  which  com- 
mands the  respect  and  ailmiration  of  all. 


W  11.1.1  AM   AR.MSIROXG. 

The  deser\'ed  reward  of  a  well  silent  life 
is  an  honored  retirement  from  business  in 
which  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  former  toil. 
To-day  after  a  useful  and  beneficial  career 
Air.  ..Vrmstrong  is  cjuietly  living  at  his  pleas- 
ant home  in  .Argenta.  surrounded  by  the 
comfort  that  earnest  labor  has  brought  him. 

A  native  of  Virginia,  he  was  born 
in  Highland  county,  that  state,  on  the  231I 
of  July,  1839,  a  son  of  James  and  Sallie 
(Smith)  .Armstrong,  the  former  a  native  of 
.'^colland  and  the  latter  of  (iermany.  The 
father  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812  and 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  (  )ur  subject 
was  reared  and  educated  in  Virginia  and 
before  leaving  that  state  he  was  engaged 
in  farming  upon  rented  land  for  a  time. 

In  1868  Mr.  Armstrong  came  to  Illinois 
and  locating  in  Macon  county  was  em- 
ployed by  the  month  on  the  farm  of  Robert 
Gray  west  of  Maroa  for  three  years.  The 
following  year  he  operated  a  rented  farm 
and  then  removed  to  the  Parker  farm,  which 
he  cultivated  on  the  shares,  giving  one-half 
of  the  proceeds  for  the  rent  of  the  ])lace. 
During  the  five  years  he  spent  there  he  met 
witii  excellent  success  and  has  since  steadily 
prospered    in    all    that    he    has    undertaken. 


45-i 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


His  tirst  purchase  of  land  consisted  of  a 
tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Friends  Creek  township,  to  which  he  after- 
ward added  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
more,  and  still  later  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
acres,  paying  over  fifty  dollars  per  acre  for 
all  of  it.  He  raised  both  grain  and  stock 
and  always  the  best  of  each,  and  he  made 
many  improvements  upon  his  land  which 
was  divided  into  two  farms,  supplied  with 
all  the  conveniences  and  accessories  found 
upon  the  model  farm  of  the  present  century. 

In  1861  Mr.  Armstrong  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Gladwell,  who 
was  killed  by  lightning  June  18,  1866.  By 
that  union  were  born  four  children,  namely : 
Edward,  who  married  Mary  Hensley  and  is 
now  living  in  Champaign  county,  Illinois ; 
Elizabeth,  who  died  about  1885  ;  Sallie,  wife 
of  B.  Walker,  of  Decatur ;  and  William 
who  wedded  Emma  Taylor  and  makes  his 
home  in  Friends  Creek  township.  Mr.  Arm- 
strong was  again  married  in  1871,  his 
second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
James,  by  whom  he  has  one  son,  James  H., 
who  married  Lula  Yates  and  lives  on  the 
old  homestead. 

Mrs.  Armstrong  was  born  in  Crambrook, 
Kent,  England,  June  7,  1837,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Jemima  Chapman. 
In  1842  she  came  to  America,  landing  in 
New  York  on  the  ist  of  October  after  being 
five  weeks  and  five  days  out  of  sight  of 
land.  She  first  lived  in  Cincinnati,  and 
from  there  removed  to  St.  Charles,  Mis- 
souri, in  the  fall  of  1844,  making  her  home 
in  the  latter  place  until  her  marriage  De- 
cember 18,  1856,  to  William  James,  who 
was  also  a  native  of  England  and  a  farmer 
by  occupation.  In  March,  1865,  they  came 
to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  and  purchased 
a  farm  in  Maroa  township,  which  Mr. 
James  operated  until  his  death  on  the  23d 
of  December,  1868.  By  that  union  six  child- 
ren were  born  but  three  died  in  early  life 
and    one    died    after    reaching    womanhood. 


'J'hose  still  li\ing  are  Charles  James,  who 
owns  and  operates  a  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  near  Oreana,  Macon  county ; 
and  Mrs.  William  Clifton,  whose  husband 
is  a  farmer  of  Friends  Creek  township, 
owning  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
land. 

In  1895  Mr.  Armstrong  retired  from  the 
active  management  of  the  farm  and  re- 
moved to  Argenta,  where  he  bought  a  home 
and  improved  it.  Two  years  prior  to  this 
he  had  erected  a  large  brick  building  in  the 
village,  the  lower  floor  of  which  is  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  store  of  Kuhns  &  Ruddock, 
while  the  upper  story  is  the  Argenta  Opera 
House.  Mr.  Armstrong  also  has  seven 
acres  of  land  at  the  edge  of  the  town,  for 
which  he  paid  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars  per  acre  and  as  a  public-spirited 
and  progressive  citizen  he  has  done  much 
toward  promoting  the  welfare  of  the  place. 
He  never  forgets  or  ignores  the  bond  of 
common  interest  which  should  unite  the 
people  of  every  community  and  he  has 
always  been  ready  to  promote  progress  in 
every  line.  He  is  most  efliciently  serving 
as  trustee  of  the  village  and  both  his  pub- 
lic and  private  duties  have  always  been 
faithfully  and  conscientiously  discharged. 
Since  attaining  his  majority  he  has  affili- 
ated with  the  Republican  party,  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  are  earnest  and  consist- 
ent members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Although  he  started  out  in  life 
in  limited  circumstances  he  has  steadily 
and  perseveringly  worked  his  way  upward, 
leaving  the  ranks  of  the  many  to  stand 
among  the  successful  few,  and  is  to-day  one 
of  the  most  substantial  men  of  Argenta,  as 
well  as  one  of  its  most  honored  and  highl}^ 
respected   citizens. 


JACOB  MAJOR. 
Jacob   Major  is  one  of  the  honored  citi- 
zens of  Macon  county,  who  has  passed  the 
seventy-seventh  milestone  on  life's  journey 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


455 


and  is  now  living  rclircd  in  W'arrensburg. 
His  career  has  ever  been  such  as  to  com- 
mand the  respect  and  confidence  of  men  and 
he  is  a  worthy  representative  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  this  section  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Major  was  born  December  20,  1826, 
in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  twenty  miles 
west  of  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  and  is  a 
son  of  John  and  Edith  (Webb)  Major. 
The  mother  was  born  in  1800  and  was  of 
Quaker  origin.  By  occupation  the  father 
was  a  farmer  and  in  aiding  in  the  operation 
of  the  old  home  farm  in  Harrison  county, 
Ohio,  our  subject  early  became  familiar  with 
all  the  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
agriculturist.  During  his  boyhood  farm 
machinery  was  still  very  primitive,  the 
cradle  being  used  in  cutting  grain.  He  be- 
gan his  education  in  the  district  school  con- 
ducted in  a  hewed  log  house  with  a  large 
fireplace  at  one  end,  and  his  studies  were 
limited  to  reading,  writing  and  ciphering, 
there  being  but  one  geography  in  the  school. 
The  teachers  at  that  time  boarded  around 
among  the  patrons  and  received  only  twenty 
or  thirty  dolars  per  month.  As  a  general 
thing  they  believed  in  the  old  saying  of 
"spare  the  rod,  spoil  the  child"  and  the 
liircli  was  often  used  without  reason.  Mr. 
.Major  was  only  able  to  attend  school  for 
three  or  four  months  during  the  year  and 
his  education  was  completed  when  about 
nineteen  years  of  age. 

He  began  his  business  career  by  working 
on  a  farm  at  eight  dollars  per  month  but  as 
time  passed  he  prospered  in  his  chosen 
work  and  became  the  owner  of  one  hundred 
acres  of  timber  land,  fifty  of  which  he 
cleared,  sawing  most  of  the  trees  into  planks 
for  a  plank  road.  He  also  cut  some  cord 
wood,  which  at  that  time  was  only  worth 
a  dollar  and  a  half  per  cord.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1849  ^^^-  i^Iajor  raised  six  hundred 
bushels  of  grain  and  the  expense  of  harvest- 
ing it  was  only  about  seventeen  dollars,  that 
being  the  first  year  the  grain  separators  came 


into  use.  He  continued  to  make  his  home 
near  Columbus  in  Franklin  county,  Ohio, 
until  1858,  when  he  sold  his  farm  for  thirty- 
five  dollars  per  acre  and  came  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  purchasing  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  three  miles  south 
of  Warrensburg.  Subsequently  he  bought 
an  additional  sixty  acres,  making  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  besides  his  town 
property  in  Warrensburg.  He  continued 
the  operation  of  his  land  until  1883,  when 
he  removed  to  Warrensburg  and  has  since 
practically  lived  retired  from  active  labor, 
enjoying  the  competence  secured  in  former 
years  through  his  industry,  perseverance 
and  good  management. 

On  the  loth  of  February,  1848,  Mr.  Major 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rachel 
Warley,  a  daughter  of  Wesley  and  Jane 
(Virtue)  Warley.  She  was  born  in  Har- 
rison county,  Ohio,  was  educated  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  of  that  state,  and  in  early  life 
could  rake  and  bind  after  the  cradles  as 
good  as  any  man.  She  died  on  the  loth  of 
I'ebruary,  1884,  loved  and  respected  by  all 
who  knew  her.  The  children  born  to  our 
subject  and  his  wife  are  John  Wesley,  who 
married  ^Martha  Carr  and  is  living  in  De- 
catur ;  Susan  Jane,  who  married  Augustus 
Stine  and  is  now  deceased;  Edith,  who  died 
in  infancy;  Martha,  widow  of  Malcolm 
I'eall  and  a  resident  of  Warrensburg; 
George,  who  first  married  Tennie  Burse 
and  secondly  married  Rhoda  Munson; 
Maria,  wife  of  Andrew  Moore,  of  Decatur ; 
Cyrus,  who  married  Hattie  Dyer  and  re- 
sides in  Webster  City,  Iowa;  and  James 
Taylor,  who  wedded  Mary  Vail  and  makes 
his  home  in  Findlay,  Illinois.  Mr.  Major 
has  twenty-seven  grandchildren  living  and 
eleven  deceased ;  and  has  four  great  grand- 
children, the  oldest  being  eight  years  of  age. 

Air.  Major  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  the  Democratic  candidate  but  afterward 
supported  .Abraham  Lincoln  and  has  since 
been,  an   ardent   Republican.     He   attended 


456 


I'AST  AXI)  TRESEXT  OE  MACOX  COUXTY. 


two  meetings  of  tlio  Know  Xothiiig  party 
in  1856.  He  has  tilled  the  offices  of  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  and  road  supervisor  and 
has  always  been  found  true  to  every  trust 
reposed  in  him  whether  public  or  private. 
Since  184,^  ho  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  has  been  a 
constant  worker  and  a  firm  believer  in  the 
faith.  Although  now  seventy-seven  years 
of  age  he  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  for  nature 
deals  kindly  with  the  man  who  abuses  not 
her  laws.  His  life  is  exemplary  in  all  re- 
spects and  he  has  ever  supported  those  in- 
terests which  are  calculated  to  uplift  and 
benefit  humanity,  while  his  own  high  moral 
worth  is  deserving  of  the  highest  commen- 
dation. 


\\'.  T.  COOPER. 

W.  T.  Cooper,  now  deceased,  was  for 
many  years  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
in  Macon  county  and  by  indefatigable  en- 
ergy and  strong  determination  steadily 
worked  his  waj-  upward  from  a  very  humble 
financial  position  to  one  of  affluence,  becom- 
ing a  leading  farmer  of  this  portion  of  the 
state. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  Mr.  Cooper  was  born 
in  the  year  1842,  a  son  of  W.  T.  and  Maria 
Cooper.  The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  came  to  this  state  when  the 
country  was  very  wild,  casting  in  his  lot 
with  the  pioneers  who  reclaimed  the  land 
for  the  purposes  of  civilization  and  laid  the 
foundation  for  the  present  progress  and 
prosperity  of  this  locality.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  settlers  of  Macon  county  and  built 
the  first  road  west  of  Maroa.  His  wife  is 
still  living  in  Maroa  and  has  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years.  W.  T. 
Cooper  was  reared  upon  the  old  homestead 
and  early  became  familiar  with  the  ardu- 
ous task  of  developing  a  new  farm.  The 
practical  experience  which  he  gained  in  his 
vouth.  however,   proved   of  great  value   to 


him  when  in  later  j-ears  he  began  business 
for  himself.  He  started  out  in  life  on  his 
own  account  when  about  twenty-one  years 
of  age  and  the  'occupation  to  which  he  had 
been  reared  he  determined  to  make  his  life 
work. 

As  a  companion  and  helpmate  on  life's 
journey  Mr.  Cooper  chose  Miss  Eliza  A. 
Cjray,  a  daughter  of  Robert  and  Catherine 
(iray,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  Decem- 
ber 2^,  1853.  The  lady  was  born  at  Lynn- 
ville,  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  and  when 
eleven  years  of  age  was  brought  to  this 
county,  where  she  pursued  her  education  in 
the  public  schools.  At  the  time  of  their 
marriage  Mr.  Cooper  rented  forty  acres  of 
land  for  two  years  and  they  began  their 
domestic  life  in  a  little  house  containing  but 
a  single  room.  There  they  made  a  good 
start  and  were  enabled  to  purchase  a  farm 
of  forty  acres,  on  which  they  lived  for  about 
five  or  six  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period  Mr.  Cooper  purchased  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  and  built  a  home. 
This  he  afterward  traded  for  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  which  had  been  the  old  home 
place  of  Mrs.  Cooper  and  which  she  still 
owns.  Subsequently  they  purchased  a  half 
section  of  land  in  Nebraska  and  also  built 
a  home  in  Maroa.  Throughout  his  business 
career,  however,  ?ilr.  Cooper  was  interested 
in  farming  and  for  several  years  was  also 
engaged  in  the  hardware  business  in  con- 
nection with  his  son  Frank  R.  under  the 
firm  name  of  Cooper  &  Son.  As  the  years 
passed  he  prospered,  adding  to  his  pos- 
sessions until  his  property  holdings  became 
\cry  valuable  and  he  was  the  possessor  of 
a  very  desirable  inconie. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cooper  were  born  two 
children :  Frank  R.,  who  married  Miss 
Compton,  lives  in  Decatur  with  his  wife 
and  two  children  :  and  Linnie  Luane  is  the 
wife  of  Dr.  W'eyl.  a  practicing  physician 
of  Maroa.  Mr.  Cooper  was  a  devoted  mem- 
ber of  the   Christian  church,  to   which  his 


NATHAN  L.  KRONE 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


459 


wife  also  belongs.  He  held  membership 
with  the  Alasonic  fraternity  and  she  belongs 
to  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  being  se- 
lected at  the  organization  as  first  worthy 
matron  at  this  place.  In  his  political  views 
he  was  a  Democrat  and  almost  continuously 
held  some  position  of  public  trust,  serving 
for  sbnie  time  as  school  director  and  also 
as  road  commissioner.  He  took  an  active 
interest  in  everything  pertaining  to  the  pub- 
lic good  and  his  efforts  for  the  general  wel- 
fare were  far-reaching  and  effective.  He 
passed  away  January  19,  1902,  and  was  laid 
to  rest  in  the  Maroa  cemetery,  where  his 
widow  has  erected  a  handsome  monument 
to  his  memory. 


X.\THAX  L.  KRONE. 
Xathan  L.  Krone  is  a  popular  and  well 
known  druggist  of  Decatur  anil  il  would  be 
impossible  to  find  a  business  man  in  this 
city  that  is  more  widely  known  than  he. 
He  has  been  a  resident,  of  Decatur  for 
sixty-one  years  and  thus  has  been  a  witness 
of  Decatur's  development  from  a  mere  vil- 
lage to  a  city  whose  trade  interests  have 
caused  a  new  chapter  to  be  written  in  the 
commercial  history  of  the  Mississippi  val- 
ley. He  was  born  in  York  county,  i'enu- 
sylvania,  on  the  14th  of  Afarch,  1833.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  Michael  Krone,  a 
native  of  the  same  state,  grew  to  manhood 
and  married  Miss  Franklynbcrger.  Their 
son,  Daniel,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was 
also  l)orn  in  I'ennsyhania  and  in  early 
life  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and 
builder,  which  he  followed  throughout  the 
period  of  his  active  connection  with  busi- 
ness affairs.  He  was  joined  in  wedlock  to 
Miss  Ruth  Worley,  who  was  likewise  born 
and  reared  in  Pennsylvania  and  was  a 
daughter  of  Xathan  Worley,  who  was  of 
German  lineage.  His  birth,  however,  oc- 
curred in  the  Keystone  state  and  he  there 
met   and   married    .Miss    I'opp.    who   was   of 


\\  elsli  descent.  In  the  year  1839  Daniel 
Krone  removed  with  his  family  from  York 
county,  Pennsylvania,  to  Decatur,  Illinois, 
where  he  made  a  permanent  location.  Here 
he  followed  his  trade  for  some  time  and 
he  also  became  proprietor  of  the  Macon 
House,  while  later  he  was  in  the  employ  of 
the  A\'ayne  Sulkyette  Company.  His 
death  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1867  and  his 
wife,  survi\ing  him  for  a  number  of  years, 
])assed  away  in  the  s|)ring  of  1885.  In  their 
faiuily  were  several  children :  Margaret, 
wife  of  George  \V.  Bright,  of  Decatur; 
Annie,  who  is  the  wife  of  David  S.  Shella- 
barger.  a  ])rominent  miller  and  manufact- 
urer of  Decatur;  and  Mrs.  Sophia  McClnrg, 
of  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

Nathan  L.  Krone  spent  the  first  seven 
years  of  his  life  in  the  state  of  his  nativity 
and  then  came  with  his  parents  to  Decatur, 
where  he  entered  the  public  schools.  He 
continued  his  work  therein  until  his  six- 
teenth year,  when  he  left  school  and  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  clerk  in  a  dry  goods 
st(jre,  in  which  he  was  employeil  for  four 
years.  He  entered  as  a  salesman  in  the 
drug  store  of  King  &  Reed,  of  Decatur, 
with  whom  he  remained  for  three  years 
anil  later  formed  a  business  connection  with 
1  )r.  J.  E.  Roberts,  a  druggist,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  seventeen  years.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  ]icriod  Mr.  Krone  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  but  after  a  short  stay  in 
Council  P.luffs  again  came  to  this  city  and 
entered  the  employ  of  \V.  C.  Armstrong, 
who  w^as  the  successor  of  Dr.  Roberts.  Six- 
teen years  covers  the  period  of  his  connec- 
tion with  with  Air.  .\rmstrong  and  certainly 
indicates  his  fidelity  to  duty,  his  capability 
and  his  trustworthiness.  In  1893  he  estab- 
lished his  present  store  at  the  corner  of  Cal- 
houn and  Herkimer  streets.  His  long  ser- 
vice as  a  clerk  well  equipped  him  for  carry- 
ing on  an  enterprise  of  his  own.  He  is  thor- 
oughly informed  in  the  business  and  has  a 
most  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  drugs 


460 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  AIACOX  COUXTY. 


and  other  remedial  preparations.  His  asso- 
ciation with  this  one  line  of  business  has  also 
gained  him  an  extensive  acquaintance  in 
Decatur  and  when  he  established  an  enter- 
prise of  his  own  he  gained  the  patronage 
of  many  whom  he  formerly  met  in  a  busi- 
ness way. 

In  1854  Mr.  Krone  was  united  in  mar- 
raige  to  Miss  Jane  Frederick,  of  this  city, 
a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Rachel  (Robin- 
son) Frederick,  and  a  native  of  Ohio.  They 
now  have  one  child,  Charles  O.,  who  is  as- 
sociated with  his  father  in  the  store.  Mrs. 
Krone  is  an  acceptable  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  takes  an  active 
and  helpful  interest  in  its  work. 

Mr.  Krone  is  an  exemplary  member  of 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  belonging  to  Alacon 
Lodge,  F.  &  A.  yi. ;  Macon  Chapter,  R.  A. 
M. ;  and  Beaumanoir  Commandery,  K.  T. 
In  his  political  support  he  is  a  Republican 
and  has  been  honored  with  local  official 
preferment.  For  nine  years  he  served  as 
city  treasurer  of  Decatur  and  his  father 
was  one  of  its  trustees  for  four  years.  Over 
the  record  of  his  life  there  falls  no  shadow 
of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil  and  as  a 
public  official  he  gave  entire  satisfaction  to 
those  whom  he  represented.  His  manner 
is  genial  and  entirely  free  from  ostentation, 
and  without  pretense  or  display  he  com- 
mands the  respect  of  his  fellow  men  who 
regard  him  as  a  valued  friend.  He  has 
added  much  to  the  brightness  of  life  and 
has  been  true  and  faithful  in  every  relation 
in  which  he  has  been  placed.  Xow  at  the 
age  of  seventy  years  he  commands  uniform 
confidence  and  is  an  honored  representa- 
tive of  the  trade  interests  of  the  city,  whose 
development  he  has  witnessed  through 
almost  its  entire  history.  Whatever  has 
tended  to  prove  of  benefit  to  Decatur  has 
received  his  endorsement  and  his  active 
co-operation  has  frequently  been  of  marked 
assistance  in  advancing  the  general  wel- 
fare. 


BEXJAMIX  F.  LANHAM. 

Benjamin  F.  Lanham,  who  is  a  retired 
builder  of  Decatur,  has  passed  the  seventy- 
fifth  mile-stone  on  life's  journey  and  the 
rest  which  has  been  vouchsafed  him  is  well 
merited.  His  life  has  been  one  of  industry 
and  enterprise,  in  which  his  efforts  have 
been  crowned  with  success,  and  now  in  the 
evening  of  life  he  is  resting  from  further 
labor  amid  a  wide  circle  of  warm  friends 
who  esteem  him  highly  for  his  genuine 
worth.  Mr.  Lanham  was  born  upon  a  farm 
ten  miles  east  of  Springfield,  Sangamon 
county,  Illinois,  his  natal  day  being  July  8, 
1828.  His  father,  Elijah  Lanham,  was  a 
nati\e  of  Maryland  and  after  arriving  at 
years  of  maturity  wedded  Nellie  Constant, 
who  was  born  in  Kentucky.  From  their 
respective  states,  however,  in  early  life  they 
removed  to  Clermont  county,  Ohio,  where 
they  became  acquainted.  Subsequenth^  they 
took  up  their  abode  in  Sangamon  county, 
Illinois,  arriving  here  in  1826,  when  pioneer 
conditions  still  existed  for  the  work  of  im- 
provement and  progress  had  been  scarcely 
begun.  They  took  up  their  abode  upon  a 
farm  which  Mr.  Lanham  improved,  placing 
the  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  mtroducing  the  equipments  known  at 
that  day.  There  he  reared  his  family  and 
died  September  11,  1847.  His  political  sup- 
port was  given  to  the  \Miig  party  and  in 
matters  of  citizenship  he  was  progressive, 
doing  everything  in  his  power  to  promote 
the  welfare  and  advance  the  best  interests 
of  the  community.  His  widow,  long  sur- 
viving him,  passed  away  in  Decatur  on  the 
3d  of  November,  1870.  She  had  long  been  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  was 
an  earnest  and  most  consistent  Christian 
woman.  In  the  family  were  eight  children, 
five  of  whom  had  reached  mature  years  and 
three  died  in  infancy. 

Benjamin  F.  Lanham,  who  is  the  third  of 
five  who  reached  adult  age,  spent  his  boy- 
hood days  in  Sangamon  county  and  there 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


401 


began  his  education  in  the  common  schools. 
When  he  had  put  aside  his  text  books  he 
began  learning  the  carpenter's  trade  pre- 
paratory to  making  that  pursuit  his  life 
work.  His  father  instructed  him  in  this  in- 
dustrial art  for  Elijah  Lauliam  was  a  car- 
penter as  well  as  an  agriculturist  and  also  a 
brick  mason.  He  continued  with  his  father 
until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age  and  then 
started  out  upon  an  independent  business 
career.  Attracted  by  the  opportunities  of 
Macon  county,  he  took  up  his  abode  within 
its  borders  in  1856,  living  upon  a  farm  for 
four  years,  while  in  i860  he  established  his 
home  in  the  city  of  Decatur.  Here  he  has 
since  resided  and  willi  the  work  of  improve- 
ment and  development  he  has  borne  an  ac- 
tive part.  Through  the  line  of  his  business 
operations  he  has  done  much  for  the  devel- 
opment of  the  city  and  to-day  man}'  of  the 
substantial  structures  of  Decatur  stand  as 
evidence  of  his  handiwork.  He  has  here 
erected  not  only  residences,  but  also 
churches  and  schoolhouses,  and  has  done 
much  of  the  building  in  the  surrounding 
country.  He  continued  his  active  connec- 
tion with  his  chosen  vocation  until  1899, 
when  he  retired  to  ])rivatc  life.  He  had  in 
the  meantime  been  accorded  a  liberal 
patronage  and  the  public  reposed  in  him 
entire  confidence  because  of  his  fidelity  to 
the  terms  of  a  contract  and  his  excellent 
work  as  a  builder. 

The  home  life  of  .Mr.  Lanham  has  ever 
been  most  pleasant.  In  April,  1855,  he 
wedded  Miss  Marinda  Stockton,  of  Sanga- 
mon county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Ira  and 
Ruth  (Fugett)  Stockton.  Her  father  was 
a  native  of  Kentucky  and  her  mother  was 
born  in  Virginia.  Tliey  became  residents 
of  Sangamon  county  in  1836  and  in  1855 
took  up  their  abode  in  Macon  county,  where 
Mr.  Stockton  died  in  1892.  The  mother, 
however,  was  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy 
her  home  in  this  county  for  her  death  oc- 
curred  in    1858.     Mrs.   Lanham   was   born 


February  16,  1833,  in  Bath  county,  Ken- 
tucky, and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the 
mother  of  six  children,  of  whom  a  son  and 
four  daughters  are  now  living,  namely : 
(iertrude;  Isadora,  the  wife  of  A.  H.  Cope, 
of  Decatur;  Lucy,  the  wife  of  N.  P.  Foulks, 
of  Portland,  Oregon;  Arthur  F.,  at  home; 
and  Nellie,  the  wife  of  Stephen  Ryan,  of 
St.  Paul,  Alinnesota.  For  almost  forty 
years  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lanham  have  traveled 
life's  journey  together,  sharing  with  each 
other  its  joys  and  sorrows,  its  adversity  and 
prosperity. 

He  gives  his  political  support  to  the  Re- 
publican party  and  in  former  years  took  an 
active  interest  in  its  work,  but  never  sought 
office.  As  he  prospered  in  his  business  un- 
dertakings he  made  judicious  investments 
in  real  estate  and  is  now  the  owner  of  some 
valuable  jiroperty  which  enables  him  to  live 
retired,  enjoying  the  comforts  and  many  of 
the  luxuries  of  life. 


WILLIAM   H.   WILLIAMS. 

This  venerable  gentleman,  who  is  now  an 
octogenarian,  having  passed  the  eightieth 
mile-stone  on  life's  journey,  is  at  the  present 
time  living  retired  and  the  rest  which  is 
vouchsafed  him  has  been  well  earned. 
Through  activity,  business  energy  and 
strong  purj)ose  in  former  years  he  gained 
the  competence  that  now  enables  him  to 
enjoy  many  of  life's  comforts  and  luxuries 
without  recourse  to  further  labor. 

Mr.  Williams  was  born  near  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  on  the  12th  of  August,  1821,  and 
is  a  son  of  John  and  Olivia  (Fobes)  Will- 
iams. The  ancestral  line  can  be  traced  back 
to  Roger  Williams  and  to  Miles  Standish. 
The  father,  also  a  native  of  Maryland, 
served  his  country  in  the  war  of  1812  and  in 
1836  he  removed  to  Knox  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  passing 
away  in  1843,  when  fifty  years  of  age.     His 


462 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUXTV 


wife  died  in  1869.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Azariah  Fobes,  who  belonged  to  an  old 
Massachusetts  family.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
^^'illiaI■ns  were  born  eight  children,  namel)^ : 
William  H.,  of  this  review ;  Mary  Eleanor, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Allen  Scott ;  Charles, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years ;  Lilburn 
A. ;  Louisa,  the  wife  of  Robert  Watson ; 
Julia,  the  wife  of  Charles  A.  Polland ;  Sarah, 
the  wife  of  Alfred  Florey ;  and  Emily  Su- 
sana. 

\\'illiam  H.  \\  illiams  spent  his  early  life 
in  the  place  of  his  nativity  and  in  1836  went 
to  Ohio.  When  still  a  boy  he  worked  for 
his  uncle,  Azariah  Fobes,  under  whose  di- 
rection he  learned  the  tailor's  trade  in  Gam- 
bier,  Ohio.  He  afterward  followed  that  pur- 
suit for  fourteen  years.  He  had  been  well 
equipped  for  life's  practical  and  responsible 
duties  by  excellent  mental  training,  having 
supplemented  his  public  school  course  by 
study  in  Kenyon  College.  In  1843  he  re- 
sumed work  at  his  trade  and  continued  to 
follow  that  pursuit  during  his  residence  in 
Ohio.  In  1853  Mr.  \\'illiams  arrived  in 
Macon  county  and  during  the  first  winter 
here  he  engaged  in  teaching  in  a  country 
school.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  near  De- 
catur and  in  connection  with  its  cultivation 
he  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  in  fact, 
made  it  his  chief  occupation  until  1893. 
when  he  retired  from  further  business  cares. 
For  forty  >'ears  he  had  been  an  active  factor 
in  agricultural  circles  in  this  count)'  and  his 
business  methods  were  such  as  would  bring 
to  him  excellent  success  and  also  an  honor- 
able name.  Year  by  year  he  added  to  his 
capital  until,  having  acquired  a  handsome 
competence  he  put  aside  further  business 
cares  and  took  a  trip  to  California.  L'pon 
his  return  he  established  his  home  in  Deca- 
tur, where  he  has  since  lived. 

In  the  year  1847  Mr.  ^^'illiams  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Lovina  Hairipshire, 
who  was  the  third  child  of  Peter  and  Eliza- 
beth   (KliIl^•^    Hampshire,  whose  home  was 


near  Shippensburg,  Pennsylvania.  The 
luarriage  was  celebrated  in  Ohio,  in  which 
state  Mrs.  Williams  had  located  in  1846. 
She  belonged  to  a  family  of  eight  children, 
namely  :  Rebecca,  now  deceased  ;  William, 
who  has  passed  away ;  Lovina ;  Susan,  who 
is  the  wife  of  Ephraim  Bear;  Samuel;  John 
and  David,  who  are  now  deceased ;  and  Bar- 
nev.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  have  reared  a 
family  of  five  children,  three  S9ns  and  two 
daughters,  and  are  still  happily  traveling 
life's  journey  together.  They  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  .Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  are  people  of  the  highest  respectability 
and  of  genuine  worth.  Mr.  Williams  is  a 
modest,  unassuming  man.  but  has  ever  been 
an  excellent  citizen  and  is  one  of  the  es- 
teemed residents  of  Macon  county,  pos- 
sessing those  sterling  traits  of  character 
which  in  every  land  and  clime  command 
confidence,  regard  and  friendship. 


L.   A.   MELVIX. 

L.  .\.  Melvin.  who  carries  on  farming  and 
stock  raising  on  section  21,  Friends  Creek 
township,  was  born  in  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
in  1848,  and  is  a  son  of  John  H.  and  Eliza- 
beth Jane  Melvin.  who  were  life-long  resi- 
dents of  that  state.  The  father,  who  was 
also  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in 
1815  and  died  in  1881,  and  the  mother  was 
born  in  1824  and  died  in  1849. 

In  the  state  of  his  nativity  our  subject 
was  reared  and  educated  in  much  the  usual 
manner  of  farmer  boys  of  his  time.  .\t  the 
age  of  sixteen  years  he  donned  the  blue 
uniform  of  the  northern  army,  enlisting  in 
1864  in  Company  F.  F'irst  Ohio  Light  .\r- 
tillery.  He  was  at  Decatur.  Alabama,  and 
in  manv  small  engagements,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  war  was  mustered  out  at  Camp 
Dennison,  (  )hio.  on  the  23d  of  July,  1865. 

The  follow  ing  two  years  Mr.  Melvin  spent 
at  home  witli  his  father,  and  at  the  end  of 


Q4^0ca/yuMj^cJ  cJq^^^^^ 


AST  AND  i'Ki:si"..\'i'  oi-  MACo.x  (.( )r\'rv. 


4f'>r) 


that  time  wont  to  Mel. can  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  liveil  for  two  years.  He  then 
spent  a  short  lime  in  Piatt  count\-,  this 
state,  and  in  1872  first  came  to  .Macon  coun- 
ty, where  he  farmed  for  three  years  and 
then  in  iS/d  purchased  fortv  acres  of  land 
in  I'iatt  county,  where  he  resided  for  six 
years,  and  on  disposing  of  tliat  place  he 
hought  eighty  acres  in  Friends  Creek  town- 
ship, Macon  county,  where  he  is  now  living. 
IVosperitv  at  length  crowned  his  efforts  and 
he  and  his  wife  now  own  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  here;  a  hah'  section  three  miles 
north  of  the  home  place  and  one  hmidred 
and  sixty  acres  in  l)e  Will  coimty.  'Sir. 
Melvin  is  a  progressive  farmer  and  a  self- 
made  man.  who  was  not  only  without  capi- 
tal on  coming  to  this  state  but  had  to  l)or- 
mw  the  money  to  buy  his  railroad  ticket. 
lie  has  worked  early  and  late,  lived  ec<Miom- 
ically  and  managed  his  affairs  in  a  worth}- 
manner,  so  that  he  is  now  quite  well-to-do. 
He  has  erected  a  good  house  and  barn  upon 
his  place  and  made  all  necessary  improve- 
ments. He  raises  grain  mostly.  Ijut  also 
raises  some  stock. 

Tn  1872  Mr.  Melvin  married  Miss  Martha 
.•\.  Chandler,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  lhe\' 
ha\e  six  children,  namely:  Lulie.  who  mar- 
ried Charles  Parr  and  now  lives  in  Piatt 
comity:  Henry,  who  married  .Mma  ( )lson  : 
Ernest,  who  married  Lillie  llanrruff  and 
resides  in  Cisco;  Maud,  wife  of  (1.  I'".  Har- 
lan, of  Cisco;  and  .Mabel  and  .\iyrtlr,  both 
at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Melvin  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  Kpiscojial  church 
and  he  also  belongs  to  the  (jrand  Army  of 
the  Republic.  His  political  support  is  given 
the  Ke]>ublican  party,  and  he  served  on  the 
grand  jury  in   1903. 


.\L1-:XAM)1-.R  T.  MivrrLRX. 

One  of  tlu'  jnoncer  citizens  of  ?\lacon 
county  is  .Alexander  T.  Mettlen,  now  re- 
tired   fram    business    activity    and    (luietlv 


enjoying  the  income  he  accumulated  in 
former  years.  He  has  many  interesting 
reminiscences  of  early  days  in  this  county 
antl  well  remend)ers  when  Decatur  was  a 
mere  village  and  the  surrounding  country 
mostly  wild  and  uninii>royed. 

Mr.  Mettlen  was  born  in  Juniata  county, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  5th  of  December,  1830, 
his  parents  being  Robert  and  h'lizabetli 
(Custer)  Mettlen,  wdio  were  also  natives 
of  J'ennsylvania  and  of  Scotch  and  German 
descent,  respectively.  Leaving  their  old 
home  in  the  east  the  family  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1840  in  company  with  the  Dailey 
family,  consisting  of  two  grown  people  and 
nine  children.  As  a  bare-foot  boy  our 
subject  walked  the  greater  part  of  the  way, 
as  did  all  the  others  who  were  able  to  do 
so,  the  remainder  of  the  part\-  making  the 
journey  in  a  prairie  schooner.  Their  route 
lav  through  (  )hio,  Indiana  and  the  Rlack 
Swamp,  and  they  were  five  weeks  n])on  the 
road.  On  arrixing  in  Macon  county  they 
spent  the  first  winter  in  Decatur  and  then 
reiuoved  to  a  farm  northwest  of  the  city. 
In  the  fall  of  1 841  the  Mettlen  family  lo- 
cated on  North  Water  street,  where  Milton 
john.son  now  lives,  the  site  of  his  residence 
l)eing  then  a  cornfield.  They  resided  there 
until  the  spring  of  1844,  when  he  removed 
to  Stephen's  creek,  northwest  of  the  city, 
on  l;ind  later  owned  by  Orlando  Powers, 
and  upon  that  place  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject (lied  till-  following  fall.  Only  fifteen 
acres  of  land  had  been  broken  at  that  time, 
the  remainder  being  wild  prairie  covered 
with  brush.  Mrs.  Mettlen  survived  her  hus- 
band about  ten  years,  dying  on  the  20th 
of  .August,  1854,  and  two  days  after  her 
death  her  daughter  Martha  also  passed 
away.  There  were  six  children  in  the  fa:n- 
ilv,  namely:  .Samuel  Jordan,  now  decease;!; 
.\lexander  T.,  our  subject:  Joseph  C,  a  res- 
ident oi  Dillon,  .Montana  :  David  K.,  a  |)rom- 
inent  citizen  of  that  ])lace ;  Martha,  de- 
ceased ;    and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 


466 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  Ol'   MACON  COUNTY. 


Our  subject's  early  education  was  ac- 
quired in  a  primitive  log  school  house  with 
greased  paper  windows,  a  fireplace  with  a 
mud  and  stick  chimney  and  slab  benches. 
He  was  only  able  to  attend  school  about 
three  months  during  the  winter  season,  as 
during  the  remainder  of  the  time  he  had 
to  work  on  the  farm.  He  has  broken  many 
an  acre  of  prairie  in  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship and  the  first  plow  which  he  used  had 
a  wooden  mold-board  made  by  his  father. 
He  has  cultivated  corn  with  a  single  shovel 
plow  and  has  cut  grain  with  a  sickle  and 
later  with  a  cradle.  During  those  early 
days  the  women  of  the  family  used  to  drop 
most  of  the  corn  and  cover  it  with  a  hoe. 
They  also  spun  and  wove  most  of  the 
cloth  to  be  converted  into  clothing  for  the 
family.  During  the  boyhood  of  our  subject 
all  the  candles  used  in  the  Mettlen  house- 
hold were  made  by  dipping  but  after  the 
death  of  the  mother  a  mold  was  bought 
for  that  purpose.  When  they  came  to  this 
county  deer,  wild  turkey  and  all  kinds  of 
game  were  plentiful  and  furnished  most  of 
the  meat  for  the  early  settlers. 

Mr.  Mettlen  of  this  review  remained  at 
home  with  his  mother  until  his  marriage, 
which  was  celebrated  on  the  ist  of  January, 
1852,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Malinda  Jane  Hanks,  who  was  born  near 
the  Boiling  Springs  church  in  this  county 
in  January,  1831,  and  was  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Susan  Hanks,  the  former  a  second 
cousin  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  Five  children 
blessed  this  union,  namely  :  John,  now  de- 
ceased;  Martha,  who  married  Frank  Bear 
and  had  two  children,  both  now  deceased; 
Sarah,  wife  of  Frank  Beal ;  Emma,  wife  of 
Marion  Moore,  of  Jasper  county,  Illinois ; 
and  Jane,  deceased.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  in  August,  1874,  and  was 
buried   in   the   Boiling  Springs  cemetery. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1887,  Mr.  Mettlen 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with    Mrs.    Sarah    A.    M.    Kilpatrick,    nee 


Kerr,  who  was  born  near  Chambersburg, 
Pennsylvania,  November  25,  1840.  By  her 
former  marriage  she  has  one  son,  Edgar 
Kilpatrick,  who  is  married  and  has  one  son ; 
and  one  daughter,  Florence  Slayback,  who 
has  six  children.  Mr.  Mettlen  has  sixteen 
grandchildren,  four  great-grandchildren  and 
seven    step-grandchildren. 

After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Mettlen  lo- 
cated on  section  30,  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship, where  he  owned  eighty  acres  of  land, 
on  a  part  of  which  the  village  of  Bears- 
dale  now  stands.  He  made  his  home  there 
from  1852  until  1861  and  then  removed  to 
section  34,  the  same  township,  which  farm 
at  that  time  was  only  partially  improved. 
He  cleared  the  remainder  of  the  tract,  tiled 
the  land  and  erected  good  substantial  build- 
ings. To  the  cultivation  of  his  farm  he 
devoted  his  time  and  energies  for  many 
years  but  is  now  living  a  retired  life,  en- 
joying a  well  earned  rest. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Franklin  Pierce  Mr.  Mettlen  has  sup- 
ported the  Democratic  party,  and  has  taken 
quite  an  active  and  influential  part  in  pub- 
lic aftairs.  On  the  organization  of  Hickory 
Point  township  he  was  elected  the  first 
highway  commissioner  and  most  capably 
filled  that  office  for  the  long  period  of  thirty 
years.  He  has  also  served  as  school  direc- 
tor many  years  and  is  now  school  treas- 
urer of  his  township.  During  his  boyhood 
he  many  times  attended  religious  services 
held  in  the  barn  of  Joseph  Rife,  Sr.,  this 
being  before  the  church  was  built  at  Boil- 
ing Springs.  He  has  seen  almost  the  entire 
development  of  Macon  county  and  his  name 
is  inseparably  connected  with  its  upbuild- 
ing and  progress  for  he  has  ever  borne  an 
important  part  in  the  work  of  improvement. 
His  first  wife  spun  the  wool  which  Grand- 
ma Flornback  converted  into  blankets  that 
won  the  premium  at  the  State  Fair  in  1869 
and  which  were  presented  to  Mrs.  Mettlen 
as  a  souvenir.     Among  the   most   valuable 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


467 


relics  belonging  to  our  subject  is  a  solid 
silver  medal  presented  to  his  uncle,  Alex- 
ander Mettlen,  September  lo,  1813,  for 
bravery  displayed  in  the  fight  on  Lake  Erie 
in  the  war  of  1812.  In  size  it  is  large  as 
two  silver  dollars  and  weighs  as  much  as 
four  dollars. 


SAMUEL  RITCHIE. 
Samuel  Ritchie,  publisher  of  "The  Big 
3,"  the  Warrensburg  Times,  Forsyth  World 
and  Oreana  Herald,  was  born  in  Franklin 
county,  Pennsylvania,  December  23,  1840. 
He  was  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Susan  (Hin- 
zie)  Ritchie.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  of 
Scotch-Irish  stock,  and  his  mother  was  a 
German.  They  were  the  parents  of  twelve 
children,  six  sons  and  six  daughters,  though 
one  of  the  latter  died  in  infancy.  With  the 
other  eleven  children  they  moved  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  in  the  spring  of  1856.  They 
came  all  the  way  in  one  two-horse  wagon, 
carrying  cooking  utensils  and  bedding  with 
them,  stoppings  nights  at  "moving  houses" 
along  the  turnpike  roads  and  arriving  in 
Decatur  June  ",  1856.  The  first  summer 
they  lived  in  a  little  house  owned  by  Jacob 
Bear,  near  what  is  now  Bearsdalc.  They 
bought  some  prairie  land  a  few  miles  north 
and  put  up  a  substantial  house,  which  after 
the  lapse  of  nearly  fifty  years,  still  stands, 
in  fairly  good  condition,  though  now  un- 
occupied. It  is  called  tlie  "Old  Ritchie 
home."  Samuel  Ritchie,  Sr.,  with  his  boys, 
at  once  commenced  to  improve  the  land, 
and  for  two  successive  years  Samuel 
Ritchie,  Jr.,  then  a  youth  of  sixteen  years, 
broke  raw  prairie  land  with  four  yoke  of 
oxen.  Several  j-ears  later  in  connection 
with  his  brother  William,  he  bought  a  tract 
of  land  a  few  miles  farther  west  and  they 
engaged  in  farming  for  themselves.  Still 
later  Samuel  engaged  in  grain  buying  at 
Forsyth,  AVyckles  and  later  in  Warrens- 
burg.     He    also    bought    and    shipped    live 


stock  from  1868  to  the  present  date,  and  is 
still  engaged  in  that  business.  In  the  fall 
of  1869  he  was  married  to  Miss  Clara  M. 
Dudley,  of  Sangamon  county.  For  five 
years  they  resided  on  their  farm,  and  then 
moved  to  Warrensburg,  which  was  then  a 
new  town. 

In  January,  1885,  Mr.  Ritchie  commenced 
the  ])ublicalion  of  the  Warrensburg  Times, 
which  he  has  successfully  managed,  with 
the  assistance  of  his  wife,  up  to  the  present 
time. 

Mr.  Ritchie  for  many  years  has  been  a 
zealous  member  of  the  Church  of  God.  He 
and  his  wife  assisted  in  organizing  the 
church  at  Warrensburg  in  1875,  and  are 
charter  members  of  the  same.  He  is 
much  interested  in  educational  work, 
and  is  a  trustee  of  Findlay  College,  Ohio, 
which  position  he  has  held  for  six  years. 
In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  "deep- 
dyed,"  as  was  his  father  before  him,  and 
his  five  brothers  are  also  Democrats. 

Mr.  Ritchie  has  quite  a  legal  turn  of  mind, 
and  although  he  never  read  law  at  school, 
nor  associated  with  any  lawyer,  only  in  a 
general  way,  yet  he  has  given  the  study  of 
law  some  attention,  so  that  his  advice  and 
his  services  are  constantly  being  sought,  and 
his  judgment  and  decisions  on  legal  cases 
are  respected  and  usually  found  to  be  cor- 
rect. He  has  filled  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace  several  years,  and  has  also  served 
as  village  attorney  in  W'arrensburg  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  is  now  serving  his  third 
term  as  notary  public.  If  he  had  given  his 
early  time  and  attention  exclusively  to  the 
study  of  law  he  would  doubtless  have  made 
an  eminent  attorney. 

Samuel  Ritchie  and  wife  have  seen  the 
building  and  growth  of  the  village  of  War- 
rensburg, also  the  building  of  what  is  now 
the  Peoria  division  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  which  was  commenced  in  the  fall 
of  1871,  and  which  cut  off  a  corner  of  their 
farm  on  the  southwest.     As  soon  as  the  vil- 


468 


TAST  AXn  PRESENT  OE  >[ACOX  COUXTY. 


lage  was  laid  out  in  lots  .Mr.  Ritchie  bought 
a  strip  of  land  west  of  his  farm  and  next  to 
the  town  plat  and  had  it  laid  off  in  lots, 
which  is  now  known  as  "Ritchie's  addition 
to  Warrensburg."  For  twenty-six  j-ears 
Mr.  Ritchie  and  wife  lived  in  East  Warrens- 
burg, ]int  two  years  ago  they  purchased  a 
piece  of  ground  of  seventeen  acres  in  the 
west  end,  which  is  a  sort  of  suburban  resi- 
dence, where  they  have  a  commodious 
house  and  pleasant  grounds,  so  this  will 
probably  be  their  permanent  home,  unless 
they  shcTuld  decide  to  leave  Warrensbtirg. 
They  have  no  children  of  their  own,  but 
have  reared  and  educated  a  niece  of  JMrs. 
Ritchie's,  wdiose  mother  died  when  she  was 
but  three  years  old.  She  has  a  fine  musical 
education,  being  a  graduate  of  the  mtisical 
department  of  Findlay  College,  Ohio.  She 
is  now  the  wife  of  R.  Herrod,  a  hardware 
merchant,  and  resides  in  Warrensburg. 

In  a  newspaper  way  Samuel  Ritchie  and 
wife  are  known  as  the  "Times  Pair,"  and 
have  traveled  extensively  through  the  Unit- 
ed States,  from  the  lakes  on  the  north 
to  the  gulf  on  the  south,  and  from  the  At- 
lantic to  the  Pacific,  visiting  nearly  every 
state  in  the  Union  and  most  of  the 
large  cities  and  places  of  interest,  thus  ac- 
quiring much  valuable  information  in  regard 
to  our  own  country,  and  for  the  benefit  of 
the  patrons  of  their  paper. 

The  Warrensburg  Times  is  one  of  the 
oldest  papers  in  ]\Iacon  county,  and  has  a 
large   and    increasing   circulation. 

This  paper  was  tounded  in  January,  1885, 
and  from  a  little- two  by  four  sheet  with  a 
ready  print  inside,  and  outside  printed  in 
Mt.  Pulaski,  it  has  grown  to  its  present 
vast  proportions — four  pages,  eight  columns 
wide  and  all  Warrensburg  print.  The  Eor- 
syth  World  and  Oreana  Hcr?.ld  are  also 
printed  at  this  office. 

S.  Ritchie,  publisher,  and  Mrs.  C.  M. 
Ritchie  editor,  constitute  the  "Times  Pair," 
and  stand  at  the  head  of  this  great  enter- 


prise. -Miss  .\ettie  S.  Lindsay  is  the  compe- 
tent lady  foreman  at  the  ofificc,  which  has  a 
strong  force  and  a  large  amount  of  work 
is  turned  out  from  this  printing  office  every 
week. 

This  office  has  a  splendid  \'aughn's  Ideal 
newspaper  printing  press,  a  fine  Gordon 
job  press  and  an  immense  amount  of  type 
and  other  printing  material.  The  office  was 
enlarged  two  years  ago  last  spring  to  ac- 
commodate the  rapidly  increasing  business. 
In  fact  the  Warrensburg  Times  is  well 
known — not  only  in  Warrensburg  and  Ma- 
con county,  but  all  over  the  United  States, 
and  even  to  the  Philippines  and  far  distant 
China. 


]MRS.  C.  M.  RITCHIE. 
:Mrs.  Clara  M.  (Dudley)  Ritchie,  editor 
of  the  \\"arrensburg  Times,  was  born  at 
Mendon,  Adams  county,  Illinois,  not  far 
from  Ouincy,  August  2"/,  1847,  and  has  al- 
ways lived  in  this  state.  She  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Timothy  and  Monimia  (Benton)  Dud- 
lev,  who  were  of  English  descent,  of  old 
Puritan  stock,  and  both  were  born  in  New 
Haven  county,  Connecticut,  in  1808,  and 
moved  to  Illinois  in  iS^fi,  and  settled  near 
the  town  of  Mendon.  Mrs.  Ritchie  remem- 
bers interesting  stories  of  the  early  settlers 
of  that  part  of  the  state,  as  told  by  her 
parents,  and  particularly  of  the  Mormons, 
as  they  were  thickly  settled  about  Nauvoo, 
which  was  not  far  from  her  old  home. 
Her  parents  were  both  of  a  literary  turn  of 
mind,  and  both  weie  school  teachers  in  their 
younger  days.  Mrs.  Ritchie  was  the  young- 
est in  a  family  of  four  children,  composed  of 
one  boy  and  three  girls.  \\'hen  she  was  but 
five  years  old  her  parents  moved  to  Jack- 
sonville, in  order  to  educate  their  children. 
I'^jr  nine  years  Mr.  Dudley  was  a  traveling 
agent  for  the  American  Bible  Society  and 
canvassed  Morgan,  Macoupin,  Scott  and 
Bond    counties.     .-Mthough    but    a  little  girl 


PAST  AND  rKliSE.NT  Ul'  MACUX  LULXTY. 


469 


at  that  time  she  would  fre(iuently  accom- 
pany her  father  on  his  tri]is  anil  calls  them 
her  early  "missionary  tours."  llcr  Ijrother 
died  of  quick  consumption,  after  one  year 
in  Illinois  College,  and  one  sister  gradu- 
ated from  the  Presbyterian  Academy  of 
Jacksonville.  Mrs.  Ritchie  received  her  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  schools  of  Jackson- 
ville and  commenced  teaching  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years.  During  the  Ci\il  war  her 
parents  moved  to  W'averly,  and  later  to 
Loami,  not  far  from  S])ringfield.  .'>he  was 
married  at  Loami  September  26,  1869,  to 
Samuel  Ritchie,  of  Macon  county,  who 
owned  a  large  farm  twelve  miles  northwest 
of  Decatur,  to  which  place  she  moved  with 
her  husband,  and  continued  teaching  school 
for  a  number  of  years  after  her  marriage. 
She  followed  the  occupation  of  teaching 
almost  continuously  for  fifteen  }'ears.  From 
1876  to  1879  she  taught  in  the  school  at 
W'arrensburg,  which  was  then  a  new  town. 

.Mrs.  Ritchie  has  always  been  greatly  in- 
terested in  church.  Sunday-school,  mission- 
ary and  temperance  wurk,  and  has  always 
been  actively  engaged  in  these  lines  of  work. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Good  Templars  for  many  years,  also 
of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union,  and  is  still  a  member  of  that  organ- 
ization :  has  been  a  teacher  in  the  .Sunday- 
school  for  thirty  years  and  was  superin- 
tendent for  ten  years ;  was  always  much  in- 
terested in  work  among  the  children,  and 
conducted  a  "P.usy  Bee  Mission  Band"  in 
^\'arrensburg  for  twelve  years.  She  was 
always  possessed  of  a  missionary  spirit, 
and  is  now  secretary  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors of  the  Women's  General  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  Church  of  God,  which  organi- 
zation she  has  been  connected  with  ever 
since  her  marriage.  Although  reared  a 
Congregationalist,  and  for  several  years  a 
member  of  that  church,  she  bclie\es  thor- 
oughly in  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  of 
God.     She   was  always   musically   inclined. 


and  learned  to  read  music  at  the  age  of 
eight  years,  and  has  been  chorister  and 
organist  of  the  Warrensburg  church  of  tiod 
for  twenty-eight  years. 

In  regard  to  Mrs.  Ritchie's  ex])erience 
in  the  newspaper  work,  we  quote  her  own 
wiirds  : 

My  experience  in  newspaper  work  covers 
a  period  of  nearly  nineteen  years,  and  I 
have  laid  the  flattering  unction  to  my  soul- 
that  if  I  had  started  in  newspaper  work 
when  I  was  in  the  "bloom  of  youth"  I  might 
possibly  have  accomplished  something  in 
this  direction ;  as  it  is,  I  have  simply  a 
smattering  of  what  a  woman  can  do  with  a 
"country  newspaper." 

When  I  was  a  girl — O  blissful  period  of 
the  long-ago  past — I  don't  remember  of 
haxing  any  particular  ambition  to  become 
an  editor  or  to  be  connected  in  any  way 
with  a  newspaper.  1  rather  regarded  edi- 
tors and  |)ublishers  as  superior  beings,  of  a 
higher  order  of  intelligence,  and  even  good- 
ness, than  other  people ;  in  fact,  onh-  a  very 
little  lower  than  the  angels  of  Heaven ! 
lUit  having  mingled  with  them  for  nearly 
twenty  years,  and  getting  a  closer  insight 
into  their  characters  and  dispositions,  their 
motives  and  aims,  I  find  them  to  be  made 
out  of  just  common  clay,  after  all! 

When  I  was  eighteen  years  old  I  became 
a  schoi)l  teacher,  and  like  many  young  girl 
teachers,  who  fancy  they  are  doing  some- 
thing wonderful  w'hen  they  begin  to  teach 
"the  young  idea  how  to  shoot, '  I  kept  what 
we  called  a  "journal"  of  my  every-day  work 
and  at  stated  periods  sent  this  journal  to  an 
absent  sister,  also  a  teacher,  that  she  might 
be  apprised  of  the  remarkable  (?)  work  that 
I  was  doing!  Years  after,  at  the  death  of 
this  sister,  my  letters  to  her,  including  these 
journals,  were  returned  to  me.  On  look- 
ing them  over  I  found  they  were  gotten  up 
in  regulation  newspaper  style!  The  girlish 
journal  was  issued  monthly,  and  was  digni- 
fied by  the  name  of  "(iazette!"     It  was  \'ol. 


470 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


I,  and  each  month  was  numbered.  It  was 
devoted  to  "Art,  Science  and  the  Current 
News  of  the  Day;"  though  where  the  "Art 
and  Science"  came  in  it  would  be  difficult 
to  tell!  My  "Gazette"  had  the  very  pert 
motto — "Independence  in  Thought,  Word 
and  Deed."  I  had  dubbed  myself  "Edi- 
tress," and  in  the  editorials  made  profuse 
apologies  to  my  patrons  for  all  mistakes_, 
the  poor  print,  scarcity  of  news,  etc.,  etc., 
just  as  amateur  editors  do  nowadays.  I 
recall  this  simply  to  show  that  after  all  I 
must  have  had  some  unrecognized  aspira- 
tions for  newspaper  work. 

One  day  in  early  January,  1885,  Mr. 
Ritchie  suddenly  announced  that  he  was 
going  to  engage  in  the  newspaper  business ! 
I  meekly  inquired:  "How?"  He  replied  by 
saying  that  he  expected  me  to  write  pieces, 
the  news  and  so  on,  but  that  he  would  be 
the  editor,  publisher,  business  manager  and 
general  boss!  The  very  idea!  Now  wasn't 
that  cheeky?  But  who  ever  saw  a  news- 
paper man  that  didn't  have  an  abundance 
of  cheek?  And  that's  all  right,  for  who 
could  run  a  newspaper  without  it  ?  And 
with  this  understanding,  our  work  began, 
and  the  Warrensburg  Times  was  established 
and  my  actual  "newspaper  experience"  com- 
menced. 

For  several  years  we  used  ready  print 
inside,  and  the  mechanical  work  was  done 
first  in  Mt.  Pulaski,  and  then  in  Decatur. 
As  the  years  rolled  on  and  I  did  much  of 
the  writing,  my  liege  lord  permitted  me  to 
share  the  honors  of  editorship  and  gra- 
ciously granted  mc  the  position  of  associate 
editor. 

In  the  spring  of  1894  we  established  our 
our  own  printing  office  in  Warrensburg, 
and  then  the  hard  work  began.  In  the 
meantime  I  had  learned  to  set  type,  and 
picked  u])  a  deal  of  information  about  the 
printing  offices  where  we  had  our  papers 
printed.     We  hired  a  boy,  to  work  in  the 


office  and  run  the  press,  and  to  learn  all 
about  printing  from  me,  who  knew  so  little, 
Mr.  Ritchie  continued  to  do  the  outside 
work,  solicit  "ads,"  furnish  printing  mater- 
ials for  the  office,  write  telling  articles  for 
the  paper,  buy  and  ship  stock,  and  very 
obligingly  take  all  the  lickin's  when  some- 
thing appeared  in  the  paper  which  didn't 
suit  somebody.  I  have  usually  been  accred- 
ited with  writing  all  the  "  goody-goody" 
articles,  such  as  funeral  notices,  obituaries,, 
etc.,  (when  we  send  people  to  '  Heaven  on 
flowery  beds  of  ease,')  resolutions  of  re- 
spect, cards  of  thanks,  weddings,  where  the 
bride  looked  sweet  and  lovely,  revival  meet- 
ings, etc.,  while  Mr.  Ritchie  has  been 
blamed  for  the  sharp  articles  and  the  shak- 
ings up  that  the  people  get  for  their  mis- 
demeanors, when  in  fact,  many  of  the  latter 
I  have  written,  as  I  rather  enjoy  writing 
articles  of  that  character. 

A  few  years  later  Mr.  Ritchie  promoted 
me  to  the  chair  of  editor-in-chief,  while  he 
continued  as  publisher  and  business  man- 
ager. For  the  last  five  years  we  have  our 
papers  all  home  print,  and  it  takes  hustling 
to  get  it  up  and  have  the  matter  all  fresh  and 
bright. 

As  editor  of  the  paper  I  enjoy  the  work 
amazingly  well,  with  the  publisher  as  a 
strong  bulwark  upon  which  to  lean.  If 
anything  goes  wrong  at  the  office  and  the 
devil  gets  saucy  and  talks  of  putting 
me  out,  I  simply  have  to  call  up  the  pub- 
lisher, and  the  devil  is  settled  at  once.  If 
a  form  gets  "  pied  "  as  once  happened  last 
winter,  he  calmly  steps  in  and  chaos  soon, 
becomes  order. 

My  time  is  not  all  spent  at  the  printing" 
office,  as  much  of  my  editorial  work  is  done 
at  home,  but  the  telephone  does  good  ser- 
vice, and  with  its  aid  I  am  always  in  close 
touch  with  the  office  force  and  know  how 
business  is  moving  on  there. 

And  so  this  work  is  pleasant  in  a  great 


PAST  A.\D  I'KESILXT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


471 


many  respects,  and  after  nearly  twenty 
years  of  experience  I  have  never  regretted 
entering  the  journalistic  field. 


JOllX  J.  EATCHELDKR. 
John  J.  Batchclder,  deceased,  through  the 
years  of  his  identification  with  Macon  coun- 
ty, enjoyed  the  highest  respect  of  his  fellow 
citizens  by  reason  of  his  strict  integrity  and 
many  sterling  qualities  of  mind  and  heart. 
His  early  home  was  in  New  England,  for 
he  was  born  at  Pittsfield,  New  Hampshire, 
June   16,    1824,   his   parents   being  Colonel 
Nathaniel   and  Abigail    (Jenness)    Batchcl- 
der.    Mis  father  died  on  the  3d  of  Decem- 
ber,  1858,   in   consequence   of   injuries   sus- 
tained while  felling  a  tree.     By  occupation 
he  was  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser,  making  a 
specialty  of  the  breeding  of  Morgan  horses. 
J.  J.  Batchelder  was  tlie  second  in  order 
of  birth  in  a  family  of  five  children,  and  was 
educated   in   the   high   schools  of    Pittsfield 
and  Gilmanton,  New  Hampshire.     On  leav- 
ing school  in   1846  he  took  up  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  which  he  followed  at  Holyoke, 
Massachusetts,   until    1849,   and   then    went 
south,  spending  some  time  in  Georgia,  Ala- 
bama. Mississippi  and  Tennessee,  where  he 
was  employed  as  a  bridge  builder.     Return- 
ing north  in   1857  he  settled  in  Harristown 
township,  Macon  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
lived   until    1864,   when   thinking   he  would 
meet  with  better  success  elsewhere,  he  sold 
his    farm    and   removed   to   Illini   township. 
Here    he   purchased    land    and    successfully 
engaged    in   agricultural    pursuits   until    his 
death,  which  occurred  August  23,  1898.    He 
formed  what  was  known  as  the  Yankee  set- 
tlement and   was   regarded   as  one  of  the 
leading    and    valued    citizens    of  his   com- 
munity. Success  attended  his  efforts  toward 
acquiring  a  home  and  competence  and  he 
became    the    owner    of    four    hundred    and 
eighty  acres  of  rich  and  arable  land  in  Illini 
township. 


Mr.    Batchelder    was    twice    married,    his 
first    union    being    with    Miss    Malinda    .'V. 
C;reen,.by  whom  he  had  one  child,  Howard 
M.,   a   resident  of  Omaha,  Nebraska,   who 
married  Annis  R.  Childs  and  is  government 
meat    inspector    at    that    place.       For    his 
second  wife  our  subject  wedded  Miss  Mary 
Thompson  Thorndike,  who  is  the  fifth  in  a 
family  of  seven  children,  her  parents  being 
John    Larkin   and    .Maria    (Joy)    Thorndike. 
Her    father    was    born    in    Concord,    New 
Hampshire,  April  23.  1796,  and  died  January 
•23.    1884;    while    her    mother    was   born    in 
Durham,   New   Hampshire,   April  25,   1804, 
and  died  September  20,  1845.     Mrs.  Batch- 
elder  began  her  education  in  South  Berwick, 
Afaine,    and    later    attended     the     Bowdoin 
street  school  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and 
also  the  Boston   Normal  School  on   Mason 
street,    that   city.      While    there    she    made 
her  home  with  an  aunt,  Mrs.  Pearce.     By 
her  marriage  to  our  subject  she  became  the 
mother    of    three    children:      Mary    Pearce, 
wife  of  Charles  H.  Cowen,  who  is  engaged 
in   the    real   estate   and   insurance    business 
in   Warrensburg,   Illinois;   Bessie   Ingleton, 
wife    of   Joseph    T.    Tucker,    a    farmer    and 
stock-raiser;  and  Georgiana,  who  lives  with 
her  mother  in  Warrensburg,  to  which  place 
they   removed   in    1899,    shortly    after    the 
death  of  our  subject. 

As  a  Republican,  ^\r.  Batchelder  took 
quite  an  active  and  prominent  part  in  local 
politics  and  was  called  upon  to  serve  as 
supervisor  of  his  township  for  a  number  of 
terms  and  as  townshij)  treasurer  for  thirty 
years.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Il- 
lini Congregational  church  and  was  a  man 
highly  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who 
knew  him.  In  his  business  dealings  he  was 
ever  prompt,  reliable  and  entirely  trust- 
worthy, and  although  he  gained  a  greater 
degree  of  success  than  came  to  many  of  his 
fellow  citizens  it  was  because  he  was  very 
energetic,  perservering  and  capable  in  man- 
aging his  business  affairs.     In  his  death  the 


472 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


community  lost  one  of  its  best  citizens,  his 
neighbors  a  faithful  friend  and  his  family  a 
considerate  husband  and  father.  Since  the 
age  of  seventeen  years  Mrs.  Batchelder  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church  and  Iier  earnest  Christian  life  has 
endeared  her  to  all  with  whom  she  has  come 
in  contact. 


SAMUEL  K.  SMITH. 

-Macon  county's  development  had  not 
been  carried  on  through  many  years  nor  had 
it  reached  an  advanced  stage  of  progres- 
sion when  Samuel  K.  Smith  established  his 
home  in  this  county  and  became  actively 
identified  with  the  business  interests  and 
with  the  improvement  of  this  portion  of  the 
state.  It  was  in  the  year  1852  that  he  lo- 
cated here.  He  was  born  in  Caldwell  coun- 
ty, Kentucky,  in  February,  1824,  and  was 
a  son  of  William  and  Rebecca  (Maxwell) 
Smith,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  The 
father  died  when  our  subject  was  only  a 
boy.  His  education  was  acquired  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  state  and  he 
remained  a  resident  of  Kentucky  until  about 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  when  he  deter- 
mined to  seek  a  home  in  Illinois,  believing 
that  in  this  new  but  rapidly  developing  dis- 
trict he  would  have  good  business  privi- 
leges. Accordingly  removing  to  Macon 
county,  he  settled  upon  a  farm  in  ]\Iount 
Zion  township.  Here  he  purchased  a  good 
tract  of  land  and  with  characteristic  energy 
began  its  development  and  cultivation.  He 
continued  to  carry  on  general  farming 
throughout  his  remaining  days  and  in  his 
business  affairs  he  prospered.  He  di\ided 
his  place  into  fields  of  convenient  size  by 
well  kept  fences,  plowed  and  ]3lanted  his 
land  and  because  of  the  practical  methods 
which  he  ever  followed  was  enabled  to 
gather  rich  harvests  as  a  reward  for  his 
labors. 

Mr.   Smith    was   twice  married.      He   first 


wedded  Miss  Eliza  Miller,  who  died  in 
Mount  Zion.  She  was  to  him  a  faithful  com- 
panion and  helpmate  on  life's  journey  for 
many  years  and  she  bore  him  seven  chil- 
dren :  Sarah,  who  is  now  the  deceased  wife 
of  the  Rev.  R.  G.  Cardinal;  Mary,  the  wife 
of  A.  R.  Scott,  of  Bethany,  Illinois;  Eliza, 
the  wife  of  Dr.  McMillan,  a  practicing  phy- 
sician of  Bethany ;  Josephine,  who  is  the 
wife  of  j.  T.  McGaughey,  of  Mount  Zion; 
Laura,  the  wife  of  Thomas  L.  Boone,  a 
grain  dealer  of  Bethany ;  Maggie,  the  wife 
of  I'"red  Williams,  a  resident  of  Texas;  and 
.Samuel  D.,  who  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
in  Mount  Zion.  After  the  death  of  his  first 
wife  Mr.  Smith  was  again  married,  his  sec- 
ond union  being  with  Miss  Cynthia  A.  Pow- 
ell, of  Cass  county,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of 
Hugh  R.  and  Susan  (Price)  Powell,  who 
were  early  settlers  of  Cass  county,  where 
the  father  carried  on  general  farming  until 
his  death. 

Mr.  Smith  was  never  an  office  seeker  and 
yet  his  fellow  townsmen,  recognizing  his 
worth  and  ability,  several  times  called  upon 
him  to  serve  in  local  offices,  wherein  he  dis- 
charged his  duties  with  promptness  and 
fidelity.  He  voted  with  the  Republican 
party  in  early  life  and  afterward  became  a 
stanch  Prohibitionist,  because  of  his  deep 
sympathy  with  the  cause  of  temperance  and 
his  earnest  desire  that  the  sale  of  intoxicants 
shall  be  suppressed.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian church  and  for  several  years  he  served 
as  one  of  the  elders  of  the  church  and  took 
a  very  helpful  part  in  its  work,  contrib- 
uting generously  to  its  support  and  doing 
everything  in  his  pow'er  for  its  improve- 
ment and  upbuilding.  He  died  in  the  Chris- 
tian faith  August  16,  1896,  after  having  been 
a  resilient  of  the  county  for  forty-four  years. 
During  that  time  he  had  become  very  wide- 
Iv  known.  He  w'as  a  faithful  friend,  a  good 
neighbor,  a  devoted  and  loving  husband,  a 
consistent  Christian  gentleman,  his  loss  was 


PAST    WT)  T'RFSFVT  OV  M ACOX  mrXTV 


47. 


felt  throughout  the  entire  communiiv.  Al- 
ter her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Smith  removed 
to  Decatur  and  purchased  her  present  home 
at  No.  717  West  Xonh  street,  making  many 
improvements  here.  She  also  owns  a  farm 
at  Bethany,  this  county,  and  thus  her  prop- 
erty interests  return  to  her  a  good  income, 
supplying  her  with  all  of  the  comforts  and 
manv  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


LIEUT.  COL.  AXSEL  TLPPER. 

When  the  tocsin  of  war  sounded  and  the 
dark  cloud  of  destiny  gathered  over  the 
country,  bringing  in  its  wake  destruction 
and  death,  a  strong  feeling  was  aroused 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
•  land.  The  south  remained  in  opposition  to 
the  supremacy  of  the  national  government 
at  W'ashingtijn  and  the  north  donned  the 
blue  uniform  in  defense  of  the  L'nion.  There 
is  in  all  modern  times  no  account  of  such 
desperate  warfare  as  was  then  waged  and 
in  many  a  home  there  came  gloom  and  sad- 
ness because  of  the  destruction  of  life  which 
took  place  upon  the  southern  battlefields. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Tupper  was  one  whose 
life  was  given  on  the  altar  of  his  country. 
His  memory  is  enshrined  in  the  hearts  not 
only  of  all  those  who  knew  him,  but  also  of 
his  fellow  countrymen  who  love  their  native 
land  and  have  gratitude  for  its  preservers. 
Certainly  he  deserves  mention  in  the  his- 
tory of  Macon  county,  where  he  was  li\ing 
at  the  time  he  joined  the  army  and  where 
he  had  become  known  as  a  respected, 
worthy  and   upright  citizen. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Tupper  was  born  in 
St.  Lawrence  county,  Xew  York,  June  5, 
1832.  a  son  of  Harvey  and  Johanna  (Willis) 
Tu|j]>er.  His  parents,  likewise  natives  of 
the  Empire  state,  resided  there  until  1833, 
in  which  year  they  became  residents  of 
.\kron.  (Jhio.  but  subsequently  they  estab- 
lished   their    home    in    Sheboygan    county. 


\\  iscunsm.  where  the  lather  carried  on 
farming.  He  died  in  that  place,  but  the 
mother  afterward  went  to  Missouri,  where 
her  last  days  were  spent. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Tupper  was  but  a 
small  lad  when  his  parents  went  to  Ohio 
and  was  a  youth  of  fourteen  when  they  ar- 
rived in  Wisconsin,  where  he  acquired  the 
greater  part  of  his  education.  He  studied 
law  with  Hon.  X.  W.  Tupper,  his  brother, 
in  the  counties  of  Sheboygan  and  Washing- 
ton. Wisconsin,  and  in  June.  1854.  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar.  after  which  he  began  prac- 
tice in  the  village  of  Hartford,  where  he 
soon  won  recognition  as  a  young  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability  and  prominence. 

He  was  married  in  Hartford.  Wisconsin. 
December  16,  1855,  to  Miss  Mary  Wiley,  a 
native  of  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  and  a 
daughter  of  William  and  Mary  Wiley. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Pittsburg.  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  her  mother  in  Youngstown.  Ohio. 
When  twenty  years  of  age  he  removed  to 
<^)hio.  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  a 
time,  but  later  turned  his  attention  to  the 
real  estate  business,  buying  and  selling 
much  land  in  that  locality.  There  he  re- 
sided until  1847,  when  he  removed  to  Har- 
rison, Washington  county.  Wisconsin, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  and  also 
in  real  estate  dealing.  There  he  died  in 
1852  and  his  wife,  who  long  survived  him, 
passed  away  in  Harrison  in  1888.  Mr:  and 
-Mrs.  Tupper  became  the  parents  of  two 
children:  Leonidas  H.,  born  January  15, 
1837.  became  a  student  in  Cornell  Univer- 
sity at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  and  pur- 
sued his  studies  there  for  five  years.  He 
then  went  to  Xew  York  city  and  became 
one  of  the  editors  at  different  times  of  the 
Xew  York  World,  Xew  York  Journal  and 
.Xew  ^'ork  Sun,  being  a  prominent  factor  in 
journalistic  circles  in  that  city  for  a  long 
period.  Because  of  ill  health,  however,  he 
left  the  .Atlantic  coast  and  spent  a  few  years 
in   I-ouisiana.     He  then  relumed  to  Brook- 


476 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


lyn,  New  York,  and  for  one  year  was  con- 
nected with  the  Brooklyn  Standard  Union, 
after  which  he  devoted  his  attention  to  Hter- 
ary  work,  writing  for  magazines  for  a  few 
years.  He  had  many  friends  in  New  Y'ork 
city  and  Brooklyn  and,  in  fact,  in  every 
locality  in  which  he  was  known,  and  he  was 
very  prominent  in  social  circles  and  also 
active  in  philanthropic  and  benevolent  work, 
the  poor  and  needy  finding  in  him  a  valued 
friend.  Becoming  ill  he  was  taken  to  one  of 
the  hospitals  of  New  York  city,  where  he 
remained  for  a  few  days  and  was  then  taken 
by  his  mother  to  his  sister's  home  in  She- 
boygan Falls.  Wisconsin,  where  his  last 
days  were  spent,  his  death  there  occurring 
on  the  1st  of  September,  1902.  The  daugh- 
ter, Ella,  was  born  April  17,  1858,  and  is 
now  the  wife  of  Aretus  Tupper,  a  resident 
of  Sheboygan  Falls,  Wisconsin,  now  one  of 
the  most  wealthy  and  prominent  citizens  of 
that  place.  J^Irs.  Tnpper  resides  at  her  at- 
tractive home  in  Decatur  at  No.  273  West 
Cerro  Gordo  street.  She  yet  remains  true 
to  her  liusband's  memory  and  well  may  she 
cherish  her  recollections  of  his  honorable 
manhood,  his  kindly  nature  and  his  unfalt- 
ering bravery  in  the  hour  of  danger. 

The  last  six  years  of  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Tupper's  life  were  passed  in  Decatur,  where 
he  located  as  a  young  man  full  of  hope  and 
with  a  determination  to  win  a  creditable 
place  at  the  bar.  Perhaps  no  better  ac- 
count of  his  career  can  be  given  than  by 
quoting  from  the  funeral  sermon  which  was 
delivered  at  his  grave  on  the  22d  of  April, 
1862.  The  minister.  Rev.  J.  H.  Moore,  in 
speaking  of  his  removal  to  Decatur  said: 

"  Here  likewise  his  talents  were  soon 
acknowledged,  and  his  business  became 
profitable.  Yet  he  did  not  rapidly  accumu- 
late property,  for,  as  is  usual  with  men  of 
such  a  spirit  as  he  possessed,  he  spent  freely 
what  he  had  earned  and  was  benevolent  to 
a  fault*.  Such  men  never  suddenly  become 
wealthy,   but  fail   not,   if  life   is   spared,   to 


rise  to  distinction,  and  live  in  the  hearts 
of  their  fellow  men.  Nor  are  such  men 
ever  indifferent  to  the  stirring  events  which 
are  going  on  in  the  world  around  them,  but 
are  constantly  awake  to  whatever  is  likely 
to  affect,  for  weal  or  woe,  the  destinies  of 
mankind. 

"  Colonel  Tupper  was  not  long  in  sur- 
rounding himself  with  numerous  ardent  and 
devoted  friends.  His  social  qualities  were 
of  a  high  order  and  those  who  knew  him 
most  intimately,  who  knew  the  nature  of 
that  deep  under  current  of  manly,  generous 
feeling,  not  so  readily  discerned  by  the 
superficial  observer  of  character,  loved  him 
best,  and  esteemed  him  the  most  sincerely. 
In  all  his  intercourse  with  the  members  of 
his  own  profession  he  showed  himself  to 
be  a  gentleman  in  the  most  emphatic  sense 
of  that  term.  He  was  manly,  frank,  open 
in  all  his  business  transactions  at  the  bar 
and  with  the  community  at  large.  He  was 
quick  tempered,  impetuous  as  a  mountain 
torrent,  and  fearless  as  the  grave;  but  gen- 
erous, honorable  and  just.  Whatever  sen- 
timents he  espoused,  he  dared  fearlessly  to 
utter  and  defend,  on  all  suitable  occasions, 
regardless  of  consequences,  so  far  as  they 
might  aiTect  himself.  But  he  cherished  a 
decent  respect  for  those  who  honestly  and 
sincerely  differed  with  him  in  opinion.  He 
was  proverbially  large-hearted,  kind  and 
sympathetic.  No  man  was  more  ready  to 
do  a  favor  than  he.  He  strongly  felt  for 
the  suffering,  the  weak  and  the  defenseless. 
As  a  husband,  he  was  a  model  of  tenderness 
and  affection.  He  was  a  loving  and  indul- 
gent father  and  unsurpassed  in  all  the  qual- 
ities of  good  neighborship.  So  acute  and 
tender  were  his  sensibilities  that  scarcely 
could  he  either  eat  or  sleep,  or  in  anywise 
take  rest,  while  any  member  of  his  own 
family.  Or  any  of  his  friends  were  suffering 
from  pain  or  disease — such  a  man  could 
never  have  been  a  bad  man.  And  though 
we  may  not  say  that  he  was  a  Christian  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


477 


the  most  exalted  sense  of  tliat  term  }et  liis 
was  a  noble  nature  and  the  longer  he  had 
lived,   the   more   would   he   have   endeared 
himself  to  society  and  the  more  would  the 
noble    qualities    of   his   soul    have   unfolded 
themselves   to    the   world.      With    such    at- 
tributes of  character  as  these,  he  could  not 
fail  to  secure  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
the  community  in  which  he  lived.     He  was 
a  rising  star,  but  recently  emerged  from  the 
mists  of  the  morning  twilight,  shining  more 
refulgently  as  it  neared  its  meridian  height. 
But  a  thick  cloud,  shall  I  say,  has  suddenly 
passed  over  that  rising  luminary,  hiding  it 
from    our   vision    forever?     Have    its    fires 
paled,  and  its  light  gone  out  in  darkness  and 
obscurity?    Nay,  verily.    But  rather  may  it 
be  said,  it  was,  ere  it  reached  its  noontide 
splendor,  snatched  from  its  particular  orbit 
to  make  one  more  in  that  bright  constella- 
tion   which    our    storm}^    heavens    have    so 
recently  revealed.    Colonel  Tupper  deserves 
for  his  gallantry,  shown  on  more  than  one 
bloody   battle-field,   henceforth   to   be   men- 
tioned along  with  those  other  fallen  heroes, 
leaders  of  our  citizen   soldiers,   in  this  the 
second     great    struggle    of    the    American 
people   for  the   maintenance  of  free   demo- 
cratic institutions.     He  entered  the  service 
of  his  country  with  a  willing  and  cheerful 
heart.     He   uncovered  his   arm    in   her   de- 
fense.     She    had    sheltered    him    and    his 
fathers  in  the  past,  and  he  was  now  ready 
to  swear  by  his  life's  blood  that  his  own 
loved   ones   should   live   in   the   future   be- 
neath her  broad-spreading  aegis  and  know 
no  fear  nor  ever  feel  the  blush  of  shame.  He 
was   not    the    man    to    fold    his   hands    and 
quietly    and    with    indifference    behold    the 
heart-sickening   spectacle    of   traitors,    with 
fell    intent,    striking    his    beloved    country, 
dismantling  her  forts  and  trailng  her  ban- 
ner in  the  dust.     A  genuine,  warm-hearted 
patriot,  feeling  that  his  own  honor  and  that 
of  all  whom  he  held  dear  to  him  on  earth, 
was    inseparably    blended    with    the    Iionor 


of  his  country,  he  would  have  chosen  to 
die,  rather  than  to  look  upon  her  degrada- 
tion and  shame.  And  he  is  a  coward  and  a 
base  driveler,  whoever  he  may  be,  and  what- 
ever may  have  been  his  antecedents,  who  is 
willing  to  survive  the  wreck  and  ruin  of  his 
country.  Who  that  posseses  any  of  the  attri- 
butes of  a  noble  nature,  would  wish  to  live 
without  a  country  he  can  call  his  own  or 
that  could  endure  to  see  it  become  a  hissing 
and  a  by- word  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth  ?  Verily  none  but  such  as  are  already 
fit  for  manacles  and  chains  and  the  ty- 
rant's whip  could  become  reconciled  to  such 
a  state  of  things.  The  Almighty  has  im- 
planted in  man's  heart  for  the  most  obvious 
reasons  the  passion  of  patriotism  and  in- 
tended that  it  should  burn  with  an  inextin- 
guishable flame;  and  whoever  is  true  to  God 
and  his  race  is  by  no  means  a  stranger  to 
its  powerful  and  generous  impulses. 

"  Colonel  Tupper,  we  have  said,  cheer- 
fully, we  might  have  said  eagerly,  entered 
the  service  of  his  country;  and  nobly  did  he 
sustain  himself  in  every  position  and  rela- 
tionship from  the  day  that  he  enlisted  until 
his  short  but  illustrious  career  was  ended. 
He  was  beloved  by  his  men,  popular  with 
his  brother  officers  and  ready  and  efificient 
in  the  discharge  of  every  duty  whether  in 
the  camp,  on  the  fatiguing  march  or  facing 
the  enemy  upon  the  field  of  battle.  In  short, 
he  showed  himself  to  be  the  true  soldier, 
brave  as  the  bravest  and  generous  as  brave. 
On  the  bloody  held  of  Donelson  he  rushed 
into  the  fight,  fearless  of  the  terrible  shafts 
of  death  as  they  fell  thick  and  fast  around 
him.  He  breasted  the  storm  of  battle  with 
a  lofty  heroism,  marching  on  to  nobler 
deeds  of  daring  as  the  combat  thickened. 

"  His  friends  rejoiced  when  he  emerged 
from  that  fearful  struggle  unscathed  by  his 
country's  foes  and  honored  by  all  who  wit- 
nessed his  noble  bearing.  But  a  still  more 
fearful  conflict  awaited  him  and  his  brave 
men.      Rut   no   matter,   for  he  had  a   heart 


478 


PAST   AXn   I'RESEXT  OF   MACOX  CorXTY. 


l\)r  any  fate.  At  tlie  call  of  country  he  was 
ready,  if  need  be,  to  rush  even  into  the  very 
jaws  of  death. 

■'  That  coutlict  came,  at  length,  at  Pitts- 
burg landing,  April  6th  ;  more  terrible  than 
had  been  anticipated  and  more  terrible  than 
it  should  have  been.  Somebody  was  at 
fault,  but  who,-  we  leave  for  the  future  to 
disclose.  Yet  by  how  much  the  more  sud- 
den, unexpected  and  overwhelming  was  the 
onset  of  rebel  hordes,  by  so  much  the  more 
conspicuously  shone  the  invincible  valor 
of  our  glorious  western  army.  They  finally 
rolled  back  the  tide  of  battle:  they  were 
victorious,  though  the  slaughter  was  im- 
mense and  the  odds  fearfully  against  them. 
But  in  no  previous  engagement  has  the 
superiority  of  the  armies  of  the  republic 
been  so  clearly  manifest  as  on  that  occa- 
sion. The  enemy  ought,  under  the  circum- 
stances, to  have  taken  our  whole  army, 
before  high  noon  of  that  eventful  day.  If 
all  the  favorable  circumstances  had  been 
ours,  the  advantage  of  the  attack,  the  sur- 
prise and  of  almost  double  the  number  of 
forces,  we  would  certainly  have  captured 
them  and  scarcely  felt  the  struggle.  Why 
they  did  not  take  us  is  absolutely  a  stupen- 
ous  wonder ;  and  thanks  to  a  kind  Provi- 
dence and  our  incomparably  brave  men  that 
that  they  did  not.  In  that  bloody  fray  Col- 
onel Tupper  led  on  the  brave  Forty-first 
Regiment  in  person,  the  veteran  Pugh 
having  been  detailed  to  the  command  of  a 
brigade.  .And  never  were  brave  men  more 
bravely  led.  He  infused  his  fiery  spirit  into 
every  breast.  Not  one  of  them  faltered, 
or  turned  his  back  to  the  foe.  And  rest  as- 
sured, my  friends,  that  when  the  men  of 
that  noble  regiment  return  home,  whether 
living  or  dead,  you  will  be  proud  to  ac- 
knowledge that  every  man  of  them  was  a 
hero.  And  thus  will  it  ever  be  with  our 
brave  citizen  soldiers.  There  will  be  no 
running,  no  pale  and  unmanly  fear,  if  they 
are  led  on  bv  brave  and  skillful  officers. 


"  On  that  e\er  memorable  day,  that 
bloodv  Sundav,  the  bloodiest  hitherto  re- 
corded  in  .\merican  history,  the  noble  Tup- 
per fell,  fell  gloriously,  fell  in  the  defense  of 
constitutional  liberty,  fell  bearing  aloft  the 
ensign  of  his  fatherland,  that  ensign  which 
has  Hoated  in  proud  triumph  over  every  sea, 
and  commanded  the  respect  of  every  land 
and  dishonored  never,  only  by  traitors.  He 
fell  with  his  sword  unsheathed  and  his  face 
to  the  foe.  Thus  ever  fall  the  brave  'who 
rush  to  glory  or  the  grave."  He  fell,  but 
the  banner  that  he  loved  still  proudly  waved 
o'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the 
brave. 

"And  now,  for  whom  did  he  fall?  For 
what  was  his  blood  poured  out?  For  you, 
my  fellow  citizens,  and  for  me ;  for  your 
rights  and  mine ;  for  your  wives  and  child- 
ren and  for  mine ;  for  generations  yet  un- 
born ;  for  the  struggling  and  down  trodden 
of  all  lands ;  for  God  and  Liberty  and  native 
land. 

"  And  shall  we  ever  be  unmindful  of  the 
loved  ones  he  has  left  behind?  Shall  we 
be  partakers  of  the  benefits  of  his  death, 
and  forget  to  bestow  the  gratitude  upon 
those  he  loved  which  would  have  been  more 
particularly  due  to  him.  had  he  continued 
to  live  and  walk  among  us? — Shall  not  the 
warm,  gushing  sympathies  of  this  commun- 
ity ever  flow  out  strongly  toward  his 
stricken  widow,  and  his  now  fatherless 
children?  Will  not  an  appreciating  people, 
blessed  by  such  a  sacrifice  as  this,  cheer  and 
console  these  stricken  ones,  through  all  the 
pathway  of  their  future  trial,  and  so  en- 
courage and  strengthen  them  that  they  shall 
feel  that  the  staff  upon  which  they  have 
hitherto  leaned  with  so  much  confidence 
and  security,  has  in  a  measure  been  restored 
to  them  in  the  thanks  and  kind  offices  of 
those  who  share  with  them  their  heavy 
griefs   to-day  ? 

"  Colonel  Tupper  is  dead ;  Treason  has 
done  the  deed.     The  enemies  of  his  country 


r.XSl"  AM)   i'RKSEXT  OF  .MACOX  COUNTY. 


47;> 


are  liis  murderers.  Could  j-ou  but  look 
upon  tliat  pale  visage,  it  is  marred  by  traitor 
liaiuls.  Til  ink  of  it.  my  countrymen,  and 
here,  over  the  dead  body  of  the  slaughtered 
brave,  swear  anew  allegiance  to  your  coun- 
try and  eternal  uncompromising  enmity  to 
treason.  Rest  thee  now  our  fallen  brother, 
in  the  grave  which  affection  and  gratitude 
have  prepared  for  thee ! 

"  'For  thou  art  F^reedom's  now  and  Fame's ; 
One  of  the  few,  immortal  names 
That  were  not  born  to  die !  ' 

"Colonel  Tupper  leaves  behind  a  stricken 
wife,  worthy  of  the  relationship  she  bears 
to  the  honored  de;ul.  and  two  Unely  chil- 
dren, a  son  five  and  a  daughter  three  years 
of  age.  P)Ut  he  leaves  them  the  inheritance 
of  a  noble  name,  he  has  secured  for  them 
the  consideration  of  a  grateful  country  and 
by  that  country  shall  they  never  be  for- 
gotten. I  claim  them  as  henceforth  belong- 
ing to  my  country,  as  the  jewels  of  my 
country,  because  they  are  the  relics  of  her 
patriot  dead.  We  hail  you  then  to-day,  dis- 
consolate, mourning  friends,  tossed  as  you 
are  upon  life's  stormy  sea,  forlorn,  it  is 
true,  but  not  forsaken,  cast  down  but  not 
destroyed,  enveloped  in  clouds  and  rocked 
in  this  fearful  tempest,  but  yet  assured  that 
there  is  an  .Almighty  one  who  rides  upon 
the  whirlwind  and  controls  the  storm,  in- 
finite in  goodness  and  ])ledgcd  to  be  the  hus- 
band of  the  widow  and  a  father  to  the  or- 
phan. 

'"May  the  kind  Providence  who  has  hith- 
erto watched  over  our  families,  and  our 
country,  temper  the  storm  to  the  shorn 
lamb,  keej)  under  his  divine  protection  the 
loved  ones  of  the  departed,  and  preserve 
to  them  and  to  us  a  country  and  a  home, 
honored,  feared  and  respected,  even  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  and  by  the  latest  gen- 
erations of  men." 


JOIIX  r,.  MATTHEW.  M.  D. 

Successftdly  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  in  lUuc  .Mound.  Dr.  John  B.  Mat- 
tlu-w  has  worthily  won  his  reputation  as  a 
skilled  ph\sician.  lie  was  born  March  J. 
1850.  on  a  farm  near  Palmer  in  Christian 
count}'.  Illinois,  his  parents  being  Oscar  F'. 
and  Margaret  (  lirilton)  Matthew.  The  an- 
cestr\-  of  the  family  can  be  traced  back  to 
the  time  of  Cromwell  when  a  Matthew  was 
appointed  by  the  Iron  Chancellor  as  .gov- 
ernor over  one  of  the  T5ritish  colonies  and 
thus  served  for  eight  years.  lie  was  the 
first  framer  of  a  rejiublican  form  of  govern- 
ment imder  the  old  colony  system.  After 
his  death  the  adherents  of  the  royal  cause 
seized  u])on  the  op])ortunity  to  proclaim 
Charles  II  king  of  England  and  to  invite 
Berkley  to  resume  his  rule  of  the  colony. 

The  jiaternal  great-grand])arents  of  our 
subject  were  Xathaniel  and  Mary  Matthew. 
It  is  not  definitely  known  at  what  time  the 
former  left  England,  but  it  is  an  authentic 
fact  that  he  was  one  of  seven  brothers  and 
two  sisters  who  came  to  America  at  an 
early  period  in  the  colonization  of  this  coun- 
try. They  were  of  Quaker  faith  and  settled 
in  Jamestown,  \irginia.  Xathaniel  Mat- 
thew was  a  cooper  by  trade  and  made  his 
home  in  the  Old  Dominion  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  August  27,  1829,  while  his 
wife  died  on  the  i  ith  day  of  the  same  month 
and  year. 

Simon  Matthew,  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born  F'ebruary  12,  1787,  and 
died  in  Virginia  June  18.  1848.  at  the  age  of 
sixtv-one  years,  four  months  and  six  days. 
His  wife.  .\nna  Smith,  died  October  24. 
1834.  at  the  age  of  thirty-eight  years,  three 
months  and  thirteen  days.  They  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children:  James  D..  the 
eUlest.  was  born  Xovember  24.  1813;  John 
M.,  the  next  in  order  of  birth,  was  born 
December  iq,  1813;  Charles  D.  was  born 
Mav  24,  1818;  Catherine  Amanda  was  born 
Xovember  5.   1821  :  Oscar  F..  the  father  of 


4S0 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


our  subject,  was  the  next  younger;  Francis 
M.,  born  June  29,  1826,  left  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, in  1853  for  California  to  dig  gold  and 
located  near  where  Los  Angeles  now  stands. 
There  he  continued  to  reside  most  of  the 
time  until  1890,  when  he  entered  the  office 
of  sheriff  as  a  deputy  and  died  there  in  1901. 
His  first  child  was  born  while  crossing  the 
plains  and  she  afterward  taught  the  first 
free  shchool  in  Los  Angeles  county.  In 
1851  Francis  M.  Matthew  married  in  Spring- 
field and  his  wife  died  in  California  in  1902, 
leaving  four  daughters  and  one  son,  thir- 
teen grandchildren  and  one  great-grand- 
child. The  other  members  of  the  family  of 
Simon  Matthew  were  Sarah  E.,  born  March 
II,  1829;  David  L.,  October  6,  1831 ;  and 
William  Paul,  July  25,  1834. 

Oscar  F.  Matthew,  the  Doctor's  father, 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  January  30,  1821, 
and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  wedded 
Margaret  Britten,  who  was  born  near  Cyn- 
thiana,  Ohio,  in  1821,  a  daughter  of  Benja- 
min Britton,  who  was  a  veteran  of  the  Mex- 
ican war  and  became  a  farmer  near  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  living  in  the  Cotton  Hill 
neighborhood.  Throughout  his  entire  life 
he  followed  farming.  In  1861  he  became  a 
constable  and  served  as  such  for  eight  years. 
He  died  in  1868.  It  was  in  pioneer 
times  in  the  development  of  Illinois 
that  the  father  of  the  Doctor  came 
to  this  state  and  he,  too,  lived  in  the  Cotton 
Hill  district.  His  death  occurred  February 
12,  1881,  and  he  was  buried  in  the  Cotton 
Hill  cemetery.  His  wife,  long  surviving 
him,  passed  away  at  Edinburg,  Illinois,  De- 
cember 16,  1898,  and  luT  remains  were  then 
interred  by  his  side.  In  the  family  of  this 
worthy  couple  were  nine  children,  of  whom 
the  eldest,  Anna  E.,  died  in  childhood.  \\'. 
S.  Matthew,  D.  D.,  now  fifty-five  years  of 
age,  is  presiding  elder  of  the  San  Francisco 
district  in  California.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Xorlhwestern  University  of  Evanston, 
lllin(_iis.    and    preached    in     Taylorville     for 


three  years;  in  Springfield  three  years;  Red 
Wing,  Minnesota,  two  years;  and  St.  Paul, 
Minnesota,  two  years.  He  was  dean  of  the 
Los  Angeles  Llniv^rsity  for  four  years,  was 
editor  of  the  Christian  Advocate  of  San 
Francisco  and  lives  in  Berkley,  California. 
The  Doctor  is  the  third  of  the  family.  The 
next  is  Rebecca  Jane  Poffenbarger,  a  wid- 
ow, residing  in  Edinburg,  Illinois.  Thomas 
L.  is  a  retired  farmer  at  Springfield.  L.  L. 
is  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser  living  near 
Pawnee,  Illinois.  Mary  is  the. wife  of  John 
T.  Vigal,  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser  of  Mex- 
ico, Aiissouri.  Luticia  died  in  girlhood  and 
Oscar,  Jr.,  died  in  infancy. 

Dr.  Matthew  was  a  lad  of  seven  summers 
when  in  1857  his  parents  settled  in  the  Cot- 
ton Hill  district  near  Springfield,  Illinois. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  and  also 
the  Cotton  Hill  Academy  and  in  1870  he 
entered  the  office  of  Drs.  L.  H.  and  J.  H. 
Clark,  of  Taylorville,  with  whom  he  studied 
for  two  years.  Lie  next  attended  lectures  in 
the  American  Medical  College  at  St.  Louis 
for  two  years  and  was  graduated  on  the 
I2th  of  May,  1875,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Mount  Auburn,  where  he  began  the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  on  the  22d  of  May  of  that 
year.  There  he  resided  continually  until 
November  9,  1892,  when  he  removed  to  Blue 
Mound,  where  he  has  since  engaged  in  ac- 
tive practice,  having  now  a  large  patronage. 

On  the  26th  of  March,  1868,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Dr.  Matthew  and  Miss  Aman- 
da E.  Lawlcy,  a  daughter  of  William  B. 
and  Sarah  M.  (Duncan)  Lawley,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  latter 
of  Illinois.  Mrs.  Matthew  belonged  to  a 
family  of  six  sons  and  four  daughters  and 
her  brothers,  David,  Elijah  and  James,  were 
all  soldiers  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Four- 
teenth Illinois  Infantry,  serving  in  Company 
E  under  Captain  Adam  Hiveley  and  Colonel 
Shoup.  One  sister  of  Mrs.  Matthew  died  in 
infancy.  Ruth  Jane  became  the  wife  of 
Lawrence    Salanger    and    lives    in    Palmer, 


TAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


481 


Illinois.  Sara  M.  is  the  wife  of  William 
Knotts,  residing  near  Chatham,  Illinois. 
Elmer  died  in  childhood.  Leonard  N.  re- 
sides at  the  old  family  homestead  in  Cotton 
Hill.  Unto  J\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Matthew  were 
born  five  children,  but  three  died  in  infancy. 
The  oldest  and  the  youngest,  however,  are 
still  living.  These  are  Charles  Edgar,  who 
at  the  age  of  thirty-three  years  is  engaged 
in  farming,  and  William  Oscar,  who  is 
twenty-two  years  of  age  and  is  attending 
the  Northwestern  University.  He  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Blue  Mound  high  school  and 
spent  three  years  in  the  academy  of  the 
Northwestern  University. 

In  addition  to  his  practice  Dr.  Matthew 
is  financially  interested  in  industrial  affairs, 
holding  sixteen  shares  in  the  Illinois  Skein 
&  Nutlock  Company  at  Pana,  Illinois.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Illinois  State  Eclectic 
Medical  Society  and  the  National  Eclectic 
Medical  Society.  In  politics  he  has  always 
been  a  Republican  and  takes  an  active  in- 
terest in  the  work  of  the  party.  While  liv- 
ing at  Mount  Auburn  he  was  appointed 
postmaster,  but  resigned  in  favor  of  an  old 
soldier.  He  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  the  Masonic  lodge  and  to 
the  Royal  Arch  Chapter.  He  also  holds 
membership  relations  with  Joe  Miller  Post, 
of  the  Fraternal  .\rniy.  the  Mutual  Protec- 
tive League  and  is  medical  examiner  for  the 
Equitable  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New 
York,  the  Prudential  of  New  York,  the 
Franklin  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  the  Fi- 
delity Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of 
Philadelphia,  and  is  likewise  examiner  for 
the  Fraternal  Army  and  the  Mutual  Pro- 
tective League. 

Each  year  the  Matthew  family  has  an  an- 
nual reunion  held  on  the  last  Thursday  in 
August  at  Reservoir  Park  in  Springfield. 
The  Doctor  has  some  valuable  old  papers, 
including  a  land  grant  issued  and  signed  by 
John  Quinc}'  Adams  and  also  letters  re- 
ceived by  his  father  between  the  years  1816 


and  1861.  He  represents  one  of  the  old 
families  of  central  Illinois  and  is  a  promi- 
nent and  inllucnlial  citizen,  having  the 
warm  rcganl  of  many  friends  in  Blue 
Mound  and  this  section  of  the  state. 


STEPHEN  H.  SWAIN,  D.  V.  S. 
Careful  preparation  through  private  study 
and  a  deep  interest  in  his  chosen  profession 
has  made  Dr.  Stephen  H.  Swain  one  of  the 
leading  veterinary  surgeons  of  the  state  of 
Illinois.  He  was  born  in  Ma(5ison  county, 
Illinois,  July  11,  1841,  and  is  a  son  of  Asa 
and  M.  Elizabeth  (Truit)  Swain,  the  former 
a  native  of  North  Carolina  and  the  latter 
of  Tennessee.  In  an  earl)^  day  the  father 
manifested  a  fondness  for  horses  and 
showed  a  special  skill  in  treatment  of  those 
that  became  diseased.  He  was  an  excellent 
judge  of  horses  and  made  a  specialty  of 
breeding  fine  stock.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
have  now  passed  away  and  of  their  six  chil- 
dren four  are  yet  living. 

The  ])ublic  schools  of  his  native  county 
afforded  the  Doctor  his  educational  privi- 
leges. He  spent  nuich  of  his  youth  upon 
the  home  farm  and  in  1866  he  began  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account.  He  seemed  to  have 
a  natural  predilection  for  the  work  of  the 
veterinary  profession  and  in  1875  we  find 
him  located  in  Maroa,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
following  that  calling.  While  upon  the 
farm  he  began  the  study  of  veterinary  sur- 
gery and  while  pursuing  his  investigations 
along  that  line  he  was  also  engaged  in  the 
breeding  of  good  horses,  making  a  specialty 
of  fine  trotting  stock.  In  February,  1884, 
he  removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  opened  an 
office  and  his  time  has  been  devoted  almost 
exclusively  since  to  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession, in  which  he  has  been  very  success- . 
ful.  He  is  not  a  graduate  of  any  veterinary 
school,  but  has  an  ability  scarcely  equaled 
in  the  state.    His  patronage  is  now  very  ex- 


4S2 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  MACON  COUXTV. 


tensive  an.l  reaches  as  far  as  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  from  Decatur.  He  makes 
a  speciahy  of  spaying  and  the  castration  of 
ridglings  and  has  been  a  very  successful 
operator.  He  has  read  broadly  and  studied 
widely  upon  the  subject  of  veterinary  sur- 
gerj-  and  iiis  knowledge  is  now  comprehen- 
sive and  e.xact  so  that  he  is  to-day  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  leading  veterinary  sur- 
geons of  central  Illinois.  He  w-as  instru- 
mental in  founding  what  is  known  as  the 
Illinois  \'eterinary  Medical  and  Surgical  As- 
sociation and  he  drafted  its  constitution  and 
by-laws. 

The  Doctor  has  been  twice  married.  In 
1862  he  wedded  Miss  Mar}-  E.  Emerson, 
who  died  about  1867.  They  had  two  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  is  now  living:  Mary  E., 
who  is  the  widow  of  ^^'illiam  H.  Miller  of 
.Maroa. 

In  1868  Dr.  Swain  was  again  married, 
his  second  vinion  being  with  Xancy  L.  An- 
derson, of  Carlinville,  Illinois,  who  died 
.August  31,  1897.  By  this  union  there  were 
born  a  son  and  daughter,  William  A.  Swain, 
who  married  Imogene  Peadler,  studied  un- 
der his  father  and  is  now  a  successful  prac- 
ticing veterinar}^  surgeon  in  !Mount  Pulask., 
Illinois.  He  also  holds  the  position  of  sec- 
retary of  the  Illinois  \'eterinary  Medical 
and  Surgical  Association.  Louisa  Swain, 
the  daughter,  is  yet  at  home  and  with  Mrs. 
Mary  E.  Miller  is  keeping  house  for  her 
father.  The  Doctor  owns  a  fine  residence 
at  Xo.  226  West  Decatur  street  and  in  con- 
nection has  forty  acres  of  farming  land  in 
Decatur  township,  upon  which  he  keeps 
good  horses.  He  likewise  has  other  city 
property  and  his  office  is  located  at  127 
South  Franklin  street.  All  tliat  he  pos- 
sesses has  been  acquired  through  his  own 
efforts  and  his  property  holdings,  are  a 
monument  to  his  life  of  thrift  and  industry. 
He  has  been  ambitious  to  win  success  and 
has  realized  that  there  is  no  excellence  w-ith- 
out  labor,  so  that  he  has  worked  hard  and 


consecutively  in  order  to  win  the  success 
and  prominence  which  he  now  enjoys  as  a 
worthy  representative  of  his  profession.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat  but  has  never 
sought  or  desired  office.  He  is  a  member 
of  Coeur  de  Lion  Lodge,  Xo.  17,  K.  P.,  of 
Decatur ;  Decatur  Camp,  M.  W.  A. ;  the 
Royal  Circle,  and  Knights  and  Ladies  of 
Securitv. 


W.  H.  WILLOUGHBY. 

.\  prominent  representative  of  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  ^Macon,  Illinois,  is  W.  H. 
\\'illoughby,  a  successful  dealer  in  agri- 
cultural implements.  He  is  a  wide-awake, 
progressive  business  man  and  by  fair  and 
honorable  dealing  has  built  up  a  good  trade 
whicii  e.xtends  for  many  miles  throughout 
the  surrounding  country  in  every  direction. 

Mr.  Willoughby  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  St.  Clair  county 
on  the  15th  of  Xovember,  1852.  His  parents 
were  \\'.  E.  and  Mary  (Moore)  W'illoughby, 
the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Delaware, 
June  7,  1820,  and  died  at  Lebanon,  Illinois, 
July  20,  1896.  and  the  latter  was  born  in 
St.  Clair  county.  Illinois,  June  14,  1825.  and 
died  at  Lebanon,  Xovember  24,  1890.  The 
father  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent  and  was 
a  farmer  by  occupation.  At  a  very  early 
day  he  settled  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois, 
becoming  one  of  its  pioneers.  In  his  "family 
were  four  children,  of  whom  W.  H.  is  the 
oldest,  the  others  being  J.  Amos,  who  is 
editor  of  the  Belleville  Advocate  of  Belle- 
ville. Illinois;' Mary  Julia,  wife  of  Robert 
Keith,  of  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin;  and  Ida 
May.  who  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Starr  and 
lives  on  the  old  home  place  at  Lebanon, 
Illinois. 

W.  H.  Willoughby  completed  his  literary 
education  at  McKinley  College  in  Lebanon, 
Illinois,  wliere  he  was  a  student  until  eigh- 
teen years  of  age.  and  then  turned  his  at- 
tention   to   farming.      In    1883   he   came    to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


485 


.Macon  county  and  settled  in  IMeasant  View 
township,  where  he  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  until  1891.  The  following  year 
he  was  engaged  in  the  butchering  business 
in  Macon  and  the  next  year  was  agent  for 
the  Champion  Machine  Company  at  the 
same  place.  In  1900  he  became  associated 
with  W.  II.  Carroll  in  the  implement  busi- 
ness, under  the  firm  style  of  W.  II.  Carroll 
&  Company.  This  connection  has  still  con- 
tinued and  the  lirm  enjoy  a  large  patronage 
which  is  constantly  increasing.  Besides 
his  town  property  and  business,  Mr.  Wil- 
loughby  owns  a  quarter  section  of  fine  farm- 
ing land  in  Pleasant  View  township,  whicli 
is  well  cultivated  and  improved. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1871,  in  St. 
Clair  county,  Mr.  Willoughby  led  to  the 
marriage  altar  Miss  Emma  Forquer,  and  to 
them  have  been  born  four  children :  May, 
who  married  Silas  Morchead,  of  Macon 
county,  and  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years ; 
Blanche,  wife  of  W.  H.  Carroll,  who  is  in 
business  with  our  subject;  Harry  F..  at 
home ;  and  Edward,  who  died  in  infancy. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Willoughby  is 
a  member  of  the  South  Macon  Lodge,  No. 
467,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Macon.  He  was  made 
a  Mason  at  Lebanon,  Illinois,  in  1880.  He 
is  a  standard  bearer  in  the  ranks  of  the 
Republican  party  in  his  locality  and  is  now 
serving  as  chairman  of  the  central  commit- 
tee. He  filled  the  office  of  constable  for 
four  years  and  has  ever  taken  an  active  and 
commendable  interest  in  public  affairs,  do- 
ing all  in  his  power  to  promote  the  interests 
of  his  town  and  county  along  moral,  social 
and  material  lines. 


SHEFFIE  REEVES  MAY,  M.  D. 

One  of  the  most  exacting  of  all  the  higher 

lines   of  occupation    to   which    a    man    may 

lend  his  energies  is  that  of  the  physician. 

A  most  scrupulous  preliminary  training  is 


demanded,  a  nicety  of  judgment  but  little 
understood  by  the  laity.  Dr.  May,  of  Mount 
Zion,  is  well  fitted  for  the  profession  which 
he  has  chosen  as  a  life  work  and  his  skill 
and  ability  have  w<in  him  a  large  and  lucra- 
tive practice. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  Oakland,  Illi- 
nois, June  3,  1859,  and  on  the  paternal  side 
is  of  German  descent.  His  father.  Rev.  D. 
E.  May,  was  born  in  1829  in  Port  Republic, 
\'irginia,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated, 
and  in  early  life  he  studied  for  the  ministry, 
becoming  a  clergyman  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  years  he  came  to  Illinois  and  located 
in  Coles  county.  Throughout  his  active  life 
he  continued  the  work  of  the  ministry,  but 
is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Mount  Zion, 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest.  In  early  man- 
hood he  married  Miss  Sarah  Ann  Merica, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Page  county,  \'ir- 
ginia,  in  1834,  and  to  them  were  born  four 
children,  of  whom  the  Doctor  is  the  eldest, 
the  others  being  Edward  M. ;  Clara,  wife  of 
J.  B.  Henry;  and  Wilbur  F.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  thirty-five  years. 

During  his  boyhood  Dr.  May  attended 
the  public  schools  of  his  locality  and  was 
graduated  at  the  high  school  and  also  at 
the  Springfield  Business  College  in  1876. 
He  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  J.  L.  Connelly,  of  Har- 
ristown,  Illinois,  and  later  was  with  Dr. 
Buck,  of  Moweaqua.  He  next  attended 
lectures  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  was  grad- 
uated with  the  class  of  1880.  As  soon  as  he 
obtained  his  degree,  the  Doctor  located  at 
Dalton  City,  where  he  was  engaged  in  prac- 
tice for  seven  years,  and  from  there  came 
to  Mount  Zion,  where  his  skill  and  ability 
soon  won  for  him  a  liberal  patronage  which 
is  constantly  increasing.  He  has  been  re- 
markably successful  in  the  treatment  of  all 
cases  that  have  been  placed  in  his  care  and 
he    enjoys   the    largest   country   practice   of 


486 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOK  COUNTY. 


any  physician  in  Macon  county.  He  is  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  electro-therapeutics  and 
possesses  all  the  latest  electric  and  N-ray 
apparatus  and  a])plianccs.  lie  also  has  a 
very  fine  library,  some  volumes  of  which 
were  published  in  1812.  He  has  become 
interested  in  real  estate  and  has  made  sev- 
eral valuable  investments  in  rice  planta- 
tions in  Louisiana. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1884,  was  celebrated 
the  marriage  of  Dr.  May  and  Miss  Jennie 
Lawrence,  of  Mattoon,  Illinois,  and  to  them 
have  been  born  four  children :  George  Shef- 
fie.  who  was  born  in  Dalton  City,  June  20, 
1885,  and  died  in  Mount  Zion  at  the  age 
of  three  years  and  eleven  months ;  C.  Jewel, 
born  February  10,  1889;  Myrtle  Louise, 
born  February  20,  1891  ;  and  Freddie 
Reeves,  born  February  14,  1894. 

The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  belongs  to  Blount 
Zion  Lodge,  No.  300,  L  O.  O.  F.,  and  De- 
catur Encampment,  No.  37.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica and  the  Court  of  Honor  and  is  medical 
examiner  for  both  of  these  organizations 
as  well  as  for  a  great  many  old  line  insur- 
ance companies.  In  connection  with  his 
profession  he  holds  membership  in  the 
American  ^ledical  Association,  the  IlHnois 
State  Medical  Society  and  the  Decatur  ^Med- 
ical  Society.  Genial  and  pleasant  in  man- 
ner, he  is  popular  in  both  professional  and 
social  circles  and  wins  friends  wherever  he 
goes. 


SOLOMON  WlLLL\MSON. 
Solomon  Williamson,  deceased,  was  for 
many  years  a  contractor  and  builder  of  ^la- 
con  county  and  was  a  man  highly  respected 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was 
a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Ross  county,  De- 
cember 23,  1830,  and  was  a  son  of  Henry 
and  Elizabeth  (Chafifin)  Williamson.  In  the 
state  of  his  nativitv  he  grew   to  manhood 


and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  De- 
catur. In  1850  he  came  w-est  and  settled  in 
Macon  county,  Illinois.  After  living  in 
Decatur  for  two  years  he  removed  to  the 
farm  on  section  34,  Hickory  Point  township, 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  his  widow. 
Throughout  life  he  followed  contracting 
and  building  and  in  the  employ  of  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  Company  he  erected 
many  buildings  along  their  line.  Although 
he  resided  on  his  farm  of  eighty  acres  for 
many  years  he  left  its  operation  to  hired 
help  while  he  worked  at  his  trade. 

Mr.  \Mlliamson  was  very  fond  of  hunt- 
ing and  in  early  days  had  ample  opportunity 
to  indulge  in  that  sport  as  w-ild  game  was 
then  plentiful  in  this  region.  He  shot  a 
deer  about  two  hundred  yards  from  his  resi- 
dence, and  from  where  the  barn  stands  he 
shot  wild  turkeys.  One  of  his  principal 
companions  on  his  hunting  trips  was  John 
Read  and  together  they  killed  hundreds  of 
prairie  chickens  and  other  game. 

On  the  26th  of  May,  1852,  Mr.  William- 
son was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Johnson,  and  to  them  were  born  ten 
children,  of  whom  seven  are  still  living, 
namely:  Edward,  now  a  contractor  of  De- 
catur ;  Laura,  wife  of  William  Slayback, 
of  Macon  county;  Maggie,  wife  of  Rev. 
O.  B.  Huston,  of  Charleston,  Illinois ; 
George,  a  resident  of  Decatur;  Eva,  at  home 
with  her  mother:  ]\[ay,  wife  of  George  Met- 
len,  of  Dillon,  Montana ;  and  Gussie,  at 
home. 

Mr.  Williamson  was  a  prominent  and  in- 
fluential man  in  his  community  and  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party,  taking 
an  active  part  in  campaign  work.  He  served 
as  a  delegate  to  a  number  of  conventions 
of  his  party  and  filled  various  township  of- 
fices in  a  most  commendable  and  satisfac- 
torj-  manner.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  De- 
catur and  at  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  nth  of  February,  1892,  the  community 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


487 


realized  that  it  lunl  lost  a  valued  and  use- 
ful citizen. 

Ueing  left  an  orphan  in  infancy,  Mrs. 
Williamson  was  adojjteil  by  Robert  and 
Lou  Ann  (Church)  Johnson,  who  were 
pioneer  settlers  of  Macon  county,  who  emi- 
grated from  Bath  county,  Kentucky,  and 
made  the  journey  to  this  state  in  a  wagon 
by  way  of  Indiana.  Settling  in  Decatur, 
Mr.  Johnson  bought  property  in  that  city 
and  also  entered  eighty  acres  of  land  on 
section  34,  Hickory  Point  township,  now 
owned  by  C.  E.  Akers.  For  a  time  he 
worked  at  his  trade,  that  of  shoemaking, 
but  afterward  removed  to  his  farm  just 
north  of  where  Mrs.  Williamson  now  re- 
sides and  turned  his  attention  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits.  He  died  there  in  May,  1885, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  honored 
and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  His 
wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven. 
They  had  no  children  of  their  own.  Re- 
ligiously they  were  members  of  the  church 
of  God  and  politically  .Mr.  Johnson  was  a 
Democrat.  He  filled  the  office  of  justice 
of  the  peace  for  a  time. 

Since  her  husband's  death  ?^lrs.  William- 
son has  carried  on  the  farm  and  has  dis- 
played good  business  ability  in  the  manage- 
ment of  her  affairs.  She  has  a  nice  peach 
orchard  and  raises  a  variety  of  other  fruits. 
During  her  younger  years  she  spun  and 
wove  most  of  the  material  lor  her  own 
dresses  and  became  very  proficient  in  such 
work.  She  would  weave  fine  linen  for  arti- 
cles of  wearing  apparel  and  use  the  re- 
mainder of  the  fla.x  for  toweling.  She  re- 
members to  have  seen  the  old  fashioned 
grease  lamps  in  use  for  lighting,  and  later 
the  molded  candles  became  quite  common. 
Cooking  was  then  done  over  a  fireplace  and 
everything  was  baked  either  in  a  covered 
skillet  or  Dutch  oven.  Mrs.  Williamson 
once  saw  nine  hundred  Indians  march 
through  Decatur  on  their  way  to  the  San- 
gamon   river   and    remembers    distinctly    of 


one  time  when  it  took  four  horses  to  pull 
a  wagon  with  two  sacks  of  Hour  in  it  from 
Decatur  to  the  farm,  so  bad  were  the  roads 
at  that  time.  On  another  occasion,  while 
returning  home  on  lu)rseback  with  a  child 
in  front  of  her,  the  creek  had  ri.sen  so  high 
on  account  of  a  recent  rain  that  she  was 
obliged  to  swim  the  horse  across.  In  those 
early  da}  s  she  often  rode  to  church  on 
horseback,  but  the  conditions  of  pioneer  life 
have  now  passed  away  and  the  people  of 
Macon  county  now  have  all  the  advantages 
and  conveniences  known  to  the  civilized 
world.  Mrs.  Williamson  has  a  nice  home 
on  the  main  road  of  the  township  line  and 
the  residence  is  surrounded  by  beautiful 
shade  trees  and  many  flowers.  Here  she 
has  resided  for  about  forty-eight  years  and 
the  home  has  ever  been  noted  for  its  hos- 
pitality and  good  cheer.  She  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  is 
held  in  the  highest  regard  bv  all  who  know 
her. 


WILLIAM    ULAXK. 

William  I  Hank  became  well  known  as  an 
artist  and  possessed  superior  talent  in  that 
direction.  He  gained  fame  not  only  in  De- 
catur but  in  many  other  parts  of  the  country 
because  of  his  fine  paintings  and  now  in 
many  of  the  homes  of  this  section  of  the 
state  his  works  are  seen.  He  also  put  forth 
his  efforts  not  only  along  ornamental  lines, 
but  also  in  sign  painting,  fresco  and  other 
decorating  work  of  a  more  ])ractical  nature. 

Mr.  Blank  w'as  horn  in  Wurtemberg, 
Germany,  on  the  1  ilh  of  .May,  1845,  a  son 
of  Gottlieb  and  Barbara  IJlanc,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Germany,  where  they 
s])ent  their  entire  lives.  The  subject  of  this 
review  was  the  only  one  of  the  family  who 
came  to  the  new  world.  In  his  youth  he 
attended  the  public  schools  in  his  native 
country  for  four  years  and  it  was  noticed 
1)\    ills    teachers    that    he    possessed    strong 


488 


I'AST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


artistic  talent  and  tendencies  for  when  a 
boy  of  only  seven  years  he  made  many  fine 
drawings.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  his  pa- 
rents, desiring  to  cultivate  his  artistic  pow- 
ers and  temperament,  sent  him  to  an  art 
school  in  Stuttgart,  Germany.  While  in  that 
city  he  followed  many  kinds  of  employ- 
ment during  the  daytime  in  order  that  he 
might  earn  the  money  necessary  to  meet  his 
tuition  at  the  night  school.  He  was  a  stu- 
dent in  the  night  school  of  art  for  over 
three  years  and  there  his  talent  was  prop- 
erly directed  along  lines  of  great  benefit  in 
his  work.  He  began  painting  pictures  while 
still  in  the  fatherland  and  also  did  fresco 
and  other  decorative  work  for  several  years. 
While  thus  engaged  Mr.  Blank  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Louise  Koeppler,  who 
was  born  in  Germany  on  the  19th  of  July, 
1852,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Gottlieb  and 
Caroline  (Segar)  Koeppler,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Germany.  The  father  was 
a  cabinet  maker  b}'  trade  and  followed  that 
pursuit  in  order  to  provide  for  the  wants 
of  his  family.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died 
in  that  countr}'.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Blank  be- 
came the  parents  of  seven  children,  five  of 
whom  are  now  living:  Earlea,  who  resides 
in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri ;  Emil,  who  is  a 
baker  by  trade  and  makes  his  home  with 
his  mother;  Emma,  the  wife  of  W.  Fred 
Ferguson,  of  Decatur ;  Pauline,  who  resides 
in  Jacksonville,  Illinois ;  and  Schiller,  who 
is  also  with  his  mother.  The  two  children 
who  have  'passed  away  were  both  named 
Paul. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Blank  continued 
to  reside  in  his  native  country  until  twenty- 
eight  years  of  age  and  worked  at  his  chosen 
trade  and  also  in  the  more  artistic  lines  of 
ornamental  painting.  He  then  sailed  with 
his  family  for  America,  landing  in  New 
York,  but  he  did  not  tarry  in  the  eastern 
metropolis.  He  went,  instead,  direct  to  Lan- 
caster, Ohio,  where  he  established  his  fam- 
ily in  a  comfortable  home  and  then  began 


traveling  over  the  United  States  executing- 
fine  paintings  and  art  work  of  all  kinds  in 
different  portions  of  the  country.  After 
traveling  for  a  year  and  a  half  he  came  to 
Decatur,  where  his  talent  won  recognition 
and  he  was  employed  to  paint  a  number  of 
fine  pictures.  Being  pleased  with  the  city 
he  decided  to  locate  here  and  sent  for  his 
family  who  joined  him  in  ]Macon  county. 
Many  of  his  paintings  here  sold  for  as  high 
as  one  thousand  dollars  each  and  beautiful 
specimens  of  his  artistic  skill  adorn  the 
walls  of  many  fine  homes  in  this  portion 
of  the  state.  At  length,  however,  his  health 
began  to  fail  and  once  more  he  traveled, 
hoping  that  he  might  be  benefited  thereby, 
his  family  during  this  period  remaining  in 
Decatur.  He  traveled  for  a  number  of 
years,  making  frequent  visits,  however,  to 
Decatur  and  his  health  becoming  very  bad- 
ly impaired  he  decided  to  travel  in  the  west 
and  visit  many  places  of  interest  in  that 
section  of  the  country,  where  he  painted 
many  fine  pictures  from  nature.  He  finally 
located  in  Pueblo,  Colorado,  and  because 
of  his  marked  talent  and  ability  he  received 
a  very  liberal  patronage,  in  fact,  the  de- 
mands made  upon  his  services  as  a  painter 
were  more  than  he  could  meet.  His  health 
gradually  grew  worse  there  and  he  died  in 
Pueblo  three  months  after  locating  in  that 
city.  He  passed  away  December  23,  1901, 
and  Avas  laid  to  rest  on  Christmas  day  in 
a  grave  on  the  side  of  a  beautiful  mountain 
near  Pueblo — a  mountain  whose  loveliness 
he  had  transferred  to  canvas  only  a  few 
weeks  before.  Many  of  the  largest  business 
houses  of  the  city  were  draped  in  mourning 
at  his  death,  for  all  of  the  people  of  Pueblo 
had  cither  heard  of  him,  seen  his  work  or 
knew  him  personally.  At  the  sale  of  his 
estate  in  Decatur  many  of  his  paintings 
brought  thousands  of  dollars,  one  of  the 
finest  of  his  productions  now  being  in  pos- 
session of  Mrs.  Graham  of  this  city.  Airs. 
Blank  has  very  few  of  his  works,  the  greater 


JOHN  M.  LOWRY 


PAST  AND   I'Ul-.SI'.Xr  OV  .MACON  COUNTY. 


•191 


number  of  them  having  been  sold  by  him 
pr;or  to  hi.s  death.  The  JNlilHkin  Univer- 
sity, which  is  now  being  erected  in  Decatur 
and  is  one  of  the  best  educational  institu- 
tions in  this  part  of  the  country,  intended 
through  the  board  of  directors  to  have  Mr. 
Blank  take  charge  of  the  art  department 
and  conduct  classes  in  drawing  and  paint- 
ing. His  work  here  made  him  well  known 
to  all  the  citizens  whose  great  admiration 
for  his  talent  and  ability  was  strictly  mani- 
fest. 

Mr.  Blank  was  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America  and  belonged  to  the 
church  in  Germany,  but  united  with  no  re- 
ligious organization  after  coming  to  this 
country.  Like  those  who  live  on  a  high 
plane,  the  circle  of  his  friends  was  select 
rather  than  large,  but  all  entertained  for 
him  the  highest  respect  and  his  death  is 
deplored  by  all  true  lovers  of  art.  Mrs. 
Blank  still  resides  in  Decatur  and  has  a  nice 
home  at  467  South  Webster  avenue,  where 
she  is  living  with  her  two  sons. 


JOHN  M.  LOWRY. 

No  history  of  the  business  development 
of  Decatur  and  its  expansion  and  its  prog- 
ress along  commercial  lines  would  be  com- 
plete without  the  history  of  John  M.  Low- 
ry,  because  he  was  one  of  the  first  business 
men  of  the  city  and  also  because  his  honor- 
able methods,  straightforward  dealing  and 
unflagging  energy  commended  him  to  the 
confidence  and  good  will  of  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  took  up  his 
abode  here  about  1850  and  remained  a  re- 
spected and  valued  resident  of  Macon  coun- 
ty until  his  death. 

Mr.  Lowry  was  born  in  Clark  county, 
Illinois,  November  2,  1825,  and  was  a  son 
of  William  and  Elizabeth  Lowry,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  oi  Kentucky.  The 
father  was  born  in  that  state,  July  5,  1779, 


and  the  mother's  birth  there  occurred  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1782.  After  their  mar- 
riage they  removed  to  New  York,  where 
they  remained  for  several  years  and  then 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Clark  county, 
where  Mr.  Lowry  engaged  in  farming  for 
a  few  years.  He  next  went  to  DeWitt 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  again  secured  a 
tract  of  land  and  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  until  his  death.  His  wife  died  in 
Macon  county  and  was  buried  in  DeWitt 
county. 

John  M.  Lowry  was  reared  upon  the  home 
farm  and  obtained  his  education  in  the 
common  schools,  while  during  the  periods 
of  vacation  he  assisted  his  father  in  the 
work  of  field  and  meadow.  After  com- 
pleting his  school  life  he  continued  to  de- 
vote his  entire  attention  to  work  upon  his 
father's  farm  for  a  few  years  and  then 
learned  the  miller's  trade,  which  he  followed 
until  his  removal  to  Macon  county  in  1850. 
He  settled  in  Decatur,  which  was  then  mere- 
ly a  crossroads  town,  the  embryo  city  giv- 
ing little  promise  of  its  future  growth  and 
development,  but  he  had  faith  in  its  pos- 
sibilities and  believed  it  afforded  a  good 
business  opening.  He  established  a  small 
grocery  store  on  what  is  now  East  Main 
street  and  about  the  same  time  he  was  made 
assistant  postmaster  of  Decatur,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  for  one  year.  He  con- 
tinued to  engage  in  the  grocery  trade  for 
a  few  years  and  then,  selling  his  own  place 
of  business,  he  accepted  a  position  as  sales- 
man in  the  Gorin  store,  where  he  remained 
for  a  few  years.  He  was  also  for  some 
time  a  salesman  in  the.  employ  of  Colonel 
Pugh.  He  next  settled  upon  a  farm  in  De- 
catur township,  where  he  carried  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  after  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  war,  when  his  patriotic  spirit 
being  aroused  by  the  attempt  of  the  south 
to  overtlirow  the  Union  he  joined  the  army 
and  fought  in  defense  of  the  stars  and 
stripes. 


492 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OF  MACOX  COL'XTY 


After  tlu'  war  Mr.  Lowry  removed  to 
Marion  county,  Iowa,  and  subsequently  set- 
tled in  Clark  county,  that  state,  engaginj^ 
in  farming  there  altogether  for  about  two 
years.  He  next  spent  one  year  in  Bates 
county,  Missouri,  where  he  carried  on  gen- 
eral farming  for  one  year  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  returned  to  Macon  county.  He 
had  been  married  in  Decatur  in  1852  to  Miss 
Martha  M.  Pugh.  a  native  of  Fayette  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  born  June  4,  1832,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Colonel  Pugh,  who  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  and  most  prominent  and  in- 
fluential citizens  of  this  part  of  the  state. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lowry  were  born  four 
children :  Elvira  E.,  the  wife  of  Perry  B. 
Vance,  of  Decatur ;  William  Isaac,  a  printer 
who  resides  in  Springfield,  Illinois ;  Mary 
A.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  mother ;  and 
Silas  T.,  who  married  Bertie  Lusk  and  re- 
sides in  Decatur,  where  he  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  No.  i  of  the  fire  depart- 
ment. 

When  Mr.  Lowry  returned  from  Missouri 
to  Illinois  he  once  more  took  up  his  abode 
upon  a  farm  in  Decatur  township  and  was 
there  engaged  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  for 
a  few  years.  Afterward  he  was  elected  con- 
stable, in  which  capacity  he  served  for  two 
years  and  finally  he  again  established  his 
home  in  Decatur,  where  he  lived  a  retired 
life,  having  put  aside  the  more  arduous  cares 
of  a  business  career.  He  was,  however, 
called  to  public  office,  being  chosen  justice 
of  the  peace,  in  which  capacity  he  was  serv- 
ing at  the  time  of  his  death.  In  the  dis- 
charge of  his  official  duties  he  was  prompt, 
faithful  and  impartial  and  his  "even  handed 
justice  won  him  golden  opinions  from  all 
sorts  of  people."  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch 
Republican,  having  firm  faith  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  party  and  doing  everything  in 
his  power  to  secure  their  adoption.  He 
belonged  to  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  De- 
catur and  was  a  very  prominent  and  well- 
to-do    citizen.      He    passed    away    April    8, 


1887,  to  the  deep  regret  of  many  friends  and 
the  great  sorrow  of  his  family,  who  had  ever 
found  him  a  loving  and  devoted  husband 
and  father.  Mrs.  Lowry  still  occupies  her 
beautiful  home  at  No.  726  North  Main 
street  and  she  also  owns  other  property  in 
Decatur.  She  has  many  friends  in  this  city 
and  she  and  all  of  her  children  are  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 


TITUS  T.  SPRINGER. 

The  efiforts  of  Titus  T.  Springer  in  behalf 
of  Decatur  have  been  of  such  material  bene- 
fit to  the  city  as  to  render  his  life  one  of 
signal  usefulness  to  his  fellow  men.  While 
laboring  for  his  own  success  he  has  pro- 
moted the  general  prosperity  by  pushing 
forward  the  wheels  of  progress  and  advanc- 
ing commercial  activity  in  the  city  where 
he  has  now  made  his  home  for  eight  years. 
No  resident  in  all  this  state  has  more  justly 
earned  the  proud  American  title  of  a  self- 
made  man  and  there  is  no  history  in  this 
volume  which  proves  more  clearly  the  force 
of  industry  and  of  a  recognition  of  oppor- 
tunity than  does  the  life  record  of  Mr. 
Springer. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  occurred  in 
Jackson  county,  in  1853.  He  first  opened 
his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in  a  little  log 
cabin  which  was  situated  upon  what  was 
then  the  frontier.  His  parents  were  Alan- 
son  and  Margaret  Springer,  pioneer  settlers 
of  Jackson  county.  The  father  secured  a 
tract  of  timber  land  amid  the  hills  near 
the  Scioto  river  and  began  the  arduous 
and  strenuous  task  of  developing  a  new 
farm  there.  He  worked  untiringly  and  per- 
severingly  but  death  claimed  him  when  the 
subject  of  this  review  was  about  five  years 
of  age  and  the  family  was  left  in  straitened 
circumstances.  The  mother,  however,  long 
survived  her  husband  and  passed  away  in 
1899.     For  many  years  she  put  forth  every 


PAST  AXn  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


493 


effort  in  her  power  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  her  children,  assisting  them  as  best  she 
could  until  they  were  able  to  care  for  them- 
selves. 

On  account  of  the  limited  tinaneial  re- 
sources of  the  family  it  was  necessary  that 
the  children  should  begin  to  earn  their  own 
living  at  an  early  age  and  when  hut  a  boy 
of  eight  years  Mr.  .'springer,  of  this  review, 
started  out  for  himself.  He  hired  out  to 
work  for  fifteen  cents  per  day  and  his  board, 
and  his  life  was  one  of  unremitting  toil.  He 
learned  to  cut  wood,  pee!  tan  bark,  make 
rails  and  cross  ties  and  he  had  to  endure 
many  privations  and  hardships  in  order  to 
get  the  few  necessities  of  life.  He  never 
wore  a  ready-made  suit  of  clothes  until  after 
he  had  earned  enough  money  to  pay  for  it. 
The  school  privileges  were  limited  to  only 
about  four  months  attendance  during  the 
winter  season  at  a  log  schoolhouse,  where 
the  methods  of  instruction  were  almost  as 
primitive  as  the  little  "temple  of  learning." 
In  his  youth  Mr.  Springer  worked  at  every 
kind  of  employment  that  he  could  secure 
which  would  bring  him  an  honest  living. 
He  has  cut  thousands  of  cords  of  wood  and 
it  was  in  this  way  that  he  gained  his  early 
start  in  life. 

Desiring  a  companion  and  helpmate  for 
life's  journey  Mr.  Springer  was  united  in 
marriage  in  1870  to  Miss  Nannie  St.  Clair, 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  St.  Clair  of  Ohio. 
The  young  couple  soon  afterward  decided 
to  seek  a  home  in  the  west,  believing  that 
they  might  have  better  op])ortunities  than 
in  Ohio.  Accordingly  they  started  for  Illi- 
nois, driving  across  the  country  to  Loving- 
ton,  where  they  arrived  in  March,  1876. 
Mr.  Springer  had  about  twenty-seven  dol- 
lars in  his  pocket.  This  constituted  his  en- 
tire capital,  but  he  possessed  resolution, 
courage  and  dcterminati<3n  and  upon  this 
he  has  built  his  success.  He  first  rented  a 
small  farm  on  the  prairie  and  during  the 
stnjimcr   months   engaged    in    the   tilling   of 


the  soil,  while  through  the  winter  seasons 
he  cut  woo^l,  going  from  four  to  six  miles 
to  the  timber  regions.  He  traded  wood 
to  his  neighbors  for  pigs,  calves,  cows  or 
an}^  kind  of  stock  and  in  this  way  he  grad- 
ually got  a  start.  Jn  two  years  he  had  ac- 
cumulated enough  money  to  make  a  small 
payment  upon  a  forty-acre  tract  of  land  and 
with  characteristic  energy  he  began  its  im- 
provement, having  the  added  stimulus  of 
knowing  that  the  farm  was  his  own.  llis 
labors  soon  wrought  a  great  transformation 
on  the  place  and  where  was  once  wild 
prairie  was  seen  rich  fields  of  corn,  giving 
promise  of  golden  harvests. 

For  five  years  Mr.  Springer  there  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  and  then  traded 
his  farm  to  Frank  Blaine  for  his  general 
store  in  Lake  City,  Mr.  Blaine  removing 
at  that  time  to  Decatur.  It  was  predicted 
that  Mr.  Springer  would  lose  money  in  this 
transaction,  but  time  soon  proved  that  the 
prediction  was  not  correct.  He  brought 
to  bear  upon  his  mercantile  enterprise  the 
same  energy,  keen  foresight  and  sound  busi- 
ness judgment  that  he  had  ever  manifested. 
In  six  months  he  had  purchased  a  large  and 
very  complete  stock  of  goods  for  a  country 
store  and  was  having  large  sales,  his  cus- 
tomers coming  from  miles  around.  At  the 
end  of  two  years  he  was  able  to  ])urchase 
from  Mr.  Blaine  the  store  building  and  it 
was  not  long  after  this  that  he  bought  of 
A.  Wait,  of  Decatur,  a  farm  in  Moultrie 
county,  for  which  he  paid  fifty  dollars  per 
acre.  Again  his  friends  regarded  the  trans- 
action with  dismal  foreboding.  So  high  a 
price  had  never  been  before  paid  for  land 
in  this  locality,  but  Mr.  .Springer  said  that 
in  the  course  of  years  he  would  be  able  to 
command  one  hundred  dollars  per  acre  for 
the  idace.  This  has  not  only  proved  true, 
but  to-day  the  farm  is  worth  easily  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  per  acre.  Whatever 
he  has  undertaken  Mr.  Springer  has  car- 
ried fiirward  to  successful  comiiletion. 


4!t4 


PAST  AXD  I'RESEXT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


Seeking  a  still  broader  tield  of  labor  Mr. 
Springer  came  to  Decatur  in  1895  and  en- 
tered its  business  circles  as  a  grocer.  From 
the  establishment  of  his  store  here  his  suc- 
cess has  been  uniform,  rapid  and  gratify- 
ing, and  to-day  he  conducts  one  of  the 
largest  retail  grocery  establishments  in  the 
city.  In  1900  he  removed  to  enlarged  quar- 
ters at  No.  108-114  Merchant  street,  where 
he  has  since  been  Located.  One  of  the  se- 
crets of  his  success  is  that  he  has  always 
been  most  progressive  in  his  methods,  be- 
ing not  a  follower  but  a  leader  in  mercan- 
tile circles.  His  patronage  is  now  large, 
his  business  profitable  and  his  success  could 
not  justly  be  envied  by  any,  because  it  has 
been  so  worthily  won. 

Unto  Mr.  and  J\lrs.  Springer  as  the  years 
have  passed  several  children  have  been 
born,  namely:  Alanson;  Lydia  K.,  now  the 
wife  of  C.  E.  Shiery;  William  T. ;  Charles 
C,  and  Jessie  K.  The  family  has  a  pleas- 
ant and  attractive  home  in  Decatur  and  the 
hospitality  of  many  of  the  best  residences 
in  the  city  is  extended  to  them. 

Since  1887  Mr.  Springer  has  been  a  valued 
and  exemplary  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, has  attained  to  the  Knight  Templar 
degree  of  the  York  Rite  and  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  In  politics  Mr. 
Springer  has  always  been  an  earnest  Demo- 
crat and  has  been  called  upon  to  serve  in  a 
number  of  township  offices.  He  was  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  for  eight  years  and  super- 
visor for  six  years.  In  the  spring  of  1903  he 
was  the  candidate  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
for  the  office  of  mayor  and,  although  this 
is  a  strong  Republican  city,  he  ran  far  ahead 
of  his  ticket,  receiving  a  large  support  from 
Republicans,  who  recognized  and  appre- 
ciate his  worth  and  who  felt  that  they  would 
receive  from  him  a  business  administration 
that  would  prove  of  material  benefit  to  De- 
catur. No  improvement  or  measure  which 
he  believes  will   contribute  to   the   general 


good  or  to  the  advancement  of  the  city 
along  material,  intellectual  or  moral  lines 
has  by  him  been  neglected.  His  life  record 
is  that  of  a  typical  western  man,  belonging 
to  that  class  whose  efforts  have  resulted  in 
the  upbuilding  of  this  wonderful  section  of 
the  country,  the  growth  and  progress  of 
which  has  been  so  great  and  rapid  as  to 
seem  almost  phenomenal.  Mr.  Springer  has 
never  had  a  dollar  that  he  has  not  himself 
earned  and  that  has  not  been  honorably 
won.  Although  his  early  life  was  fraught 
with  hardships,  difficulties  and  trials  he 
overcame  these  and  to-day  is  one  of  the 
prosperous  residents  of  Decatur,  whose  life 
record  should  be  a  source  of  inspiration  and 
encouragement  to  others. 


HENRY  B.  KUHNS. 
Henry  B.  Kuhns,  who  is  engaged  in  gen- 
eral merchandising  as  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Kuhns  &  Ruddock,  of  Argenta,  was  born 
in  New  Jersey,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1851,  his 
parents  being  John  and  Barbara  Kuhns, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  therefore  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view was  reared  to  the  work  of  the  farm, 
early  becoming  familiar  with  the  duties  of 
field  and  meadow  as  he  assisted  in  the  plow- 
ing, planting  and  harvesting.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  state  and 
remained  upon  the  home  farm  until  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  when  he  started  out  upon 
an  independent  business  career.  For  five 
years  he  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm 
hand,  after  which  he  decided  to  give  his 
attention  to  mercantile  rather  than  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  established  a  general 
store  at  Oreana,  where  he  -was  engaged  in 
business  for  ten  years.  He  found  this  pur- 
suit congenial  and  his  capable  management 
and  energy  made  it  profitable.     At  length 


WILSON  S.  GAGE 


PAST  WIi   I'RFSRXT  OI"  .NFACON  COUNTY 


41'; 


determining  to  make  his  home  in  the  middle 
west,  he  removed  to  Argenta  and  on  the 
1st  of  September,  1893,  he  formed  a  part- 
nership under  the  firm  style  of  Kuhns  & 
Rnddock,  a  connection  that  has  since  been 
maintaineil  with  mutual  pleasure  and  profit. 
They  have  a  large  store  and  carry  a  com- 
plete line  of  dry  goods.  Their  stock  is 
worth  ten  thousand  dollars  and  their  busi- 
ness is  large  and  profitable.  They  conduct 
their  store  along  progressive,  up-to-date 
lines,  carry  a  good  assortment  and  sell  at 
reasonable  prices — (|ualitics  which  always 
insure  patronage. 

In  1888  Mr.  Kuhns  was  joined  in  wed- 
lock to  Miss  Leah  Garver,  a  daughter  of 
C.  H.  Garver,  a  well  known  resident  of  Ma- 
con county.  Two  children  have  been  born 
of  this  union:  John  C.  and  George  H. 
^Ir.  Kuhns  is  a  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church,  his  wife  of  the  United 
Brethren  church,  and  both  are  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  by  a  large  circle  of  friends, 
while  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  of 
the  locality  is  freely  accorded  them.  Mr. 
Kuhns  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity  and  the  Modern  Wood- 
men Camp.  His  political  support  is  given 
the  Prohibition  party  and  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance finds  in  him  a  warm  friend.  For 
two  terms  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  vil- 
lage board  and  whether  in  office  or  as  a  pri- 
vate citizen  he  is  always  the  same  loyal  ad- 
herent of  measures  for  the  general  good, 
giving  active  help  to  interests  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  village  and  its  people.  He  owns 
a  good  residence  and  several  lots  in  Ar- 
genta and  his  property  holdings  also  include 
a  half  interest  in  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Macon  county.  There  is 
no  royal  rt^ad  to  wealth.  It  always  comes 
as  the  result  of  the  labor  and  sound  judg- 
ment of  some  one,  and  in  the  case  of  Mr. 
Kuhns  we  find  one  whose  prosperity  is  the 
direct  outcome  of  his  own  diligence  and  en- 
ergy.    He   is   now   a   prosperous   merchant 


and  moreover  he  enjoys  the  respect  of  his 
fellow  men  because  of  his  close  adherence 
to  the  ethics  which  govern  commercial  life. 


WILSON  S.  GAGE. 

Wilson  S.  Gage,  deceased,  was  for  many 
j-ears  identified  with  the  commercial  and 
agricultural  interests  of  Macon  county  and 
was  recognized  as  a  useful  and  valued  citi- 
zen of  the  community  in  which  he  made  his 
home.  He  claimed  New  England  as  his 
birth  place,  being  born  in  Roxbury,  New 
Hampshire,  Alay  21,  1825,  a  son  of  Daniel 
and  Polly  (Shaw)  Gage.  In  the  paternal 
line  he  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  British 
General  Gage,  of  Revolutionary  fame.  His 
father  was  born  in  1780,  his  mother  in  1788, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  were 
as  follows:  Marion,  July  28,  1808;  Simp- 
son S.,  February  6,  1810;  Catherine,  May  5, 
1813;  Susan  H.,  November  3,  1815;  Alpha 
S.,  May  5,  1818;  Ruth,  October  28,  1820; 
Elizabeth  B.  and  Mary  A.,  twins,  July  7, 
1823;  Wilson  S.,  May  21,  1825;  and  Martha 
L.,  April  20,  1827.  In  early  life  the  father 
engaged  in  farming  in  New  Hampshire, 
and  from  that  state  removed  to  Ohio  in  1833, 
locating  in  Washington  county,  where  he 
bought  land  near  Marietta  and  continued 
to  engage  in   agricultural  pursuits. 

Our  subject  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  state  and  after  the  re- 
moval of  the  family  to  Ohio  he  continued 
to  attend  the  country  schools  for  some 
time,  and  later  taught  school  for  a  few  years. 
For  four  years  he  was  employed  as  book- 
keeper in  the  Buckhorn  Iron  Works,  of 
Ohio,  and  was  similarly  employed  in  a  like 
establishment  for  two  years  in  a  near-by 
town.  He  then  went  to  Missouri,  where  he 
was  bookkeeper  for  the  Moselle  Iron  Works 
for  a  time,  and  subsequently  was  engaged 
in    mercantile   business   on   the   Frisco    line 


498 


PAST  AXI)   l'RF.Si:.\T  OF  MACUX  COUXTY. 


for  a  number  of  years  or  until  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  returned  to 
Ohio  and  purchased  a  part  interest  in  the 
Stacy  Hotel  at  Zanesville.  He  subsequent- 
ly removed  to  Illinois  with  his  family  and 
was  engaged  in  merchandising  at  Macon  for 
several  years  in  partnership  with  a  Mr. 
Whitaker.  On  retiring  from  that  business 
he  bought  a  farm  east  of  the  village,  which 
he  improved  and  cultivated  for  two  years, 
and  then  traded  the  place  for  the  farm  of 
two  hundred  acres  in  Pleasant  View  town- 
ship where  his  widow  now  resides.  He 
continued  the  operation  of  his  land  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  Jan- 
uary 26,  i8g6,  his  remains  being  interred  in 
Macon  cemetery.  He  was  a"  man  of  good 
business  and  executive  ability  and  achieved 
success  in  his  undertakings. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1857,  Mr.  Gage 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Catherine 
Harriet  Sterigere,  who  was  born  in  Frank- 
lin county,  Missouri,  October  27,  1831,  and 
was  educated  in  the  country  schools  of  that 
state  and  at  Norristown,  Montgomery  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania.  Her  father,  David  Steri- 
gere, was  born  in  the  Keystone  state  of 
German  parentage  and  at  an  early  day  went 
to  Missouri,  where  he  married  Emily  Pat- 
ton,  a  native  of  that  state  and  of  English 
and  Irish  descent.  He  became  the  owner 
of  a  number  of  slaves  who  were  taken  from 
him  at  the  time  of  the  Civil  war.  He  raised 
considerable  wheat  and  tobacco,  all  his  farm 
work  being  done  by  the  negroes.  He  served 
as  circuit  judge  of  the  ninth  judicial  dis- 
trict of  Missouri. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gage  became  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  namely:  D.  Leslie,  born 
April  2,  1858,  is  married  and  lives  on  the 
home  farm  ;  Willard  E.,  born  December  7, 
i860,  is  married  and  is  engaged  in  "the  prac- 
tice of  medicine  in  Missouri ;  Daniel  S., 
born  August  2,  1863,  makes  his  home  in 
Fulton,  Callaway  county,  Missouri;  Emily 
S.,  born   February  24,   1868,  is  the  wife  of 


Marion  W.  Gage,  who  lives  near  Marietta, 
Ohio;  Marian  H.,  born  September  7,  1871, 
is  the  wife  of  Herbert  Royston,  of  St.  Au- 
gustine, Florida ;  Charles  E.,  born  Febru- 
ary 22,  1876,  is  deceased ;  and  Franklin, 
born  November  16,  1866,  died  in  infancy. 

By  his  ballot  -Mr.  Gage  supported  the 
men  and  measures  of  the  Democratic  party, 
and  in  his  social  relations  was  connected 
with  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which 
his  estimable  wife  also  belongs,  and  she  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star.  He  was  a  man  of  the  highest  re- 
spectability, and  those  who  were  most  inti- 
mately associated  with  him  speak  in  unqual- 
ified terms  of  his  sterling  integrity,  his  honor 
in  business  and  his  fidelity  to  all  the  duties 
of  public  and  private  life.  His  death  oc- 
casioned the  deepest  regret  throughout  the 
community  and  Macon  county  thereby  lost 
one  of  its  most  valued  citizens. 


WALTER  DELAHUNTY. 

\\'alter  Delahunty,  now  deceased,  was  a 
well  known  business  man  of  Decatur  who 
took  up  his  abode  here  in  1865  and  became 
active  in  connection  with  business  affairs, 
gaining  for  himself  wide  and  favorable  ac- 
quaintance in  the  city.  He  was  born  in  the 
County  of  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  on  the  5th  of 
June,  1842,  and  was  a  son  of  William  and 
Ella  Delahunty,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  the  same  county  and  always  lived  there, 
spending  their  entire  lives  on  the  Emerald 
Isle. 

The  subject  of  this  review  spent  his  youth 
and  pursued  his  early  education  in  Ireland 
and  remained  a  resident  of  his  native  land 
until  1865,  when  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
}ears  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  America, 
believing  that  he  might  have  better  business 
opportunities  in  the  new  world,  concerning 
whose  advantages  he  had  heard  much.     He 


PAST  AXn   I'RI-.SI'.XT  OI'    .MACON  COUNTY. 


409 


was  two  weeks  upon  the  water  and  then 
landed  in  New  York  city,  whence  he  came 
direct  to  Decatur.  His  capital  was  very 
limited  and  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
provide  for  his  support.  He  began  work 
here  as  a  shoemaker  in  the  shoe  store  owned 
by  William  F.  Bushcr.  There  his  efficiency 
and  fidelity  enabled  him  to  work  his  way 
steadily  upward.  That  he  was  a  most  capa- 
ble representative  of  the  firm,  true  to  their 
interests  and  active  and  energetic  in  busi- 
ness is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  re- 
mained in  the  employ  of  the  house  for  four- 
teen consecutive  years. 

It  was  during  that  time  that  Mr.  Dela- 
hunty  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Bridget  M.  Finn,  a  native  of  County  Lim- 
erick, Ireland.  Her  father,  Thomas  Finn, 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  County 
Limerick,  residing  upon  a  farm,  to  the  cul- 
tivation and  improvement  of  which  he  de- 
voted his  energies.  At  length,  however, 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  eight  children, 
he  crossed  the  briny  deep  to  the  new  world 
and,  establishing  his  home  in  Decatur,  here 
lived  retired  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  when  he  had  attained  the 
age  of  eighty-six  years.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Delahunty  have  been  born  eight  chil- 
dren: Maj'  Ellen,  who  was  born  December 
14,  1874,  and  is  the  wife  of  Albert  Cocoran, 
a  farmer  living  near  Lake  City,  Illinois; 
Catherine,  who  was  born  August  14,  1876; 
Walter  Francis,  born  January  29,  1878; 
Theresa  Honora,  who  was  born  June  15, 
1879,  and  is  the  wife  of  Ed.  Moriarity,  of 
Decatur;  James  J.,  who  was  born  Decem- 
ber 10,  1886,  and  is  yet  with  his  mother; 
Myrtle  H..  born  March  25,  1891 ;  one  that 
died  unnamed ;  and  Thomas  D.,  who  died 
on  the  23d  of  July,  1883. 

After  leaving  the  firm  of  Busher  &  Com- 
pany .\lr.  Delahunty  entered  into  partner- 
shiji  with  his  brother-in-law,  P.  W.  Finn,  in 
the  establishment  of  a  retail  liquor  business 
in     Decatur.       They    afterward     purchased 


other  saloons  and  continued  in  that  business 
until  the  death  of  our  subject,  who  passed 
away  on  the  23d  of  August,  1902.  In  his 
political  views  Mr.  Delahunty  was  inde- 
pendent, supporting  the  men  whom  he 
thought  best  qualified  for  office  and  taking 
an  active  part  in  politics.  He  and  his  fam- 
ily are  all  members  of  St.  Patrick's  church 
of  Decatur  and  he  contributed  generously 
to  its  support.  He  was  a  man  of  social 
nature,  always  cordial  and  genial,  and  these 
([ualities  made  him  popular  with  a  large 
number  of  friends.  In  his  business  he  was 
very  successful  and  was  thus  enabled  to 
leave  his  family  in  comfortable  circum- 
stances. Mrs,  Delahunty  now  owns  and 
occupies  a  beautiful  home  at  No.  912  East 
North  street  and  is  also  the  owner  of  a 
large  and  valuable  farm  in  Moultrie  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  near  Lake  City.  She  and  her 
family  are  ]irominent  here  and  have  many 
friends  in  Decatur. 


VICTOR  D1-:WLL\. 
\'ictor  Dewein.  who  is  now  successfully 
engaged  in  the  grain  business  at  Warrens- 
burg  as  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of 
of  Faith  &  Dewein,  was  born  in  Peoria,  Illi- 
nois, im  the  2ist  of  October,  1876,  and 
being  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  four 
years  he  was  adopted  by  his  grandparents, 
X'alentine  and  Margaret  (Shafer)  Dewein, 
both  natives  of  Germany,  the  former  born 
in  Alsace-Loraine,  April  i,  1817,  and  the 
later  in  Baden-Baden,  April  28,  1823.  The 
first  of  the  family  to  come  to  America  was 
Frederick  Dewein,  who  was  the  grandfather 
of  Valentine,  just  mentioned.  He  accom- 
]ianicd  Lafayette  across  the  sea  in  181 1  and 
located  in  Shippcnsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  died  in  1823.  Prior  to  coming 
to  America  be  had  served  as  commissary 
in  the  eastern  division  of  the  French  army. 
His    .son,     Valentine     Dewein.    Sr.,    served 


oOO 


PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


seven  years  in  the  Frencli  army  under  Xa- 
poleon  I,  and  on  coming  to  America  in 
1830  located  in  Baltimore,  Maryland.  He 
was  a  tailor  by  trade  but  after  his  removal 
to  Cincinnati  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  bagging.  He  died  there  September  9, 
1844. 

\'alentine  Deweiii,  Jr.,  our  subject's 
grandfather,  was  quite  young  when  he  ac- 
companied his  parents  on  their  emigration 
to  America.  He  received  no  educational 
advantages  outside  of  those  afforded  by 
the  old  log  schoolhouses  of  those  days.  In 
1845  he  was  married  in  Maysville,  Ken- 
tucky, where  his  wife  had  located  on  com- 
ing to  this  country,  and  immediately  after- 
ward he  went  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where 
he  began  work  as  a  shoemaker.  In  1847 
he  removed  to  Peoria,  Illinois,  and  embarked 
in  the  wholesale  leather  and  shoe  findings 
business  on  South  Adams  street.  He  met 
with  excellent  success  in  this  venture  and 
in  1877  was  able  to  retire  from  business. 
He  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Pe- 
oria &  Rock  Island  Railroad,  was  a  director 
of  the  Toledo,  Peoria  &  Wabash  Railroad, 
and  also  a  director  of  the  Merchants  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Peoria ;  in  fact  he  was  one 
of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  bus- 
iness men  of  that  city.  He  served  as  alder- 
man for  some  time  and  always  took  a  very 
active  interest  in  public  affairs.  After  a 
useful  and  well  spent  life  he  died  on  the 
19th  of  February,  1S91,  and  his  wife,  who 
survived  him  for  a  few  years,  passed  away 
April  13,   1899. 

Victor  Dewein  was  for  twelve  years  a 
student  in  the  public  schools  of  Peoria,  and 
was  graduated  at  the  high  school  in  1895 
and  at  Brown's  Business  College  in  1896. 
Two  years  later  he  came  to  Warrensburg, 
where  he  had  charge  of  the  office  of  the 
C.  J-  Off  canning  establishment  for  three 
years.  The  following  six  months  were 
spent  in  travel,  during  which  time  he  cov- 
ered   seventeen    thousand    miles.      Leaving 


home  in  January  he  went  first  to  New  Or- 
leans, from  there   to  San  Antonio,  Texas, 
and  on  into  Mexico,  visiting  Aghuas  Cali- 
entcs,    Guadelaxara,   the    city    of    Mexico, 
Vera    Cruz    and   other   important    cities   of 
that   country.      Returning    to    the    United 
States  he  stopped  first  at  El  Paso,  Texas, 
and  from   there  went  to   Los  Angeles  and 
San  Diego,  California,  visiting  all  the  points 
of     interest     throughout     the     surrounding 
country.     On  the  29th  of  March  he  started 
for  the  Yosemite  \'alley  with  an  escort  of 
six   Chinese  cooks  and  an   Irish  horseman. 
This  was  before  the  regular  touring  season 
opened  and  there  was  six  feet  of  snow  on 
the  ground.    Mr.  Dewein  climbed  to  the  top 
of    the    Yosemite    Falls,    two    thousand   six 
hundred  and  thirty-four  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  valley,  and  from  there  he  commanded 
a   view   of   what    is   considered   one   of   the 
finest  scenes  in  our  country.     Leaving  the 
Yosemite  he  visited  San  Francisco  and  the 
Santa   Clara   valley — the   famous   fruit    dis- 
trict of  California.     He  next  went  to  Port- 
land, Oregon,  Astoria,  Tacoma  and  Seattle, 
Washington ;  then  by  boat  to  Y'ictoria  and 
Vancouver,   British   Columbia ;   and   on  his 
return  from  the  coast  stopped  at  Salt  Lake 
City,  Cripple  Creek,  Colorado  Springs,  Den- 
ver and  Kansas  City.    After  reaching  Peoria 
he  started  east  and  visited  Buft'alo  and  X"ew 
York,    where    he    saw    the    Columbia    beat 
Sir  Thomas   Lipton's  yacht,   Shamrock   II. 
He   spent   some   time   in    Philadelphia   and 
\\'ashington,  D.  C,  and  returned  to  War- 
rensburg in  1901.     These  were  trips  long  to 
be    remembered    and    from    which    he    will 
derive  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  throughout 
life. 

On  resuming  business  in  Warrensburg, 
Mr.  Dewein  formed  a  partnership  with  C. 
H.  Faith  in  the  gfrain  trade  under  the  firm 
name  of  Faith  &  Dewein,  and  they  now  own 
and  operate  elevators  at  this  place  and  at 
Heman,  Illinois.  They  handle  many  thou- 
sands bushels  of  grain  annually  and  are  re- 


THEODORE  HILDEBRANDT 


PAST  AXI)   I'RESEXT  OF  MACOX  fOl'X'lV, 


503 


garded  as  one  of  the  leading  iiriiis  in  their 
line  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1902,  Mr.  Dewein 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Grace  Faith, 
a  daughter  of  C.  H.  Faith,  and  they  now 
have  a  little  daughter,  Margaret  Henrietta, 
born  May  4,  1903.  Mrs.  Dewein  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Warrensburg  high  school  and 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  She  presides  with  gracious  dignity 
over  her  elegant  home,  which  is  one  of  the 
nicest  residences  of  the  place,  and  she  and 
her  husband  have  a  host  of  friends  here. 
In  religious  faith  Mr.  Dewein  is  a  Presby- 
terian and  in  politics  is  a  Republican.  He 
possesses  that  broad  culture  which  only 
travel  can  bring  and  is  very  popular  both 
in  business  and  social  circles. 


THEODORE  HILDEBRANDT. 
There  is  in  Decatur  no  druggist  who  has 
.so  long  carried  on  business  in  this  line  as 
has  the  subject  of  this  review  and  through- 
out the  years  of  his  connection  with  mer- 
cantile interests  here  he  has  maintained  an 
enviable  reputation  and  one  which  makes 
him  worthy  of  mention  as  a  leading  citizen. 
He  was  born  in  Prussia  on  the  i8th  of  De- 
cember, 1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Henrj^  Xavier 
and  Augusta  (Wahrendorf)  Hildebrandt, 
who  were  likewise  natives  of  the  Prussian 
kingdom.  They  reared  a  large  family  of 
children,  of  whom  Theodore  was  the  next 
to  the  youngest.  He  has  one  brother,  F.  L. 
Hildebrandt,  who  is  a  civil  engineer  of  Chi- 
cago, and  a  sister,  Mrs.  A.  Linde,  also  living 
in  that  city. 

Tn  a  select  school  of  his  native  country 
Mr.  Hildebrandt  of  this  review  began  his 
education  and  therein  pursued  his  studies 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  twelve  years, 
after  which  he  spent  five  years  in  college. 
Coming  to  .-Xmerica  he  resided  with  his 
brother  Hannon   upon   a   farm   in    Missouri 


for  one  \i.-ar  ami  ihon  his  brother  died  sud- 
denly. Our  subject  afterward  went  to  St. 
Louis  where  he  secured  a  clerkship  in  a 
drug  store  and  since  1853  he  has  been  con- 
nected with  that  line  of  business  in  Decatur. 
Upon  his  arrival  here  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  salesman  in  the  employ  of  Dr.  W.  A. 
Barnes,  with  whom  he  remained  for  two 
years,  in  fact,  it  was  through  the  efforts  of 
Dr.  Barnes  that  he  came  to  Decatur.  In 
1858  he  opened  a  drug  store  on  his  own  ac- 
count, forming  a  partnership  under  the  firm 
style  of  McCabe  &  Hildebrandt.  At  a 
later  date,  however,  he  sold  his  interest  in 
the  store  to  his  partner  that  he  might  enter 
the  army,  for  his  patriotic  spirit  was  aroused 
by  the  attack  made  upon  the  Union  by  the 
disloyalty  in  the  south.  He  joined  the 
Twenty-first  Illinois  Volunteers,  with  which 
he  remained  for  a  short  time  and  upon  his 
return  ho  purchased  a  store  of  his  old  part- 
ner and  l:)cgan  business  on  his  own  account, 
continuing  at  the  old  stand  until  1878.  In 
1888  he  opened  his  i>rcsent  store  at  No.  7+4 
East  Eldorado  street  and  has  since  con- 
ducted it  with  growing  success.  There  is 
no  druggist  of  Decatur  whose  residence 
here  antedates  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Hilde- 
brandt, or  who  has  been  so  continuously  in 
the  business.  'i"hc  city  was  a  village  of  only 
about  five  hundred  population  at  the  time 
of  his  arrival  and  with  its  growth  and  de- 
velopment our  subject  has  kept  apace,  re- 
modeling his  store  to  keep  in  touch  with 
the  progressive  spirit  of  the  times.  He  now 
has  a  well  appointed  establishment  and  a 
large  and  carefully  selected  stock.  He  thor- 
oughly understands  the  business  in  every 
department  and  the  use  of  the  various  reme- 
dial agencies  and  as  a  compounder  of  medi- 
cine there  is  no  more  capable  merchant  in 
the  city.  His  time  and  attention  have  been 
given  to  his  store  to  the  exclusion  of  all  de- 
mands to  win  public  office  or  gain  public 
;iotoriety. 

Mr.   iiildibrandt  was  married  in  Dccatr.r 


50i 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


to  Miss  Julia  M.  Mason,  a  daughter  of  Levi 
Alason,  of  New  York.  They  had  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  sons  are  living :  Charles 
T.  and  Albert  Mason.  The  former  married 
Miss  Henrietta  Michaels,  of  Iowa,  by  whom 
he  has  a  daughter,  Elizabeth.  He  now  re- 
sides in  Chicago,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  engines.  The  younger 
son  wedded  Miss  Bess  Lorena  Lloyd  and  is 
living  in  Indianapolis.  This  marriage  was 
celebrated  June  30,  1903. 

Mr.  Hildebrandt's  life  has  been  a  success, 
his  entire  career  is  illustrative  of  the  fact 
that  certain  actions  are  followed  by  certain 
results.  As  a  merchant  he  occupies  an  en- 
viable position  in  the  public  regard,  as  one 
whose  actions  have  been  neither  reproached 
or  criticised.  He  is  a  worthy  adopted  son 
of  this  land  and  no  native  son  of  America 
is  more  true  or  loyal  to  the  stars  and  stripes 
than  is  Theodore  Hildebrandt. 


DANIEL  C.  SPENCE. 
Daniel  C.  Spence  was  a  farmer  of  Friends 
Creek  township,  ?.lacon  county,  where  he 
established  his  home  in  1869.  It  continued 
to  be  his  place  of  residence  until  he  was 
called  to  his  final  rest  and  he  became  known 
as  one  of  the  progressive  and  enterprisii'g 
agriculturists  of  the  community  and  as  a 
man  who  was  worthy  of  the  highest  regard 
because  his  life  was  ever  upright  and  hon- 
orable. He  was  a  natixe  of  North  Carolina, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  that  state  on 
the  14th  of  October.  1841.  The  public 
schools  afforded  him  liis  etlucatioual  pri\'i- 
leges  and  with  his  father's  family  he  came  to 
Illinois,  spending  his  youth  upon  the  home 
farm  in  .'\dams  county.  There  he  was  early 
trained  to  habits  of  industrj'  and  economy 
and  his  knowledge  of  practical  farming 
methods  gained  upon  the  old  homestead 
proved  of  immense  benefit  to  him  when  he 
engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account. 


Like  most  young  men  he  desired  a  com- 
panion and  helpmate  for  the  journey  of  life 
after  attaining  his  majority  and  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A.  Carter,  a 
native  of  Adams  county,  Illinois,  born  on 
Christmas  day  of  1839.  The  lady  is  a 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  W.  and  Lydia 
(I'"uller)  Carter,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  whence  they 
emigrated  westward,  settling  in  Adams 
county,  Illinois,  at  a  very  early  period  in 
its  development.  The  father,  a  ininister 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  devoted 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  to  the  work  of 
spreading  the  gospel  and  influencing  men 
to  follow  an  upright  life  as  taught  by  Christ. 
His  principles  and  examples  were  both 
strong  elements  for  good  in  the  communities 
in  wliich  he  lived.  His  memory  is  still  en- 
shrined in  the  hearts  of  many  who  knew 
him.  Both  he  and  his  wife  have  now 
passed  away,  but  are  yet  lovingly  remem- 
bered by  a  large  circles  of  friends. 

Unto  Mr.  iind  ]\Irs.  Spence  were  born  six 
children :  John  \\'.,  now  deceased ;  Will- 
iam Henry,  a  painter  by  trade,  who  is  now 
engaged  in  contracting  in  that  line  in  De- 
catur; George  L.,  who  married  Nellie  Revis 
and  is  an  engineer  on  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road, making  his  home  in  Decattir ;  Mary  B., 
the  wife  of  J.  O.  Johnson,  an  insurance  man 
of  this  city;  James  O.,  who  married  Lula 
Deck  and  resides  in  Decatur;  and  Arthur 
C,  who  is  living  with  his  mother. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Spence  purchased 
a  farm  in  Friends  Creek  township,  Macon 
comity,  Illinois,  where  he  located  in  1869, 
anil  there  engaged  in  general  agricultural 
pursuits.  \\'ith  characteristic  energy  he  be- 
gan its  development  and  improvement  and 
continued  its  cultivation  imtil  his  death. 
He  was  a  very  industrious  man  who  never 
was  afraid  of  hard  work,  but  applied  him- 
self with  diligence  and  energy  to  the  task 
which  awaited  him  and  gained  thereby  a 
comfortable  competence. 


PAST  Axn  i'Ri:si:.\T  of  .macon  county. 


505 


He  died  Scpiember  24,  1874,  in  the  faith 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which 
he  was  a  loyal  member.  In  politics  he  was 
a  stanch  Republican  and  was  always  true 
to  his  duties  of  citizenshi]).  In  fact  he 
faithfully  met  every  tluty  which  devolved 
upon  him  whether  in  public  or  in  private 
life  and  he  so  lived  as  to  win  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  his  fellow  men  and  to 
leave  to  iiis  family  the  priceless  heritage  of 
an  untarnished  name.  After  his  death  -Mrs. 
Spence  sold  the  home  farm  and  removed  to 
Decatur,  purchasing  her  present  residence 
at  Xo.  1204  Xorth  Main  street,  where  she 
has  since  resided.  Her  many  womanly 
qualities  and  kindly  spirit  have  endeared 
her  to  those  with  whom  she  has  come  in 
contact  and  she  is  favorably  known  among 
a  large  circle  of  friends  in  this  city. 


Rl-:\'.  JAMES  H0131JS. 
Rev.  James  Hobbs  has  devoted  the 
greater  part  of  his  life  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry  as  a  preacher  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  his  in- 
fluence has  been  of  no  restricted  order. 
He  has  labored  consecutively  along  lines 
which  have  ajjpealed  to  general  intelligence 
and  his  work  lias  been  an  imjiorlant  factor 
in  the  moral  flevclopment  of  Decatur.  He 
was  born  in  Madison,  Indiana,  on  the  26th 
of  May,  1837,  his  father  being  Thomas 
Hobbs,  who  in  early  life  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  agricultural  pursuits  and  after- 
ward engaged  in  merchandising.  He  mar- 
ried .Miss  Eleanor  Snodgrass,  who  was  born 
in  Cabell  county,  West  Virginia,  in  1808, 
being  one  year  her  husband's  senior,  for  his 
birth  occurred  in  Henry  county,  Kentucky, 
in  1809.  During  the  pioneer  epoch  of  the 
Blue  Grass  state  the  Hobbs  family  was 
founded  there  by  the  great-grandfather  of 
■our  subject.  The  maternal  grandfather  was 
Samuel  Snodgrass,  who  belonged  to  a  fam- 


ily numbering  three  sons.  It  was  in  the 
year  1840  that  Thomas  Hobbs  removed  with 
his  family  from  Indiana  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Randolph  county,  where  he  remained 
continuously  for  more  than  a  tjuarter  of  a 
century  or  until  1867.  when  he  removed  to 
lUmker  Hill,  Illinois.  He  afterward  became 
a  resident  of  Litchfield,  this  state,  where 
his  remaining  days  were  passed.  His  wife 
departed  this  life  in.  1885  and  he  was  called 
to  his  final  home  in  Decatur,  1896,  having 
reached  an  advanced  age.  The  family  of 
this  worthy  couple  numbered  eight  chil- 
dren, three  sons  and  five  daughters,  all  but 
two  of  whom  reached  mature  years,  while 
two  of  the  number  are  now  living  in  Litch- 
field, Illinois,  and  another  sister  makes  her 
home  near  Springfield,  Missouri. 

Rev.  James  Hobbs  spent  his  boyhood 
days  in  Randolph  county,  Illinois,  and  there 
pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  began  teaching, 
being  first  employed  in  the  district  schools 
and  after  in  village  schools.  To  the  work 
of  promoting  the  intellectual  development 
of  the  state  he  gave  his  energies  for  thir- 
een  years,  during  which  time  he  spent  near- 
Iv  three  years  as  a  student  in  McKendree 
College  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois.  While 
engaged  in  teaching  he  was  also  licensed 
to  preach  in  Salem,  Illinois,  by  Hiram  Sears, 
prcsiiling  elder,  his  first  charge  being  at 
Galatia,  Saline  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
remained  for  a  year.  In  1888  he  came  to 
Decatur,  where  he  has  smce  done  evangeli.s- 
tic  and  missionary  work.  He  admits  to  his 
cliurch  all  who  wish  to  hear  the  message 
of  the  gospel,  although  advocating  in  strong- 
est terms  the  doctrine  of  the  Methodist 
church.  He  has  induced  many  to  follow  in 
the  straight  and  narrow  path  which  leads 
to  life  everlasting.  He  is  an  earnest  speaker, 
a  deep  thinker  and  a  logical  reasoner,  and 
his  utterances  have  left  a  lasting  impression 
upon  many  of  his  hearers. 

On  the  9th  of  hebruary,  1859,  Rev.  Hobbs 


506 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACON  COUNTY. 


was  joined  in  the  holy  bonds  of  wedlock 
to  Miss  Mary  A.  Webb,  of  Randolph  county, 
Illinois.  She  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  -Mis- 
souri, in  1S44,  and  died  leaving  four  chil- 
dren: Lille,  now  the  wife  of  Charles  S. 
Todd,  of  Macon  county,  living  near  Deca- 
tur ;  and  three  who  are  now  deceased. 

On  the  Sth  of  May,  1867,  Rev.  Hobbs  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  Lizzie  Morrow,  of  Randolph  county, 
Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Arthur  Morrow,  a 
prominent  old  citizen  of  that  locality.  The 
second  wife  died  February  12,  1885.  The 
two  children  born  of  this  union  are  both 
deceased.  Mr.  Hobbs  was  later  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie  C.  Rentchler,  of 
Rentchler  Station,  Illinois,  a  little  town  lo- 
cated near  Belleville.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Baker)  Rentchler, 
who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and 
among  the  early  settlers  of  St.  Clair  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  locating  there  in  1836.  Her 
father  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1800,  and  her  mother's  birth 
occurred  in  the  same  place  in  1804.  Mrs. 
Hobbs  was  born  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois, 
June  I,  1844.  By  this  union  was  born  one 
child,  Taylor  K.,  whose  birth  occurred  July 
25,  1889. 

Air.  Hobbs  has  a  neat  home  on  Dunham 
street,  where  he  has  two  acres  of  land,  con- 
stituting a  valuable  property.  Almost  his 
entire  life  has  been  devoted  to  the  holy  call- 
ing which  yet  claims  his  attention  and  he 
is  a  man  of  force  in  the  church,  his  labors 
proving  of  marked  value  in  bringing  to  man 
a  knowledge  of  the  gospel  and  in  turning 
his  fellow  citizens  from  paths  of  sin  into 
walks  of  life  leadinsr  to  rio;hteousness. 


HENRY   I'.ERKLER. 
No  better  illustration  of  the  characteristic 
energy   and   enterprise  of   the  typical    Ger- 
man-American   citizen    can    be    found    than 


that  afforded  by  the  career  of  this  well 
known  farmer  of  Friends  Creek  township. 
Starting  out  in  life  for  himself  without 
capital  he  has  made  his  way  to  success 
through  wiselj'  directed  effort  and  can  now 
look  back  with  satisfaction  upon  past  strug- 
gles. 

Mr.  Berkler  was  born  in  Germany  in  1837 
and  there  spent  the  first  fifteen  years  of  his 
life  in  school  most  of  the  time.  He  then 
came  to  the  new  world  with  his  parents, 
and  was  thirty-five  days  upon  the  water  as 
the  voyage  was  made  in  a  sailing  vessel. 
The  family  settled  in  Peoria,  Illinois,  where 
the  father  died  many  years  ago.  The  mother 
died  in  1899  near  Maroa,  Illinois. 

Our  subject  began  earning  his  own  liveli- 
hood by  working  on  a  farm  by  the  month 
and  later  he  was  in  his  father's  employ  for 
a  time.  Pie  next  rented  a  farm,  which  he 
operated  for  six  years,  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land 
on  section  13,  Friends  Creek  township,  Ma- 
con county,  where  he  now  resides.  He 
subsequently  purchased  another  eighty-acre 
tract,  making  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
where  he  now  resides,  and  he  also  has  six 
hundred  acres  in  Iowa.  For  his  home  place 
he  paid  eighteen  dollars  per  acre  and  he 
has  laid  out  a  large  amount  of  money  on 
improvements  since  it  came  into  his  pos- 
session, erecting  all  of  the  buildings  there- 
on. His  attention  is  mostly  devoted  to  the 
raising  of  grain  but  he  is  interested  in  stock 
to  some  extent,  and  he  has  met  with  good 
success  in  his  farming  operations. 

In  1859  Mr.  Berkler  married  Miss  Paulina 
Ehman,  by  whom  he  had  three  children: 
Lizzie,  ^^■illiam  and  Kate.  For  his  second 
wife  he  wedded  Matilda  Shultz  and  to  them 
were  born  twelve  children,  ten  of  whom  are 
still  at  home  with  their  parents,  namely: 
Lottie,  Amelia,  Gertrude,  John,  Frank,  ^'et- 
tie,  Samuel,  Fred,  Lelia  and  Esther.  Ada 
is  now  the  wife  of  Theodore  Denise  and 
lives  in  Macon  countv,  and  Edward  is  mar- 


ROBERT  WOODS 


PAST  AXn  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COPXTV 


509 


ried  and  resides  in  Iowa.  Tlie  daughter 
Amelia  taught  school  in  that  state  for  a 
time  but  is  now  at  home.  Mrs.  Berkler  is  a 
native  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  and  a 
daughter  of  John  Shultz,  a  farmer  by  occu- 
liation,  who  brought  his  family  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  in  1859  and  located  in 
Friends  Creek  township,  where  Mrs.  Berk- 
ler attended  school.  Our  subject  and  his 
wife  are  consistent  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  have  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  all  who  know  them.  For 
three  years  he  lias  served  as  school  direc- 
tor and  he  votes  with  the  Democratic  party. 


ROBERT  WOODS. 
Robert  Woods,  whose  home  is  on  section 
10,  South  Wheatland  township,  is  the  old- 
est resident  of  Macon  county  who  was  born 
in  Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  St. 
Clair    county,    this    state,    on    the    15111    of 
J     Mary,   1817,  before  her  admission  to  the 
Uii  an.      He   is  a   worthy   representative   of 
that  hardy  class  of  pioneers  who  came  here 
in  tirr'torial  days  and  were  not  only  forced 
to   end^  -e  all   of  the   hardships   and   priva- 
■ons  incident  to  pioneer  life,  hut  were  often 
n    great    danger    from    attacks    l)y    the    In- 
u  tns. 

Hir  subject  j  paternal  grandfather  was 
Join  Walker  and  the  changing  of  his  name 
to  Woods  was  occasioned  by  the  following 
curious  .'.cident.  At  the  time  of  the  break- 
ing out  o!  the  Revoi'itionary  war  he  was 
living  nea  Halifax,  Neva  Scotia,  and  was 
pressed  into  the  British  army,  but  two  days 
before  the  baUle  of  Long  Island  he  deserted 
to  join  the  American  forces.  While  on  his 
way  he  was  stopped  by  a  man  who  claimed 
to  have  authority  to  arrest  him  and  when 
the  man  began  to  fumble  in  his  pockets  for 
his  papers  the  grai.dfather  of  our  subject 
knocked  him  down  and  took  his  papers, 
n-hich   were  made  out  in  tlie  name  of   lohn 


Woods.  As  a  matter  oi  jjrecaution  "Mr. 
W  alker  took  that  name  as  his  own  lest  he 
should  be  caj^tured  and  put  to  death.  He 
served  throughout  the  struggle  for  inde- 
pendence under  the  name  of  John  Woods 
and  when  success  at  length  crowned  the 
efforts  of  the  colonists  he  sent  for  his  family 
to  join  him  in  the  United  States,  locating 
in  Jefferson  county,  Ohio.  At  the  age  of 
ten  years  his  son  John,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  dropped  the  name  of  Walker  and 
also  took  that  of  Woods. 

John  Woods,  Jr.,  grew  to  nianhuod  in 
Jefferson  county,  Ohio.  The  passing  of  a 
flatboat  changed  the  whole  current  of  his 
life,  for  upon  that  boat  was  the  lady  who 
became  his  wife.  He  hoarded  the  boat,  went 
with  her  down  the  ( )hio  river  and  settled  in 
the  same  neighborhood  in  St.  Clair  county, 
Illinois,  where  they  were  married  about  the 
beginning  of  tlie  nineteenth  century.  They 
experienced  much  trouble  with  the  Indians, 
being  among  the  pioneers  of  the  state.  The 
father  died  in  February,  1855.  when  over 
eighty  years  of  age,  and  his  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Delilah  Hill,  passed  away 
August  19,  1826,  when  our  subject  was  a 
lad  of  nine  years.  They  were  the  parents 
of  nine  children,  namely:  William,  who 
served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  at  Rock 
Island  ;  Mary,  who  died  in  Wisconsin  ;  John, 
who  was  also  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  and 
died  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  May  19, 
1875;  Peter,  deceased;  Robert,  of  this 
sketch ;  George,  who  was  drowned  in  the 
Kaskaskia  river  in  1839;  Thomas,  who  died 
in  Central  City  in  1866;  Nancy,  who  died  in 
Missouri;  and  one  who  died  in  early  child- 
hood. For  his  second  wife  the  father  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Susan  McGuire,  a  sister  of  his 
first  wife,  and  she  had  two  children,  James 
Marion,  now  deceased;  and  Mrs.  Delilah 
ilolcomb,  a  resident  of  St.  Clair  county. 

Our  subject's  brother  John  deserves  fur- 
ther mention  on  account  of  his  coolness  and 
hraverv  under  grave  surroundings.     During 


510 


PAST  AXD  I'RESEXT  OF  MACOX  COUXTY. 


the  Black  Hawk  war  the  Indians  massa- 
cred the  entire  Hall  family,  near  Chillock's 
Grove,  except  two  daughters  who  were  cap- 
tured and  a  boy  who  escaped  and  informed 
the  soldiers  of  what  had  occurred.  The 
daughters  were  afterward  restored  by 
treaty.  A  Mr.  Alacumsum,  who  had  been 
nearly  killed  by  the  Indians,  was  being 
carried  by  John  Woods  and  three  other 
men  to  a  place  of  safety,  but  desiring  a 
drink  of  water  they  stopped  at  a  spring  and 
as  one  of  the  party,  Mr.  McDaniels,  was  in 
the  act  of  dipping  up  the  water,  he  was 
killed  by  a  volley  from  the  red  men  who 
lay  in  ambush.  Mr.  Macumsum  was  left 
and  the  others  fled.  All  escaped  with  ex- 
ception of  Mr.  Woods,  who  was  detained  by 
trying  to  catch  his  horse  that  had  been  in 
charge  of  another  man  who  on  hearing  the 
firing  dropped  the  bridle  and  ran.  Luckily, 
however,  the  horse  became  entangled  in  the 
bridle  and  this  enabled  Mr.  Woods  to  catch 
him  more  easily.  Although  the  last  ofif  the 
ground  he  managed  to  get  beyond  the  bul- 
lets of  the  Indians  and  escape.  At  that  time 
Benjamin  Scott,  a  brother  of  Judge  John 
M.  Scott,  who  was  afterward  judge  of  the 
supreme  court  of  the  state,  was  helping 
carry  Mr.  Macumsum.  He  was  killed  and 
decapitated,  his  head  being  carried  off  by 
the  red  men  as  a  trophy.  Mr.  Woods  had 
the  gratification  of  knowing  that  one  Indian 
scalp  had  been  taken  by  him.  He  brought  it 
home  and  it  was  kept  in  the  family  for  a 
long  time  as  a  relic. 

Robert  Woods  spent  his  boyhood  in  the 
log  cabin  home  but  on  the  death  of  his 
mother  the  family  became  scattered  and  the 
children  were  never  all  together  again.  For 
six  years  he  lived  with  a  Mr.  Ward.  His 
early  advantages  were  very  meager  and  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  began  working  as  a 
farm  hand,  receiving  seven  dollars  per 
month  for  his  services.  For  ten  years  he 
was  employed  in  that  capacity,  working 
early  and  late  at  the  most  arduous  duties. 


At  length  he  was  able  to  purchase  eighty 
acres  of  school  land  at  one  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  acre  and  subsequently  bought 
eighty  acres  more.  In  1866  he  sold  his  farm 
of  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  St.  Clair 
county  and  came  to  ]^Iacon  county,  purchas- 
ing one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  his  pres- 
ent farm,  to  which  he  has  since  added  until 
he  now  has  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in 
South  A\'heatland  township.  Besides  his 
home  place  he  has  other  property,  in  all  over 
three  hundred  acres  in  this  county.  Laying 
aside  active  labor  he  has  lived  a  retired 
life  for  several  years,  enjoying  a  comfortable 
competence  which  was  acquired  by  former 
toil.  His  farm  interests  are  now  being  car- 
ried on  by  William  R.  McGuire,  who  was 
born  in  Moultrie  county,  Illinois,  Septem- 
ber 25,  1877,  a  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Scott)  IMcGuire,  and  was  married  January 
24,  1900,  to  Aliss  Grace  Woods,  a  grand- 
daughter of  our  subject  and  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Margaret  (Gooker)  Woods. 
She  was  born  January  9,  1881.  They  are 
now  living  on  the  old  home  place  and  have 
one  child,  Ada  Marie,  born  August  5,  1902. 
It  was  on  the  i6th  of  March,  1843,  i"  St. 
Clair  county,  that  Mr.  Woods  led  to  the 
marriage  altar  Miss  Elizabeth  H.  Short,  a 
daughter  of  William  B.  and  Nancy  (HilO 
Short.  Her  father  was  born  in  JNIonroe 
county,  Illinois,  in  1804.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Woods  became  the  parents  of  six  children, 
as  follo\vs :  George  S.,  who  served  in  the 
Union  army  under  General  Sherman  and 
died  in  ilacon  county,  Illinois,  in  1890,  leav- 
ing one  son,  Robert  S. ;  Joseph,  who  died 
June  18,  1891,  leaving  three  children;  John, 
who  first  married  Caroline  Cox  and  second 
Margaret  Gooker  and  died  August  4,  1892; 
William,  who  died  in  St.  Clair  county  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years ;  Benjamin,  also  de- 
ceased ;  and  Alfred  W.,  who  wedded  Haidee 
Finney,  of  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  Musselman's  Business  College  and 
was  a  teacher  of  architecture  and  mechan- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COfXTV. 


all 


ical  drawing  in  the  W'esleyan  Universit_v. 
He  is  now  engaged  in  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  Lincoln,  Xebraska.  The  mother 
of  this  family  died  on  the  4th  of  December, 
1864. 

Mr.  Woods  was  again  married  January 
7,  1868,  to  Ellen  Elizabeth  Pope,  who  was 
born  in  Wake  county,  Xorth  Carolina,  De- 
cember 30,  1817,  and  was  ten  years  of  age 
when  she  came  to  Illinois  with  her  parents, 
Dempsc}'  and  Sarah  (Edwards)  Pope.  She 
first  married  John  Elder,  and  to  them  were 
born  four  children  who  reached  years  of  ma- 
turit\-,  namely  :  Sarah  Jane  ;  Lavinia  ;  Mary 
E.,  wife  of  William  Wilson,  of  Arkansas ; 
and  William  F.,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Thirteenth  Illinois  In- 
fantry in  the  Civil  war  and  was  wounded 
in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  causing  the 
amputation  of  his  arm.  Mrs.  Woods  had 
two  brothers  who  belonged  to  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry  and 
both  died  from  disease  contracted  in  the 
service.  She  had  seen  President  Lincoln  in 
the  wheat  field,  harvesting  his  grain  with 
a  reap  hook  on  what  is  now  known  as  the 
Leiby  farm  near  Walnut  Grove.  She  died 
on  the  17th  of  August,  1900,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years. 

Mr.  Woods  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  William  Henry  Harrison,  supported 
Millard  Fillmore  in  1856  and  Lincoln  in 
i860,  and  has  since  affiliated  with  the  Re- 
publican party.  During  the  long  years  of 
his  residence  in  this  state  wonderful  changes 
have  taken  place  here.  The  dusky  savages 
who  still  roamed  through  the  forests  during 
his  boyhood  days  have  long  since  disap- 
peared, seeking  homes  in  the  reservations 
beyond  the  Mississippi,  and  the  wild  game, 
once  so  numerous,  has  all  been  destroyed. 
Prairie  and  forest  have  been  transformed 
into  fine  farms,  villages  and  cities  have 
sprung  up.  and  all  of  the  interests  and  evi- 
dences of  an  advanced  civilization  have  been 
introduced,    making    this    one    of    the    best 


states  of  the  Union.  In  the  work  of  prog- 
ress and  advancement  Mr.  Woods  has  al- 
^vays  borne  his  part  and  he  deserves  a  prom- 
inent place  on  the  roll  of  honored  pioneers 
of  Illinois. 


P.  D.  SPOONER. 

P.  D.  Spooncr  was  born  May  31,  1864,  a 
son  of  Cyrus  M.  and  Maria  (Devol) 
Spooncr,  who  were  natives  of  Ohio.  His 
father  was  descended  from  an  English 
ancestor  who  worked  his  passage  to  Amer- 
ica in  the  seventeenth  century,  thus  estab- 
lishing his  home  in  the  new  world  in  an 
early  period  in  its  colonization.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  Cyrus  Spooner,  was 
likewise  a  native  of  Ohio  and  many  of  the 
representatives  of  the  family  have  been  in 
the  professions  and  some  have  won  dis- 
tinction therein.  The  subject  of  this  review 
is  a  distant  relative  of  Senator  Spooner,  of 
Wisconsin.  Cyrus  M.  Spooner,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Ohio,  March  17, 
1832,  and  became  a  merchant  of  that  state. 
He  followed  his  chosen  calling  for  many 
years  and  in  1880  removed  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Blue  Mound,  where  he  opened  a 
meat  market,  which  he  conducted  for  three 
or  four  years.  Since  that  time  he  has  been 
doing  general  repair  and  cabinet  work.  At 
the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he  responded  to 
his  country's  call  for  aid,  enlisting  in  Com- 
pany F.  Second  Regiment  of  West  Virginia 
Volunteer  Cavalry.  He  served  in  the 
.Shenandoah  valley  under  Generals  Sheri- 
dan and  Custer  and  was  in  the  battles  of 
Winchester,  Sinking  Creek,  Dublin  Depot, 
Lynchburg-.  Waynesburg  and  Fisher  Flill. 

P.  D.  .Spooner  acquired  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  Lowell,  Ohio,  and  of 
Blue  Mound,  Illinois.  Fie  left  school  in 
1882  and  began  in  the  newspaper  business 
in  Blue  Mound,  while  later  he  went  to  Pal- 
myra, where  for  three  years  he  was  con- 
nected with  a  drug  store.    He  then  returned 


512 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACUX  CUUXTY. 


to  this  place  and  purchased  the  Independent, 
which  he  edited  and  published  for  three 
years,  selling  out  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  to  the  firm  of  Gepford  &  McElroy. 
On  leaving  the  journalistic  field  Mr.  Spooner 
went  to  Palmyra,  but  after  a  year  spent  in 
conducting  a  meat  market  there  he  re- 
turned to  Blue  Mound  and  entered  the  post- 
office  in  September,  1897.  He  has  since 
]jecn  connected  with  its  administration  and 
is  a  worthy  public  official. 

On  the  14th  of  July,  1887,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Air.  Spooner  and  Miss  Hattie 
W.  Wood,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Sarah 
(Hodge)  Wood,  of  ]Macon  county.  She 
was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Blue  Mound 
and  is  a  most  estimable  lad3^  Six  children 
were  born  of  this  union :  Helen  D.,  born 
September  10,  1888;  Harold  W.,  July  6, 
1890;  John  R.,  May  12,  1892;  Robert  Whip- 
ple, February  11,  1894;  Eleanor  Mabel, 
August  30,  1900;  and  a  baby  girl,  unnamed, 
July  26,   1903. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Spooner 
is  a  Republican  and  fraternally  he  is  con- 
nected with  the  Fraternal  Army  of  America. 
His_  wife  also  belongs  to  that  organization, 
to  the  Eastern  Star  and  the  Rebecca  Lodge, 
her  father  having  been  a  charter  member 
of  the  Odd  F"ellows  Society  here.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Spooner  are  well  known  in  Blue 
Mound  and  enjoy  the  friendship  of  many 
people  because  of  their  upright  lives,  social 
dispositions  and  genial  qualities. 


DAVID  KRETZER. 
At  an  early  period  in  the  development 
of  Macon  county  David  Kretzer,  now  de- 
ceased, became  one  of  the  residents  of  De- 
catur and  was  actively  identified  with  its 
building  interests,  becgming  a  leading  and 
important  factor  in  the  early  improvement 
and  development  of  the  city.  Because  of 
his  excellent  workmansliip  and  his  straight- 


forward honorable  dealings  he  secured  a 
liberal  patronage  and  was  widely  known 
for  his  sterling  traits  of  character  and  his 
business  integrity. 

He  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  that  state  on  the  21st 
of  October,  1818.  His  parents  were  both 
natives  of  Germany  and  on  leaving  the 
fatherland  they  crossed  the  Atlantic  to 
America,  settling  in  Maryland  in  early  life. 
There  they  lived  for  several  years,  during 
which  time  their  son  David  was  born.  Af- 
terward they  took  up  their  abode  upon  a 
farm  near  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  they  spent 
their  remaining  days,  both  dying  on  the 
old  homestead  there.  Mr.  Kretzer  devoted 
his  energies  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  thus  provided  a  good  living  for  his 
family. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  David 
Kretzer  we  present  to  our  readers  the  life 
record  of  one  well  worthy  of  representa- 
tion among  the  leading  men  who  have  been 
connected  with  business  affairs  in  Decatur. 
He  acquired  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Maryland  and  after  his  parents' 
removal  to  Ohio  he,  too,  went  to  that  state 
and  purcliased  a  farm  near  Dayton,  carrying 
on  the  work  of  tilling  the  soil  for  a  few 
vears.  Subsequently  he  disposed  of  his 
property  there  and  removed  to  Miami  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  where  lie  again  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  a  few  years.  He  next  went  to  Darke 
county,  Ohio,  and  once  more  settled  upon 
a  farm  on  which  his  labors  wrought  many 
changes  in  the  way  of  improvements. 

Mr.  Kretzer  was  first  married  in  Ohio  to 
Miss  Elizabeth  Ullery,  who  died  in  Cov- 
ington, that  state,  leaving  one  son,  Joseph, 
who  is  now  a  resident  of  Arcolo,  Illinois, 
and  is  engaged  in  farming.  For  his  second 
wife  Air.  Kretzer  chose  Miss  Jemima 
Housse,  tlie  wedding  being  celebrated  on 
the  4th  of  March,  1856.  She  was  born  in 
Darke  county,  Ohio,  January  28,  1832,  a 
daughter    of    Isaac    and    Tacey      (Briggs) 


PAST  AM)   1 'RESENT  OF  .MACCXX  COUNTY. 


513 


Housse,  who  were  natives  of  l);irkc  county, 
where  they  always  lived,  the  father  devoting 
his  energies  to  farming  and  also  carrying 
on  the  milling  business,  for  he  owned  and 
operated  a  mill  near  his  home.  IJoih  he 
and  his  wife  passed  away  in  Darke  county. 
Unto  the  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Kretzer 
seven  children  were  born,  namely:  Ed- 
ward C,  who  is  now  a  carpenter  living  in 
St.  Clair  comity,  Illinois;  Ellen,  the  widow 
of  Henry  JMondabaugh,  of  Dayton,  Ohio ; 
Ruth  Belle,  who  is  the  wife  of  Ewing  Hunt, 
and  is  living  in  Leroy,  Illinois;  Benjamin 
Eranklin,  a  land  speculator  located  in  Fort 
Worth,  Texas;  Ceora,  of  Danville,  Illinois; 
David,  C,  who  is  a  prominent  practicing 
physician  of  Fort  Madison,  Iowa ;  and  Lucy, 
who  resides  at  home  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Kretzer  continued  to  make  his  home 
in  Darke  county,  Ohio,  until  1855,  ^""^  then 
came  to  Illinois,  establishing  his  home  in 
Decatur.  Here  he  began  work  at  the  car- 
penter's trade  and  as  a  contractor  and  build- 
er erected  many  of  the  first  buildings  in  this 
city,  his  excellent  workmanship  causing  his 
services  to  be  sought  by  the  newcomers 
who  located  in  Decatur  and  built  for  them- 
selves homes  and  business  houses  here. 
For  several  years  Mr.  Kretzer  continued  to 
work  at  his  trade  and  was  accorded  a  lib- 
eral patronage  by  the  public.  When  his 
financial  resources  had  increased  and  made 
him  the  possessor  of  considerable  capital 
he  made  investment  in  a  farm  comprising 
two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres  of  land 
in  Harristown  township,  Macon  county, 
and  removing  to  that  place,  he  devoted  his 
time  anil  energies  to  its  cultivation  and  im- 
provement. His  labors  soon  wrought  a 
marked  transformation  in  its  appearance. 
He  placed  the  fields  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  each  autumn  reaped  abund- 
ant harvests.  He  also  erected  splendid 
buildings  and  secured  the  latest  improved 
machinery  to  facilitate  the  farm  work. 
Everything  about  his   place  was   neat   and 


thrift)-  in  appearance  and  he  became  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of 
his  locality. 

In  matters  of  citizenship  he  was  progress- 
i\e,  taking  an  acti\e  interest  in  everything 
pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his  community. 
In  his  political  views  he  was  a  Democrat, 
but  was  never  an  aspirant  for  office.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  Harristown  township  and 
took  a  very  deep  interest  in  church  work, 
doing  all  in  their  power  for  the  extension  of 
its  inlluence  and  contributing  liberally  to 
its  sujjport.  He  passed  away  November 
30,  1884,  and  in  a  review  of  his  completed 
life  record  one  finds  many  elements  that  are 
worthy  of  commendation  and  of  emulation. 
He  started  out  in  life  empty  handed,  but 
]K5Ssessc(l  resolution  and  courage  and  would 
brook  no  obstacles  that  could  be  overcome 
l)y  persistent  and  honorable  labor.  Gradu- 
ally he  thus  worked  his  way  upward  until 
he  became  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of 
the  community  and  he  left  to  his  family  a 
good  name  as  well  as  a  comfortable  com- 
petence. After  her  husband's  death  Mrs. 
Kretzer  removed  to  Decatur  and  now  re- 
sides at  No.  1236  North  Main  street,  where 
she  has  recently  erected  a  fine  large  resi- 
dence. She  also  owns  the  old  homestead 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres  in 
Harristown  township  and  the  income  there- 
from supplies  her  with  all  of  the  comforts 
and  manv  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 


GUSTAVE  E.  DUKER. 
The  name  at  once  suggests  a  power  in 
the  world  of  trade  in  Decatur  and  only  two 
years  have  passed  since  Gnstave  F.  Duker 
established  his  home  in  this  city.  He  has 
become  recognized  as  one  of  its  most  pro- 
gressive and  enterprising  merchants,  con- 
ducting his  business  afTairs  along  lines  that 
prove  not  only  a  benefit  to  himself  but  are 


614 


FAST  AND  TRESEiXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


instrumental  in  the  commercial  expansion 
of  the  city.  Fie  is  now  the  proprietor  of 
the  store  conducted  under  the  name  of  the 
Empire  Shoe  Company  and  has  in  two 
years  achieved  a  success  which  is  indicative 
of  the  possession  of  splendid  business  ca- 
pacity and  executive  force. 

Mr.  Duker  was  born  on  the  5th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1864,  in  the  city  of  Ouincy,  Illinois, 
his  parents  being  Theodore  and  Elizabeth 
Duker.  His  father  was  born  in  the  province 
of  Hanover,  Germany,  not  far  from  the 
border  of  France,  and  in  his  boyhood  days 
was  brought  to  America  by  his  parents,  the 
family  home  being  established  at  Quincy, 
Illinois.  Since  that  time  Theodore  Duker 
has  resided  in  that  city  and  has  become  one 
of  its  wealthiest  and  most  prominent  bus- 
iness men.  His  wife  was  a  native  of  Aus- 
tria and  of  noble  birth.  She,  too,  was 
brought  to  the  new  world  by  her  parents  in 
her  childhood  days  and  became  a  resident  of 
Quincy,  where  in  due  time  she  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  Mr.  Duker  and  there 
resided  until  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest. 
Twelve  children  were  born  unto  this  worthy 
couple,  seven  sons  and  five  daughters,  and 
with  one  exception  all  are  yet  living. 

Gustave  F.  Duker  began  his  education 
in  St.  Boniface  parochial  school  in  Ouincy 
and  later  attended  St.  Francis  College  in 
the  same  city.  When  his  literary  education 
was  completed  he  pursued  a  commercial 
course  in  the  Gem  City  Business  College  in 
that  city,  and  thus  entered  upon  his  bus- 
iness career  well  prepared  to  meet  its  re- 
sponsible and  arduous  duties.  He  began 
work  for  C.  Wand,  of  Quincy,  in  whose  em- 
ploy he  remained  for  fourteen  years,  and 
this  fact  is  certainly  indicative  of  his  fidelity, 
ability  and  trustworthiness.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  he  accepted  a  position  with  E. 
I.  Martin  Dry  Goods  Company  of  Quincy, 
remaining  with  that  firm  for  four  years, 
when  he  resigned  in  order  to  enter  upon  a 
similar  business   relation   with   the   firm  of 


J.  Kcspohl  &  Company  of  Quincy.  When 
three  years  with  that  house  had  elapsed 
he  removed  to  Ilurdland,  Missouri,  where 
he  began  business  on  his  own  account,  con- 
ducting a  general  store  for  a  little  more 
than  three  years.  Returning  to  Ouincy  he 
was  in  business  in  his  native  city  for  a  short 
period  and  then  came  to  Decatur  in  May,. 
1901,  establishing  his  store  here  at  No. 
118  East  Prairie  street.  A  year  later  he 
removed  to  No.  114  North  Water  street, 
where  he  is  still  conducting  business  under 
the  name  of  the  Empire  Shoe  Company. 
He  has  one  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped 
shoe  stores  in  the  county,  carrying  a  well 
selected  stock  of  goods  and  having  an  ex- 
tensive and  growing  patronage.  He  is  very 
energetic  and  by  strict  adherence  to  the 
ethics  of  commercial  life  and  by  straight- 
forward dealing  he  has  gained  a  patronage 
which  is  indeed  gratifying. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1888,  Mr.  Duker 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susie  Alex- 
ander of  Quincy  and  unto  them  two  chil- 
dren have  been  born :  Theodore  and  Ken- 
neth. Mrs.  Duker  is  a  descendant  of  Alex- 
ander the  Great,  and  her  parents,  who  are 
now  living  in  Quincy,  are  among  the 
wealthy  and  distinguished  residents  of  that 
city.  Her  grandfather  was  a  quartermaster 
in  the  Continental  Army  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  Socially  Mr.  Duker  is  con- 
nected with  Decatur  Council,  No.  577, 
Knights  of  Columbus,  and  he  is  likewise 
a  member  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church 
of  Decatur.  Steadily  pursuing  his  way  un- 
deterred by  the  obstacles  and  difficulties  in 
his  path  he  has  achieved  splendid  success. 
Close  application,  careful  study  of  business 
methods  and  plans  to  be  followed,  close  at- 
tention to  the  details  combined  with  an 
untiring  energy,  directed  by  a  superior 
mind,  these  are  the  traits  of  character  which 
have  brought  to  him  success  and  made  him 
one  of  the  foremost  merchants  of  Decatur. 


PAST  AXl)   1 'RESENT  OF  MACOX  CUUNTY. 


515 


W  ILLIA.M  T.  McLKA.X,  M.  I). 

As  llie  oldest  physician  of  Maroa,  Dr. 
AIcLean  has  maintained  his  position  in  the 
front  ranks  of  the  medical  fraternity  in  this 
part  of  the  county  by  reason  of  his  com- 
prehensive reading  and  study,  whereby  he 
has  kept  in  touch  with  the  progress  of  the 
times  in  connection  with  the  science  of 
medicine.  A  native  of  KiiUucy,  he  was 
born  in  Harrison  county,  that  slate,  in  1858, 
a  son  of  C.  A.  and  Lucy  McLean,  who  in 
1865  removed  to  Maroa.  It  was  therefore 
in  the  schools  of  this  city  that  the  Doctor 
acquired  his  preliminary  education.  Later 
he  became  a  student  in  the  University  of 
Illinois  in  the  class  of  1877.  With  broad 
literary  knowledge  to  serve  as  the  founda- 
tion upon  which  to  roar  the  superstructure 
of  professional  learning,  he  took  up  the 
study  of  medicine  in  the  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Chicago  and  was  graduated  with 
the  class  of  1881.  Thus  well  equipped  for 
his  chosen  profession  he  returned  to  Maroa 
and  remained  with  his  father  for  a  time.  In 
July,  1882,  he  removed  to  Warren sburg, 
Illinois,  but  in  May,  1883,  returned  to 
Maroa,  where  he  has  since  remained,  and 
as  the  3'ears  have  come  and  gone  he  lias  in- 
creased his  skill  and  proficiency  by  compre-  • 
hensive  investigation  into  the  methods  of 
practice  that  have  been  followed  and  that 
are  being  introduced  for  the  alleviation  of 
human  sitffering.  While  never  hasty  in 
discarding  the  old  and  tried  methods  he  is 
ever  alert  to  know  of  new  ones  which  will 
benefit  mankind  and  his  reading  and  re- 
search have  made  his  knowledge  profound 
and  accurate.  He  pursued  a  post-graduate 
course  of  study  in  both  New  York  and  Chi- 
cago, on  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throat. 

At  one  time  Dr.  McLean  owned  a  farm 
but  afterward  sold  it.  However,  he  is  now 
interested  in  the  farming  of  thirteen  hundred 
acres  of  land,  but  does  not  own  it.  In 
Maroa  he  has  a  fine  residence,  which  is 
indicative  of  the  success  that  has  crowned 


his  efforts  in  his  chosen  life  work.  In  his 
practice  he  was  associated  with  Dr.  Mor- 
gan as  a  partner  from  1890  until  1897,  and 
they  fitted  up  a  splendid  office  with  all 
modern  improvements,  which  Dr.  McLean 
now  owns  and  occupies. 

On  the  16th  of  June,  1885,  the  Doctor  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  P. 
Crocker,  a  daughter  of  John  H.  Crocker, 
and  unto  them  have  been  born  four  chil- 
dren: John  C,  Franklin  C,  Edwin  P.  and 
Anna  Louise,  all  of  whom  are  attending 
school.  The  Doctor  and  Mrs.  McLean  be- 
long to  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  fra- 
ternally he  is  connected  with  Maroa  Lodge, 
No.  454,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Maroa  Lodge, 
No.  314,  I.  O.  O.  F.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat  and  has  twice  served  as  mayor 
of  Maroa,  giving  to  the  city  a  practical  bus- 
iness-like administration  that  appealed  to 
the  people  and  won  their  strong  endorse- 
ment and  high  encomiums.  The  Doctor  has 
spent  almost  his  entire  life  in  Maroa,  and 
his  life  history  is  in  contradistinction  to  the 
old  adage  that  a  prophet  is  never  without 
honor  save  in  his  own  country,  for  along 
lines  of  signal  usefulness  he  has  directed 
his  labors  among  the  people  who  have 
known  him  from  boyhood  and  the  com- 
munity accords  him  respect  and  confidence. 


WILLIAM  PI.  STARE. 
William  H.  Stare,  now  deceased,  was  a 
contractor  and  patternmaker  in  Decatur 
during  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  His 
business  record  was  creditable  and  in  social 
relations  he  maintained  the  strictest  honor 
and  integrity  with  his  fellow  men  so  that 
he  was  classed  with  the  leading  and  highly 
respected  citizens  of  his  community.  A 
native  of  York  county,  Pennsylvania,  he 
was  born  on  the  21st  of  January,  1854,  and 
is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  Ann  (P.ruaw) 
Stare,   both    of   whom   were  natives  of  the 


510 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COL'NTY. 


Keystone  state.  The  father  was  also  a  con- 
tractor by  occupation  and  followed  that 
pursuit  in  \'ork  county,  Pennsylvania,  un- 
til 1858.  lie  then  removed  westward  with 
his  faniil}-  and  settled  in  Decatur,  where  he 
established  a  lunilieryard  and  engaged  in 
business.  He  also  worked  at  his  trade  here 
throughout  his  remaining  days  and  his  wife 
spent  her  last  days  in  Decatur. 

\\  illiam  H.  Stare  acquired  a  good  educa- 
tion, completing  the  high  school  course  in 
Decatur.  He  was  but  four  years  of  age 
when,  with  his  father,  he  came  to  this  city 
and  here  the  days  of  his  youth  were  passed 
in  the  usual  manner  of  boys  of  that  period, 
the  duties  of  the  schoolroom  being  alter- 
nated by  the  enjoyment  of  the  playground. 
When  he  had  put  aside  his  text  books  he 
began  to  learn  the  contractor's  trade  and 
followed  that  pursuit  with  his  father  for 
many  years.  He  also  learned  the  pattern- 
maker's trade  and  followed  that  calling  in 
Decatur.  Another  enterprise  to  which  he 
turned  his  attention  was  the  manufacture 
of  tile  in  Cerro  Gordo,  Illinois,  where  he 
conducted  the  business  for  two  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period,  however,  he 
returned  to  Decatur,  where  he  worked  at 
contracting  and  pattern-making  until  the 
time  of  his  demise.  His  capability  in  the 
line  of  his  chosen  vocation,  his  close  appli- 
cation and  his  indefatigable  industry  were 
the  elements  in  his  success  that  brought  to 
him  a  comfortable  and  desirable  com- 
petence. 

On  January  14,  1879,  William  H.  Stare 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Harriet  E. 
Hoover,  a  native  of  Ashland  county,  Ohio, 
and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Catherine 
Hoover.  Her  father  was  a  farmer  in  Ohio 
throughout  his  entire  life  and  there  his 
death  occurred  September  30,  1861.  His 
widow  afterward  came  to  Decatur  and 
made  her  home   with    Mr.  and   Mrs.   Stare 


until  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest,  April 
10,  1900. 

In  social  circles  in  Decatur  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
-Stare  were    widely    and    favorably  known. 
They  had  many  friends  who  esteemed  them 
highly    for    their    genuine    wortli.      In    his 
political    views    Mr.    Stare   was   an   earnest 
Republican,    but    never    sought    or    desired 
the  rewards  of  office  in  recognition  of  his 
party  fealty.     He  held  membership  in  the 
Church  of  God  in  Decatur  and  took  great 
interest   in  church   work,   doing  everything 
in    his   power   to   extend   its   influence    and 
promote  the  cause  of  Christianity.    In  early 
manhood    he    was    made    a    deacon    in    the 
church  and  acted  in  that  capacity  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.     He  was  also  serving  as 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  when 
called  to  his  final  rest.    Of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  .Association  of  Decatur  he  was  a 
charter  member  and  a  director  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  and  was  also  a  charter  member 
of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  here.   His 
labors  were  effective  and  far-reaching  in  be- 
half of  the  cause  of  Christianity  and  his  ex- 
ample is  one  well  worthy  of  emulation.    His 
wife    is    an    earnest    Christian    woman,    be- 
longing to  the  First  Baptist  church  of  De- 
catur.    It  was  on  the  5th  of  August,  1890, 
that  Mr.  Stare  was  called  to  his  final  rest, 
and  his  remains  were  interred  in  Greenwood 
cemetery.      He   had  so   lived   that   all   who 
knew  him  gave  him  confidence  and  regard 
and    Decatur    numbered    him    among    its 
valued  citizens.     His  life   was   indeed  hon- 
orable, upright  and  useful  and  it  is  therefore 
with  pleasure  that  we  mention  him  among 
the  representative  men  of  the  city  in  which 
he  so  long  resided.   INIrs.  Stare  yet  makes  her 
home  in  Decatur  and  has  a  fine  new  resi- 
dence at  No.  874  North  Main  street,  where 
she  is  now  living.     In  addition  to  this  she 
owns  residence  property  at  Nos.  115  and  125 
East  King  street  in  Decatur,  from  which  she 
receives  a  good  income. 


ANDREW  DENNIS 


MRS    M.  L.  DENNIS 


W.  D.  BAKER 


MRS.  W.  D.   BAKER 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


i)-JO 


ANDREW  DENNIS. 

About  1850  Andrew  Dennis  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Macon  county  and  for  long  years 
resided  here,  watching  the  development  and 
growth  of  this  portion  of  the  state  and  tak- 
ing an  active  interest  in  the  work  of  prog- 
ress and  improvement  here.  He  was  a  na- 
tive of  Greencastle,  Pennsylvania,  born  on 
the  14th  of  December,  1820.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Magdeline  Dennis,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  whence 
they  removed  to  Ohio  in  an  early  day.  The 
father  there  turned  his  attention  to  farming 
and  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  His  widow 
afterward  came  to  Macon  coimty  and  re- 
sided with  a  daughter  in  Decatur  until  her 
demise. 

Andrew  Dennis  began  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  Pennsylvania  and  con- 
tinued his  studies  in  the  schools  of  Ohio, 
gaining  a  practical  knowledge  which  proved 
of  benefit  to  him  in  the  control  of  his  busi- 
ness interests  in  later  years.  When  he  left 
school  he  became  his  father's  assistant  on 
the  home  farm  in  Ohio,  and  prior  to  this 
lime  he  had  rendered  active  service  in  the 
care  and  cultivation  of  the  fields  during  the 
summer  months.  He  had  a  brother  who 
came  to  Macon  county  about  1849  and. 
sending  back  favorable  reports  concerning 
this  section  of  the  country,  Mr.  Dennis  of 
this  review  was  induced  to  come  to  Illinois 
in  1850.  Joining  his  brother  he  worked  at 
the  plasterer's  trade  in  Decatur  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  He  then  purchased  a  tract  of 
land  in  Decatur  township  and  turned  his 
attention  to  farming,  placing  his  land  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  raising  good 
crops. 

Mr.  Dennis  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Matilda  L.  Baker,  a  native  of  Ruther- 
ford county,  Tennessee,  born  August  28, 
1824;  and  a  daughter  of  William  D.  and 
Manila  (Martin)  Baker,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  North   Carolina.     y\t  the  age  of 


fifteen  years  William  D.  Baker  removed 
to  Rutherford  county,' Tennessee,  where  he 
engaged  in  carpentering  until  1828,  when  in 
company  with  a  Mr.  Davis  he  came  to  Ma- 
con county,  Illinois.  They  were  among  the 
first  settlers  of  this  county.  Hardly  a  home 
had  been  established  within  its  borders  and 
the  work  of  civilization  and  progress  had 
been  scarcely  begun.  Much  of  the  land  was 
still  in  possession  of  the  government,  roads 
had  not  been  laid  out  and  only  here  and 
there  was  a  log  cabin  to  show  that  civiliza- 
tion had  penetrated  into  the  interior  of  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Baker  and  Mr.  Davis  settled  in 
Long  Creek  township,  when  it  was  all  wild 
prairie  land  and  their  neighbors  were  be- 
tween six  and  eighteen  miles  away.  ^Ir. 
Baker  made  improvements  upon  his  farm 
and  there  resided  until  his  death,  giving  his 
time  and  attention  to  the  further  develop- 
ment of  his  property.  He  died  in  1883  at 
the  age  of  eighty-three  years  and  twenty- 
eight  days,  having  for  fifty-five  years  been 
a  resident  of  IMacon  county  and  a  witness 
of  its  growth  as  it  emerged  from  pioneer 
conditions  to  take  its  place  among  the  lead- 
ing counties  of  the  state.  Mrs.  Baker  sur- 
vived her  husband  for  about  ten  years  and 
passed  away  in  1893,  at  the  very  advanced 
age  of  ninety-four  years.  The  Baker  fam- 
ily has  long  been  a  prominent  and  well 
known  one  of  Macon  county.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dennis  were  born  four  children  :  Mag- 
gie, the  wife  of  A.  P.  Cobb,  now  a  Christian 
minister  of  "Decatur;  Mary,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years ;  Charlie,  who  is 
employed  on  the  Chicago  News  in  a  con- 
fidential capacity  to  Mr.  Lawson  and  mar- 
ried Rachel  Wilson,  while  after  her  death 
he  wedded  her  sister,  Nellie  Wilson;  and 
Tra,  who  died  in  infancy.  The  children 
have  had  the  benefit  of  splendid  educational 
privileges. 

On  taking  up  his  abode  in  Decatur  town- 
ship Andrew  Dennis  applied  himself  closely 
to    the    inipro\-emcnt    of    the    ])r()|)erf\'    and 


526 


PAST  AND  PRESKXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


there  engaged  in  fanning  until  his  life's 
labors  were  ended.  As  the  result  of  his 
energy  and  capable  management  his  farm 
became  valuable,  the  fields  yielding  excel- 
lent crops,  while  good  buildings  and  other 
improvements  indicated  the  careful  super- 
vision and  progressive  spirit  of  the  owner. 
Mr.  Dennis  was  never  an  office  seeker  but 
served  as  county  commissioner  for  a  short 
time,  in  early  life  he  gave  his  political 
allegiance  to  the  Democracy  and  later,  on 
account  of  his  strong  temperance  principles, 
he  became  a  Prohibitionist.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Ppis- 
copal  church  but  since  her  husband's  death 
Mrs.  Dennis  has  joined  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church  of  Decatur,  in  which 
denomination  two  of  her  brothers  are  minis- 
ters. In  his  business  affairs  Mr.  Dennis  was 
very  successful  and  became  well-to-do.  He 
was  systematic  in  all  that  he  undertook  and 
his  capable  management  and  energy  resulted 
in  bringing  to  him  very  gratifying  financfal 
return  for  his  labor.  He  died  March  3, 
1893,  and  though  ten  years  have  since  passed 
his  memory  is  yet  enshrined  in  the  hearts 
of  many  who  knew  him  and  who  entertained 
for  him  warm  regard  by  reason  of  the 
sterling  traits  of  character  which  he  pos- 
sessed. In  December,  1895,  Mrs.  Dennis 
left  the  farm  and  removed  to  Decatur,  al- 
though she  still  owns  the  rich  tract  of  land 
of  one  hundred  and  forty-one  acres  on  which 
she  and  her  husband  long  resided.  In  this 
city  she  purchased  her  present  property  at 
No.  820  North  Union  street,  where  she  is 
now  living,  her  home  adjoining  that  of  her 
sister. 


JOHN  P.  LEHN. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  John  P.  Lehn 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers 
and  highly  esteemed  citizens  of  Illini  town- 
ship and  his  possessions  had  been  acquired 
through   his   own   industrious   and  well   di- 


rected efforts.  He  had  won  by  an  hon- 
orable, upright  life  an  untarnished  name, 
and  the  record  which  he  left  behind  is  one 
well  worthy  of  perpetuation. 

Mr.  Lehn  was  born  in  Cumberland 
county,  Pennsylvania,  January  17,  1838,  a 
son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Waggoner) 
Lehn.  His  father  died  about  1850  and  his 
mother  three  years  later,  so  that  he  was 
left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age.  In  the  fam- 
ily were  seven  children,  five  sons  and  two 
daughters,  namely :  Anna,  wife  of  Frank 
Chugerts;  John  P.;  Susannah,  deceased; 
Sylvester,  a  resident  of  Tennessee ;  Wilson, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Colorado ;  Josiah, 
who  is  a  fruit  grower  of  Shedds,  Linn 
county,  (Jregon  ;  and  Samuel,  a  resident  of 
Macon   county,  Illinois. 

In  the  county  of  his  nativity  John  P. 
Lehn  was  reared  and  educated  and  although 
his  school  privileges  were  limited  he  became 
a  well  informed  man  by  reading  and  obser- 
vation in  later  years.  Leaving  Pennsylvania 
in  1856  he  came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
and  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand 
for  seven  years.  Having  lived  economically 
and  saved  his  money,  he  was  then  able  to 
purchase  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
raw  prairie  land,  to  which  he  afterward 
added  four  hundred  acres,  making  five 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  he  con- 
verted into  a  highly  cultivated  and  well 
improved  farm.  Since  his  death  this  has 
been  divided  among  his  sons,  so  that  they 
now  have  eighty  acres  each. 

Mr.  Lehn  was  married  February  20,  1873, 
to  Miss  Tabitha  Jones,  a  daughter  of  Rob- 
ert Jones,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  five  children 
blessed  this  union,  namely :  George  Wag- 
goner, who  married  Lois  L.  Baum  and  re- 
sides in  Illini  township;  Calvin,  who  wed- 
ded Lilly  Sibthorpe  and  lives  in  Hickory 
Point  township ;  Frank,  who  married  Ada 
Moore  and  lives  in  Illini  township :  and 
Ellis  and  Howard,  still  at  home  with  their 
mother. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


52( 


In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Lehn  was 
a  Democrat  and  he  lilled  the  offices  of  road 
commissioner  and  school  director.  He  was 
very  public  spirited  and  progressive  and 
always  took  a  deep  interest  in  any  enter- 
prise calculated  to  promote  the  general  wel- 
fare. He  was  emphatically  a  self-made  man 
his  success  in  life  being  due  entirely  to  his 
own  industry  and  good  management,  and 
he  is  certainly  deserving  of  honorable  men- 
tion among  the  leading  and  representative 
citizens  of  his  adopted  county.  After  a  use- 
ful and  well  spent  life  he  passed  away  on 
the  old  home  farm,  where  his  widow  still 
resides,  January  14,  1S99. 


H.  MARTYN  OWEN. 

One  of  the  most  notable  features  in  the 
educational  world  is  the  growth  and  de- 
velopment of  schools  for  the  education  of 
those  wishing  to  enter  the  business  life. 
The  employer  of  to-day  does  not  care  to 
retain  in  his  service  an  unskilled  employe. 
His  time  is  too  valuable  to  instruct  others 
in  business  methods  and  he  secures  the  aid 
of  only  those  who  have  already  been  fitted 
for  responsibilities  of  the  business  world. 
Decatur  has  an  institution  of  marked  merit 
for  the  training  of  young  people  for  business 
life  and  at  the  head  of  this  school  is  H. 
.Martyn  Owen,  who  for  a  number  of  years 
has  labored  here  along  the  line  of  educa- 
tion. 

Mr.  Owen  was  born  in  Christian  county, 
Illinois,  December  30,  1866,  and  is  a  son 
of  Oscar  J.  and  Mary  (Wickcns)  Owen, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ohio.  Thej^ 
were  born  in  the  vicinity  of  Marietta,  Wash- 
ington county,  and  removed  from,  the  Buck- 
eye state  in  1865,  established  their  home 
upon  a  farm  in  Christian  county,  Illinois, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  including  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil  and  the  raising  of  stock.     Upon 


that  farm  the  mother  died  in  August,  1902, 
and  the  father,  who  still  survives  her,  is 
now  living  retired  in  Stonington,  having 
through  his  capable  elTorts  in  former  years 
won  a  competence  that  now  enables  him  to 
rest  from  I'unher  toil,  lie  owns  and  con- 
trols a  large  amount  of  valuable  land  in 
Christian  county  and  is  also  a  stockholder 
in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Stonington. 

11.   Martyn    Owen,  whose    name    intro- 
duces this  record,  spent  his  early  life  upon 
the  home  farm  and  in  his  leisure  hours  as- 
sisted in  its  cultivation, the  sun  shining  down 
on  many  a  field  which  he  had  plowed  and 
planted.     His  educational    privileges    were 
such  as  were  afforded  by  the  district  schools 
and  he  remained  upon  the  home  farm  until 
about  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  of  age, 
when,  wishing  to  have  the  benefit  of  more 
advanced  educational  privileges,  he  entered 
Shurtleff  College  at  Upper  Alton,  Illinois, 
where   he   continued  his   studies  for  three 
years.     In     1889    he    attended    school    in 
Quincy,    Illinois,   and   in    1890   he    went   to 
Davenport,    Iowa,    where    he    taught    in    a 
commercial  school  for  a  lime.     Later  he  be- 
came  one    of    the   instructors   in   the    Iowa 
Commercial  College,  where  he  remained  for 
a  year  and  since  1891  he  has  been  associated 
with   educational   work  in   Decatur  in  con- 
nection   with     Brown's    Decatur    Business 
College,     in    1894  he  became  a  stockholder 
in    the    institution   and   was   elected   to   the 
position  of  principal,      lie   has   since  acted 
in  this  capacity  with  credit  to  himself  and 
satisfaction  to  the  many  students  who  have 
been  in  attendance  here.     His  methods  of 
instruction    are    practical    and    thorough — 
the  demand  of  the  times.     In  1896  he  was 
elected    secretary    of    the    Brown    College 
corporation  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  the  company 
having  colleges  in  Peoria,  Decatur,  Bloom- 
ington,  Ottawa.  Centralia,  Galesburg,  Dan- 
ville, Champaign,  Jack.sonville,  Rock  Island, 
Streator,  Moline  and  Rockford,  Illinois;  in 
Terre  Haute,   Indiana ;  and  in   Davenport, 


528 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Iowa.  The  greater  part  of  his  attention, 
however,  is  devoted  to  the  Decatnr  Col- 
lege, which  is  well  equipped  with  every  ap- 
pliance bearing  upon  the  branches  of  learn- 
ing therein  studied. 

In  1890  Mr.  ()wcn  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Susanna  Francis,  of  Movveaqua,  Illi- 
nois, a  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Mary 
Francis,  and  unto  them  have  been  born  tv^'o 
childen,  Helen  Frances  and  Honora  M. 
Owen.  Mr.  Owen  has  gained  a  very  wide 
acquaintance  in  Decatur  and  throughout 
the  surrounding  country  and  is  known  as 
a  gentleman  of  scholarly  attainments  and 
broad  general  learning.  He  has  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  it  is  with  pleasure  that 
we  present  to  our  readers  the  record  of  his 
career. 


JOHN  L.  MATTHEW. 

Among  the  honored  citizens  of  Macon 
county  who  were  among  the  defenders  of 
the  Union  cause  during  the  dark  days  of 
the  Rebellion  must  be  numbered  the  gentle- 
man whose  name  introduces  this  sketch. 
Throughout  the  years  of  his  manhood  he 
has  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and 
to-day  owns  and  operates  a  good  farm  on 
section  29,  South   Macon  township. 

Mr.  .Matthew  was  born  near  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  on  the  16th  of  December,  1845.  a  son 
of  John  B.  and  Barbara  (Stuck)  Matthew. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Germany  and 
about  1795  came  to  the  United  States,  tak- 
ing up  his  abode  in  Ohio,  among  its  earli- 
est settlers.  There  he  purchased  land  and 
engaged  in  farming  about  twelve  years,  and 
then  removed  to  Jackson  county,  Indiana, 
becoming  the  possessor  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  timber  land  near  Browns- 
town,  but  he  was  not  long  permitted  to  en- 
joy his  new  home  as  he  died  about  two 
years  after  locating  thereon.  His  wife  sur- 
vived him  many  years,  making  her  home 
with    her    sons    until    she,    too,    was    called 


away,  about  twelve  years  ago.  They  were 
the  parents  of  six  children,  of  whom  our 
subject  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth,  those 
still  living  being  Helen,  widow  of  William 
Hockey  and  a  resident  of  Cleveland,  Ohio; 
Kate,  wife  of  George  Hemer,  a  farmer  of 
Shelby  county,  Illinois;  John  L.,  of  this  re- 
view; George,  who  is  engaged  in  farming 
near  Moweaqua  in  Shelby  county ;  and 
Elizabeth,  wife  of  Peter  Lee,  a  wagon  man- 
ufacturer of  Seymour,  Indiana. 

John  L.  Matthew  was  born  in  an  old  log 
house  and  was  educated  in  a  log  school 
building  near  Valona,  Indiana,  conning  his 
lessons  upon  a  slab  bench.  He  remained 
at  home  until  seventeen  j-ears  of  age  and 
then  entered  the  Union  army,  enlisting  in 
the  spring  of  1863  as  a  member  of  Company 
G,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  in  the  service 
at  that  time  for  four  months  and  was  then 
honorably  discharged  at  Indianapolis,  but 
the  following  year  he  again  entered  the 
army,  this  time  enlisting  in  Company  G, 
One  Hundred  and  Seventeenth  Indiana  In- 
fantry, with  which  he  served  nine  months. 
He  was  promoted  corporal  and  received 
his  final  discharge  at  Indianapolis.  He  was 
in  the  engagement  on  Clinch  mountains, 
where  he  came  very  nearly  starving,  his 
rations  being  only  one  ear  of  corn  per  day. 

After  his  return  from  the  army  Mr.  Mat- 
thew commenced  work  by  the  month  on 
a  farm  in  Jackson  county,  Indiana,  and  was 
thus  employed  for  three  years.  He  was 
next  engaged  in  the  sawmill  business 
for  one  year  and  later  engaged  in 
farming  on  rented  land  in  Jackson 
comity  for  four  or  five  years.  He 
then  turned  his  attention  to  the  tanning 
business  in  partnersliip  with  his  brother-in- 
law,  John  \'.  Miller,  and  on  disposing  of 
his  interest  in  that  enterprise  two  years 
later,  he  bought  a  small  farm  near  Sey- 
mour, Indiana,  which  he  operated  for  two 
vears,  and  then  sold.     During  the  following 


JOSEPH  WARBURTON 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


531 


three  j-ears  he  cuUixaled  a  reiiled  farm.  In 
1881  Mr.  Matthew  came  to  ^[acon  county, 
lUinois,  and  rented  a  farm  south  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Macon  for  three  years,  after  which 
he  liad  cliargc  of  tlie  John  J.  Bradley  farm 
northeast  of  Macon  for  six  years.  He  next 
rented  the  Orlando  Powers  farm  for  eight 
years,  and  at  the  end  of  that  period  pur- 
chased his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
three  acres  on  section  29,  South  Macon 
township.  He  has  since  tiled  the  land,  built 
fences,  erected  a  residence  and  barn,  set 
out  an  orchard  and  luaile  many  other  use- 
ful and  valuable  improvements  which  add 
greatly  to  the  attractive  appearance  of  the 
place.  He  feeds  a  few  hogs  for  market 
but  devotes  his  attention  principally  to  gen- 
eral farming.  During  his  life  time  he  has 
witnessed  great  changes  in  the  methods  of 
agriculture,  for  during  his  youth  grain  was 
harvested  with  a  cradle  and  threshed  with 
a  groinid-hog  thresher. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1870,  IMr.  Mat- 
thew married  Miss  Ella  Miller,  a  daughter 
of  Casper  and  Margaretta  (Noah)  Miller, 
and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  six 
children,  those  now  living  being  Ida,  wife 
of  Charles  Young,  a  farmer  living  near 
Boody ;  Mary,  at  home;  Anna,  wife  of  Fred 
Wagoner,  a  farmer  of  Milam  townshi]): 
Katie  and  John,  both  at  home.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Matthew  are  members  of  the  Catholic 
church  of  Macon  and  are  higlih-  respected 
and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  them.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  never 
cared  for  the  honors  or  emoluments  of  pub- 
lic office. 


JOSEPH  WARBURTON. 
Joseph  Warburton,  deceased,  was  for 
many  j^ears  an  honored  resident  and  suc- 
cessful farmer  of  Macon  county.  His  earl}^ 
home  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
for  he  was  born  in  Manchester,  England,  on 
the  25th  of  December,  1847,  'I'l'l  ^"^''i^  ^  ^"'i 


of  Thomas  and  .Mary  (.Marlow)  Warbur- 
ton, also  natives  of  the  mcrrie  isle.  There 
our  subject  was  reared  and  educated,  and 
when  about  twenty  years  of  age  came  to 
.\merica.  landing  in  New  York  in  1862.  For 
about  two  years  he  remained  in  the  eastern 
states  engaged  in  farming,  and  then  came 
west  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  where  he 
worked  for  a  short  time.  After  that  he  be- 
came a  resident  of  Macon  county  and  spent 
a  short  tiiue  in  Maroa.  He  then  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  in  Harristown  township  and 
at  once  turned  his  attention  to  its  cultiva- 
tion and  improvement.  As  time  passed  he 
steadily  prospered  in  his  new  home  and  suc- 
ceeded in  acquiring  three  hundred  acres 
of  rich  and  valuable  land,  which  he  left  to 
his  family. 

In  1870  Mr.  Warburton  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Ellis,  who  was 
burn  in  Concord,  Illinois,  August  27,  1852. 
Her  parents  were  John  and  Sarah  (Horton) 
I'lllis,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio,  the  lat- 
ter of  Illinois.  The  mother  died  when  Mrs. 
Warburton  was  only  six  months  old,  but 
the  father  is  still  living  and  is  now  engaged 
in  agriciiUnral  ]nu-suits  near  Farmer  City, 
Illinois.  P>y  his  ballot  he  supports  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  Republican  party,  and 
lie  is  an  active  and  prominent  member  of 
llie  .Methodist  clinrch  and  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. 

Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Warburton  became  the  i^a- 
rents  of  ten  children,  whose  names  and 
dates  of  birth  are  as  follows:  Harry.  Sep- 
tember 13,  1874;  Dora,  May  2,  1876;  Nellie, 
February  10,  1878;  John  E..  October  6, 
1879:  Mary  R.,  January  21.  1882;  William. 
December  2,  1884;  Edward  C,  September 
17,  1886;  Ida  M.,  March  20,  1888;  Ralph  G., 
January  25.  1890;  and  Sarah  E.,  June  20, 
1892.  All  are  living  with  exception  of  Will- 
iam, who  died  July  23,  1890,  Dora  is  now 
the  wife  of  Bert  Cdasgow,  a  farmer  of  Har- 
ristown township,  and  they  have  one  child, 
Carl. 


532 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


After  a  useful  and  well  spent  life  Mr. 
Warburton  passed  away  November  9,  1895, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Harristown  cemetery. 
He  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  and 
always  took  an  active  interest  in  public  af- 
fairs. In  his  social  relations  he  was  a  Ma- 
son, and  religiously  was  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church.  He  received  and  merited 
the  confidence  of  the  entire  community  in 
which  he  lived  and  in  his  death  the  county 
realized  that  it  had  lost  a  valued  citizen.  In 
1898  Mrs.  Warburton  and  her  children  re- 
moved to  the  village  of  Harristown,  where 
she  has  a  beautiful  home.  She  is  a  most 
estimable  lady  and  is  held  in  high  regard 
bv  all  who  know  her. 


JOHN  R.  HIGHT. 
John  R.  Hight  was  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers of  Macon  county,  taking  up  his  abode 
in  Macon  township  in  January,  1855,  when 
there  was  but  one  house  and  a  railroad  sta- 
tion m  the  village  of  ]\Iacon.  Here  wolves 
and  other  wild  animals  were  plentiful  and 
venison  furnished  manj'  a  meal  for  the  early 
settlers.  Wild  fowls,  too,  were  often  killed 
and  served  upon  the  tables  of  the  pioneer 
residents  of  this  locality.  Much  of  the  land 
was  still  uncultivated  and  it  remained  to 
such  sturdy  pioneer  settlers  as  Mr.  Hight 
and  his  associates  to  reclaim  the  region  for 
the  uses  of  the  white  man  and  make  this  one 
of  the  rich  productive  centers  of  Illinois. 

Mr.  Hight  was  born  in  Rockbridge  coun- 
ty, Virginia,  April  11,  1832.  His  parents, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Hight,  were  both  na- 
tives of  the  Old  Dominion  and  there  the 
father  spent  his  entire  life,  .\fter  his  de- 
mise his  widow  lived  with  her  children  in 
Illinois  until  she,  too,  was  called  to  her  final 
rest. 

In  the  public  schools  of  the  Old  Dominion 
John  R.  Hight  was  educated  and  after  put- 
ting aside  his   text-books    he    assisted    his 


father  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm  in 
N'irginia.  Later  he  went  to  Tennessee 
where  he  lived  for  a  few  years,  coming 
thence  to  Illinois.  He  first  settled  in  Greene 
county,  this  state,  and  began  working  a.s 
a  farm  hand  by  the  month,  thus  gaining  a 
start  in  life  and  laying  the  foundation  for 
his  honorable  career  as  an  agriculturist. 

^\■hile  thus  employed  John  R.  Hight  was 
married  on  October  25,  1854,  the  lady  of  his 
choice  being  Miss  Mary  E.  Smith,  a  native 
of  Marion  county,  Alissouri,  born  January 
4,  1837,  and  a  daughter  of  Christopher  Co- 
lumbus Smith.  Her  father  left  ^Marion 
county  in  1849  ^nd  went  to  California  in 
the  hope  of  gaining  a  fortune  in  the  gold 
fields  of  that  state,  but  his  death  occurred 
six  weeks  after  his  arrival  on  the  Pacific 
slope.  There  were  three  children  born  unto 
Mr.  and  ^Nlrs.  Hight:  Lucy  Virginia  and 
two  who  died  in  infancy  unnamed.  Lucy 
also  passed  away  at  the  age  of  one  year, 
eight  months  and  ten  days. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Hight  made  his 
home  in  Greene  county,  Illinois,  until  Jan- 
uary, 1855,  when  he  came  to  Macon  county 
and  purchased  a  farm  three  miles  south  of 
the  village  of  Alacon  in  South  Macon  town- 
ship. There  he  began  general  farming, 
which  he  carried  on  for  several  years  and 
he  also  lived  in  Milam  township  for  one 
vear.  Eventually  he  abandoned  agricultural 
pursuits  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  village 
of  Macon,  where  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in 
a  store,  being  thus  employed  for  some  time. 
He  then  began  business  on  his  own  account 
in  the  same  village,  conducting  a  general 
mercantile  establishment  for  several  years 
or  until  November,  1894,  when  he  sold  out 
and  came  to  Decatur.  Here  he  established 
a  meat  market,  which  he  conducted  for  a 
year.  He  then  again  sold  his  store  and  this 
time  became  engaged  in  the  dairy  business, 
which  he  carried  on  until  his  death  on  the 
17th  of  February,  1903. 

A\'hile  in  Macon  township  Mr.  Right  held 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


533 


several  positions,  including  that  of  consta- 
ble and  of  school  director.  He  was  town- 
ship collector  in  Milam  township  for  one 
year  and  was  assistant  assessor  in  Decatur 
for  a  year.  His  political  allegiance  was 
given  to  the  Democratic  party  and  he  al- 
ways voted  for  its  men  and  measures.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  First 
-Methodist  Episcopal  church,  loyal  to  its 
teachings  and  interests.  Mr.  Hight  was 
indeed  a  self-made  man.  He  started  out 
upon  his  business  career  empty  handed  and 
it  was  by  working  as  a  farm  hand  that  he 
gained  his  start  in  life.  As  the  years  passed 
he  gradually  advanced  and  the  success 
which  he  achieved  was  due  entirely  to  his 
well  directed  labor.  The  Hight  family  has 
long  been  a  prominent  one  in  Macon  county 
and  two  of  Mr.  Hight's  brothers  are  en- 
gaged in  the  banking  business  and  are  con- 
nected with  other  important  business  af- 
fairs of  the  village  of  Macon.  Mrs.  Hight, 
the  widow  of  our  subject,  now  owns  and  oc- 
cupies a  good  home  at  No.  1254  North  Ed- 
ward street  in  Decatur  and  is  well  and  fa- 
vorably known  here. 


JAMES    H.    MONTGOMERY. 

James  H.  Montgomery  is  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Brown  &  iMontgom- 
ery,  dealers  in  real  estate  in  Decatur.  Pie 
is  a  representative  of  an  old  southern  fam- 
ily. His  paternal  grandfather,  Thomas 
Montgomery,  was  born  in  Virginia,  and  in 
1823  removed  to  Ohio,  casting  his  lot  among 
the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  state.  He  wedded 
Catherine  Hahn  and  in  order  to  provide 
for  his  family  he  devoted  his  energies  to 
operating  on  the  Ohio  river  as  steamboat 
captain.  He  died  in  1832,  of  cholera.  He 
had  marked  influence  for  good  and  dis- 
played characteristics  of  a  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry. 

.Among  his  children  was  John  Montgom- 


er\',  who  was  born  in  the  Old  Dominion 
in  1810,  the  family  home  being  at  that  time 
in  the  Shenandoah  valley.  He  became  a 
general  business  man  and  at  one  time  was 
largely  interested  in  the  milling  and  coal 
business.  He  married  Miss  Margaret  Tidd, 
a  native  of  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mary  (Plulter)  Tidd,  who  were  early 
settlers  of  the  Buckeye  state.  Her  father 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  a  very  devoted  Christian  gen- 
tleman, lie  reached  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety-two  years,  and  passed  away  hon- , 
ored  by  all  who  knew  him.  In  the  year 
1858  the  family  of  James  Montgomery  came 
to  Illinois,  settling  two  and  a  half  miles 
northeast  of  Decatur,  where  they  remained 
until  1864.  They  then  removed  to  Wheat- 
land township,  Macon  county,  where  the 
father  died  on  the  5th  of  January,  1885,  in 
the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age.  The 
mother  and  children  afterward  established 
their  home  in  Decatur,  where  she  died  on 
the  19th  of  August,  1892.  She  was  the 
mother  of  eight  children,  seven  of  whom 
lived  to  years  of  maturity,  namely :  William 
H..  Mary  J.,  Benjamin  F.  and  John  T.,  all 
of  whom  are  now  deceased ;  Charles  M., 
who  is  a  resident  farmer  of  Gilmore,  Illi- 
nois ;  Martha  A.,  who  died  in  infancy ;  James 
H.,  of  this  review;  and  Amanda  C,  who  is 
now  the  wife  of  Martin  J.  Rubican. 

James  H.  Alontgomery  was  born  in  the 
city  of  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  May  8, 
1850,  and  in  1858  came  with  his  parents  to 
Decatur,  Illinois.  Here  he  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools,  in  which  he 
continued  until  his  sixteenth  year.  He 
then  entered  Mount  Zion  Academy,  where 
he  pursued  his  studies  for  one  year,  after 
which  he  returned  to  the  farm.  Soon,  how- 
ever, he  began  teaching  and  followed  that 
profession  for  four  years.  He  was  next  em- 
l)Ioyed  by  the  Haworth  Manufacturing 
Company  and  afterward  by  B.  F.  Avery  & 
Son.   while   subsequently  he   was   with   the 


534: 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


F.  B.  Tait  .Manufacturing  Compan)-.  In 
1898  he  began  dealing  in  real  estate,  hand- 
ling both  city  and  farm  property.  He  han- 
dles lands  in  Illinois,  .Missouri,  Arkansas, 
Minnesota,  Indiana  and  Wisconsin,  and  in 
this  work  is  associated  with  Hon.  John  A. 
Brown,  under  the  firm  name  of  Brown  & 
Montgomery.  Both  partners  are  old  resi- 
dents of  ?vIacon  county  and  here  bear  an  ex- 
cellent reputation  for  fair  dealing.  The}^ 
ha^-e  built  up  a  largo  business  not  only  in 
Decatur,  but  in  the  states  mentioned.  They 
handle  large  amounts  of  realty  annually  and 
their  yearly  sales  have  reached  a  very  grati- 
fying  figure. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Montgomery 
is  a  Republican,  but  never  sought  or  de- 
sired office.  He  kecjis  well  informed  on 
the  issues  of  the  day,  however,  and  is  thus 
able  to  support  his  position  by  intelligent 
argument.  He  labored  earnestly  for  the 
success  of  the  party  principles  during  the 
^IcKinley  campaign  in  1896.  The  greater 
part  of  his  attention,  however,  has  been  de- 
voted to  his  business  affairs  and  in  con- 
nection with  the  real  estate  operations  of 
this  section  of  Illinois  he  is  widelv  known. 


C.  H.  BEAN. 
In  a  ])leasant  home  on  one  of  the  good 
farms  of  Macon  county,  located  in  Pleasant 
View  township,  resides  C.  H.  Bean,  who 
is  one  of  Illinois'  native  sons,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  LaSalle  county,  August  15, 
1857.  His  parents  were  Jacob  H.  and  Han- 
nah (Kolb)  Bean,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Chester  county.  Pennsylvania, 
the  father  having  been  born  of  English  pa- 
rentage, while  the  mother  came  of  German 
descent.  The  father  was  a  wagonmaker  in 
the  Keystone  state  and  also  sold  farm  ma- 
chinery there.  About  1850  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  here  turned  his  attention  to  farm- 
ing, purchasing  a  tract  of  land  in   LaSalle 


county.  He  bought  this  of  the  government 
and  he  also  purchased  a  farm  in  Carroll 
county,  near  Mount  Carroll,  whereon  he 
lived  until  1865,  when  he  sold  that  prop- 
erty and  came  to  Macon  county.  Here  he 
purchased  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
land  from  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company  for  ten  dollars  per  acre,  and  de- 
veloped a  splendid  farm,  which  is  still  in 
possession  of  his  heirs.  It  is  upon  this 
farm  that  C.  H.  Bean  resides.  In  the  family 
were  seven  children,  of  whom  four  are  yet 
living.  The  two  eldest,  however,  died  in 
infancy.  .Amanda  is  the  wife  of  D.  N.  Sy- 
ford,  of  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  who  is  a  farmer 
and  stock-raiser,  making  a  specialty  of 
polled  Angus  cattle.  C.  H.  is  the  next  of  the 
family.  Martha  F.  is  the  widow  of  Edward 
L.  Garwood  and  resides  on  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  10,  Pleasant  View  town- 
ship. W.  H.  married  Miss  Lizzie  Ballard, 
of  Bloomington,  and  after  her  death  wedded 
Hattie  Bethards.  of  Christian  county.  He 
is  a  clothing  merchant  of  Blue  Mound  and 
lives  in  Pleasant  View  township.  Emma, 
the  youngest,  died  at  the  age  of  three  years. 
The  mother's  death  occurred  April  28,  1888, 
when  she  was  nearly  sixty-six  years  of  age, 
and  the  father's  death  occurred  in  1898, 
when  he  was  about  se^•enty-f^ve  years  of  age. 
To  the  district  schools  C.  H.  Bean  is  in- 
debted for  his  preliminary  educational  train- 
ing. He  afterward  attended  the  State  Nor- 
mal University,  at-  Normal,  Illinois,  and  the 
Jacksonville  Business  College.  Following 
his  return  home  he  worked  upon  his  father's 
farm  and  was  twenty-seven  years  of 
age  when  he  began  farming  and  rais- 
in stock  for  himself.  He  has  since 
continued  lo  engage  in  agricultural 
inirsuits  and  has  made  a  specialty 
of  the  raising  of  polled  Angus  cattle 
and  Poland  China  hogs,  having  considerable 
registered  stock  and  placing  upon  the  mar- 
ket only  high  grades.  His  farm  comprises 
two  hundred  and  fnrtv  acres  of  land,  which 


V 


x~ 


GARRETT  S-  STOUTENBOROUGH 


f^«ii 


MES.  MARGARET  J.  STOUTENBOROUGH 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


539 


is  very  valuable  and  productive  and  his  is 
one  of  the  fine  farms  of  the  county. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  1885,  Mr.  Bean 
was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Gregory,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Gregory,  of  this  county. 
By  this  marriage  there  are  seven  children : 
Harley,  born  June  17,  1887;  ^lay,  January 
13,  1890;  Inez,  }klarch  19,  1892;  Carl,  No- 
vember 7,  1894;  Hazel,  March  27,  1897; 
Fred,  May  30,  1899;  and  Roy,  November 
20,  1902.  Mr.  Bean  has  been  successful  in 
his  chosen  field  of  labor  and  is  now  very 
comfortably  fixed  in  life.  He  erected  on 
his  land  an  attractive  home,  which,  with  the 
other  modern  improvements  and  surround- 
ings, constitutes  this  one  of  the  best  and 
most  desirable  farms  in  Pleasant  View 
township. 


GARRETT  S.  STOUT  I-.  X  BOROUGH. 

Garrett  S.  Stoutenborough,  of  Maroa,  is 
the  possessor  of  a  handsome  property  which 
now  enables  him  to  spend  his  years  in  the 
pleasurable  enjoyment  of  his  accumulations. 
The  record  of  his  life,  previous  to  1891,  is 
that  of  an  active,  energetic,  enterprising  and 
methodical  business  man,  who  bent  his  en- 
ergies to  the  honorable  acquirement  of  a 
comfortable  competence  for  himself  and 
family. 

Mr.  Slouleiiboniugh  was  born  in  Buller 
count)-,  Ohio,  in  1824,  and  is  a  son  of  John 
and  Jane  (Schenck)  Stoutenborough,  both 
natives  of  New  Jersey,  the  former  born  in 
1791,  the  latter  in  1796.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  and  followed  that  occupation  in  Ohio 
throughout  the  years  of  his  manhood.  In 
the  schools  of  his  native  state  our  subject 
acquired  his  education  and  during  his  minor- 
ity aided  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm, 
thereby  gaining  a  good  practical  knowledge 
of  agricultural  pursuits.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  commenced  farming  on  his 
own  account,  oi)crating  rented  land  for  nine 
years.     Coming  to  Illinois  in    1854  he  first 

S6 


located  near  Kenney,  DeW'iti  count)-,  where 
he  purchased  a  small  tract  of  land,  to  which 
he  subsequently  added  from  time  to  time 
as  his  financial  resources  permitted  until 
he  and  his  wife  became  the  owners  of  seven 
hundred  acres  of  land  near  that  place  and 
si.x  hundred  acres  in  Macon  county.  The 
wife  also  owns  the  residence  they  now  oc- 
cupy in  Maroa,  where  they  have  made  their 
home  for  the  past  twelve  years.  The  price 
paid  for  his  land  has  ranged  all  the  way 
from  twenty-five  to  seventy-seven  dollars 
per  acre.  In  his  farming  operations  Mr. 
Stoutenborough  was  remarkably  successful, 
being  a  man  of  good  business  and  executive 
ability,  as  well  as  a  thorough  and  pains- 
taking farmer,  and  he  generally  carries  for- 
ward to  successful  completion  whatever  he 
undertakes.  He  has  made  all  of  the  im- 
provements upon  his  farms,  which  are  now 
operated  by  his  children. 

In  1845  Mr.  Stoutenborough  married  Miss 
-Margaret  J.  Hankinson,  who  was  born  in 
1825  and  is  a  daughter  of  James  and  Sarah 
Hankinson.  Her  father  was  also  an  Ohio 
farmer.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoutenborough 
were  born  the  following  children :  Sarah 
Jane,  born  March  18,  1848,  is  now  the  wife 
of  James  Fruit,  who  lives  on  our  subject's 
farm  near  Kenney,  and  by  whom  she  has 
three  children;  Mary  E.,  born  October  7, 
1850,  is  the  wife  of  Edward  Schoby,  of  I 
Witt  county,  and  they  have  three  children; 
James,  born  January  16,  1854,  married  Ella 
Baird  and  has  one  child  living;  John,  born 
September  14,  1856,  married  Ella  Miller  and 
with  his  wife  and  five  children  lives  in  Ma- 
roa township,  Macon  county;  William,  born 
April  13,  1858,  married  Hattie  Miller  and 
has  four  children ;  Frank,  born  November 
20,  1861,  wedded  Emma  Moore  and  has  fot:r 
children.  He  makes  his  home  near  Ken- 
ney. Mr.  Stoutenborough  has  three  brntli- 
ers  li\ing  in  Maroa. 

.Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoutenborough  hold  mem 
bershi])  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 


540 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ami  lie  votes  with  the  Republican  party.  He 
has  filled  the  office  of  school  director  but 
has  never  cared  for  political  preferment,  his 
time  and  attention  being  wholly  occupied 
by  his  business  affairs  in  early  life.  When 
he  came  to  this  state  they  were  just  build- 
ing- the  railroad  through  Maroa  but  the  vil- 
lage had  not  yet  sprung  into  existence  and 
he  has  watched  with  interest  the  growth 
and  tlevelopmcnt  of  this  region,  at  the  same 
time  taking  a  very  active  part  in  its  up- 
building. Now  in  his  eightieth  j'ear,  his 
career  has  ever  been  such  as  to  command 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  meii  and  he  is 
well  worthy  of  representation  in  the  his- 
tory of  his  adopted  county. 


JOHN   R.   FITZGERALD. 
John  R.  Fitzgerald  is  the  junior  member 
of    the  well  known  law  firm  of  Decatur  of 
Mills    «&    Fitzgerald.      He    was    born    upon 
a  farm  in  Moultrie  county,  Illinois,  Novem- 
ber 29,   1873,  his  parents  being  \l.  C.  and 
Ellen   { Delahunty)   Fitzgerald,  who  in  1870 
came    to    this    state    and    established    their 
home  near   Bethany,   where  the  father  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-raising. 
He  still  resides  upon  that  farm  and  thus  for 
more   than   a   third   of   a   century  has  been 
identified    >vith   agricultural   interests  there. 
John  R.  Fitzgerald,  Avho  is  one  of  a  family 
of  five  children,  began  his  education,  as  did 
the  other  members  of  the  household,  in  the 
district  school.     Later,  however,  he  had  the 
opportunity  of  attending  the  Bethany  high 
school,  in  which  he  was  graduated  and  after- 
ward  he    entered   the    Lincoln     University. 
His  mental    training   was   still    further   ob- 
tained   in    the    State   University    of    Cham- 
paign, where  he  pursued  his  studies  for  three 
years.     Thus  he  gained  broad  general  and 
literary  knowledge  to  serve  as  the  founda- 
tion upon  which  to  rear  the  superstructure 
of  his  professional  learning.    Upon  the  com- 
pletion of  his  college  course  he  took  up  the 


study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge  Cochran, 
at  Sullivan,  under  whose  direction  he  pur- 
sued his  reading  until  he  was  ready  for  en- 
trance into  the  law  department  of  the  Uni- 
\ersity  of  Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor,  where 
he  was  graduated  in  1894.  For  a  year  there- 
after he  served  as  a  clerk  in  the  office  of 
Mills  iirothers.  He  was  then  admitted  to 
the  Ijar  in  1895  before  the  supreme  court  at 
.Springfield  and  came  to  Decatur,  where  he 
opened  a  law  office.  Soon  thereafter  he 
entered  into  partnership  relations  with  L. 
A.  Mills,  under  the  firm  name  of  Alills  & 
Fitzgerald,  and  they  have  since  been  en- 
gaged in  general  practice.  The  firm  has 
won  a  wide  reputation  for  ability  and 
splendid  success  has  attended  them  in 
the  control  of  numerous  interests  in 
which  they  have  been  employed.  As  a  law- 
yer Mr.  Fitzgerald  is  distinguished  in  the 
trial  of  cases  in  court,  where  his  quick  per- 
ception, close  reasoning  and  power  of  speech 
make  him  a  dangerous  antagonist. 

It  was  on  the  30th  of  October,  1899,  that 
Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Jennie  Griffin,  of  Dalton,  Illinois,  a 
daughter  of  P.  Griffin.  They  are  surrounded 
in  their  home  by  many  friends  and  are  well 
known  young  people  of  this  city.  Mr. 
Fitzgerald  is  a  young  man  of  strong  men- 
tality, of  keen  intellect,  logical  in  his  ans- 
wers and  forceful  in  his  reasoning  and  thus 
his  qualities  are  such  as  insure  success  in 
the  arduous  and  difficult  profession  of  the 
law.  Being  a  Republican  in  politics  he 
stands  high  in  the  council  of  his  party  and  is 
an  alile  exponent  of  its  principles  on  the 
platform,  but  has  never  sought  public  office. 
He  is  a  member  of  a  great  many  fraternal 
and  lienevolent  ort;-anizations. 


BUTLER  SIMPSON. 
This    well    known    and    highly    esteemed 
citizen    of     Hickory     Point     township    is    a 
native  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


541 


in  St.  Clair  county  on  the  4tli  of  May.  1848. 
His  father,  W.  G.  Simpson,  was  born  in  the 
same  county  and  was  a  son  of  W'ilHam  G. 
Simpson.  The  grandfather  was  of  English 
descent  and  his  wife  belonged  to  an  old 
\"irginian  family.  At  a  \  cry  early  day  they 
came  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  St.  Clair 
county  and  there  the  father  of  our  subject 
made  his  home  until  1854,  when  he  came  to 
Macon  county,  the  trip  being  made  in  a 
prairie  schooner.  He  first  located  two  and 
a  half  miles  west  of  Decatur,  where  he  lived 
in  a  log  cabin  until  February,  1857,  and 
then  removed  to  the  northwest  corner  of 
Macon  county,  settling  on  section  21,  Xi- 
antic  township.  On  coming  to  this  county 
he  brought  stock  with  him  and  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  life  was  quite  ex- 
tensively engaged  in  the  stock  business. 
His  first  purchase  of  land  in  Xiantic  town- 
ship consisted  of  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  to  which  he  subsequently  added 
until  he  had  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres. 
L'])on  the  old  h<imestcad  his  daughters  now 
reside.  The  family  passed  through  the  usual  ■ 
pioneer  experiences  and  the  father  materi- 
ally aided  in  the  early  development  of  this 
section  of  the  state.  After  a  useful  and  well 
spent  life  he  died  at  Illiopolis,  May  19,  190,^, 
when  over  eighty-one  years  of  age,  and  his 
wife,  who  was  also  a  native  of  St.  Clair 
county,  passed  away  in  1902,  at  the  age  of 
eighty  years.  Both  were  laid  to  rest  in 
Long  Point  cemetery,  Niantic  township. 

Eleven  children  were  born  to  this  worthy 
couple,  eight  of  whom  are  still  living,  name- 
ly:  P.utler,  of  this  review;  Kate,  wife  of 
Thomas  Wright,  of  Niantic  township:  Mrs. 
A.  E.  Sullivan,  a  widow  living  in  Illiopolis; 
William,  a  resident  of  Logan  county,  Illi- 
nois:  Jacob  and  Edward,  both  of  Macon 
countv  :  John,  of  Christian  county;  and  Ida. 
of  Illiopolis. 

Butler  Simpson  was  only  six  years  of  age 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to   Macon  countv  and  here  he  ob- 


laini'd  liis  education  in  the  conunon  schools. 
The  early  home  of  the  family  was  a  log  cabin, 
but  during  the  boyhood  of  our  subject  a 
frame  house,  sixteen  by  thirty-two  feet,  was 
built.  .\s  the  land  which  his  father  pur- 
chased was  wild  and  unimproved  he  assist- 
ed in  breaking  many  an  acre  of  virgin  soil 
with  a  plow  that  cut  a  furrow  from  eighteen 
to  twenty  inches  wide,  to  which  were  at- 
tached four  or  five  yoke  of  cattle.  He  began 
plowing  when  only  ten  years  of  age  and 
continuetl  to  drive  cattle  until  twenty-two. 
He  not  only  became  familiar  with  the  work 
of  the  fields  but  with  household  duties  as 
well.  He  would  shear  the  sheep,  spin  the 
wool  into  yarn  and  knit  his  own  socks  and 
mittens.  At  that  time  all  of  the  clothing 
of  the  family  was  home-made.  Deer  were 
often  seen  and  other  wild  game  was  plenti- 
ful, the  (lucks  and  geese  rising  from  the 
ponds  in  great  dark  clouds.  During  his  Ijoy- 
hood  Mr.  Simpson  thus  had  ample  oppor- 
tunity to  indulge  his  love  of  hunting.  The 
\oung  farm  animals  had  to  be  penned  up 
every  night  to  keep  them  from  the  wolves 
who  often  came  prowling  around  the  house, 
and  rattlesnakes  were  also  very  numerous  at 
that  time.  Mr.  Simpson  killed  the  last  den 
of  young  wolves  found  in  his  neighborhood. 
He  has  often  assisted  his  mother  in  mold- 
ing candles  to  light  their  little  home  and 
has  driven  six  miles  for  wood  to  be  hurncil 
in  the  old  fashioned  fireplace.  He  used  to 
go  to  market  in  a  two-wheeled  wagon 
drawn  by  two  yoke  of  oxen  over  almost 
inii)assable  roads  between  his  home  in  Xi- 
antic township  to  Decatur,  a  distance  of 
seventeen  miles.  Farming  was  then  carried 
on  in  a  rather  ])rimitive  manner,  the  grain 
being  cut  with  a  cradle  and  thrashed  out 
l)y  horses.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Mr. 
Simpson  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  pio- 
neer conditions,  yet  those  vyere  the  good  old 
tiijies  when  the  latch-string  was  always 
out  and  liospitalit\-  reigned  sujireme  in  the 
little  cabin  home. 


542 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


At  Illiopolis,  on  the  5th  of  March,  1873, 
Mr.  Simpson  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Martha  Gourley,  who  was  born  in 
Carter  county.  Tennessee,  September  i, 
1856,  a  daughter  of  Marcus  L.  and  Julia 
A.  (Edens)  Gourley.  The  father  was  also 
born  in  that  county,  April  19,  1831,  his 
parents  being  Charles  and  Nancy  (Morgan) 
Gourley.  Charles  Gourley  was  educated 
in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  becoming  a  civil  en- 
gineer and  government  surveyor,  and  in  the 
community  where  he  resided  was  recog- 
nized as  a  verj-  prominent  citizen.  In  1837 
in  Tennessee  while  fording  a  river  on  horse- 
back he  was  drowned  and  his  wife  died  the 
following  year,  thus  leaving  Marcus  L. 
Gourley  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  seven 
)''ears.  There  were  six  other  children  in 
the  family.  His  brother,  David,  was  killed 
at  Chucks  Crossroads,  Tennessee,  during  the 
Civil  war  and  was  buried  on  the  battlefield, 
and  his  brother  William,  who  was  serving 
as  captain  of  Company  C,  Thirteenth  Ten- 
nessee Cavalry  was  killed  at  Marion,  Vir- 
ginia, and  his  remains  were  also  interred 
at  the  scene  of  conflict  which  cost  him  his 
life.  After  the  death  of  his  parents,  Mar- 
cus L.  Gourley  lived  with  an  aunt  until 
his  sixteeenth  year,  w'hen  he  started  out  in 
life  for  himself  with  a  limited  education, 
working  on  a  farm  at  six  dollars  per  month. 
At  the  end  of  five  j^ears  he  rented  land  in 
Tennessee  and  carried  on  farming  there 
until  1856.  when  he  removed  to  Sangamon 
county,  Illinois,  locating  near  Springfield, 
where  he  operated  rented  land  until  1868. 
That  year  he  purchased  a  farm  on  which  he 
made  his  home  until  1882  and  then  re- 
moved to  mini  township,  Macon  county, 
buying  an  eighty  acre  tract  near  Harris- 
town.  In  1883  he  located  on  section  35, 
Hickory  Point  township,  two  and  a  half 
miles  north  of  Decatur  on  the  Blooming- 
ton  road,  where  our  subject  and  his  wife 
now  reside.  When  Mr.  Gourley  first  landed 
in    Illinois   he   had   only   fifty   cents   and   a 


wife  and  two  children  depending  on  him  for 
support.  His  wife  died  September  i,  1887, 
and  was  buried  in  Boiling  Springs  ceme- 
tery, where  a  monument  now  marks  her 
last  resting  place.  Mr.  Gourley  was  a 
Republican  in  politics  and  was  a  good  re- 
liable business  man.  He  died  in  February 
1900,  and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his  wife. 
He  was  married  in  1852  and  had  three 
children  but  Lavina  died  in  infancy  and 
John  E.  died  April  11,  1890,  so  that  Mrs. 
Simpson  is  the  only  one  now  living. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have  been 
born  seven  children :  Annie  E.,  now  the 
wife  of  Charles  Marshall,  of  Niantic  town- 
ship ;  Bertha,  wife  of  W.  G.  Gourley,  of 
Perr\-,  Iowa ;  Lucy,  wife  of  Frank  Hays, 
who  lives  on  the  Bloomington  road:  Nel- 
lie E.,  Julia  and  Otto  W.,  all  three  at  home ; 
and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

For  one  year  after  his  marriage  Mr. 
Simpson  lived  on  his  father's  old  home- 
stead and  then  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
partially  improved  land  in  Illini  township, 
where  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years.  On 
selling  that  place  he  bought  another  eighty 
acre  tract  one  mile  south  of  the  old  home 
place  and  resided  there  until  his  removal 
to  his  wife's  farm  on  section  35,  Hickory 
Point  township.  Here  he  now  lives  retired, 
the  farming  being  operated  by  hired  help, 
while   he   enjoys  a  well  merited  rest. 

Mr.  Simpson's  interests  center  in  his  fam- 
ily, especially  in  his  descendants,  and  he 
has  three  very  interesting  pictures,  one  of 
four  generations  of  males,  the  second  of 
four  generations  of  females,  and  the  third  a 
group  of  the  whole  family.  These  he 
prizes  very  highly.  Politically  he  is  a 
stanch  Democrat  and  he  has  been  called 
upon  to  fill  the  offices  of  commissioner  of 
highways  in  Illini  and  Niantic  township,  and 
was  also  school  director  for  many  years. 
His  father  was  identified  with  the  building 
of  churches  and  school  houses  in  Niantic 
township,  and  the  family  has  always  taken 


THOMAS  B.  DOAKE 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


545 


an  active  interest  in  the  growth  and  de\el- 
opment  of  the  county,  doing  all  in  their 
power  for  its  improvement. 


THOMAS  B.  DOAKE. 

Thomas  B.  Doake,  now  deceased,  was  a 
well  known  liveryman  of  Decatur  for  many 
years  and  among  the  earlier  representatives 
of  the  business  interests  of  the  city,  com- 
ing here  in  1854.  Illinois  claimed  him 
among  her  native  sons,  for  his  birth  oc- 
curred in  Quincy,  this  state,  on  the  19th 
of  September,  1846.  1 1  is  parents  were  Mad- 
ison and  Mary  Ann  Doake.  At  an  early 
epoch  in  the  history  of  Sangamon  county, 
Illinois,  the  father  located  within  its  bor- 
ders and  for  a  few  years  was  engaged  in 
farming  there.  He  afterward  removed  to 
Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he  lived  until  1854, 
when  he  came  to  Decatur.  Here  he  was 
engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  stock  for  a 
few  years  and  in  1S56,  while  traveling  in  a 
stock  train  between  Decatur  and  St.  Louis, 
he  was  killed  in  a  railroad  accident,  which 
occurred  at  Taylorville,  Illinois.  His  wife 
passed  away  in  Springfield  some  years  later. 

To  the  common  school  system  of  the  state 
Thomas  B.  Doake  was  indebted  for  the 
educational  privileges  which  he  enjoyed. 
After  leaving  school  he  was  emploj'ed  in 
various  ways  in  Quincy  until  his  father's 
removal  to  Decatur,  when  he  came  to  this 
city  and  assisted  in  the  stock  business  here 
for  a  few  years.  After  his  marriage  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  livery  business, 
establishing  a  barn  in  Decatur  at  Nos.  205 
to  225  West  Wood  street.  There  he  con- 
ducted a  very  fine  livery  and  boarding  stable 
and  also  did  transfer  business  for  many 
years.  He  had  a  large  line  of  fine  carriages 
and  many  good  horses  and  from  the  public 
he  received  a  liberal  patronage  because  of 
his  well  known  fairness  in  business  trans- 
actions and  earnest  desire  to  please  his  cus- 


tomers. He  was  a  lover  of  fine  horses,  care- 
ful in  his  treatment  of  them  and  gave  them 
every  consideration  which  is  due  from  man 
to  the  animal  world. 

Mr.  Doake  was  married  April  16,  1871, 
in  Mount  Zion,  Macon  county,  to  Miss  Mar- 
garet Ballinger,  a  native  of  West  Virginia, 
born  December  2,  1852,  and  a  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Catherine  M.  Ballinger,  who 
removed  to  IMacon  county  in  i860,  settling 
on  a  farm  in  Wheatland  township,  where 
they  resided  until  death,  the  father  passing 
away  in  1862,  while  the  mother  long  sur- 
vived and  departed  this  life  in  1895.  Four 
children  graced  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Doake  :  Jessie,  now  the  wife  of  George  Mc- 
Crory,  a  resident  of  Peculiar,  T^Iissouri ; 
Cora  B.,  the  wife  of  James  Logan,  who  is 
a  traveling  salesman  and  makes  his  home 
in  Decatur;  Mary  M.,  the  wife  of  Everett 
K.  Ehrhart,  a  groccryman  doing  business 
at  No.  275  West  Greene  street,  Decatur; 
and  Robert  C,  who  resides  with  his  mother. 

Mr.  Doake  voted  with  the  Democracy 
and  never  faltered  in  his  adherence  to  Demo- 
cratic principles.  The  citizens  of  Decatur 
and  Macon  county  wished  him  to  accept  the 
nomination  for  county  sheriff  on  several 
different  occasions,  but  he  always  refused, 
never  being  an  office  seeker,  content  to  do 
!iis  ]niblic  duty  as  a  private  citizen.  He 
belonged  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  holding  membership  in  the  lodge 
in  Decatur,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church  here.  A  very  prominent  citizen,  he 
was  well  known  through  Macon  county  and 
in  his  business  affairs  he  gained  success. 
He  had  many  friends  here,  his  genial  man- 
ner, unfailing  courtesy  and  unostentatious 
life  winning  him  the  warm  regard  of  those 
with  whom  he  was  associated.  After  her 
husband's  death  Mrs.  Doake  sold  the  livery 
business.  She  and  her  son  reside  at  No. 
1015  North  Edward  street  and  the  residence 
property  there  she  owns. 


546 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


XICIK  )LAS  IJO.MMEUSI'.ACFl. 

luilustry  wisely  and  \igorousl\-  applied 
never  fails  of  success  but  carries  a  man  up- 
ward and  onward  and  in  due  lime  he 
reaches  the  goal  of  his  ambitions.  The 
truth  of  this  statement  has  been  many  times 
verified  in  the  lives  of  the  prosperous  citi- 
zens of  the  I'nited  States  and  again  finds 
exemplification  in  tlie  career  of  Nicholas 
LJommersbach.  who  is  the  leading  florist  of 
of  Decatur,  carrying  on  an  extensive  and 
profitable  business. 

Mr.  Bomniersbach  is  a  native  of  Metz. 
France,  born  on  the  Moselle,  on  the  25th 
of  June,  1845.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Susan  (Laqua)  I.ommersbach  and  the  name 
is  of  Holland  origin.  The  father  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  died  in  France— 
his  native  country — in  1872.  The  subject 
of  this  review  was  early  trained  to  the 
business  in  which  he  is  now  engaged.  At 
the  age  of  fifteen  years  he  began  to  learn 
the  florist's  trade,  for  which  privilege  he  had 
to  pay  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  in 
order  to  receive  his  special  instruction  of 
the  leading  florists  of  France.  During  the 
first  two  years  he  received  no  wages.  He 
has  a  diploma  which  was  signed  by  the 
mayor  for  each  two  years'  service.  This 
liad  to  be  done  before  he  could  receive  any 
compensation  for  his  labors.  He  spent  the 
years  of  his  apprenticeship  in  the  Leona 
florists  gardens,  where  twenty-five  men 
were  employed,  remaining  there  from  1862 
until  1865.  In  the  year  1870  he  joined  the 
Frencli  army  for  service  in  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war  and  went  to  Belgium  and  from 
there  to  Paris.  He  participated  in  the  battle 
of  Weissenberg  and  in  the  battle  of  Sedan 
where  Napoleon  was  captured.  In  Paris 
he  was  stationed  in  the  Fort  Setienne  and 
took  part  in  many  actions  of  that  siege  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1870.  He  was  afterward 
at  Versailles,  where  he  did  guard  duty  un- 
til the  r)th  of  .April.  1871.  The  soldier  en- 
dured   many   hardships   and   trials    and    fre- 


quently had  lianlly  enough  to  keep  him  ircm 
starving. 

After  being  mustered  out  of  the  service 
.\lr.  Ilommersbach  returned  to  his  home  in 
Metz,  but  the  idea  of  seeing  his  jirovince 
Alsace  become  a  part  of  Germany  was  so 
distasteful  to  him  that  he  determined  to 
emigrate  to  America  and  in  1 871  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  landing 
at  New  York  on  the  nth  of  June  of  that 
year.-  He  then  made  his  w-ay  from  there 
to  .Alban) .  Indiana,  but  after  a  short  time 
he  went  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years,  being  in  the  employ 
of  Mr.  Clement,  a  florist.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  went  to  Indianapolis, 
Indiana,  where  he  spent  two  and  a  half 
\cars  in  the  service  of  Herr  Recourt.  From 
1876  until  1881  he  served  as  florist  for  the 
State  Insane  Asylum  in  Indianapolis,  hav- 
ing entire  charge  of  the  improvement  and 
beautifying  of  the  grounds  there,  eighteen 
men  working  under  his  supervision.  On 
the  17th  of  March,  1881,  Mr.  Bommersbach 
arrived  in  Decatur,  where  he  established 
a  business  of  his  own  on  a  small  scale. 
Each  year  he  has  built  additions  to  his 
greenhouses  until  they  are  now  the  most 
extensive  and  his  plant  is  the  largest  of  the 
kind  in  Decatur  or  this  portion  of  the  state. 
Success  has  attended  his  efforts  since  his 
arrival  here  and  is  the  outcome  of  his  in- 
dustry, guided  by  intelligence  and  experi- 
ence. 

On  the  28th  of  December,  187O,  Mr.  Bom- 
mersbach was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Rebecca  Cody,  of  Indianapolis,  and  unto 
them  were  born  five  children,  but  onh'  two 
are  now  living,  John  and  Albert.  Those 
who  have  passed  away  are  Estella.  who  died 
at  the  age  of  five  years ;  Arthur,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  nine  years  and  six  months; 
and  Katie,  who  passed  away  at  the  age  of 
four  years. 

In  1899  Air.  Bommersbach  was  made  a 
Afason.     He  belongs  to  Macon  Lodge,  No. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


547 


S.  A.  F.  &  A.  -M.:  Macon  Chapter.  No.  21, 
K.  A.  M.:  I'.caumanoir  Commaiulcry.  No. 
9,  K.  T. :  to  the  Mystic  Shrine  of  Peoria, 
and  to  Decatur  Chapter.  Xo.  111,  (>.  E.  S. 
He  is  also  connected  with  the  Knights  of 
l\\thias  I-raternity  and  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America,  lie  is  one  of  Decatur's 
solid  men  and  has  done  considerable  for 
his  adopted  city  in  the  way  of  co-operatins; 
in  general  iniprovenients.  He  is  a  most 
genial  man  to  meet  and  is  a  fine  illustration 
of  the  self-ma<le  man.  He  began  his  career 
under  somewhat  adverse  circumstances, 
being  comi)elled  to  make  his  own  way  and 
his  success  in  life  illustrates  most  forcibly 
tiic  power  of  patience  and  persistent  effort 
anil  self-reliance.  He  has  so  conducted  all 
affairs,  whether  of  a  private  interest  or 
of  public  trust,  as  to  merit  the  esteem  of 
all  classes  of  citizens. 


JOHN  1..  DRAKE. 
John  L.  Drake,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
hardware  business  and  has  done  much  to 
improve  the  city  both  through  his  business 
activity  and  capable  official  service,  has 
spent  almost  his  entire  life  in  Macon  coun- 
ty. He  was  born  upon  a  farm  near  Argenta 
on  the  25th  of  October,  1854.  and  is  a  son 
of  John  and  Rebecca  (Robinson)  Drake. 
P>ut  little  is  known  concerning  this  branch 
of  the  Drake  family  yet  it  is  reasonable  to 
think  that  the  ancestors  of  our  subject  were 
from  Xew  Jersey  and  at  an  earlier  date 
from  .\ew  England.  The  Robinson  family 
also  lived  in  the  east  and  the  grandfather 
of  our  subject,  removing  westward,  settled 
in  I'riends  Creek  in  Macon  county  when 
his  daughter.  Mrs.  Drake,  was  only  nine 
years  of  age.  A  few  years  afterward  he 
removed  to  Arkansas  where  his  last  days 
were  spent.  John  Drake  was  one  of  the 
])ioneers  of  Macon  county,  coming  to  this 
state    al)out     1843    from    Xew    Jersey.       He 


l)urchased  a  large  tract  of  land  which  he 
improved,  but  in  the  work  of  dexelopiuent 
he  subjected  himself  to  exposure  and  as 
the  result  of  this  and  his  untiring  efforts  his 
career  was  terminated  in  death  at  the  early 
age  of  fort}-  years,  passing  away  in  1855. 
.\t  the  time  of  his  demise  he  was  the  owner 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  valu- 
able land  in  .Macon  county.  His  widow  sur- 
\i\-ed  him  until  November,  1898,  when  she, 
too,  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
They  were  the  jiarents  of  five  children,  but 
two  of  the  number  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are  S.  P..  a  resident  of  Luddington, 
Illinois  :  John  L. :  and  Isaac,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years. 

John  L.  Drake,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  has  jiractically  spent  his  entire 
life  in  Macon  county  and  his  early  ])ri\i- 
leges  were  those  of  the  conmion  schools  and 
such  as  might  be  obtained  upon  the  home 
farm.  He  began  earning  his  own  li\ing 
by  working  as  a  farm  hand  at  twelve  dol- 
lars per  month  and  was  thus  employed  for 
two  and  a  half  years.  He  then  began  farm- 
ing on  his  own  account  in  Friends  Creek 
township  when  but  eighteen  years  of  age. 
Later  he  purchased  land  and  improved  it, 
carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits  with  good 
results  for  fourteen  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  Mr.  Drake  took  up  his 
abode  in  Argenta.  where  he  engageil  in  the 
lumber  business  for  two  years  and  in  the 
spring  of  1889  he  removed  to  Nebraska, 
while  in  the  fall  of  181/)  he  came  to  Decatur. 
Here  he  has  engaged  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness and  has  handled  considerable  valuable 
])roperty,  negotiating  many  important  realty^ 
transfers.  He  bought  and  now  owns  three 
hundred  and  seven  acres  of  valuable  land  in 
.Macon  county  and  in  1893  he  built  the  Co- 
lumbia block  and  has  other  moneyed  in- 
terests in  Decatur. 

On  the  3d  of  .August,   1903,  he  purchased 
the    --lock    of    the    llarnell     Hardware    Com- 


548 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


pany,  which  is  the  oldest  store  of  the  kind 
in  the  county,  it  being  first  owned  by  J\Ir. 
Close,  later  by  the  firm  of  Close  &  Gris- 
wold,  still  later  by  C.  L.  Griswold  and  aft- 
erward by  C.  Al.  Barnett.  Mr.  Drake  is 
now  carrying  on  this  business  and  has  the 
second  largest  stock  of  hardware  in  the 
county. 

The  home  life  of  Mr.  Drake  has  been  very 
pleasant.  He  was  happily  married  April 
12,  1877,  to  Miss  Aura  Belle  Dickey,  a 
daughter  of  Harvey  Dickey,  a  pioneer  of 
Macon  county.  Six  children  have  been  born 
this  marriage:  Jeanette  M.,  who  has  been 
educated  for  the  duties  of  a  librarian  and 
was  graduated  at  Champaign,  Illinois,  in 
the  class  of  1903 ;  Clarence  E.,  who  is  with 
the  Decatur  Plumbing  &  Heating  Company 
and  who  married  Miss  Amy  Bray,  of  this 
city;  Mabel;  Erma  Fay;  Leah,  deceased; 
and  Louise. 

Mr.  Drake  is  an  ardent  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party,  casting  his  first  ballot  for 
Rutherford  B.  Hayes  and  for  each  Repub- 
lican presidential  candidate  since  that  time. 
He  has  been  honored  with  a  number  of  local 
positions,  having  been  elected  alderman  of 
his  ward  in  1893  and  afterward  re-elected 
for  a  second  term.  While  residing  upon 
the  farm  he  served  as  commissioner  of  high- 
ways and  has  always  been  most  loyal  in  his 
performance  of  public  duties.  He  is  a 
member  of  Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge,  No. 
189,  K.  P.;  of  Celestial  Lodge,  No.  186, 
L  O.  O.  F. ;  and  of  Decatur  Camp,  No.  144, 
M.  W.  A.  In  his  business  career  he  has 
been  active,  energetic  and  successful.  His 
close  study  of  the  issues  and  situations  has 
made  his  knowledge  broad,  thorough  and 
comprehensive.  His  loyalty  in  citizenship, 
his  honesty  in  business  and  his  trustworthi- 
ness in  private  life  stand  as  unquestioned 
facts  in  his  career,  making  him  one  of  the 
most  honored  and  esteemed  men  that  has 
ever  represented  the  city  in  its  council. 


J.  H.  ARMSTRONG. 
J.  11.  .\rmstrong  is  a  young  and  enterpris- 
ing farmer  residing  on  section  27,  Friends 
Creek    township.      He    is    one     of     Macon 
county's   native   sons,   his  birth  having  oc- 
curred   in    Maroa    township    on    the    2d    of 
December,   1871.     His  parents  are  William 
and  Elizabeth  Armstrong,  whose  sketch  ap- 
pears on  another  page  of  this  volume.    Our 
subject   was   but   five   years   old   when   the 
family    removed    from    Maroa    to    Friends 
Creek  township  and  here  he  grew  to  man- 
hood amid  rural  scenes.    W'hen  not  in  school 
he  assisted  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm 
and  early  acquired  an  excellent  knowledge 
of  all  the  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
agriculturist.      On    attaining    his    majority 
he  began  farming  for  himself  upon  a  one 
hundred   and   sixty    acre   tract   which   then 
belonged  to  his  father,  but  was  purchased 
by  our  subject  in  the  spring  of  1903,  and 
to  the  cultivation  of  this  place  he  has  since 
devoted    his    time    and    attention    with    re- 
sults that  are  highly  satisfactory  to  himself. 
He  raises  the  grain  best  adapted  to  the  soil 
and  climate  of  his  native  county  and  is  also 
interested  in  the  raising  of  hogs  for  market. 
His  father   made  all  of  the   improvements 
upon   the   farm   with   the   exception   of   the 
house,   which   is   one  of  the   oldest  in   the 
township  and  is  now  being  repaired  by  our 
subject.      He    is    very    progressive     in     his 
farming  methods  and  is  meeting  with  well 
deserved  success. 

In.  1895  Mr.  Armstrong  was  united  in 
marriage  to  ^liss  Lula  Yates,  a  daughter 
of  D.  C.  Yates,  now  living  in  Missouri,  and 
they  have  one  child.  Opal,  who  was  born 
January  23,  1896.  Mrs.  Armstrong  is  a 
most  estimable  lady  and  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Socially  Mr. 
Armstrong  is  a  ^Mason  and  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
The  Republican  party  finds  in  him  a  stanch 
supporter  of  its  principles  but  he  takes 
little  part  in  politics  aside  from  voting. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


549 


J.  D.  BOTTRELL. 
In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  J. 
D.  Bottrell  we  present  to  our  readers  the 
life  record  of  one  who  has  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance in  this  part  of  Illinois  and  whose  ac- 
tivity and  integrity  in  business  life  as  well 
as  in  social  relations  has  brought  him  the 
warm  regard  and  friendship  of  many  with 
whom  he  has  come  in  contact.  He  was 
born  near  Mount  .\uburn  in  Christian  coun- 
ty, November  28,  1859,  a  son  of  Daniel  and 
Mary  Ann  (Dunn)  Bottrell,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  England,  whence  they  came 
to  America  in  the  fall  of  1855,  settling  in 
Christian  county.  The  father,  who  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-five  acres  of  land  two  miles 
northeast  of  Mount  Auburn  that  is  now 
the  property  of  Daniel  Bottrell,  Jr.  The 
father  was  a  veterinary  surgeon  at  Red 
Root,  England,  and  practiced  his  profession 
until  coming  to  the  United  States,  but  here 
devoted  his  attention  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  the 
winter  of  1871.  His  wife  survived  him  until 
February,  1873,  and  was  then  laid  by  his 
side  in  Mount  Auburn  cemetery.  They  were 
the  parents  of  ten  children :  Jane,  born 
June  15,  1837,  died  March  9,  1839;  Jane, 
the  second  of  the  name,  was  born  August 
18,  1839,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  Henry 
Gough  of  Butler,  Bates  county,  Missouri; 
Daniel,  born  July  26,  1841,  is  a  retired 
farmer  of  Illiopolis,  Illinois;  Samson,  born 
April  30,  1844,  is  a  farmer  living  near  Mount 
Auburn;  Emma,  born  May  10,  1846,  is  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Wilson,  who  is  living  near 
Dalton  City,  Macon  county,  and  who  was  a 
surgeon  in  the  Ninth  Illinois  Infantry  and 
was  wounded  at  Fort  Donelson ;  Mary,  born 
January  31,  1847,  is  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Sud- 
duth ;  .Annabelle,  born  October  30,  1861, 
died  on  the  7th  of  November  of  the  same 
year;  Thomas,  born  October  26,  1851,  mar- 
ried .Mice  Ilershev,  and  lives  north  of  Os- 


bornvillo,    in    Christian    county;    John    and 
our  subject  complete  the  family. 

In  the  common  schools  of  Christian  and 
of  Macon  counties  J.  D.  Bottrell  was  edu- 
cated. He  left  school  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen and  previous  to  this  time  he  had  be- 
come familiar  with  farm  work,  by  assisting 
in  the  labors  of  field  and  meadow  through 
the  innnths  of  vacation.  His  school  life  end- 
ed, he  began  farming  near  Dalton,  living 
with  his  sister,  and  when  twenty  years  of 
age  he  bought  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  whicli 
he  owned  and  operated  for  a  year  and  a 
half.  He  then  sold  that  property  and  worked 
for  others  for  a  year,  after  which  he  bought 
(inc  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  on  section  4, 
.Milam  township,  which  he  conducted  for 
a  year. 

During  that  time  Mr.  Bottrell  wedded 
Miss  Etnma  Hershey  of  Mosquito  town- 
ship, Christian  county,  and  after  living 
upon  one  farm  for  two  years  they  removed 
in  1856  to  the  old  Hershey  homestead  in 
.Mosquito  township,  there  remaining  un- 
til October,  1895.  They  then  came  to 
Blue  Mound  and  Mr.  Bottrell  now  occupies 
a  beautiful  and  substantial  residence  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  city.  He  still  owns, 
however,  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  in  Mosquito  township,  which  is  now 
rented  and  brings  to  him  a  good  income. 

Mrs.  Bottrell  is  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and 
Sarah  (Kbert)  Hershey  of  Christian  coun- 
ty, both  of  whom  are  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, born  of  German  ancestry.  The 
father  was  fourteen  years,  of  age,  the  mother 
two  years  old  when  with  their  respective 
parents  they  removed  to  Ohio,  the  families 
settling  near  Massillon.  In  April,  1865, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hershey  came  to  Illinois  and 
located  upon  a  farm  of  about  three  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Mosquito  township, 
Christian  county.  The  father,  born  August 
23,  1818,  died  May  9,  1880,  and  the 
mother,  whose  birth  occurred  March  2, 
1822,  passed  away  November  i,  1892.    They 


550 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


were  laid  to  rest  in  Slaftord  cemetery  in 
Mosquito  township.  (  )f  their  faniil)' 
of  ten  children  Airs.  Bottrell  is  the  yt)ung- 
est.  The  others  are  James  \\'.,  born  April 
6,  1859 ;  Xancy<>  who  was  born  September 
19,  1847.  ^"d  is  the  wife  of  John  Goodrich 
of  Shelby  county,  Illinois;  Margaret  Ann, 
who  was  born  December  9,  1848,  and  be- 
came the  wife  of  Samuel  Reazin,  her  death 
occurring  December  30,  1876,  while  he  died 
December  20,  1898;  Isaac  Edward,  born 
June  10,  1861  ;  James  E.,  who  was  born  Sep- 
tember 6,  1 85 1,  and  died  January  3.  1898: 
John  F.,  who  was  born  September  12,  1852, 
and  is  living  near  Hebron,  Nebraska,  with 
his  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Maria  Morris:  Sarah  Alice,  who  was  born 
July  14,  1857,  and  is  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Bottrell:  Afaria  E.,  who  was  born  April 
I"-  ii^SS-  '"1*1  '^  t^'ic  wife  of  Frank  Over- 
meyer  of  Belvidere,  Missouri ;  and  Emma 
Frances,  born  May  30,  1863.  Mrs.  Bottrell 
was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Mos- 
quito township  and  li\ed  at  home  up 
to  the  time  of  her  marriage.  Unto  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  have  been  born  three  chil- 
dren: Bertha,  who  was  born  July  i,  1886, 
and  died  six  days  later;  Homer  Benjamin, 
who  was  born  June  14,  1889,  and  is  attend- 
ing school  in  Blue  Mound ;  and  Mabel 
Peark  who  was  born  November  11,  1893. 
and  is  in  school. 

Mr.  Bottrell  exercises  his  right  of  fran- 
chise in  support  of  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Republican  party  and  in  1897  he 
served  as  mayor  of  Blue  Mound,  He  has 
also  been  president  of  the  school  board  here 
and  everj'thing  pertaining  to  the  public 
good  receives  his  endorsement  and  co-opera- 
tion. He  holds  membership  in  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  of  which  he  is  one 
of  the  stewards  and  he  belongs  to  Blue 
Afound  Lodge,  No.  682,  F.  &  A,  M.,  and  to 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge,  No.  607.  In 
the  former  he  has  been  senior  deacon  and 
for  a   number  of  vears  has  been  the  treas- 


urer, while  in  the  latter  he  was  master  of 
the  exchequer  for  one  year.  He  likewise 
has  membership  relations  with  the  Modern 
Woodmen  Camp,  No.  310,  and  is  e\er  true 
and  loyal  to  the  teachings  of  these  fra- 
ternities, exemplifying  in  his  life  their  be- 
neficent spirit.  His  success  in  life  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  own  well  directed  efforts,  for  he 
started  out  with  little  capital  and  has  grad- 
ually advanced  until  he  now  occupies  an  en- 
viable position  among  the  substantial  citi- 
zens of  the  community,  having  a  comforta- 
ble competence  whicli  enables  him  at  the 
present  time  to  li\'e  retired. 


MRS.  AL-\RY  E.  SMITH. 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Smith  is  residing  in  Deca- 
tur and  for  long  years  has  been  a  resident 
of  Macon  county,  having  formerly  lived  on 
a  farm  within  its  borders.  She  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Alary  E.  Baker  and  was 
born  in  this  county  on  the  24th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1831,  being  a  representative  of  one  of 
its  oldest  and  most  prominent  pioneer  fam- 
ilies, her  father,  ^^'illiam  D,  Baker,  having 
located  here  in  1828,  He  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  and  when  a  youth  of  fifteen 
years  became  a  resident  of  Rutherford  coun- 
tv,  Tennessee,  In  Elkton,  Kentucky,  he 
learned  and  followed  the  carpenter's  trade. 
He  was  married  there  to  Miss  Marilla  Mar- 
tin and  in  1828  he  left  the  south,  making 
his  way  northward  to  Illinois,  He  estab- 
lished his  home  in  Alacon  county  in  what 
is  now  Long  Creek  township.  The  wild 
prairie  lands  stretched  away  for  miles  and 
one  could  ride  long  distances  without  com- 
ing to  a  fence  or  building  to  impede  prog- 
ress. Decatur  at  that  time  was  merely 
talked  of  as  a  prospective  town  site.  The 
work  of  improvement  was  still  in  an  incipi- 
ent condition  and  Air.  Baker  took  an  active 
and  helpful  part  in  developing  the  county 
and  promoting  its  welfare  and  growth  along 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTS- 


551 


the  lines  of  substantial  improvement.  1  lo 
was  a  member  of  the  first  grand  jury  and 
court  was  held  in  the  open  air  in  Decatur 
townshi]),  a  log  being  the  judge's  seat.  He 
carried  on  farming  with  excellent  success 
for  many  vears  and  after  more  than  a  lialf 
century's  residence  in  Macon  counly  he 
passed  away  in  1S83  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-three  years.  His  wife  was  called 
to  her  final  rest  in  1893  at  the  ripe  old  age 
of  ninety-four  years.  They  were  very  jjrom- 
inent  and  infiuential  jieople  in  pioneer  times 
and  in  later  years  the  IJaker  family  was 
verv  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Macon 
county.  In  her  parents'  home  Mrs.  Smith 
spent  her  girlhood  days  and  was  instructed 
in  the  duties  of  the  household  while  in  the 
subscription  schools  of  the  nciglil)orliood 
she  acquired  her  education. 

( )n  March  i.  i860,  in  Long  Creek  town- 
ship, she  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  Rev. 
John  R.  Smith,  who  was  born  near  Jack- 
sonxille.  .Morgan  county,  Illinois,  on  the 
12th  of  -May,  1830.  His  jiarents  were  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hugh  Smith,  both  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee. The  father  engaged  in  farming  for 
a  number  of  years  in  Morgan  county,  Illi- 
nois. Subsequent!}^  he  removed  to  Sanga- 
mon county,  Illinois,  and  there  he  again 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for  some 
time.  Later  he  became  a  resident  of  Kan- 
sas, where  both  he  and  his  wife  spent  their 
remaining  days. 

Rev.  John  R.  Smith  acquired  a  good  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  Virginia,  Illinois, 
and  at  Ijcthel  College  in  McElnKirexille, 
Tennessee.  Determining  to  prepare  for  the 
ministry  he  studied  in  order  to  fit  himself 
for  this  holy  calling  and  became  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel  in  connection  with  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  denomination.  His 
entire  life  was  devoted  to  this  work  and  he 
accepted  pastorates  in  various  places,  do- 
ing effective  service  in  behalf  of  the  cause 
of  the   ministry.     He   preached   in    various 


places  in  Macon  county — his  home — and 
was  widely  known  throughout  this  section 
of  the  state.  .\t  the  lime  of  the  Civil  war 
he  served  as  a  soldier,  being  loyal  to  the 
cause  of  the  I'nion  and  doing  everything 
in  his  ])ower  to  uphold  the  stars  and  stripes 
and  the  cause  tliey  represented.  Mr.  Smith 
(lied  in  .Macon  cuunly,  March  11,  1864,  but 
the  ii.llucnce  of  his  life  yet  remains  for  good 
with  nnuu  wlm  knew  him  during  his  active 
ministry. 

Twentv-one  years  after  the  death  of  her 
tirst    hnshanil    Mrs.   Smith   became  the  wife 
of  William  C.  Smith  on  the  17th  of- March, 
1885.     The   latter   was   born   in   Rutherford 
county,  Tenne.s.sec.  on  the  2d  of  July,  1819, 
and   was  Init   nine  years  of  age  when  with 
his    parents   he   came  to   Illinois.     He  was 
educated  in  Macon  county  and  then  settled 
on  a  I'arni  at  the  edge  of  .South  Wheatland 
and   Kluc  Mound  townships,  where  he  car- 
ried     on      general      agricultural      pursuits 
throughout  his  remaining  days.     In  his  farm 
work  he  was  progressive,  practical  and  en- 
ergetic  and    placed   his   land   under   a   high 
.state  of   cultivation,   .so   that   the   fields    re- 
turned to  him  a  good  income  and  his  crops 
found  a  ready  sale  on  the  market.     He  took 
a  deep  interest  in  church  work  and  for  many 
vears  was  an  elder  in  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian church.     Rev.  John  R.  Smith  was 
a   member  of  the   Masonic  order  of   Deca- 
tiu"  and  in   his  jiolitical  views  was  a  stanch 
Re])u])lican,  while  William  C.  Smith  was  a 
Democrat    in    his   ])olitical    affiliations.      He 
died    January    23.    1899.       .After    his    death 
Mrs.    Smith    resided    upon    the    home   farm 
for  nine  months  and  then  removed  to  Deca- 
tur, ])urchasing  a  residence  near  her  sister, 
Mrs.   Dennis,   her   home   being  at   No.   810 
North  Union   street.     She  also  receives  an 
income  from  the  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty  acres,  a  part  of  which  lies  in  South 
^^'1leatland  township  and  the  remainder  in 
iJliu-    Mound   township. 


552 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


JOSEPH  G.  BIXBY. 

Among  the  young  men  of  Decatur  who 
have  won  prominence  in  the  control  of 
business  enterprises  and  have  gained  suc- 
cess through  a  close  following  of  the  rules 
that  govern  industry,  close  application  and 
strict  integrity  is  Joseph  G.  Bixby.  He  was 
born  in  Assumption,  Christian  county,  Illi- 
nois, on  the  23d  of  March,  1868,  and  is  a 
son  of  Lorenzo  P.  and  Martha  J.  (Starr) 
Bixby.  For  many  years  the  father  was  en- 
gaged in  the  commission  business  in  Deca- 
tur and  later  was  employed  in  the  whole- 
sale department  of  the  harness  establish- 
ment of  J.  G.  Starr  &  Sons.  He  died  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven  years  and  is  still  sur- 
vived by  his  widow  and  their  three  chil- 
dren :     John  S.,  Eva  M.  and  Joseph  G. 

The  last  named,  like  the  other  members 
of  the  family,  entered  the  public  schools 
at  the  usual  age  of  six  years  and  therein 
continued  his  studies  until  he  had  largely 
completed  the  various  branches  of  learning 
taught  in  Decatur.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  entered  upon  his  business  career,  becom- 
ing an  employe  in  the  office  of  the  Decatur 
Coffin  Compan}^  where  he  remained  for  two 
years.  During  the  succeeding  eight  years 
he  was  traveling  salesman  for  the  company 
and  during  that  time  he  became  the  orig- 
inator and  inventor  of  burial  shoes,  which 
he  patented  in  1895.  He  then  began  their 
manufacture  in  company  with  Frank  S.  Pit- 
ner  under  the  firm  name  of  Bixby,  Pitner  & 
Company  and  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Pitner 
his  younger  brother,  Thomas  W.  Pitner, 
succeeded  to  the  business  and  thus  the  same 
firm  name  has  always  been  retained.  The 
company  manufactures  burial  shoes  on  an 
extensive  scale.  This  product  is  sold  to 
the  jobbing  trade  in  New  York,  San  Fran- 
cisco, New  Orleans  and  in  other  cities 
throughout  the  United  States  and  a  large 
export  trade  is  also  enjoyed.  The  shoe  is  an 
extension-make,  easily  adjustable,  and  has 
found    a   readv   sale   on    the    market.     The 


business  was  begun  on  a  small  scale  but  has 
constantly  been  increased  in  order  to  meet 
the  growing  demands  of  the  trade  and  since 
the  1st  of  January,  1903,  the  firm  has  occu- 
pied extensive  quarters,  comprising  three 
floors  of  a  building  at  the  corner  of  South 
Park  and  State  streets.  They  employ  more 
than  thirty  operatives  in  their  establish- 
ments and  the  business  is  constantly  grow- 
ing, having  more  than  doubled  in  the  recent 
years.  The  success  of  the  business  is  not 
only  due  to  the  fact  that  the  article  manu- 
factured meets  the  public  want  in  this  di- 
rection but  also  because  of  the  firm's  capa- 
ble manner  of  introducing  their  product  to 
the  trade  and  placing  it  upon  the  market. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  1891,  Mr.  Bix- 
by was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Ida  Ey- 
man,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  O.  and  Mattie 
Eyman,  but  she  died  after  a  short  married 
life  on  the  4th  of  June,  1894,  when  only 
twenty-six  years  of  age.  leaving  a  little 
•daughter,  Helen,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  months. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Bixby  is 
connected  with  Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge, 
No.  189,  K.  P. ;  belongs  to  the  W.  C.  Roe 
Camp,  No.  7201,  M.  W.  A. ;  Decatur  Lodge, 
No.  401,  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of 
Elks;  to  the  Manufacturers'  &  Jobbers" 
Club ;  and  to  two  prominent  social  organ- 
izations of  this  city — the  Decatur  and  Coun- 
try Clubs.  .Spending  almost  his  entire  life 
in  this  city,  Mr.  Bixby  has  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance and  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  is 
popular  with  those  who  know  him  because 
of  sterling  traits  of  character,  a  social,  genial 
nature  and  thorough  reliability  in  all  life's 
relations. 


■    HENRY  WELGE. 
Henry  Welge  is  one  of  the  most  prosper- 
ous and  successful  farmers  of  Friends  Creek 
township,   his    home    being    on    section    i, 
where  he  owns  and  operates  a  well  improved 


ALBION  DAGGETT 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


h5^ 


and  valuable  farm.  lie  was  born  in  1S44 
in  Germany,  where  his  parents,  Henry  and 
Louisa  Welge,  spent  their  entire  lives.  His 
father  was  also  a  farmer.  In  his  native 
land  our  subject  grew  to  manhood  and  at- 
tendctl  school  imlil  fourteen  years  of  age, 
acquiring  a  good  practical  education.  He 
then  aided  his  father  in  the  work  of  the 
home  farm  until  he  entered  the  German 
army,  in  which  he  served  from  1861  to  1871. 
He  took  part  in  the  Franco-Prussian  war 
and  was  in  a  number  of  important  battles. 

In  September,  1871,  Mr.  Welge  bade 
good-bye  to  home  and  friends  and  sailed 
for  America.  .Vftcr  a  voyage  of  eleven  days 
he  landed  in  New  York  city  and  proceeded 
at  once  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  arrived  on  the  27th  of  September.  Here 
he  commenced  work  for  an  uncle,  who  a 
few  years  later  gave  him  forty  acres  of 
land,  which  he  operated  for  a  time.  He 
then  bought  eighty  acres  more,  paying  for 
the  same  thirty  dollars  per  acre,  and  has 
since  added  to  his  property  from  time  to 
time  until  he  now  has  two  hundred  acres  in 
the  home  place  and  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  a  little  to  the  west  of  there.  He  has 
made  all  of  the  improvements  upon  his  farm, 
has  set  out  trees,  built  a  comfortable  resi- 
dence and  good  barn,  and  now  has  one  of 
the  most  desirable  farms  of  its  size  in  the 
county.  The  fields  are  well  tilled  and  every- 
thing about  the  place  indicates  the  owner 
to  be  a  man  of  progressive  ideas,  very  in- 
dustrious and  of  good  business  abiJity.  His 
attention  is  principally  given  to  the  raising 
of  grain. 

Mr.  Welge  was  married  in  1872  to  Miss 
Sophia  Cook,  also  a  native  of  Germany, 
and  to  them  have  been  born  five  children : 
Christian  ;  Henry,  who  married  Ada  Watts 
and  lives  in  Macon  county ;  Charlie,  who 
is  also  married  ;  Fred  ;  and  Certha.  ATr.  and 
Mrs.  Welge  are  members  of  the  Lutheran 
church    and    arc   people  of   the   highest    re- 


speclabiiii\ .  lie  votes  with  the  Democratic 
party  and  has  filled  the  office  of  school  di- 
rector in  a  \ery  creditable  and  satisfactory 
manner. 


ALBION  DAGGETT. 

.Mbion  Daggett  is  successfully  engaged 
as  the  district  agent  in  the  insurance  busi- 
ness at  Macon  and  is  also  serving  as  justice 
of  the  peace,  a  position  which  he  has  filled 
for  a  number  of  years  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  satisfaction  to  his  constituents.  He 
is  thoroughly  impartial  in  meting  out  jus- 
tice, his  opinions  being  unbiased  by  either 
fear  or  favor,  and  his  fidelity  to  every  trust 
reposed  in  him   is  above  question. 

A  native  of  Maine,  Mr.  Daggett  was  born 
in  Piscataquis  county,  on  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1833,  and  is  a  representative  of  a 
good  old  Puritan  family  that  was  estab- 
lished in  America  at  the  landing  of  the  pas- 
sengers from  the  Mayflower.  His  parents 
were  Elisha  and  Martha  (Bolster)  Daggett. 
The  father,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupa- 
tion, died  in  1872  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years,  antl  the  mother  died  in  1902, 
at  age  of  ninety-one  years.  Our  subject 
is  the  oldest  of  the  four  children  of  the 
family  that  are  still  living,  the  others  being 
Henry  and  Thomas,  both  residents  of 
Maine  ;  and  Mrs.  Ruth  A.  Briggs,  of  Urbana, 
Illinois,  who  has  two  daughters. 

In  the  public  schools  of  his  native  state 
Albion  Daggett  acquired  his  primary  edu- 
cation, which  was  supplemented  by  a  course 
at  P^oxcroft  Academy,  Maine,  which  is  still 
in  existence,  and  there  he  spent  two  winters. 
At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  began  teach- 
ing. On  leaving  the  Pine  Tree  state  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  1856,  and  during  the  first 
winter  spent  here  he  was  employed  as  a 
teacher  in  Lee  county.  He  then  rented  a 
farm,  which  he  operated  during  the  summer 
months,  while  through  the  winter  he  con- 
tinued his  work  in  the  school  room  during 


55ij 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


ihe  four  years  i)f  his  residence  in  Lee  coun- 
ty. He  then  removed  to  Champaign  county. 
where  he  carried  on  farming  for  the  same 
length  of  time,  when  on  account  of  an  acci- 
dent he  was  forced  to  abandon  that  occupa- 
tion and  turned  liis  attention  to  painting. 
After  his  marriage  in  1866  he  came  to  Ma- 
con, where  he  has  since  made  his  home  and 
where  he  worked  at  that  trade  for  about 
.seven  years.  Since  then  he  has  engaged 
in  tlie  insurance  business  and  been  very 
successful. 

In  October,  1866,  Mr.  Daggett  led  to  the 
marriage  altar  Miss  Emma  L.  Innis,  of 
Champaign  county,  Illinois,  who  was  born 
in  New  Jersey,  April  15,  1842,  of  New  Eng- 
land ancestry.  Her  father,  David  Innis,  is 
now  deceased,  but  her  mother  is  still  living 
and  continues  to  reside  in  Champaign  coun- 
ty. Of  the  seven  children  born  to  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  two  died  in  infancy.  Ern- 
est L.,  born  in  Macon  county,  January  28, 
1869,  married  Minnie  Merris,  by  whom  he 
has  three  children,  and  he  is  now  engaged 
in  farming  in  ]\lount  Zion  township.  Jesse 
A.,  born  August  16,  1871,  was  graduated 
at  Brown's  Business  College  of  Decatur  in 
1892  and  is  now  state  agent  for  the  Security 
&  American  Insurance  Company,  having 
received  his  business  training  along  that  line 
under  his  father.  He  married  Belle  Whit- 
taker.  Daisy  \'..  born  in  Alacon,  March  2y. 
1876,  is  a  popular  -and  successful  school 
teacher,  who  was  employed  in  the  primary 
department  in  Macon  for  some  time  and  has 
recently  accepted  a  similar  position  at  Lov- 
ington.  Illinois.  Ora  E.,  born  May  24,  1880. 
owns  a  half  interest  in  the  Macon  Telephone 
Company.  He  is  also  a  graduate  of 
Brown's  Business  College.  Carl  R.,  born 
June  22,  1883,  is  a  graduate  of  Brown's 
Business  College  and  is  his  father's  assistant 
in  the  insurance  business. 

Mr.  Daggett  has  always  taken  a  deep  in- 
terest in  political  affairs  and  is  one  of  the 
standardbcarers    of    the    Republican    jiarty. 


ills  fellow  citizens  recognizing  his  worth 
and  abilit}-  have  called  upon  him  to  fill  the 
offices  of  constable,  city  marshal,  alderman 
and  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  first 
elected  to  the  last  named  office  in  1885  and 
is  still  filling  that  position  in  a  most  cred- 
itable and  satisfactory  manner.  About  1863 
he  was  made  a  Mason  in  Champaign  county 
and  is  now  a  member  of  South  Macon 
Lodge,  No.  467.  Both  he  and  his  wife  hold 
membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  take  an  active  interest  in  its 
work.  He  has  taught  in  the  Sunday  school 
for  many  years,  has  served  as  manager  of 
church  afifairs  and  at  present  holds  the  of- 
fice of  trustee.  He  is  also  president  of  the 
cemetery  association  which  has  well  kept 
and  beautiful  grounds,  everything  being  in 
first  class  order.  As  a  public-spirited  and 
progressive  man,  Mr.  Daggett  has  done 
much  to  promote  the  interests  of  his  town 
and  county  and  is  recognized  as  a  most 
valued  and  useful  citizen,  never  withhold- 
ing his  support  from  any  enterprise  which 
he  believes  will  prove  of  public  benefit. 


A.  H.  DAVIDSON. 
A.  H.  Davidson,  whose  fine  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  si.xty  acres,  pleasantly  located 
aliout  a  mile  south  and  a  half  mile  east 
of  I'lluo  .Mound,  is  one  of  the  valuable 
agricultural  properties  of  Macon  county,  is  a 
native  of  Mosquito  township.  Christian 
county,  where  his  birth  occurred  February 
28,  i860.  His  parents  were  Hezekiah  and 
Xancy  J.  (  Proffitt-Galowa)  Davidson.  The 
father  was  born  in  Kentucky,  September 
5.  1826,  and  his  father  was  an  old  citizen 
of  that  state,  whence  he  came  to  Illinois  in 
1829,  settling  in  Greene  count}'.  He  first 
li\ed  in  a  tent  until  a  log  cabin  could  be 
built  and  there  amidst  the  w'ild  scenes  of 
frontier  life  he  made  his  home  and  reared 
his   famih'.      All   of  the   clothing  and   shoes 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


557 


-were  niatlc  at  home  i)y  iiKMubcrs  of  the  fam- 
ily ami  many  of  the  hardships  and  trials  of 
pionoer  life  were  borne.  The  home  farm 
is  now  occupied  by  the  town  of  Wrights- 
viile.  There  the  grandfather  entered  from 
the  government  about  a  half  section  of  land, 
which  he  improved  and  cultivated,  making 
his  liome  thereon  until  his  removal  to  Chris- 
tian county.  Illinois.  The  father  of  our  sub- 
ject went  to  Christian  county  in  1859  and 
purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  constituting  the  farm  upon  which  he 
now  resides  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy- 
seven  years,  lie  has  been  twice  married, 
his  first  union  being  with  .Amanda  Solomon. 
by  whom  he  had  one  child.  .\.  B.  Davidson, 
a  carpenter  who  is  married  and  resides  in 
Blue  Mound.  After  the  death  of  his  first 
wife  llezekiah  Davidson  wedded  Nancy  J. 
Galowa.  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  was 
born  near  Chattanooga,  whence  she  re- 
moved to  Illinois,  the  family  settling  near 
Carlinville.  Macoupin  county,  where  her 
father  purchased  land  and  improved  a  farm. 
He  carried  on  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and 
also  engaged  in  raising  stock.  Mr.  David- 
son has  followed  the  same  pursuits  and  has 
been  a  very  active  and  successful  agricul- 
turist of  his  community.  His  political  sup- 
port has  long  been  given  the  Democracy 
and  for  nearly  sixty  years  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church.  Into  the 
parents  of  our  subject  were  liorn  nine  chil- 
dren, A.  H.  being  the  eldest.  The  others 
are  as  follows :  Sarah  C.  became  the  w'ife 
of  W.  A.  Henderson,  a  farmer  living  in  the 
northern  part  of  Christian  county.  She  died 
January  22.  1903.  and  was  buried  in  Hunter 
cemetery.  Libbie  M.  is  the  wife  of  W'illiam 
L.  Carpenter,  a  farmer  and  stock-raiser  of 
X'ermont,  living  near  Ciranby.  Marj'  La- 
mattie  is  the  wife  of  J.  L.  .Marshall,  a  farmer 
of  Mosquito  township.  Christian  county. 
Rosa  B.,  who  was  a  successful  school  teach- 
er, is"  now  at  home  with  her  father.  Leon- 
ard A.  is  employed  in  I'luliDn's  general  store 


in  .Mouni  Aul)urH.  Illinois.  Hettie  E.  is  at 
home.  James  R.  died  July  26,  1891,  at  the 
age  of  thirteen  years  and  was  buried  in  Hall 
cemetery.  Virgil  H.  is  farming  for  his 
father. 

In  the  district  schools  of  Mosquito  town- 
ship A..  11.  Davidson  was  educated,  leaving 
school  when  twenty  years  of  age,  after 
which  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm  for 
a  lime,  as  he  had  also  done  during  the  period 
of  vacations.  He  left  home  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four  and  began  farming  for  himself 
on  rented  land,  being  thus  engaged  until  he 
had  saved  enough  from  his  earnings  to  en- 
able him  to  purchase  a  farm  of  his  own.  in 
1889  he  started  out  with  a  cash  capital  of 
eight  hundred  dollars.  Now  he  owns  one 
iumdrecl  and  sixty  acres  of  valuable  land  one 
mile  south  of  Blue  Mound  and  a  half  mile 
east.  This  is  sjilendidly  improved  and  is 
worth  at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 
lars per  acre. 

On  the  25th  of  October.  1883,  Mr.  T:)avid- 
son  was  married  to  Martha  L.  Short,  a 
daughter  of  James  .'\.  and  Charity  (Chaney) 
Short.  Her  father  was  the  second  in  a 
iamilv  of  sixteen  children  and  was  born  in 
Tennessee  in  1827.  In  1830  he  was  brought 
to  Illinois  by  his  father,  Thomas  J.  Short, 
who  settled  on  a. farm  of  twelve  hundred 
acres  near  the  present  site  of  Wrightville. 
This  farm  he  owned  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1874,  when  he  was  eighty 
^•ears  of  age.  In  1847  J.  .V.  Short  was  mar- 
ried to  Charity  Chaney.  He  bought  a  farm 
in  Crcene  county.  Illinois,  and  lived  there 
until  1S67,  when  he  removed  to  a  farm  of 
two  hundred  acres  in  Christian  county. 
Three  years  later  he  removed  to  Greenfield, 
Illinois,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1882. 
Cnto  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Davidson  have  been 
Imrn  two  sons  and  two  daughters:  Rolland 
e'.,  born  May  15,  1885,  attended  the  district 
schools,  spent  the  year  1902  as  a  student  in 
the  high  school  of  Blue  .Mound  and  is  now 
upiin   llie  home  farm.     Demry   1!.,  born  De- 


558 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


cember  29,  1888;  Louie  May,  born  May  19, 
1892,  and  Hallie  Estella,  born  September 
20,  1895,  are  all  at  home. 

The  parents  are  devout  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Blue  Mound 
and  Mr.  Davidson  has  served  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunda3--school  for  a  year  and 
a  half.  His  political  support  is  given  the 
Democracy  and  he  has  held  various  town- 
ship offices.  While  in  Mosquito  township, 
Christian  county,  he  was  township  Sunday- 
school  superintendent  for  three  years  and 
was  also  interested  in  the  intellectual  de- 
velo])ment.  of  the  comniunit\^  as  a  school 
director.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  ^lodern  Woodmen  of  America  and  Fra- 
ternal Army.  In  his  business  affairs  he  has 
prospered  and  now  in  addition  to  his  fine 
farm  he  has  an  interest  in  the  Blue  Mound 
Coal  Company.  He  was  one  of  its  three 
incorporators  and  is  now  one  of  its  direc- 
tors. Whatever  success  he  has  achieved  is 
the  direct  result  of  his  own  indefatigable  en- 
ergy, perseverance  and  sound  business  judg- 
ment. As  a  public-spirited  and  progressive 
citizen  he  is  deeply  interested  in  every 
movement  for  the  general  good  and  his  co- 
operation has  been  a  helpful  factor  along 
manv  lines. 


JACOB  R.  PRICE. 
For  many  years  Jacob  R.  Price  was  iden- 
tified with  agricultural  interests  in  Illinois 
and  is  now  living  retired  at  No.  1083  West 
Decatur  street  in  the  city  of  Decatur.  His 
residence  in  Macon  county  dates  from  1856, 
at  which  time  he  took  up  his  abode  on  a 
farm  on  section  32,  South  A\'heatland  town- 
ship. He  is  a  native  of  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
born  on  the  28th  of  March,  1834.  His  pa- 
rents, John  and  Elizabeth  (Rhinehart) 
Price,  were  natives  of  Rockingham  county, 
Virginia,  whence  they  removed  to  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  where  the  father  engaged  in 
farming  until   his   life's   labors   were   ended 


in  death.  The  mother  afterward  came  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  and  spent  her  last 
days  in  the  home  of  her  son  Jacob  in  South 
Wheatland  township.  This  worthy  couple 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  name- 
l}- :  Henry  W.,  who  is  now  residing  in  Car- 
roll county,  Indiana ;  Nancy  Jane,  deceased  ; 
Mrs.  B.  A.  Nejdiard,  who  lives  in  South 
Wheatland  township,  this  covmty;  Benja- 
min F.,  who  resides  in  Decatur;  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Foster,  also  of  Decatur;  William,  who 
lives  in  South  W' heatland  township ;  Jacob 
R. ;  Sarah,  who  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  N.  M. 
Baker,  of  Decatur;  Mary,  the  wife  of  A.  F. 
Hopkins,  of  this  city ;  F.  O.,  deceased ;  and 
John,  who  has  also  passed  away. 

To  the  common-school  system  of  his  na- 
tive county  Jacob  R.  Price  is  indebted  for 
the  educational  privileges  he  received.  Af- 
ter he  had  attained  his  majority  he  sought 
a  companion  and  helpmate  for  the  journey 
of  life  and  on  the  8th  of  February,  1859,  was 
united  in  marriage  in  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
to  Miss  Amy  D.  Hyatt,  a  native  of  Hamil- 
ton county,  that  state,  born  on  the  26th  of 
October,  1837.  Her  parents  were  John  and 
Martha  Hyatt,  the  former  a  native  of  New 
York  and  the  latter  of  Ohio.  :Mr.  Hyatt 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  however, 
upon  a  farm  in  Butler  count}^  Ohio,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  died. 

Mr.  Price  first  came  to  ^lacon  county  in 
the  year  1S56  and  he  returned  from  this 
place  to  Ohio  for  his  bride.  He  then  brought 
her  to  South  ^^'heatland  township,  where 
he  rented  what  was  known  as  the  old  Young 
farm.  He  afterward  purchased  that  land 
and  made  all  of  the  substantial  improve- 
ments upon  it.  There  he  resided  for  many 
years,  devoting  his  time  and  attention  to 
the  cultivation  of  his  fields  and  to  the  raising 
of  hogs,  both  branches  of  his  business  prov- 
ing good  sources  of  income.  He  remained 
an  active  factor  in  agricultural  circles  until 
September  2,  1902,  when  he  removed  to 
Decatur  where  he  has  since  lived  a  retired 


JAMES  P.  BOYD 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


o(il 


life.  However,  he  still  owns  the  farm  of 
one  liuiulred  and  sixty-five  acres  which  he 
rents  to  his  son. 

The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Price  was 
blessed  with  four  children :  Florence,  who 
died  in  1865,  at  the  age  of  five  years ;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  William  ^lontgomery  of  Deca- 
tur; .Minnie  .\.,  the  wife  of  Frank  G.  Hill, 
a  farmer  living  in  Blue  ]\lound  township, 
this  county ;  and  John,  who  married  Etta 
Henry  and  resides  on  our  subject's  farm  in 
South    Wheatland    township. 

.Mr.  Price  has  held  several  minor  offices 
in  his  township,  such  as  school  director  and 
road  overseer.  He  votes  with  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  never  fails  to  cast  his  ballot 
at  each  election,  for  he  believes  it  the  duty 
as  well  as  the  privilege  of  every  .\merican 
citizen  to  support  the  measures  in  which  he 
believes.  His  wife  is  a.  member  of  the 
United  Brethren  church  of  Decatur  and  they 
are  now  living  in  a  very  comfortable  home 
at  No.  1083  West  Decatur  street,  being  sur- 
rounded by  the  necessities  and  many  of  the 
luxuries  of  life.  That  Mr.  Price  is  now  the 
possessor  of  a  good  competence  is  due  to 
his  own  energ}',  diligence  and  persistency 
of  purpose  in  former  years. 


JA.M1-;S  P.  BOYD. 
James  P.  Boyd  was  for  a  number  of  years 
a  ])rominent  attorney  of  Decatur  and  was 
well  known  among  the  early  settlers  of  the 
city.  He  took  up  his  residence  here  about 
1855,  when  Decatur  was  still  a  struggling 
town,  giving  little  promise  of  its  present 
prosperity,  progress  and  improved  condi- 
tion. Born  in  Pennsylvania  on  the  17th  of 
November,  1820,  he  was  a  son  of  Samuel 
Boyd  and  his  wife,  who  were  likewise  na- 
tives of  the  Keystone  state.  For  many  years 
the  father  engaged  in  farming  there  and 
then  removed  to  a  farm  near  Cambridge, 
Ohio,  where  he  continued  to  carrv  on   the 


tilling  of  the  soil  until  his  death.  He  de- 
\  eloped  a  good  property  and  annually  har- 
vested large  crops  which  returned  to  him  a 
gratifying  income  for  his  labors.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  died  upon  the  old  Ohio  home- 
stead. 

James  P.  Boyd  began  his  education  in  the 
]>ublic  schools  of  Pennsylvania  and  contin- 
ued his  studies  in  (  iliiu.  He  was  reared  in 
the  usual  manner  of  most  farm  lads,  but 
did  not  find  the  work  of  the  fields  entirely 
congenial  and  decided  to  enter  upon  a  pro- 
fessional career.  He  therefore  began  the 
study  of  law  in  his  native  state  and  after 
the  removal  of  his  parents  to  their  farm 
near  Cambridge,  Ohio,  he  became  a  school 
teacher  in  that  vicinity,  devoting  his  leisure 
hours  outside  of  the  school-room  to  the 
further  reading  of  law.  There  he  resided 
until  1855,  wdien  he  came  to  the  west  and 
Decatur  was  his  chosen  field  of  labor.  En- 
tering upon  the  ])ractice  of  law  in  this  city 
in  partnership  with  James  Lake,  he  soon 
gained  a  distinctively  representative  client- 
age here  and  was  connected  with  much  of 
the  important  litigation  tried  in  the  courts 
of  Macon  county  at  an  early  day.  His 
knowledge  of  the  science  of  jurisprudence 
was  comprehensive  and  exact  and  he  ap- 
plied his  knowledge  with  great  accuracy  to 
the  points  at  issue. 

.Soon  after  his  arrival  in  Decatur  Mr.  Boyd 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Susan  S. 
(McGovern)  Packard,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  October  21,  1827,  and  a  daughter  of 
ICdmund  and  Malinda  (Huddleston)  Mc- 
CoN^ern,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky and  at  an  early  day  came  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Morgan  count}'  during  the 
])ioneer  e[)och  in  its  development.  There 
both  parents  resided  until  death.  Mrs.  Boyd 
was  first  married  to  Dr.  Edmund  Packard, 
a  reijresentative  of  the  old  and  prominent 
Packard  family  of  Decatur.  The  Doctor 
was  one  of  the  first  residents  here  and  a 
physician    of   prominence   in   this   city.      He 


562 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


practiced  belli  in  (Juincy,  Illinois,  and  in 
Decatur  until  1849,  when,  attracted  by  the 
discovery  of  gold  in  California,  he  made  his 
way  to  the  Pacific  slope  in  the  hope  of  rap- 
idl}'  acquiring  a  fortune  there.  Death,  how- 
ever, interfered  with  his  plans  for  he  passed 
away  in  the  Golden  state  in  1850.  Three 
children  had  been  born  of  this  union ; 
Charles,  who  married  Ella  Gosshorn  and 
resides  in  Decatur ;  Katie,  now  deceased ; 
and  Lilly,  who  is  the  widow  of  Monroe  Rob- 
ertson and  resides  with  her  mother.  The 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd  was  blessed 
with  six  children,  namely:  Frank  S.,  who 
wredded  Ida  Hampsher  and  resides  in  St. 
Louis;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  Roy  Loughbom, 
of  Decatur ;  Laura,  who  died  in  infancy ; 
Tola,  the  wife  of  John  E.  Baker  of  Mishawa- 
ka,  Indiana,  by  whom  she  has  three  chil- 
dren. Forest,  Donald  and  Dorothy ;  James 
P.,  who  married  Sarah  Taylor  and  is  living 
in  Spokane,  Washington ;  Ada,  the  wife  of 
Augustus  Meckelnburg,  of  Mishawaka,  In- 
diana. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Boyd  continued  in 
the  practice  of  law  in  Decatur  until  the  Civil 
war  broke  out.  He  watched  with  interest 
the  progress  of  events  and  wdien  he  saw  that 
the  war  was  to  be  no  mere  holiday  affair  and 
that  the  Union  needed  the  aid  of  its  loyal 
sons  he  offered  his  services  to  the  govern- 
ment and  became  a  lieutenant  colonel  of 
the  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regiment. 
His  regiment  was  in  many  important  bat- 
tles and  engagements  including  the  siege 
of  Vicksburg  in  which  he  was  shot  through 
the  lung.  He  was  then  in  the  hospital  for 
a  short  time,  after  which  he  was  brought 
home  to  Decatur.  His  wound  was  very 
serious  and,  hoping  that  he  might  benefit 
his  health  by  a  change  of  climate,  he  began 
traveling  in  the  south,  spending  four  years 
in  this  way.  He  visited  New  Orleans  and 
other  southern  cities  and  then  at  the  end 
of  four  years  he  returned  to  his  home  in 
Decatur.     He  died  on  the  nth  of  October, 


1868,  his  demise  being  the  direct  result  of 
the  injury  which  he  had  sustained  upon  the 
field  of  battle  and  thus  he  gave  his  life  for 
his  country  just  as  truly  as  those  whose 
graves  were  dug  on  southern  battlefields. 

AVhile  in  New  Orleans  Mr.  Boyd  had 
been  appointed  circuit  judge,  but  on  account 
of  illness  he  refused  to  serve  in  that  position. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Republican  and  he  kept 
well  informed  on  the  questions  and  issues 
of  the  day,  believing  it  the  duty  as  well  as 
the  privilege  of  every  American  citizen  to 
exercise  his  right  of  franchise  in  an  intelli- 
gent way  in  the  support  of  the  measures 
in  which  he  believed.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  Post  of  Decatur  and  en- 
joyed the  high  regard  of  his  brethren  of 
that  order.  His  scholarly  attainments  and 
broad  learning  made  him  the  companion 
of  the  best  people  of  Macon  county  and  at 
the  bar  the  members  of  the  legal  fraternity 
recognized  his  ability  and  accorded  him  a 
prominent  position  in  their  ranks.  Before 
going  into  the  service  he  became  the  owner 
of  a  large  farm  in  Niantic  township,  Macon 
county,  which  he  rented  and  which  remained 
in  possession  of  his  heirs  until  recent  years, 
when  it  was  sold.  He  was  very  success- 
ful in  his  business  affairs  and  in  his  prac- 
tice here  and  was  indeed  a  prominent,  in- 
fluential and  honored  man.  Mrs.  Boyd  still 
lives  in  Decatur,  owning  a  nice  home  at 
No.  506  West  \\'illiams  street,  where  she 
and  her  daughter  are  living,  and  it  has  been 
her  place  of  residence  for  over  half  a  cen- 
tury. She  is  a  member  of  the  First  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  of  Decatur  and  is  a 
lady  whose  many  excellent  traits  of  heart 
and  mind  have  endeared  her  to  all  with 
whom  she  has  been  brought  in  contact. 


CYRUS  J.  TUCKER. 
The   prosperity    of   any    community    de- 
pends upon  its  business  activity  and  the  en- 
terprise   manifest   in    commercial    circles   is 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


563 


the  foundation  upon  which  is  builded  the 
material  welfare  of  town,  state  and  nation. 
The  most  important  factors  in  public  life 
to-day  are  therefore  the  men  who  are  in  con- 
trol of  successful  business  interests  and  such 
a  one  is  Cyrus  J.  Tucker,  who  is  engaged 
in  general  merchandising  at  Warrensburg 
and  is  serving  as  supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship. 

He  was  born  on  the  26th  of  October, 
1868,  in  mini  township,  and  is  a  son  of  Jo- 
seph Clough  Tucker,  who  was  a  resident 
of  Macon  county  from  1861  until  his  death, 
September  14,  1903,  his  remains  being  in- 
terred in  mini  cemetery.  The  father  was 
born  in  Merrimac  county,  New  Hampshire, 
December  19,  1838,  in  the  same  house  where 
the  birth  of  his  father.  Major  Cyrus  Tucker, 
occurred.  Our  subject's  great-grandfather 
was  Rev.  Jedediah  Tucker,  a  native  of  Mas- 
sachusetts and  a  pioneer  of  the  Old  Granite 
state,  where  he  located  in  1784.  He  was  a 
Congregational  minister  and  served  as  pas- 
tor of  one  church  for  thirty  years.  His 
son,  ^lajor  Cyrus  Tucker,  grew  to  manhood 
in  his  native  county  and  there  married  Miss 
Fannie  J.  Hoyt,  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Hoyt, 
who  was  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
early  Puritan  families  of  New  Hampshire 
and  reached  the  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
five  years.  The  Major  was  a  very  promi- 
nent man  and  won  his  title  while  serving 
in  the  State  Militia.  He  died  on  the  12th 
of  November,  1850.  ami  his  wife  passed 
away  October  i,  1843. 

Joseph  C.  Tucker,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, received  a  good  education,  being  a 
student  in  the  Quaker  college  at  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  for  two  years,  during  which 
time  he  completed  the  mathematical  course. 
He  then  taught  school  for  two  seasons  in 
New  Hampshire.  .As  before  stated  he  came 
to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  in  1861.  and  for 
many  years  was  identified  with  its  agri- 
cultural interests.  He  resided  at  his  home 
just  outside  of   Warrensburg  from    the    1st 


of  April,  1872,  until  his  death,  and  his  place 
was  one  of  the  best  in  lllini  township.  He 
owned  considerable  property  and  was  num- 
bered among  the  well-to-do  citizens  of  his 
community.  Politically  he  was  a  stanch 
Democrat  and  frequently  served  as  a  dele- 
gate to  state  and  county  conventions.  He 
was  very  prominently  identified  with  public 
affairs,  serving  as  assessor  of  his  township 
three  years,  supervisor  for  several  years  and 
also  as  township  trustee.  Fraternally  he 
was  a  Knight  Templar  Mason.  On  the  5th 
of  February,  1868,  in  ^^lacon  county,  Mr. 
Tucker  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Emma  Ferree,  a  native  of  Pike  county,  Illi- 
nois, who  died  November  5,  1883,  leaving 
five  children,  namely:  Cyrus  J.,  Benjamin 
F.,  Joseph  T.,  John  (iuy  and  Charles.  For 
his  second  wife  he  wedded  Mrs.  Mary  J. 
Ferry,  and  his  third  wife  was  Martha  K. ' 
Clough,  who  died  ten  c'ays  after  their  mar- 
riage. 

Cyrus  J.  Tucker  attended  the  public 
schools  of  this  county  and  completed  his 
education  in  the  high  school  of  Decatur  but 
left  school  on  the  death  of  his  mother  when 
in  his  senior  3'ear.  He  remained  with  his 
father  on  the  farm  near  Warrensburg  until 
18S7,  and  then  engaged  in  farming  by  the 
year  until  the  19th  of  December,  1892,  when 
he  embarked  in  general  merchandising  as 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Ritchie,  Tucker  & 
Company.  In  January,  1896,  he  purchased 
Mr.  Ritchie's  interest  in  the  business,  and 
became  sole  proprietor  of  the  store  two 
years  later,  since  which  time  he  has  been 
alone  in  business.  In  1900  he  enlarged  his 
establishment,  making  the  main  room  twen- 
ty-four by  sixty  feet,  with  a  back  rocm 
twenty-four  by  forty  feet  stocked  with  gro- 
ceries and  meats;  while  the  front  room  is 
devoted  to  dry  goods.  He  carries  a  large 
and  wtII  selected  stock  and  by  fair  and 
honorable  dealings  has  built  up  an  excellent 
trade. 

In  June.   nSyf),   Mr.  Tucker  married  Miss 


5t>4 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


Lillian  Thompson,  a  daughter  of  Captain 
George  W.  and  Mary  (Langston)  Thomp- 
son. On  the  paternal  side  her  ancestors 
came  from  the  Empire  state  and  the  Lang- 
stons  were  from  Kentucky.  She  is  the  third 
in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  reached  years  of  maturity 
with  the  exception  of  one.  ]\Irs.  Tucker 
was  educated  at  the  Illinois  State  Normal 
at  Normal  and  by  her  marriage  has  become 
the  mother  of  one  son,  Gerald,  now  five 
years  of  age.  She  is  a  member  and  active 
worker  in  the  Alethodist  Episcopal  church. 
Mr.  Tucker  is  a  member  of  the  Illini  Con- 
gregational church  and  served  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  Congregational  Sunday 
school  while  living  in  the  country  and 
is  now  assistant  superintendent  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday  school  in 
Warrensburg.  He  belongs  to  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America  and  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  is  a 
member  of  the  encampment  and  canton  at 
Decatur.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and 
his  fellow  citizens  recognizing  his  worth 
and  ability  have  called  upon  him  to  serve 
in  several  oflftcial  positions  of  honor  and 
trust.  He  has  several  times  been  a  delegate 
to  county  and  congressional  conventions 
and  was  once  a  delegate  to  the  state  con- 
vention of  his  party,  and  he  has  served  as 
township  clerk,  school  trustee  and  super- 
visor, having  held  the  last  named  ofifice  for 
six  years.  He  was  elected  by  a  large  ma- 
jority on  the  Democratic  ticket  in  a  Re- 
publican township  and  has  just  entered  up- 
on his  fourth  term.  Mr.  Tucker  gives  his 
attention  principally  to  his  business  inter- 
ests, which  have  been  most  carefully  man- 
aged, and  his  success  in  life  is  due  to  his 
own  energy,  economy  and  perseverance.  In 
most  of  his  undertakings  he  has  prospered, 
and  to-day  ranks  among  the  leading  and 
substantial  business  men  of  his  native 
county. 


GEORGE  McCUNE. 

-Although  never  a  resident  of  Decatur 
George  McCune,  now  deceased,  was  well 
known  in  Macon  county  and  was  an  early 
settler  of  ^ladison  county.  He  figured 
prominently  in  the  public  regard  in  pioneer 
times  for  he  carried  freight  and  passengers 
between  Alton,  Illinois,  and  Decatur,  and 
his  brother  drove  a  stage  coach  from  Alton 
to  St.  Louis.  His  birth  occurred  in  Ireland 
on  the  i6th  of  November,  1816,  his  parents 
being  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  McCune,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle. 
The  father  of  our  subject  died  during  the 
early  boyhood  of  our  subj"ect.  George  was 
fourteen  years  of  age  when  with  his  mother, 
three  brothers  and  three  sisters  he  bade 
adieu  to  the  land  of  his  nativity  and  sailed 
for  the  new  world.  They  first  settled  in 
Canada,  where  they  lived  for  a  short  time 
and  then  removed  to  Westmoreland  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania.  Our  subject  was  engaged 
in  farming  there  until  1846,  when  attracted 
liv  the  possibilities  of  the  growing  west, 
he  came  to  Illinois,  establishing  his  home 
in  Alton,  Madison  county.  He  was  there 
engaged  in  teaming  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  that 
county  and  carried  on  general  farming  for 
a  number  of  years. 

\\'hile  residing  in  Madison  county  Mr. 
McCune  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Margaret  Cobine,  who  was  also  born  on  the 
Green  Isle  of  Erin,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  (Townly)  Cobine,  who  came 
to  America  in  1838,  settling  in  Pennsylvania. 
They  afterward  removed  to  Madison  coun- 
ty. Illinois,  where  the  father  was  a  well 
known  farmer  for  one-third  of  a  century, 
conducting  his  business  in  a  capable  man- 
ner that  brought  him  success.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Ed- 
wardsville,  Illinois,  where  both  he  and  his 
wife  spent  their  remaining  days.  In  Alton, 
Illinois,  in  1850.  Mr.  ?kIcCune  was  called 
upon   to   mourn   the   loss  of  his  first  wife» 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


50)5 


There  had  been  three  children  born  of  that 
marriage:  Samuel  T.,  who  is  now  living 
in  Barton  county.  Missouri;  James  \\  ..  a 
resident  of  Wallace.  Idaho;  and  George,  of 
Jasper  county,  Missouri.  After  the  death 
of  his  first  wife  Mr.  McC'une  married  her 
sister,  Miss  Sarah  Cobinc,  who  is  also  a 
native  of  Ireland,  her  birth  having  occurred 
on  Christmas  day  of  1830.  .Nine  children 
were  born  of  this  marriage,  as  follows : 
Thomas,  who  is  agent  for  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  at  Edwardsville,  Illinois;  Eliza- 
beth, deceased ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  Robert 
L.  Ui.xon,  who  for  the  past  fifteen  years  has 
been  a  well  known  contractor  of  Decatur 
antl  who  with  his  family  resides  at  No. 
862  North  Union  street,  Mrs.  McCune  liv- 
ing with  them;  Hugh  John,  a  resident  of 
Alton.  Illinois;  Joseph  D.,  a  teamster  of 
Edwardsville ;  Charles  Grant,  who  is  a  sta- 
tionary engineer  in  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois ; 
Martha  Ann,  the  wife  of  J.  L.  Shields,  who 
is  employed  with  the  Starr  Buggy  works 
of  Decatur;  Margaret  May,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  two  years ;  and  Ervin  Pogue,  an 
electrical  engineer  residing  in   Decatur. 

After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  McCune  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  in  Madison  county 
until  1885,  when  on  account  of  advanced  age 
and  having  a  capital  sufficient  to  supply 
him  with  all  the  comforts  and  necessities  of 
life,  he  put  aside  further  business  cares  and 
removed  to  the  city  of  Edwardsville,  where 
he  purchased  a  residence  which  he  occupied 
until  called  to  his  final  home.  He  died  on 
the  15th  of  January,  1888,  and  thus  passed 
away  one  of  the  old  time  citizens  of  Illinois. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Republican  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  of  b'dwardsville.  Mrs.  Mc- 
Cune now  belongs  to  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Decatur.  /\fter  her  husband's 
death  she  continued  to  reside  in  Edwards- 
ville until  1892,  when  she  came  to  this  city 
and  now  makes  her  home  with  her  daugh- 
ter.  Mrs.   R.   L.  Dixon,  at  No.  862  North 


I'nion  street.  She  owns  property  at  No. 
835  North  Edwards  street  in  Decatur,  where 
her  other  daughter  is  living  and  she  also 
has  other  property  interests  in  Madison 
countv,  Illinois. 


DANIEL  DINNEEN. 
Daniel    Dinneen   is   proprietor   of   one   of 
the  extensive  grocery  stores  of  Decatur  and 
although    he    entered    upon    a   business    al- 
readv   established  he  has  succeeded  in  ex- 
panding it  and  in  enlarging  its  scope  until 
the  volume  of  trade  is  now  very  large  and 
])rofilable.    Mr.  Dinneen  is  one  of  Decatur's 
native  sons,  his  birth  having  occurred  here 
on  the  6th  of  October,  1870.     His  parents 
were  John  and  Rose  (McDonald)  Dinneen. 
The  father  was  born  in  County  Cork,  Ire- 
land, in  November,  1836,  and  was  a  son  of 
Daniel  and  Catherine   (Maloney)    Dinneen, 
who  were  also  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle. 
In  their  family  were  three  children,  of  whom 
lohn  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth.     His 
mother  died   when  he  was  about  six  years 
of    age    and    in    1847   the   grandfather    emi- 
grated to  .America  with  two  of  his  children, 
the  oldest  son  having  died  in  Ireland.     The 
voyage  was  made  in  a  sailing  vessel   from 
County  Cork  to  Montreal,  Canada,  and  soon 
afterward  the   family  continued  their  jour- 
ney   to    Worcester    county,    Massachusetts. 
John  Dinneen  had  attended  school  to  some 
extent  in   his  native  country,  but  obtained 
the  greater  part  of  his  education  in  the  Bay 
state,  where  he  attended  school  regularly 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  fourteen  years. 
He  then  went  to  work  in  a  cotton  factory 
and  at  intervals  he  worked  on  a  farm.     In 
March,  1856,  when  twenty  years  of  age,  he 
came    to    Illinois,    settling   first    in    Spring- 
field.    He  was  employed  there  for  several 
years  on  the  Great  Western  Railroad,  now 
a  part  of  the  Wabash  system,  being  thus  en- 
gaged until  1861.     He  first  worked  on  the 
track  and  was  afterward  promoted  to  take 


566 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


charge  of  the  yard  in  Decatur,  continuing 
to  act  in  that  capacity  until  August,  1875. 
In  the  early  days  his  work  was  performed 
in  a  primitive  manner,  while  in  the  Wabash 
Railroad  yards  he  did  switching  in  1866-7 
with  a  yoke  of  oxen.  At  length  retiring 
from  railroad  service  he  opened  a  grocery 
store  on  North  Broadway  in  Decatur  and 
in  later  years  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Daniel,  who  is  now  proprietor  of  the  estab- 
lishment. 

In  January,  1864,  John  Dinneen  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Rose  McDonald,  a 
native  of  Ulster,  Ireland,  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  two  children:  Catherine, 
now  the  wife  of  ^1.  Leach,  of  Chicago ;  and 
Daniel,  of  this  review.  Until  February, 
1878,  the  father  resided  upon  a  farm  which 
he  owned  not  far  from  Decatur.  He  was 
reared  among  the  Whigs  of  ^Massachusetts, 
but  subsequently  became  a  Democrat  and  in 
i860  voted  for  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  In 
1878  he  was  nominated  by  his  party  for  the 
office  of  coroner  and  his  personal  popularity 
was  indicated  by  the  fact  that  he  ran  far 
ahead  of  his  ticket,  being  the  only  Demo- 
crat elected  in  that  year.  Again  he  received 
the  nomination  in  1880.  He  had  the  warm 
regard  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  men  to 
an  unusual  degree  and  was  highly  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him.  As  a  merchant  he 
was  very  successful  and  continued  in  the 
grocery  business  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  August  14,  1896.  His  widow 
still  survives  him  and  is  now  living  in  De- 
catur in  her  sixtieth  year.  The  family  are 
communicants  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic 
church. 

Daniel  Dinneen  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  this  city,  leaving  the  high 
school  in  his  senior  year.  He  entered  upon 
his  business  career  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  en- 
gaging with  the  Wabash  Railroad,  and  con- 
tinued in  their  employ  until  about  1892. 
Later  he  was  associated  with  his  father  in 
the  grocery  business  and  upon  the  latter's 


death  assumed  control  of  the  store  and  has 
greatly  increased  the  trade  as  the  years  have 
gone  by.  He  deals  in  staple  and  fancy  gro- 
ceries and  he  has  several  delivery  wagons 
used  in  sending  out  his  goods  to  his  cus- 
tomers. His  store  is  located  at  No.  545, 
North  Broadway  and  he  there  employs  a 
large  force  of  clerks.  He  has  extensive 
rooms  and  carries  a  very  desirable  stock, 
conducting  his  store  along  progressive  and 
modern  ideas.  His  methods  of  business 
will  bear  the  closest  investigation  and  scru- 
tiny and  his  labors  are  attended  with  the 
highest  success. 

On  the  loth  of  February,  1897,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Dinneen  and 
Miss  Helen  J.  Hackett,  a  most  estimable 
and  cultured  lady.  She  is  a  graduate  of 
Brown's  Business  College  of  Decatur  and 
in  social  circles  occupies  an  enviable  posi- 
tion. ^Ir.  Dinneen  is  a  member  of  the  fire 
commission  of  Decatur  and  in  politics  is 
an  earnest  Republican.  He  has  frequently 
served  as  a  delegate  to  county  conventions 
and  his  opinions  carry  weight  in  the  coun- 
cils of  his  party.  Socially  he  is  connected 
with  the  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of 
Elks  and  with  the  ^lodern  Woodmen  of 
America,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  devoted 
members  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church. 
His  business  record  is  indeed  creditable. 
It  is  true  that  he  entered  upon  a  business 
already  established,  but  in  controlling  and 
enlarging  this  many  a  man  of  less  resolute 
spirit  would  have  failed.  He  instituted  new 
methods  in  keeping  with  the  progressive 
spirit  of  the  times  and  his  capable  control 
of  his  store  has  led  to  its  expansion  and 
made  him  one  of  the  prosperous  merchants 
of  the  city. 


JOHN  J.  JOYNT. 
John  J.  Joynt,  a  well  known  farmer  and 
stock-raiser   of   Harristown   township,   is   a 
native  of  Illinois,  his  birth  having  occurred 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


567 


in  Logan  county,  this  slalc,  un  ihc  .ijlh 
of  September,  1858.  His  parents  were  E. 
A.  and  Clara  S.  Joynt,  who  were  born, 
reared  and  married  in  London,  England. 
About  1855  the  father  came  to  America, 
making  the  voyage  on  a  sailing  vessel  which 
was  six  weeks  in  crossing  the  .\llanlic.  Dur- 
ing that  time  a  mutiny  broke  out  on  board 
the  ship  and  the  crow  was  arrested  on 
reaching  New  York.  .Although  Mr.  Joynt 
had  previously  served  an  apprenticeship  as 
a  sailor,  on  coming  to  this  country  he  turned 
his  attention  to  farming  and  first  located 
near  Jersey ville  in  Jersey  county,  Illinois. 
Later  he  returned  to  England,  where  he 
was  married,  and  then  brought  his  bride 
to  this  country,  establishing  a  home  on  Salt 
creek  in  Logan  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
purchased  forty  acres  of  land.  He  subse- 
quently sold  that  place  and  bought  another 
forty-acre  tract  near  Latham.  There  he 
continued  to  make  his  home,  though  since 
the  death  of  his  wife  in  .\pril,  1902,  he  has 
spent  much  time  in  visiting  his  children. 
He  had  four  sons,  three  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing, and  two  daughters,  namely:  John  J., 
of  this  sketch  ;  Stephen  A.,  of  Macon  coun- 
ty ;  Clara,  now  Mrs.  William  Brown,  of 
Decatur,  a  twin  sister  of  Stephen  A. ;  Alice, 
now  Mrs.  Leslie  Benson,  of  Macon  county; 
and  Frederick  E.,  of  Logan  county. 

John  J.  Joynt  was  educated  in  a  little 
schoolhouse  near  Latham,  where  he  pur- 
sued his  studies  until  about  twenty  years 
of  age  and  at  the  same  time  acquired  a 
good  practical  knowledge  of  farm  work 
while  assisting  his  father  in  the  labors  of 
field  and  meadow  on  the  home  farm.  He 
then  rented  land  and  commenced  farming 
on  his  own  account  and  has  for  several  years 
operated  the  J.  G.  Willard  farm  in  Harris- 
town  township,  Macon  county,  where  he 
now  resides.  It  consists  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  and  is  under  excellent  culti- 
vation. Mr.  Joynt  feeds  cattle  and  hogs  for 
market,  but  makes  a  specialty  of  the  breed- 


ing and  raising  of  draft  and  road  horses, 
doing  a  good  business  in  that  line. 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1884,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Louisa  O.  Whiteside, 
who  was  also  born  near  Latham  in  Logan 
county,  and  is  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  Whiteside,  the  former  a  native 
of  North  Carolina  and  the  latter  born  near 
Belleville,  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois.  Her 
father,  who  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  died 
on  his  farm  at  Latham  in  1892,  and  her 
mother  passed  away  many  years  ago,  about 
1861,  In  their  family  were  one  son  and 
three  daughters,  but  one  daughter  is  now 
deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joynt  have  six 
children,  namely :  Clarissa  Jane,  Alice  Ada, 
Irene  Ellen,  Minnie  M.,  Hilda  M.  and 
James  Roscoe. 

Socially  Mr.  Joynt  is  a  member  of  the 
Modern  W^oodmen  Camp,  No.  1786,  and 
politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  has  filled  the  offices  of 
school  director  and  road  commissioner,  and 
has  always  taken  a  deep  and  commenda- 
ble interest  in  public  affairs,  doing  all  in 
his  power  to  promote  the  general  welfare. 


JOHN    GOGERTY. 

John  Gogerty  was  born  in  County  Meath, 
Ireland,  in  the  year  1833,  a  son  of  Chris- 
topher and  Jane  Gogerty.  The  father  died 
in  the  year  1854  and  the  mother  pa.ssed 
away  in  New  York  in  1872.  In  the  family 
were  eleven  children,  all  of  whom  reached 
years  of  maturity,  but  there  is  only  one 
brother  now  living,  Christopher  Gogerty, 
who  came  to  America  in  1849  ^"^1  is  now 
living  in  Michigan. 

Our  subject  spent  the  first  fourteen 
years  of  his  life  on  the  Emerald  Isle  and  in 
1847  he  accompanied  his  elder  brother, 
Thomas,  to  America,  landing  in  New  York. 
From  that  time  he  has  been  dependent 
upon  his  own  resources  for  a  living  and  all 


568 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


that  lie  has  acquired  may  be  attributed  to 
bis  own  efforts.  He  first  worked  on  a  farm 
and  in  a  dairy  at  Ogdensburg,  New  York, 
for  three  years,  and  in  1850  he  went  to 
Rochester,  that  state,  where  he  continued 
to  serve  as  a  farm  hand  for  about 'two  years. 
In  1852  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the 
blacksmith's  trade  at  Waddington,  New 
York,  serving  for  a  term  of  four  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  became  a  very  proficient 
workman.  His  residence  in  the  Empire 
state  continued  until  1870,  when  thinking 
that  he  might  have  better  business  oppor- 
tunities in  the  middle  west,  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois, arriving  in  Decatur  on  the  22d  of 
January,  of  that  year.  Here  he  began  work- 
ing for  the  Wabash  Railroad  in  the  capacity 
of  blacksmith  and  filled  that  position  until 
1885.  He  was  in  charge  of  the  railroad 
shops  at  the  depot  for  fourteen  years  and 
was  one  of  the  most  trusted  representatives 
of  the  company,  being  ever  prompt  and 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  and 
capably  superintending  the  labors  of  those 
who  worked  under  him. 

On  severing  his  connection  with  the  rail- 
road company  he  engaged-  in  contracting, 
laying  brick  in  connection  with  Harry  Wag- 
oner, now  city  assessor.  Subsequently  he 
became  associated  with  Andrew  Shoemaker 
under  the  firm  name  of  Shoemaker  &  Gog- 
erty,  and  still  later  another  partner  was 
admitted  to  the  firm  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  Shoemaker,  Gogerty  &  Kincaid. 
As  a  contractor  Mr.  Gogerty  has  been  ac- 
tively and  closely  identified  with  the  city's 
improvement  and  has  conducted  a  large 
and  profitable  business.  This  is  now  in 
great  contrast  to  his  financial  position  dur- 
ing his  early  years  of  residence  in  America, 
for  from  1847  "ntil  1850  he  worked  for  Isaac 
Ogden  and  the  highest  wages  he  received 
during  that  time  was  two  and  a  half  dol- 
lars per  month.  The  first  year  he  worked 
at  his  trade  he  received  fifteen  dollars  per 
month    and    his    clothing    and    the    second 


year  twenty  dollars  while  the.  third  year 
brought  twenty-five  dollars.  He  was  a 
very  industrious  antl  energetic  man,  how- 
ever, and  thus  he  gained  his  start  in  life. 
He  would  work  from  four  o'cldck  in  the 
morning  until  ten  o'clock  at  night  in  order 
to  get  the  shoes  prepared  for  the  smithy  the 
next  day.  It  was  necessary  that  he  go  to 
Plattsburg  to  get  three-inch  iron  which  he 
made  into  shoes,  all  work  being  done  by 
hand  at  that  time.  Now  he  is  kept  busy  as 
a  contractor  because  of  the  demands  which 
are  made  upon  his  time  and  services  and  his 
business  has  assumed  extensive  and  profit- 
able proportions. 

While  residing  in  Rochester,  New  York, 
John  Gogerty  was  united  in  marriage  on 
the  loth  of  August,  1857,  to  Miss  Nora 
Gucrin,  and  unto  them  have  been  born 
seven  children:  J.  L.,  who  married  Eliza 
McGowan  and  has  a  family,  is  now  superin- 
tendent of  the  Terminal  Iron  Alountain 
Railroad  and  lives  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas. 
Mary  Ursaline  is  the  next  of  the  family. 
John  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth.  Rose 
is  the  wife  of  Frank  Grayson,  of  Decatur. 
Ed  J.  is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  Fred  A. 
wedded  a  Miss  Witt.  Frank  P.,  the  young- 
est, married  ^liss  O'Brien  and  is  engaged 
in  railroad  work  on  the  Vandalia  line. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Gogerty  has  al- 
ways been  a  stanch  Democrat  since  becom- 
ing a  naturalized  American  citizen.  He 
served  as  alderman  of  the  fifth  ward  of  this 
city  for  ten  years  and  has  been  influential 
in  political  circles.  \\'hile  a  member  of  the 
city  council  he  did  most  eft'ective  work  for 
the  city,  promoting  many  measures  which 
have  proven  practical  and  have  been  im- 
portant factors  in  the  substantial  develop- 
ment of  this  portion  of  the  state.  He  is  a 
member  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church  and 
he  takes  an  active  interest  in  everything 
pertaining  to  public  progress  and  improve- 
ment along  social,  material  and  moral  lines. 
His  own  business  career  is  one  well  worthy 


G.  T.  OUTTEN 


'^,  X 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


573 


of  study  for  it  shows  what  can  be  accom- 
plished through  firm  purpose,  strong  deter- 
mination and  unflagging  industry.  Coming 
to  this  country  a  poor  boy,  he  has  steadily 
worked  his  way  upward  and  to-day  he  is  the 
owner  of  very  desirable  city  property  on 
jasper  street,  together  with  a  pleasant  resi- 
dence on  East  North  street  in  Decatur, 
where  he  has  resided  continuously  since 
1870.  He  is  to-day  one  of  the  well-known 
and  highly  respected  citizens  of  Macon 
county  and  it  is  with  pleasure  that  we  pre- 
sent to  our  readers  the  record  of  his  career. 


GEORGE  CARROLL  OUTTEN. 

George  C.  Outten,  a  well  known  resident 
of  Mount  Zion,  is  one  of  Macon  county's 
native  sons  and  a  worthy  representative  of 
one  of  her  most  prominent  and  honored 
families,  whose  identification  with  her  his- 
tory dates  from  an  early  period  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  county.  The  first  to  lo- 
cate here  was  his  grandfather,  Purnell  S. 
Outten,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  of  Wels! 
descent,  who  came  to  Macon  county  at  a 
very  early  day  and  took  up  government 
land.  He  was  actively  identified  with  the 
upbuilding  and  improvement  of  this  region 
and  so  successful  was  he  in  his  farming 
operation  that  he  was  the  owner  of  over 
two  thousand  acres  of  land  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  he  divided  among  his  cliH- 
dren. 

George  T.  Outten,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Cass  county,  Virginia, 
June  4,  1850,  and  came  to  Macon  county  at 
the  age  of  four  years,  when  this  section  of 
the  state  was  wild  and  unimproved. 
Throughout  his  active  business  life  he  fol- 
lowed farming  with  good  success,  accumu- 
lating a  fair  competence.  He  died  on  the 
22d  of  May,  1885,  at  the  age  of  thir- 
ty-five years.  A  genial,  kind  hearted 
man,     he  made     manj'     friends     and   was 


highly  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  I'.y  his  ballot  he  supported  the 
men  and  measures  of  the  Democratic  party 
and  took  quite  an  active  part  in  local  poli- 
tics, efficiently  serving  as  supervisor  of  his 
township  and  in  other  ofifices.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  was  a  well  read  man  and  in 
early  life  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  a 
time. 

In  .Mount  Ziou.  Xovoniber  y,  1872,  George 
T.  Outten  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
May  Rell,  a  native  of  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois, born  near  Mount  Zion  April  21,  1852, 
and  a  daughter  of  Alexander  W.  and  Mary 
(Montgomery)  Bell,  also  resident  farmers 
of  Mount  Zion  township,  who  came  from 
Tennessee  to  this  county  at  an  early  day. 
Her  father  died  October  6,  1901,  at  the  verj' 
advanced  age  of  ninety  years,  and  her 
mother  passed  away  January  29,  1892,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-five  years,  three  months  and 
four  days. 

Mr.  Outten,  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch,  was  born  on  the  old  homestead 
farm  in  Mount  Zion  township,  January  11, 
1874,  and  is  an  only  son,  but  he  has  a  sister, 
Cora  T.,  now  the  wife  of  J.  A.  Kessler,  of 
.\uburn,  Illinois.  Our  subject  is  indebted 
to  the  public  schools  of  the  county  for  the 
early  educational  advantages  he  enjoyed, 
and  later  he  attended  Brown's  Business  Col- 
lege, of  Decatur,  and  Gem  City  Business 
College,  of  Quincy,  Illinois.  On  the  com- 
jiletion  of  his  education  he  returned  to  the 
home  farm  in  Mount  Zion  township,  which 
he  conducted  until  the  5lh  of  March,  1903, 
when  he  removed  to  the  village  of  Mount 
Zion,  where  he  erected  a  handsome  resi- 
dence with  all  modern  conveniences  of  a 
city  home.  With  him  resides  his  mother. 
He  is  part  owner  of  four  hundred  and  ninety 
acres  of  rich  and  arable  land  in  Mount  Zion 
township,  which  he  now  rents,  while  he 
devotes  his  entire  attention  to  buying  and 
selling   stock.      His    largest    yield    of    corn 


574 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


was  fifteen  thousand  bushels  from  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  land. 

Mr.  Outten  is  a  very  active,  energetic  and 
progressive  young  man,  who  stands  high 
in  the  community  where  he  resides.  He  is 
devoted  to  his  mother  and  fondly  looks  after 
her  welfare  and  interests.  He  filled  the  of- 
fice of  collector  two  terms  and  as  assessor 
of  his  township  and  votes  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  Socially  he  is  a  prominent 
member  and  past  noble  grand  of  Mount 
Zion  Lodge,  No.  300,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  and  also  belongs  to  the 
Court  of  Honor.  Religiously  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  ^fethodist  Episcopal  church. 


READ    SPENCER. 

Read  Spencer,  a  retired  merchant  of  De- 
catur, was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  on  the  23d 
of  December,  1836,  his  parents  being  John 
and  Sarah  (Read)  Spencer,  the  former  of 
English  lineage  while  the  latter  came  of 
Puritan  ancestry.  In  the  spring  of  1838  the 
father  brought  his  family  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Stark  county,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1865  he  located  on  a  farm  a  mile  and  a  half 
west  of  Oakley,  in  Macon  county,  where 
he  lived  until  his  death.  His  wife  had 
departed  this  life  in  Stark  county.  They 
were  the  parents  of  three  children,  ''of  whom 
two  died  in  infancy. 

Read  Spencer  was  reared  upon  the  home 
farm  and  received  his  preliminary  education 
in  the  district  schools.  Better  opportunities, 
however,  were  later  accorded  him  and  he 
became  a  student  in  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment of  Knox  College.  After  putting  aside 
his  text  books  he  went  upon  a  farm  and 
while  engaged  in  its  cultivation  he  devoted 
the  winter  months  to  teaching  school.  Later 
he  became  a  traveling  salesman  and  fol- 
lowed that  pursuit  for  five  years.  The 
year  1875  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Decatur 
as  a  permanent  resident  here.     He  became 


manager  of  the  Grange  Implement  House 
and  later  he  entered  into  a  partnership  for 
the  sale  of  implements  under  the  firm  name 
of  Spencer  &  Lehman.  This  relationship 
was  maintained  with  mutual  pleasure  and 
profit  for  a  number  of  years  or  until  July, 
1901,  when  they  sold  out  to  the  firm  of 
Tenny  &  Sikking.  Mr.  Spencer  then  re- 
tired from  business  and  is  now  enjoying  a 
well  merited  rest  at  his  comfortable  home 
at  No.  751  West  Wood  street. 

On  the  23d  of  February,   1863,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Spencer  and  Aliss  Sarah 
J.    Greenman,    a    native    of    Center    Belpre, 
Ohio.     Her  parents  were  B.  M.  and  Sarah 
A.    (Folsom)      Greenman,    the     former     of 
\\'elch  and  the  latter  of  Holland-Dutch  an- 
cestry.    Mrs.    Spencer,   the   mother   of   our 
subject,  was  at  one  time  a   school  teacher 
and   his   wife    followed    the    same    profes- 
sion prior  to  her  marriage.     Unto  our  sub- 
ject   and    his    wife    have    been    born    three 
daughters :   Jessie,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Pratt    Institute    of    Brooklyn,    New    York, 
and  who  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in 
art  in  New  York  cit}^  has  for  seven  years 
been     teaching     drawing    in    the     Normal 
School    at    Mankato,    Minnesota.      Estella, 
also  a  graduate  of  the  Pratt  Institute  and 
who  holds  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
has  for  two  years  been  supervisor  of  draw- 
ing in  the  schools  of  New  Y''ork  city.     Ber- 
tha is  the  wife  of  Professor  A.  Miner,  who 
occupies  the  chair  of  Latin  in  the  schools 
of    Kewanee,    Illinois,    and    who    won     the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts  on  the  completion 
of  a  collegiate  course  at  Galesburg,  Illinois. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Spencer  is  an 
earnest  Republican,  keeping  well  informed 
on   the   issues   of   the    daj^    and   thus  being 
able  to  support  his  position  by   intelligent . 
argument.     For  several  terms  he  served  as 
supervisor  of  Oakley  township.    As  a  citizen 
he   is   public-spirited   and   progressive    and 
takes  an  active  and  helpful  interest  in  every- 
thing tending  to  prove    of    public    benefit. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


575 


His  labors  have  been  effective  in  advancing 
social,  material,  intellectual  and  moral 
progress  and  wherever  he  is  known  his 
genuine  worth  has  won  for  him  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact.  He  owes  his  success  in 
life  entirely  to  his  own  efforts  and  his  his- 
tory stands  in  illustration  of  the  fact  that 
prosperity  is  ambition's  answer. 


MELVIN  FISHER  BOYER. 
One  of  the  representative  and  prominent 
citizens  of  Whitmore  township  is  Melvin 
F.  Boyer,  who  follows  farming  on  the  old 
homestead  on  section  2.  He  was  born  on 
section  12,  the  same  township,  January  18, 
1864.  He  belongs  to  a  family  which  has 
for  over  half  a  century  been  identified  with 
the  agricultural  interests  of  this  county 
and  has  borne  an  important  part  in  its 
upbuilding  and  development. 

His  father,  William  Boyer,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1832,  in  Shelby  county,  Ohio, 
a  son  of  Samuel  and  Christina  (Fisher) 
Boyer,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  His  early 
education,  acquired  in  the  common  schools 
of  Ohio,  was  supplemented  by  the  vast 
knowledge  he  obtained  through  reading  and 
observation  and  William  Boyer  became  a 
well  informed  man.  After  reaching  man- 
hood he  engaged  in  farming  for  a  time 
upon  the  old  home  place  in  his  native  coun- 
ty. On  the  3d  of  June,  1852,  he  was  there 
married  to  Miss  Lydia  Moothart,  the  wed- 
ding ceremony  being  performed  by  Rev. 
Spangler,  who  boarded  them  for  some  time. 
Her  parents  were  Andrew  and  Mary  Ann 
(Cashner)  Aloothart,  the  former  a  native  of 
Holland,  whence  he  emigrated  to  America 
at  an  early  day  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  After  his  death 
his  widow  made  her  home  with  her  daugh- 
ter,  Mrs.    Boyer,   and   died  there   March    i, 


1889,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years  and 
nine  months. 

In  1859  William  Boyer  and  his  wife  came 
to    Macon    county,    Illinois,   and   settled    in 
Whitmore   township,    where   he   purchased 
forty  acres   of  prairie   land.     At  that  time 
wild  game  was  still  plentiful  in  this  region 
and   deer   were   still   seen.     Mr.   Boyer   im- 
l)roved  his  land   and  added  to  the  original 
purchase   until   he    had   a    large   well    culti- 
vated farm,  but  finally  sold  part  of  his  land 
to  his  son  Samuel.    For  a  time  he  was  inter- 
ested in   the  hardware   and  grain   business 
in  Argenta,  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Pratt 
&  Boyer,  his  partner  being  F.  M.  Pratt,  who 
finally  sold  out  to  S.  Gerbcr.     As  an  enter- 
prising   and    public     spirited     citizen     Mr. 
Boyer  took  a  deep  interest  in  public  affairs 
and  gave  liberally  toward  building  the  Zion 
school    and    Union     church     in     Whitmore 
township.    He  held  the  office  of  pathmaster 
and    supervised   the    ditching  and    building 
of    roads    in    his    district.      He    assisted    in 
organizing  the  Christian  church  in  Oreana 
and  was  there  ordained   an   elder  by   Rev. 
Thayer,   of    Maroa.      His   life   was   ever   in 
harmony  with  his  professions  and  he  was 
honored,  respected    and    esteemed    by    all 
who  knew  him.     Upon  the  home  farm  he 
passed  away  September  7,  1886,  at  the  age 
of  fifty-four  years  and  seven  months. 

There  were  seven  children  in  his  famil3^ 
six  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of  whom 
reached  years  of  maturity.  In  order  of 
birth  they  are  as  follows:  Samuel  M. ; 
.Mary  Jane,  who  wedded  F.  M.  Pratt,  and 
is  now  deceased ;  William  F. ;  Andrew  W. ; 
Melvin  F.,  of  this  review;  James  M. ;  and 
John  E.,  who  died  June  25,  1884,  at  the 
age  of  fifteen  years,  as  the  result  of  a  kick 
from  a  colt,  on  the  home  farm. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1900,  the 
mother  of  these  children  married  Elijah  S. 
McCarty,  who  was  born  in  Shelbyville, 
Tennessee,  May  i,  1836,  a  .son  of  William 
C.  and  Louisa  (Hardin)  McCarty,  who  were 


576 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


natives  of  \"irginia  and  Ohio,  respectively. 
and  were  married  in  ?il organ  county  of  the 
latter  state.  In  early  life  his  father  en- 
gaged in  farming  but  later  followed  mer- 
chandising. He  was  born  in  1809  and  lived 
to  l)e  almost  ninety  years  of  age,  while 
his  wife  was  seventy-nine  years  old  at  the 
time  of  her  death.  They  had  four  children, 
two  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of  whom 
remained  in  Ohio,  with  the  exception 
of  Elijah  S.  He  was  educated  at 
Marietta,  Ohio,  and  successfully  engaged 
in  teaching  school  there  for  a  time.  In 
1861,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  he 
enlisted  in  Company  G,  Seventy-seventh 
Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Colonel 
Hildebrand,  who  died  in  the  service  and 
was  succeeded  by  Colonel  Mason.  Captain 
\V.  A.  McCormick,  of  Marietta,  commanded 
the  compan}'.  Mr.  McCarty  was  made  hos- 
pital steward  on  the  regimental  stafif,  his 
duties  being  to  attend  to  the  wounded  and 
establish  hospitals  wherever  needed.  He 
was  in  the  engagement  at  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, the  siege  of  Corinth,  the  capture  of 
?^Iobile  and  Little  Rock  and  the  engagement 
on  the  Saline  river.  After,  four  years  of 
faithful  service  he  was  honorably  discharged 
in  July,  1865,  and  the  following  winter  at- 
tended the  Michigan  University  at  Ann 
Arbor.  Coming  to  Illinois  in  1866,  he  first 
located  in  Litchfield,  where  he  wedded 
Mary  Blackburn,  a  daughter  of  Richard 
and  Mary  A.  Blackburn,  of  England.  She 
died  June  26,  1893,  and  their  only  child 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  McCarty  was  first  en- 
gaged in  the  drug  business  at  Litchfield  and 
after  selling  out  taught  school  for  a  few- 
years.  In  1875  he  removed  to  Decatur 
and  was  in  the  railwav  mail  service 
under  Presidents  Harrison  and  Cleve- 
land for  eleven  consecutive  years.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episco])al  church  and  are  held  in  high  re- 
gard by  all  who  know  them. 

Melvin  F.  Bover  was  reared  on  the  home 


farm  and  attended  Zion  school  in  ^^'llitmo^e 
township  until  he  had  acquired  a  good  prac- 
tical education.  His  whole  life  has  been 
devoted  to  farming  and  with  exce])tion  of 
seven  years,  when  at  work  in  different  parts 
of  the  county,  he  has  spent  his  time  upon 
the  old  homestead.  He  purchased  part  of 
the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  in  the  tract 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which 
he  keeps  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  is  a  thorough  and  systematic  farmer 
and  in  the  management  of  his  affairs  has 
met  with   marked  success. 

In  February,  1889,  Mr.  Boyer  led  to  the 
marriage  altar  ;\Iiss  Ida  Bowman,  a  native 
of  Miami,  Indiana,  and  a  daughter  of  A. 
Bowman,  in  whose  family  were  seven  chil- 
dren, one  son  and  six  daughters.  Mrs. 
Boyer  and  all  her  sisters  became  popular 
and  successful  teachers.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  has  two  children,  Floyd  and  Homer, 
and  the  older  son  is  now  attending  the 
same  school  in  which  his  father  was  edu- 
cated, and  is  one  of  the  brightest  boys  of 
his  class.  Mr.  Boyer  is  a  member  of  the 
Court  of  Honor  and  his  wife  belongs  to 
the  Christian  church.  They  began  life  in 
limited  circumstances  but  success  has 
crowned  their  combined  eflforts  to  secure 
a  home  and  competence  and  by  industr\', 
perseverance  and  good  management  they 
have  become  quite  well-to-do.  They  are 
well  known  in  the  communit)'  where  they 
make  their  home  and  their  circle  of  friends 
is  extensi\e. 


THOMAS  W.  PITNER. 
Thomas  \V.  Pitner  is  the  junior  member  of 
the  firm  of  Bixby,  Pitner  &  Company,  manu- 
facturers of  burial  shoes  in  Decatur.  He  was 
born  in  this  city  on  the  21st  of  December, 
1875,  and  comes  of  ancestry  that  at  an  early 
period  was  established  in  \'ermont.  His  par- 
ents were  Washington  and  Sarah  (Starr) 
Pitner,  the  former  a  native  of  Tennessee  and 


o 

■'i 

J.  R.  HENARD 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


679 


the  latter  of  reimsylvania.  The  name  of  Pit- 
ner  was  originally  Buettner,  hut  little  is 
known  of  the  ancestry  of  the  family.  Re- 
moving to  the  west,  the  father  of  our  subject 
established  his  home  in  Decatur,  where  he 
opened  a  photograph  gallery  and  to-day  he 
is  the  oldest  photographer  of  this  city  as  well 
as  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  capable. 

Under  the  parental  roof  Thomas  N.  Pitner 
was  reared  and  at  the  usual  age  he  entered 
the  public  schools,  pursuing  his  studies  therein 
until  he  had  completed  the  high  school  course. 
He  afterward  matriculated  in  the  Illinois  Col- 
lege at  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  where  he  devoted 
two  years  to  the  mastery  of  the  branches 
forming  the  scientific  course  in  that  institution. 
Entering  upon  his  business  career  he  became 
an  employe  of  the  firm  of  P>ixby,  Pitner  & 
Company,  the  second  partner  in  the  enterprise 
at  that  time  being  his  brother,  bVank  S.  Pit- 
ner. whom  he  succeeded  in  the  business  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1902.  The  latter  was  then 
in  poor  health  and  died  on  the  10th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1902.  when  thirty  years  of  age.  Mr.  Pit- 
ner of  this  review  is  an  enterprising  business 
man.  wide-awake  and  alert  to  opportunities, 
and  in  the  control  of  the  enterprise  in  which 
he  is  now  a  partner  is  proving  an  important 
factor.  He  is  well  known  in  this  city,  where 
his  entire  life  has  been  passed,  and  is  a  popu- 
lar young  man,  having  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  He  now  belongs  to  W.  C.  Roe  Camp. 
No.  7201.  M.  W.  A. 


.  JESSE  R.  HENARD. 
Jesse  R.  Hcnard,  now  deceased,  w'as  a 
farmer  whose  prosperous  business  career 
enabled  him  to  spend  his  last  days  quietly 
at  his  home  in  Decatur  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  He  was  born 
in  Hawkins  county  in  eastern  Tennessee. 
His  parents,  James  and  Mary  (Tucker) 
Henard.  were  also  natives  of  that  state  and 
the  father  was  a  farmer  and  stockman  who 


carried  on  business  there  throughout  his 
active  life.  He  died  in  May,  1868,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-six  y^ears,  and  was  long  survived 
by  his  widow,  who  passed  away  in  June, 
1900,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  The 
paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  also 
bore  the  name  of  James  and  was  a  lifelong 
resident  of  Tennessee.  Unto  James  and 
Mary  (Tucker)  Henard  were  born  five  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  now  living  with  ex- 
ception of  our  subject,  namely:  Jesse  R. ; 
Martha  J.,  the  widow  of  John  Pirchfield ; 
Lewis  C. ;  Robert;  and  Elizabeth,  the 
widow  of  William  Howe. 

In  his  boyhood  days  Jesse  R.  Henard  be- 
came familiar  with  the  work  incident  to  the 
develo])meiil  and  improvement  of  the  home 
farm.  His  educational  privileges  were  some- 
what meager,  although  he  pursued  his  stud- 
ies in  subscription  schools  conducted  in  log 
houses  in  his  home  neighborhood.  Like  his 
father  before  him  he  early  manifested  a 
])rcference  for  working  with  horses  and 
dealing  in  stock  and  it  was  because  of  his 
excellent  judgment  concerning  horses  and 
his  ability  in  caring  for  them  that  he  largely 
won  success.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war  he  put  aside  all  business  and  personal 
considerations  that  he  might  defend  his 
loved  southland,  enlisting  in  the  Confeder- 
ate army  as  a  member  of  the  Twenty-ninth 
Tennessee  Infantry,  which  regiment  was. 
assigned  to  the  departinent  at  Nashville 
and  was  located  in  that  portion  of  the  state 
until  the  city  was  evacuated.  Mr.  Henard 
was  afterward  with  the  Thirty-first  Ten- 
nessee Cavalry  until  the  close  of  the  war  in 
1865.  He  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Ten- 
nessee, but  found  that  portion  of  the  state 
the  scene  of  desolation.  The  contending 
armies  had  marched  back  and  forth  across 
the  country,  leaving  desolation  and  destruc- 
tion in  their  path.  Mr.  Henard  then  de- 
cided to  seek  a  home  elsewhere  and  came  to 
the  north,  arriving  in  Union  county,  Illinois, 
on  the  1st  of  May,  1865. 


5S0 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


There  he  suffered  so  severely  with  ague 
tliat  he  decided  to  seek  another  location  and 
in  August  of  the  same  year  he  arrived  in 
Decatur,  having  at  that  time  a  cash  capital 
of  about  six  dollars.  It  was  necessary  that 
he  fuul  immediate  employment  nor  did  he 
rebel  against  fate,  but  was  willing  to  do 
anything  that  would  earn  him  an  honest 
living.  He  sought  and  obtained  a  position 
as  a  farm  hand  near  Forsyth,  Macon  county, 
and  he  continued  to  work  in  that  capacity 
for  three  years.  In  the  spring  of  1868  ho 
was  married  and  then  took  up  his  abode 
upon  a  tract  of  rented  land  in  Hickory 
Point  township.  For  nine  years  he  culti- 
vated land  belonging  to  others  and  during 
that  time  lived  economically.  As  the  result 
of  his  care  in  expenditures  and  his  unflag- 
ging industry  in  his  work  he  accumulated 
some  capital  and  with  this  made  arrange- 
ments for  the  purchase  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  W'liilniore  township, 
for  which  he  paid  forty  dollars  per  acre. 
His  money  was  sufficient  to  meet  one-half 
of  this  amount  and  in  the  course  of  a  com- 
paratively short  time  he  was  enabled  to  dis- 
charge the  entire  indebtedness.  He  brought 
his  farm  up  to  a  very  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  when  he  resolved  to  retire  from 
further  business  cares  he  sold  the  property 
in  1900  for  twenty  thousand  dollars,  re- 
moving then  to  the  city  of  Decatur,  where 
he  occupied  a  very  comfortable  residence 
at  No.  1509  North  Main  street.  Through- 
out the  time  he  resided  on  his  farm  he  en- 
gaged in  stock-raising,  making  a  specialty 
of  dealing  in  Jiorses.  He  would  buy  horses 
and  feed  them  until  they  met  with  a  ready 
sale.  It  was  to  this  department  of  his  busi- 
ness that  he  owed  his  greatest  prosperity. 
He  handled  both  farm  and  draft  horses.  He 
did  not  engage  in  breeding  to  any  extent, 
but  bouglit  horses  from  dealers  and  by  ju- 
dicious care  placed  them  in  a  condition  ti> 
command  a  good  sale  on  the  market.  He 
also  held  a  horse  sale  at  the  time  he  dis- 


posed of  his  farm  in  1900  and  this  brought 
to  him  a  sum  of  thirty-two  hundred  and 
ninety-seven  dollars.  A  short  time  prior  to 
his  death  he  purchased  a  half  section  of  the 
finest  farming  land  to  be  found  in  Christian 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  property  returned 
lo  him  a  good  income. 

Un  the  i8th  of  February,  1868,  Mr.  He- 
nard  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Caro- 
line Lanham,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
and  members  of  the  Lanham  family  of  San- 
gamon county.  Unto  this  union  were  born 
the  following  named  :  Minnie,  now  the  wife 
of  Robert  J.  Long,  who  is  residing  near 
Maroa,  this  county ;  Josie,  the  wife  of  Harry 
Stroah,  of  Hickory  Point  township ;  Be- 
atrice, who  is  the  wife  of  J.  D.  Long,  of 
Peoria,  Illinois;  and  Lucretia,  the  wife  of 
J.  C.  Birchficid,  of  Hickory  Point  township. 
In  liis  political  affiliations  Mr.  Henard  was 
a  Democrat,  but  never  sought  or  desired 
official  preferment  to  any  great  extent,  al- 
though he  served  for  several  terms  as  high- 
way commissioner  of  his  township.  He  had 
just  reason  to  feel  a  pride  in  a  successful 
career  which  was  the  outcome  of  foresight 
and  good  judgment.  Leaving  the  south  as 
a  Confederate  soldier  he  soon  won  the  re- 
spect and  recognition  of  his  neighbors  by 
his  integrity  and  upright  dealing,  and  tliey 
accorded  him  admiration  and  regard  by 
reason  of  his  prosperous  business  career 
and  his  genuine  worth  of  character.  After 
a  useful  and  well  spent  life  Mr.  Henard 
died  September  15,  1903,  and  was  laid  to 
rest  in  Greenwood  cemetery. 


JAMES  H.  RECORD. 
James  H.  Record,  an  honored  veteran  of 
the  Civil  war,  now  identified  with  agricul- 
tural interests  in  Macon  county,  makes  his 
home  near  the  city  of  Decatur.  He  was 
born  upon  a  farm  in  Pendleton  county,  Ken- 
tucky. June  4,  1841,  and  belongs  to  a  family 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


581 


that  originated  in  England.  The  first  to 
come  to  America  settled  in  New  Jersey  at 
an  early  day.  The  family  name  was  origin- 
ally spelled  Records.  John  Record,  our 
subject's  paternal  grandfather,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  early  manhood  mar- 
ried a  iliss  Stewart,  who  was  also  a  native 
of  the  Keystone  state.  Subsequently  he 
removed  to  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  where 
he  resided  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then 
went  to  Pendleton  county,  that  state.  It 
was  his  son  William  S.  Record  who  became 
the  father  of  our  subject.  Reared  in  Ken- 
tucky, William  S.  Record  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Susannah  Said  and  for  a 
time  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  in 
Pendleton  county,  where  his  wife  died  on 
the  i"th  of  November,  1842.  lie  subse- 
quently married  her  sister,  Martha  Said, 
and  in  1857  brought  his  family  to  Illinois, 
•establishing  his  home  on  a  farm  in  Coles 
county,  where  he  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  until  his  life's  labors  were  ended 
in  dcatli  in  the  year  1869.  His  second 
wife  passed  awaj'  August  29,   1864. 

James  II.  Record  is  one  of  the  four  chil- 
dren born  of  the  first  marriage.  His  sis- 
ter Orpha  now  resides  in  Oklahoma,  but 
the  others  are  deceased.  He  was  reared  in 
the  usual  manner  of  farmer  lads  of  the 
period,  working  in  the  fields  from  the  time 
of  the  early  spring  planting  until  crops 
were  harvested  in  the  autumn.  His  early 
educational  advantages  were  those  afforded 
by  the  subscription  schools  of  Kentucky 
and  later  he  attended  the  public  .schools 
of  Coles  county,  Illinois,  for  two  winters. 
Mr.  Record  continued  on  the  home  farm 
until  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war, 
when,  feeling  that  his  duty  was  to  his  coun- 
try, he  oflFered  his  services  and  donned  the 
blue  uniform,  becoming  a  member  of  Com- 
pany C,  Fifty-fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, under  command  of  Colonel  G.  M. 
Mitchell.  The  regiment  was  first  ordered 
to  western  Tennessee  under  General  Grant 


and  in  the  spring  of  1863  entered  upon  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg,  being  thus  engaged 
imtil  the  fall  of  the  city.  The  troops  were 
then  ordered  south  on  the  river  and  the  Fif- 
ty-fourth Illinois  was  attached  to  the 
Seventh  .Army  Corps,  Trans-Mississippi 
Department,  with  which  it  participated  in 
many  battles  and  during  a  part  of  the  time 
was  also  on  garrison  duty.  Mr.  Record 
served  faithfully  until  the  ist  of  November, 
1865.  He  was  always  at  his  post,  whether 
it  called  him  to  the  lonely  picket  line  or  to 
the  firing  line,  and  after  the  cessation  of 
hostilities  he  was  mustered  out  and  ordered 
to  Camp  Butler,  in  Springfield,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  paid  and  received  an  honor- 
able discharge.  He  then  returned  to 
Charleston,  Illinois,  where  he  had  some 
business  interests. 

In  1878,  however,  Mr.  Record  came  to 
.Macon  comity,  Illinois,  locating  in  Long 
Creek  township,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
general  farming  for  eight  or  nine  years. 
Throughout  his  business  career  he  has  been 
identified  with  agricultural  pursuits,  this 
being  the  source  of  his  income,  and  his 
work  has  ever  been  conducted  along  pro- 
gressive lines,  showing  that  he  is  in  touch 
with  the  most  improved  methods  of  farm- 
ing. 

On  the  2 1  St  of  February,  1867,  Mr.  Record 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret 
Swope,  of  Charleston,  a  daughter  of  Solo- 
mon .Swope,  who  died  in  Ross  cotmty,  Ohio, 
when  she  was  only  two  years  and  a  half 
old.  Her  mother  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
.Minerva  Divens.  Mrs.  Record  was  born  in 
Ross  county,  Ohio,  July  17,  1846,  and  was 
six  years  of  age  when  .she  removed  to 
Charleston,  Illinois,  with  her  step-father, 
I).  C.  Ambler,  who  became  a  noted  poli- 
tician of  Coles  county.  For  a  time  after  his 
marriage  Mr.  Record  was  connected  with 
mercantile  business  in  Charleston.  Unto 
him  and  his  wife  were  born  seven  children, 
as  follows :     Nellie,  born  January  25,   1868, 


582 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


is  with  lier  parents.  John  A.,  born  June  26, 
1870,  had  the  advantages  of  a  common- 
school  .education  and  for  four  years  was  a 
student  at  the  Lincohi  University  in  Lin- 
coln, Illinois,  and  one  year  at  Brown's 
Business  College  in  Decatur.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  broom-corn  brokerage  business 
in  Areola,  Illinois.  He  married  Aiarguerite 
Dimond,  of  that  place,  and  they  have  one 
child,  Grace,  born  June  3,  1901.  Carrie, 
born  September  2,  1874,  was  graduated  with 
honors  at  the  Decatur  high  school  in  1894, 
and  was  also  graduated  at  the  State  Nor- 
mal School.  She  then  engagfed  in  teaching 
in  the  public  schools  of  Macon  county  until 
her  death,  which  occurred  on  the  20th  of 
September,  1901.  Charles  F.,  born  April  23, 
1878,  was  graduated  at  the  Decatur  high 
school  in  1897,  and  is  now  preparing  for  the 
ministry  in  Millikin  University,  of  Decatur, 
where  he  will  complete  his  course  in  1905. 
Grace,  born  May  15,  1881,  was  graduated 
at  the  Decatur  high  school  in  1899,  and  is 
now  at  home  with  her  parents.  Clarence, 
born  May  20.  1884.  died  October  8,  1893. 
Pearl  A.,  born  August  23,  1886,  completed 
the  high  school  course  in  Decatur  with  the 
class  of   1903. 

A  stanch  Republican  in  his  political 
views,  Mr.  Record  is  unfaltering-in  his  ad- 
vocacy of  the  ])rinciples  of  the  party.  For 
six  years  he  served  as  supervisor  of  Decatur 
township  and  for  one  year  was  chairman 
of  the  boartl.  He  belongs  to  Coeur  de  Lion 
Lodge,  No.  17.  K.  P. :  Dunham  Post,  No. 
141,  (j.  A.  R. ;  and  to  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows.  His  wife  belongs  to 
the  ^^'oman's  Relief  Corps  and  the  family 
hold  membership  in  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian church.  They  are  well  knowm  in 
Decatur  and  it  is  with  pleasure  that  we 
])resent  niir  readers  their  life  record. 


GEORGE    CONOVER. 
George    Conover,    now    one    of    the    most 
prominent    and    prosperous    business    men    of 


Maroa,  was  twenty  years  ago  a  bookkeeper 
working  on  a  small  salary.  His  life  record 
stands  in  exemplification  of  what  can  be  ac- 
complished by  men  of  energy  and  determina- 
tion in  a  land  where  opportunity  is  open  to  all. 
He  has  never  waited  Micawber-like  for  things 
to  turn  up,  but  has  made  his  opportunity  where 
none  seemed  to  exist  and  by  a  utilization  of 
the  advantages  at  hand  has  progressed  to  a 
position  prominent  among  the  leading  men  of 
the  city.  Various  interests  have  profited  by 
his  labors  and  wise  counsel  and  he  is  especially 
well  known  in  banking  circles. 

In  Shelbv  county,  Ohio,  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1855,  George  Conover  was  born.  His  father, 
Tyler  Conover,  was  one  of  a  family  of  six 
children.  He  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  became 
a  farmer  by  occupation  and  was  married  in 
Ohio  to  Miss  Hester  .-^nn  Bond,  a  native  of 
that  state.  In  1858  he  came  to  Illinois  with 
his  family  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Logan 
county,  where  he  remained  until  1865,  when 
he  removed  to  INIaroa.  Here  he  built  a  steam 
flouring-mill  and  operated  it  successfully  until 
1880,  when  he  retired  from  active  business, 
spending  his  remaining  days  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  fruits  of  his  former  toil.  His  wife 
died  in  1874  and  he  was  again  married  in 
1876,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Susan 
Henry.  His  death  occurred  in  July,  1895, 
and  Maroa  was  thus  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  one  of  its  citizens  whose  efiforts  in  her 
behalf  had  been  helpful  and  beneficial,  while 
his  labors  in  business  had  brought  to  him 
very  gratifying  results. 

George  Conover  is  the  youngest  in  a  family 
of  six  children  and  was  three  years  of  age 
when  his  parents  came  to  this  state.  He  ac- 
quired his  education  in  Macon  county  and  after 
his  school  life  was  ended  he  took  up  the  duties 
of  manhood  as  a  factor  in  the  business  world. 
Fie  became  weighmaster  and  bookkeeper  in 
the  elevator  of  Emery  &  Compton,  filling  that 
position  for  three  years,  after  which,  from 
1880  until  1887,  he  was  bookkeeper  for  C.  F. 
.En>ery,   engaged   in   the  real  estate  business. 


BRICB  I.  STERRETT 


PAST  AND  TRKSIiXT  OF  MACUX  COUNTY. 


585 


Watchinq;  his  opportunity  for  investment  he 
eventually  became  a  prominent  factor  in  busi- 
ness circles  in  the  city.  He  became  a  partner 
in  the  C.  F.  Emery  &  Company  hankinsj  luisi- 
ness  in  1887,  which  in  1888  was  consolidated 
with  the  banking-  business  of  Crocker  &  Com- 
pany, the  latter  name  being  retained  by  the 
new  firm.  In  February,  1889,  Mr.  Crocker 
and  Mr.  Conover  purchased  ]\Ir.  Emery's  in- 
terest and  h;i\c  since  been  associated  in  the 
control  and  ownership  of  the  institution.  Mr. 
Cono\er  very  largely  manages  the  bank,  wliile 
Mr.  Crocker  attends  to  outside  interests. 
Gradually  Mr.  Conover  has  expanded  his 
busniess  alTairs  and  is  now  associated  with  en- 
terprises of  importance  to  the  business  life 
and  prosperity  of  the  city.  He  has  an  interest 
in  the  electric  light  plant  and  owns  one-fifth 
of  the  stock  of  the  Maroa  Manufacturing 
Company,  which  manufactures  the  "  boss  car 
loader  ".  which  is  now  largely  used  in  con- 
nection with  elevators  in  loading  the  grain 
into  cars.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  a  furniture 
store  in  Maroa,  which  is  managed  by  'Sir. 
Rammel,  and  he  has  a  small  interest  in  the 
Crocker  Elevator  Compan\-,  while  the  banking 
firm  of  Conover  &  Crocker  owns  the  Maroa 
Dry  Goods  Store.  At  one  time  ^Ir.  Conover 
owned  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land 
in  South  Dakota,  which  lie  traded  for  land  in 
Iowa  and  afterward  exchanged  the  latter  for 
land  in  Minnesota.  His  homo  is  one  of  the 
beautiful  residences  of  Maroa. 

Mr.  Conover  has  been  twice  married.  On 
the  1st  of  Februarx,  1883.  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  i\lary  Sanderson,  a  daughter 
of  Alexander  and  .\nn  (  Dent )  .Sanderson. 
Two  eliildrcn  were  born  of  tliat  marriage: 
Bessie  May  and  Charles  Sanderson.  The 
mother  died  June  4,  1890.  and  on  the  28th  of 
June,  1892,  Mr.  Conover  was  again  married, 
his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Chri.stinc 
Sanderson,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  There 
are  two  children  by  this  marriage:  Mary 
Frances,  born  .\ugust  12.  1894:  and  George 
William,  horn  starch  15,  190T.     Mrs.  Conover 


is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church  while 
;\fr.  Conover  belongs  to  the  Christian  church. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  and  in  his  political  views  he 
is  a  Republican,  but  the  honors  and  emolu- 
ments of  office  have  little  attraction  for  him, 
as  he  prefers  to  devote  his  time  and  attention 
to  his  business  interests.  His  affairs  are  so 
well  regulated,  the  business  so  systematized 
and  his  work  carried  on  with  such  energy  that 
success  seems  to  be  the  natural  sequence  of 
his  labors  and  he  stands  to-day  among  the 
strongest  representatives  of  commercial  activ- 
itv  in  Maroa. 


BRICE    I.    STERRETT. 

On  the  roll  of  those  who  have  conferred 
distinction  upon  the  legal  fraternity  of  De- 
catur appears  the  name  of  Brice  I.  Sterrett, 
who  wa.s  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  bar  of  Macon  county.  He 
came  to  this  city  in  1867  and  here  died  on 
the  24th  of  February,  1901.  Pennsylvania 
was  the  state  of  his  nativity,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  in  Cumberland  county,  on  the 
9th  of  August,  1844.  His  parents,  David 
and  Mary  Ann  (Byerly)  Sterrett,  were  also 
natives  of  that  state  and  at  an  early  day 
they  came  to  the  west,  but  later  returned  to 
Pennsylvania,  where  the  father  engaged  in 
farming  and  also  conducted  a  gristmill. 
I^ater,  however,  he  once  more  went  to  the 
west  and  this  time  settled  in  Decatur,  where 
he  lived  retired  for  a  few  years.  He  next  re- 
moved to  Taylorville,  where  both  he  and 
his  wife  resided  until  they  were  called  to 
the  Iiome  beyond,  Mr.  Sterrett  passing 
away  on  the  .-^ist  of  October,  1878,  while 
his  wife  died  December   15,   1879. 

W'hen  a  small  boy  Brice  I.  Sterrett  be- 
came a  student  in  the  schools  of  Carlisle. 
Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  pursued  his  studies  from  1850  until  1857. 
TTo    then    entered    the    preparatory    depart- 


586 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACQN  COUNTY. 


ment  of  the  Illinois  College  at  Jacksonville, 
Illinois,  continuing  his  studies  there  in  the 
year  1 860-1861.  He  next  entered  Dickin- 
son College  of  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1867, 
winning  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  on 
the  completion  of  a  law  course.  With  broad 
general  knowledge  he  took  up  the  study  of 
law,  spending  a  short  time  in  that  way  in 
Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.  He  then  came  to 
the  west  and  located  in  Decatur,  where  he 
became  a  law  student  in  the  office  and  un- 
der the  direction  of  Judge  Charles  Emerson. 
In  order  to  supply  the  funds  necessary  for 
the  continuance  of  his  legal  studies  he  en- 
gaged in  teaching  in  the  common  schools 
of  Macon  county  for  two  terms.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  Illinois  before  the 
supreme  court  of  the  state  in  186S  and  then 
began  his  law  practice  in  Decatur,  where 
he  soon  won  recognition  as  a  young  man 
of  marked  ability,  of  earnest  purpose  and  of 
thorough  preparation  in  the  law.  He  pre- 
pared all  of  his  cases  with  great  precision 
and  after  extended  research  was  well  quali- 
fied to  uphold  his  cause  and  position.  He 
was  also  pension  agent  in  Decatur  for  many 
years.  Eventually  on  account  of  ill  health, 
he  was  obliged  to  give  up  general  law  prac- 
tice, after  which  he  devoted  his  attention 
to  lighter  work,  such  as  collecting  and  other 
kindred  branches  usually  performed  by  the 
members  of  the  legal  fraternitj^.  He  thus 
lived  a  more  retired  life  until  his  death. 

On  the  2ist  of  October,  1879,  '^'^^-  Sterrett 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Clarissa 
Cline,  a  native  of  Lewisberry,  York  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  a  daughter  of  Andrew 
and  Margaret  (Foster)  Cline,  who  were 
likewise  natives  of  York  county,  where  they 
always  lived.  The  father  was  a  farmer  and 
mill  man  and  there  he  and  his  wife  re- 
mained until  the  tide  of  life  ebbed  away. 
There  came  to  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sterrett  but  one  child,  Mary  C,  who  now 
resides   with   her   mother  and  is   a   teacher 


in  the  public  schools  of  :Monticello,  Illi- 
nois. It  was  in  1901  that  the  wife  and 
daughter  were  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  the  husband  and  father,  whose  death 
occurred  on  the  24th  of  February  of  that 
year.  He  had  held  no  offices  in  the  city 
nor  had  he  sought  public  notoriety  of  any 
character  beyond  his  profession.  He  was 
very  successful  in  his  law  practice  here  and 
became  a  well-to-do  citizen,  the  public 
recognizing  his  genuine  worth  and  capa- 
bility. He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind,  of 
marked  individuality,  of  resolute  will  and  of 
honorable  purpose.  He  gave  his  political 
support  to  the  Democracy  in  early  life  and 
later  became  a  stanch  Republican.  For  a 
long  period  he  held  membership  in  the 
Presbj-terian  church  of  this  city  and  in  that 
faith  passed  from  this  life.  Mrs.  Sterrett 
is  also  a  devoted  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church.  She  has  a  fine  residence  at 
No.  717  West  Prairie  avenue,  where  she 
and  her  daughter  reside  and  she  also  owns 
other  residence  property  in  the  city,  which 
was  purchased  by  her  husband  who  built 
upon  and  improved  all.  His  interest  cen- 
tered in  his  family  and  it  was  a  matter  of 
great  satisfaction  to  him  that  he  could  leave 
his  wife  and  daughter  in  comfortable  finan- 
cial circumstances.  He  also  left  to  them  the 
priceless  inheritance  of  an  untarnished  name 
and  of  a  memory  that  is  honored  by  all  who 
knew  him. 


ED\\^-\RD  ALLMAN. 
After  years  of  active  labor,  mostly  devoted 
to  farming,  Edward  Allman  is  now  living  a 
retired  life  in  the  city  of  Decatur,  enjoying  a 
well  earned  rest  and  the  fruits  of  his  former 
toil.  He  is  a  native  of  County  Kerry,  Ireland, 
and  a  son  of  John  .\llman,  who  spent  his  en- 
tire life  in  that  country.  He  still  has  one 
brother  and  a  sister  living,  these  being  James 
L.,    a    prominent    citizen    of    Monticello,    and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


587 


i\Irs.    Edward    S.    Stout,    also    a    resident   of 
Piatt  county. 

Edward  AUnian  spent  the  first  thirteen  years 
of  his  life  in  his  native  land  and  then  came  to 
the  United  States,  landing  in  New  York  city, 
whence  he  made  his  way  to  Ohio,  where  he 
spent  two  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
proceeded  westward  and  settled  in  Monticello, 
Illinois.  In  partnership  with  his  brothers, 
James  L.  and  John  Allman,  he  took  up  a  tract 
of  wild  prairie  land  in  Monticello  township, 
Piatt  county,  which  at  that  time  was  covered 
with  ponds  and  sloughs,  but  by  draining  and 
cultivation  they  converted  the  place  into  a 
well  improved  farm.  At  that  early  day  deer, 
wild  geese  and  other  game  was  plentiful  and 
furnished  the  early  settlers  with  many  a  meal. 
The  farm  machinery  then  in  use  was  very 
primitive  and  the  first  corn  which  ^Ir.  Allman 
helped  to  cultivate  was  with  a  single  shovel 
plow,  while  he  cut  grain  with  a  cradle.  Upon 
their  place  the  brothers  erected  a  small  frame 
house,  which  was  later  replaced  bv  a  more 
commodious  and  modern  resilience  and  all  of 
the  improved  machinery  and  conveniences 
were  added  to  their  farm. 

When  his  adopted  country  became  involved 
in  civil  war,  Edward  Allman  laid  aside  all  per- 
sonal interests  and  was  one  of  the  first  to 
•enlist  from  Piatt  county,  becoming  a  private 
of  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Seventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  which  was  at  first 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Snell  and  when 
he  resigned  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Lowery,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Frank- 
lin. The  captain  of  Company  E  was  John 
W.  Wood.  Mr.  Allman  went  into  camp  at 
Camp  Butler,  and  from  there  was  sent  south 
with  his  regiment.  The  first  engagement  in 
which  he  participated  was  with  Alorgan  in 
Kentucky  nnd  after  his  capture  in  Ohio  re- 
turned to  Kentucky.  Our  subject  later  took 
part  in  the  battles  of  Nashville  and  Campbell 
Station,  the  siege  of  Knoxville,  the  battle 
of  Peach  Tree  Creek,  the  siege  of  At- 
lanta and  the  battles  of  Jonesboro  and  New- 


bcrn.  North  Carolina,  besides  several  other  en- 
gagements of  less  importance.  After  three 
years  of  valiant  and  meritorious  service  on 
southern  battlefields,  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged in  1865  and  reiurned  to  his  home  in 
Piatt  county. 

After  leaving  the  army  Mr.  Allman  con- 
tinued to  engage  in  general  farming  and 
stock-raising  with  his  brother,  James  L.,  for 
some  years.  He  worked  by  the  month  for 
some  time  after  coming  to  i'iatt  county,  but 
about  1868  started  out  in  life  for  himself. 
His  first  purchase  consisted  of  a  tract  of  virgin 
soil,  upon  which  he  laid  about  five  miles  of 
tiling,  and  also  erected  thereon  a  good  set  of 
farm  buildings.  He  is  still  the  owner  of  a 
good  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in 
Monticello  township,  where  he  was  success- 
fully engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  for 
many  years,  and  gave  considerable  attention 
to  the  stock  business,  which  he  found  quite 
profitable.  In  1892,  on  account  of  ill  health, 
he  rented  his  farm  and  has  since  lived  retired. 
He  has  twice  crossed  the  ocean  to  visit  his 
native  land  and  also  went  west  in  the  search 
of  health,  having  traveled  quite  extensively 
over  this  country  for  that  purpose.  Since 
1892  he  has  made  his  home  in  Decatur  and 
now  has  a  beautiful  residence  at  No.  1006 
East  Lincoln  avenue,  surrounded  by  well-kept 
lawns.  His  housekeeper  is  his  niece.  Miss 
Maggie  C.  Allman,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Nora  (Cronin)  Allman,  both  now  deceased. 

By  his  ballot  Mr.  Allman  supports  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  Democratic  party.  lie 
is  a  devout  member  of  the  Catholic  church 
and  has  helped  to  organize  the  churches  at 
Tolono,  Champaign.  Ivesdale  and  Bement,  but 
is  now  connected  with  St.  Patrick's  church  of 
Decatur.  He  well  remembers  seeing  the  first 
Catholic  missionary  that  ever  came  to  Piatt 
comity  and  he  has  borne  an  active  and  prom-" 
inent  part  in  the  moral  and  material  develop- 
ment of  this  section  of  the  state.  He  is  one  of 
the  self-made  men  of  the  comnumity,  his  suc- 
cess in  life  beinsj;  due  entirelv  to  his  own  well 


58S 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


directed  efforts  and  good  business  ability,  and 
he  not  only  deserves  the  prosperity  that  has 
come  to  him  but  he  has  also  gained  the  con- 
fidence and  good  will  of  those  with  whom  he 
has  been  brought  in  contact  either  in  busi- 
ness or  social  life. 


CAPTAIN  GEORGE  W.  THOMPSON. 

Captain  George  W.  Thompson,  deceased, 
was  one  of  the  gallant  defenders  of  the  Union 
during  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war  and 
was  a  man  highly  respected  and  esteemed 
wherever  known.  For  many  years  he  made 
his  home  in  Macon  county  and  was  residing 
in  Warrensburg  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  6th  of  August,  1896. 

A  native  of  New  York,  Captain  Thompson 
was  born  in  Erie  county,  February  17,  1836, 
and  was  a  son  of  James  and  Mehitable 
(Gould)  Thompson,  who  were  also  natives  of 
the  Empire  state  and  the  former  of  Scotch 
descent.  In  1844  the  family  came  to  Illinois 
and  settled  in  McHenry  county  twelve  miles 
from  Woodstock,  where  the  father  owned  and 
operated  a  large  farm. 

The  Captain  grew  to  manhood  in  this  state 
and  was  educated  at  Belvidere,  Boone  count}-. 
For  several  years  after  leaving  school  he  was 
engaged  in  teaching  and  after  coming  to 
Macon  county  in  1857  he  taught  for  a  time  at 
Cherry  Point.  He  was  principal  of  the  high 
school  at  Mount  Pulaski  two  years  and  of  the 
Buffalo  school  in  Sangamon  county  for  one 
year.  He  subsequently  engaged  in  farming 
in  that  county  for  two.  years,  and  at  the  end 
of  that  time  removed  to  a  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  on  Section  18,  Illini 
tov.'nship,  Macon  county,  which  he  had  pur- 
chased. After  operating  that  farm  for  eight 
years  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Warrens- 
burg, where  he  continued  to  make  his  home 
until  called  to  his  final  rest. 

On  the  loth  of  April,  1866,  Captain  Thomp- 
son  was    united    in   marriage   to   Miss    Marv 


Langston,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Harriet 
Langston,  natives  of  North  Carolina  and 
Kentucky,  respectively.  Her  father  was  a 
veteran  of  the  Black  Hawk  war  and  her  pa- 
ternal grandfather  had  aided  the  colonies  in 
their  struggle  for  independence  as  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolutionary  war.  Mrs.  Thompson  at- 
tended the  State  Normal  School  at  Normal, 
Illinois,  for  two  years  and  subsequently  en- 
gaged in  teaching  at  Williamsville  and  Buf- 
falo, It  was  the  spring  following  her  last 
term  at  Bufi^alo  that  she  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  our  subject  and  removed  to  Macon 
county.  Unto  them  were  born  nine  children, 
who  in  order  of  birth  are  as  follows :  Har- 
riet, now  the  wife  of  Gilmore  Cunningham,  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  minister  of  Cantrell.  Il- 
linois ;  Laura,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight 
years ;  Lillian,  wife  of  C.  J.  Tucker,  a  general 
merchant  of  Warrensbur.g ;  Gertrude,  who  is 
teaching  music  in  the  school  for  the  blind  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee ;  Flora,  the  wife  of  Pro- 
fessor O.  L.  Manchester,  a  teacher  of  lan- 
guages in  the  State  Normal  University; 
George  H.,  who  was  graduated  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois  in  1900  and  at  the  John 
Marshall  Law  School  of  Chicago,  June  29, 
1903 ;  Frank  L.,  who  was  graduated  at  the 
University  of  Illinois  in  1902  and  is  now  con- 
nected with  the  St.  Louis  Terminal  Railroad 
in  St.  Louis ;  Clarence,  who  is  pursuing  an 
agricultural  course  in  the  University  of  Il- 
linois, and  is  a  member  of  the  class  of  1904; 
and  Sherman,  who  is  in  the  office  of  ]\Ir.  Pat- 
terson, an  architect  of  Decatur. 

At  different  times  Captain  Thompson  credit- 
ably filled  the  offices  of  township  clerk,  jus- 
lice  of  the  peace  and  school  director,  and  by 
his  ballot  he  supported  the  Republican  party. 
Socially  he  was  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  the  Modern  \^'oodmcn  of 
America  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Repub- 
lic. When  the  Union  was  in  peril  he  offered 
his  services  to  the  government  and  was  com- 
missioned first  lieutenant  of  Company  A,  Fif- 
teenth  Illinois  X'olunteer  Infantrv,  which  was 


T^ 


m 


JAMES  G.  GRIFFITH 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


J91 


assigned  to  the  Seventeenth  Corps,  Army  of 
the  Cunilierland.  He  participated  in  many 
important  on,t;affements  and  was  with  ("leneral 
Sherman  on  his  celehrated  march  to  the  sea. 
At  the  close  of  tiie  war,  when  his  services 
were  no  longer  needed.  Captain  Thompson 
was  nuistere<l  out  with  the  raiik  of  captain  and 
returned  home  with  a  military  record  of  which 
liis  family  may  he  justly  proud.  For  many 
years  he  was  an  earnest  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  was  (|uite  active  in 
its  work.  He  was  alwa\s  found  faithful  to 
his  church,  to  his  countr\',  and  to  his  friends, 
and  in  his  deatli  the  comnnmity  realized  that 
it  had  lost  a  valued  citizen. 


JAMES  G.  GRIFFITH. 
James  G.  Griffith,  now  deceased,  was  born 
near  Tnnbridge,  Orange  county,  Vermont, 
on  the  30th  of  March,  1830.  The  family  is 
of  English  lineage.  The  father  of  our  sub- 
ject was  a  farmer  of  the  Green  Mountain 
state  and  owned  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  which  is  still  in  possession 
of  his  heirs.  The  old  house  is  still  standing 
there  with  its  old  fashioned  fireplaces  and 
other  early  e(|uipmcnts.  The  place  is  called 
the  Whitney  Hill.  The  father  died  when  his 
son  James  G.  was  five  years  of  age  and 
the  latter  then  lived  with  a  distant  relative 
until  twenty  years  of  age.  He  pursued  his 
preliminary  education  in  the  country  schools 
and  later  was  a  student  at  Haverhill.  Mas- 
sachusetts. Later  he  was  employed  Ijy  a 
Mr.  Wadleigh  at  Haverhill  and  thus  entered 
upon  his  business  career. 

About  this  time  James  G.  Griffith  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susannah  Whit- 
ney, the  wedding  taking  place  in  1855.  In 
the  fall  of  the  same  year  they  removed  to 
Morgan  county,  Illinois,  settling  near  Chat- 
ham, where  Mr.  Griffith  engaged  in  farming 
until  i8f/).  when  he  came  to  Macon  county. 
He  then  rented  a  tract  of  land  in  Pleasant 


View   township   and   after  a   few   years   he 
purchased  one   hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land   on   section   26  of  the   same  township, 
residing  ihereon  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
He    was    an    acti\e,    enterjjrising,    practical 
and    progressive    agriculturist    and    as    the 
result  of   his   labors   his   fields  were   placed 
tmder   a    high    state   of   cultivation   and   re- 
turned to  him  an  excellent  income.     As  the 
years  passed  seven  children   were  added  to 
the   home:      William   H.,   a   retired    farmer 
who    married    Alice    Logan    and    resides    in 
Macon  ;  Clara  Adeline,  the  ^vife  of  Charles 
L.    Colby,    a     lumberman     of    Decatur,     by 
whom  she  has  two  children ;  Arthur  L.,  who 
lives  on  a   farm   southeast  of  Macon,  and 
married    Sattie    Ingram,   by    whom   he    has 
two  children  ;  and  four  w  ho  passed  away. 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  Novem- 
ber 5,   1891,  and  on  the  23d  of   November, 
1892,    Mr.    (iriffith    was    again   married,   his 
second   union   being  with    V  ida  J.   Holtz,  a 
daughter    of    .M.ijor    David    and     Elizabeth 
(Floover)  Holtz.    Her  mother  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Christopher   Hoover,   of  Ohio.     The 
paternal   grandmother  of  Mrs.   (Iriffith   was 
ninety-six  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her 
death   and   the   paternal   great-grandmother 
reached   the   advanced   age  of  one  hundred 
and  eleven  years.     Mr.  Holtz  passed  away 
at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.     He  was  a 
mechanic   by   trade,   but   reared   his   family 
upon   a    farm.     He  had   the   following  chil- 
dren :     .\ddie    I'",  became  the  wife  of  Sam- 
uel T.   Young,   of   Macon   county :  Christo- 
pher   II..    who    was    in    the    hosjiital    corps 
during  the   Civil   war,   afterward  became  a 
practicing     physician     and     died    in     1867; 
Rachel    Margaret    died    in    February,     1875; 
John      William,    wdio  served     in     an     Ohio 
regiment    during    the    Civil    war,     died    in 
hospital     No.    6    at    Nashville,   Tennessee, 
in  the  middle  of  October,  1862,  as  the  result 
of  exposure  and  hardship  at  Shiloh,  being 
then    but    twenty-one    years    of   age;    Mrs. 
Griffith    is   the    next   of   the   family;   Susan 


502 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


died  July  27,  1876;  David  Henry  passed 
away  August  20,  1874;  Isaac  Milton  died 
in  February,  1879;  Mary  Elizabeth  became 
the  wife  of  Martin  Miller,  of  Blue  Mound, 
and  the  mother  of  three  sons;  Carl  D.  is 
part  owner  and  cashier  in  the  Mount  Auburn 
Bank;  Arthur  G.  is  cashier  in  the  bank  of 
Blue  Mound ;  Earl  M.  is  engaged  in  horti- 
cultural pursuits  in  Montgomery  county, 
Illinois ;  Jacob  LcRoy  died  May  24,  1887 ; 
Edward  Augustus  and  Clarence  H.  were 
twins  and  the  former  died  December  2,  . 
1880,  while  the  latter  died  August  3,  1881. 

Airs.  Griffith  was  educated  in  eastern 
Ohio  and  in  Antrim  College,  in  which  she 
spent  one  year.  When  fourteen  years  of 
age  she  won  two  teacher's  certificates.  She 
first  taught  school  at  Attica,  Indiana,  as 
assistant  principal,  and  afterward  in  Marsh- 
field,  Indiana,  for  a  year.  She  then  spent 
a  year  as  a  teacher  south  of  Attica,  three 
years  in  a  school  south  of  Rossville  and 
two  years  in  Warren  county,  Indiana.  For 
four  terms  she  was  teacher  in  the  Dales 
school  northeast  of  Alvin,  was  next  em- 
ployed at  College  Corner,  then  at  Pleasant 
Hill  and  in  1881-2  was  a  teacher  in  the  high 
school  in  Rossville.  She  was  next  employed 
at  Hedge  Corner,  west  of  Rossville.  In  1887 
on  account  of  illness  in  the  family  she  re- 
mained at  home  in  order  to  act  as  nurse  and 
then  came  to  Pleasant  View  township, 
where  she  engaged  in  teaching  for  one  year. 
She  afterward  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to 
Mr.  Griffith  and  for  fourteen  months  they 
traveled  -life's  journey  happily  together. 

In  January,  1866,  Mr.  Griffith  became  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
being  connected  with  the  organization  at 
Macon,  Illinois.  His  political  allegiance 
was  given  to  the  Republican  party  and  he 
was  enthusiastic  in  its  support,  but  never 
sought  or  desired  office.  He  died  December 
29,  1893,  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  had  been  a  loving  and  devoted  husband 
and    father,   a    consistent   Christian   gentle- 


man and  a  faithful  friend,  and  the  sterling 
qualities  of  his  manhood  had  endeared  him 
to  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  His 
widow  is  now  occupying  a  handsome  home 
in  Blue  Mound,  where  she  is  widely  and  fa- 
vorablv  known. 


JOHN   W.   HAMMAN. 

John  ^^'.  Hamman  was  born  November  6^ 
1867,  in  Ohio,  and  is  of  German  lineage.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  Philip  Hamman,  was  a 
native  of  Germany  and  about  the  time  he  at- 
tained his  majority  he  bade  adieu  to  friends 
and  native  land  and  sailed  for  the  new  world. 
Favorable  reports  had  reached  him  concern- 
ing the  opportunities  for  a  business  career  in 
this  country  and  hoping  that  he  might  benefit 
his  financial  conditions  he  established  his  home 
in  Ohio,  arriving  there  about  1807.  He  was.  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits  in  the  Buckeye  state  until  called 
to  his  final  rest.  His  son  William  Hamman,. 
the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Ohia 
and  on  leaving  that  state  took  up  his  abode  in 
Illinois  in  1879.  Here  he  carried  on  farming 
West  of  Warrensburg  in  Macon  county.  He 
became  a  representative  and  influential  resi- 
dent of  that  district  and  was  also  prominent  in 
public  life  in  the  Buckeye  state,  having  served 
as  overseer  and  collector.  A  gentleman  of  the 
highest  respectability,  his  life  was  honorable 
and  upright  and  when  he  was  called  to  his 
final  rest  his  death  was  deeply  mourned  by 
many  friends.  It  was  in  July.  1899,  when 
sixty  years  of  age  that  he  passed  away.  Unto- 
him  and  his  wife  had  been  born  ten  children, 
of  whom  nine  are  now  living,  as  follows : 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  George  Theobald ; 
Kate,  who  is  the  wife  of  Otto  Heiner;  Tena, 
who  married  Judson  Drobich  ;  William ;  John 
W. ;  Philip  P.:  Mollie.  the  wife  of  Guy  Park; 
Daniel ;  and  Raymond.  Edward,  the  eighth 
child,  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years. 

Tliere  was  no  event  of  special  importance 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


593 


to  vary  the  routine  of  life  for  John  W.  Ham- 
man  in  his  early  youth.  .Some  duties  claimed 
his  attention,  especially  the  duties  of  the 
schoolroom,  and  hours  of  pleasure  in  the  play- 
ground were  enjoyed  by  him.  After  reaching 
man's  estate,  however,  the  cares  and  responsi- 
bilities of  life  came  upon  him  and  in  order  to 
earn  a  living  he  estalilishcd  a  transfer  line  and 
storage  warehouse  in  partnership  with  his 
brother  Philip  P.  under  the  tirm  name  of 
Hamman  Brothers.  They  began  this  work  in 
1892  with  limited  capital,  each  having  only  a 
few  dollars.  By  persistent  ei¥ort  and  square 
dealing,  however,  they  have  devclopetl  their 
business  to  its  present  proportions  and  its  ex- 
tension has  been  along  safe,  conservative  and 
yet  progressive  lines.  They  first  had  but  small 
quarters  in  East  Prairie  street,  but  have  occu- 
pied their  present  quarters  on  Franklin  street 
since  February,  1898,  and  in  addition  they 
have  a  large  warehouse  on  East  Main  street 
and  Broadway.  The  affairs  of  their  business 
now  make  heavy  demands  upon  their  time  and 
as  the  result  of  their  close  application  and 
careful  management  they  are  now  enjoying  a 
season  of  prosperity  which  is  much  appre- 
ciated and  justly  deserved. 

In  1889  Mr.  Hamman  of  this  review  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lou  L.  Davis,  a 
daughter  of  George  C.  Davis,  of  Long  Creek, 
Illinois,  and  they  now  have  three  interesting 
children — Lester,  Irene,  and  Ruth.  In  1899 
Mr.  Hamman  was  made  a  Mason.  He  be- 
longs to  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312,  F.  &  A.  M., 
and  he  also  holds  membership  relations  with 
the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Easterly  Camp,  No.  1626,  M.  W.  A., 
has  been  its  manager  for  the  past  six  years 
and  is  now  its  banker  and  he  also  has  mem- 
bership relations  with  the  Royal  Neighbors  of 
America.  He  has  a  place  amid  a  circle  of 
friends  who  honor  and  esteem  him  for  his 
many  manly  virtues  and  genuine  worth.  His 
prosperity  cannot  be  attributed  to  any  com- 
bination of  lucky  circumstances,  but  has  risen 
from    energy,   enterprise,   integrity   and    indi- 


vidual effort  well  directed  and  his  business 
has  ever  been  conducted  on  the  strictest  prin- 
ciples of  fair  dealing. 


JOHN   McEVOY. 

Among  the  early  resident.s  of  Decatur 
whose  work  entitles  them  to  distinction  as 
leading  citizens  and  as  upbuilders  of  the 
city  John  McEvoy  should  be  numbered. 
He  was  a  native  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Kilbegnet,  county 
Gal  way,  Ireland,  on  the  12th  of  December, 
1832.  His  parents  were  Felix  and  Ellen 
(Scanlan)  McEvoy,  also  natives  of  Ireland, 
in  which  country  they  spent  their  entire 
lives.  It  was  to  the  common-school  sys- 
tem of  his  native  land  that  Mr.  McEvoy 
was  indebted  for  the  educational  privi- 
leges he  enjoyed  in  his  youth. 

In  1849,  when  about  seventeen  years  of 
age,  he  came  with  two  of  his  cousins  to 
America.  They  landed  in  New  York  and 
thence  went  to  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts, 
where  John  McEvoy  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade.  He  continued  to  follow  that  pursuit 
in  Pittsfield  until  1856,  when  he  removed 
to  the  west,  settling  in  Decatur.  Here  he 
continued  in  the  employ  of  others  for  a 
time  and  finally  began  working  at  bridge 
work  for  both  the  Illinois  Central  and  Wa- 
bash Railroads  and  he  was  afterward  given 
full  charge  of  all  of  the  bridge  work  on  the 
Wabash  Railroad  between  Stateline,  Indi- 
ana, and  the  Mississippi  river,  and  continued 
to  serve  in  that  capacity  for  seven  years. 
He  then  ceased  buibling  operations  and 
turned  his  attention  to  the  conduct  of  a 
grocery  and  meat  market  in  Decatur,  but 
after  a  short  time  disposed  of  his  interests 
in  mercantile  life  in  1864.  He  then  built 
what  it  now  the  National  Hotel,  conducting 
it  successfully  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

While  in  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  Mr. 
McEvoy  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  Kenney, 


394: 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


a  naiivc  of  Frankfort,  Kings  county,  Ire- 
land, born  December  26,  1835,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Richard  and  Julia  Kenney,  who  were 
also  born  in  Kings  county,  and  there  re- 
mained from  birth  until  death.  The  father 
was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  made  that  his 
life  occupation.  Unto  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Mc- 
Evoy  were  born  nine  children :  James  D., 
who  was  born  January  23,  1856,  resides  at 
the  National  Hotel  and  superintends  the 
business  interests  there ;  Julia  E.,  born  June 
I,  1857,  is  the  widow  of  James  P.  Nolan 
and  resides  with  her  mother  at  the  hotel. 
She  had  two  chidren,  Richard  F.  and  Fran- 
cis J.,  but  the  latter  is  now  deceased.  The 
third  member  of  the  ^IcEvoy  family  is 
Richard  F.  McEvoy,  who  was  born  Febru- 
ary 13,  1859,  and  married  ]\Iinnie  Hall.  He 
is  now  foreman  of  the  large  blacksmith  shop 
of  the  Wayne  Carriage  Manufactory  in  De- 
catur. John  Patrick,  born  December  23, 
i860,  died  in  childhood.  Maria  E.,  born 
December  19,  i86i,  died  at  the  age  of  two 
years.  Jennie  Agnes,  born  November  8, 
1863,  is  the  deceased  wife  of  \\\  B.  Thomp- 
son, of  Decatur.  Patrick  F.  was  born 
March  6,  1867,  and  resides  at  the  hotel. 
Henry  M.,  born  April  10,  1869,  is  living  in 
California.  Cathaline  M.,  born  March  30, 
1871,  is  the  wife  of  James  R.  Russell,  a  con- 
ductor on  the  Vandalia  Railroad,  living  in 
Decatur. 

Mr.  McEvoy  always  took  a  deep  and 
active  interest  in  political  affairs  and  gave 
his  support  to  the  Democracy  until  i860, 
when  he  became  a  stanch  Republican.  He 
always  kept  well  informed  on  the  issues 
of  the  day  and  did  everything  in  his  power 
to  secure  the  success  of  his  party,  yet  never 
sought  or  desired  ofifice.  He  was  one  of 
the  leading  representatives  and  charter 
member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hiberni- 
ans, Division  No.  i,  of  Macon  county,  and 
held  some  high  offices  in  the  organization. 
He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  St.  Pat- 
rick's Catholic  church  of  Decatur,  of  which 


their  children  also  became  communicants. 
Mr.  McEvoy  deserves  great  credit  for  what 
he  accomplished  in  life,  for  when  he  came 
to  Decatur  he  had  no  capital  and  was  de- 
pendent upon  his  own  labors  in  his  trade 
for  all  that  he  possessed  and  enjoyed  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  He  owned  consider- 
able property  in  this  city  and  was  recog- 
nized as  a  leading  and  influential  man  here. 
He  passed  away  August  29,  1889,  and  thus 
ended  a  life  record  of  usefulness  and  activity 
crowned  with  good  results.  Mrs.  ^^IcEvoy 
and  her  sons  now  own  and  conduct  the 
National  Hotel,  located  at  Nos.  561  to  565 
North  Front  street.  The  building  is  new 
and  modern  and  the  hotel  has  a  liberal 
patronage,  being  conveniently  located  near 
both  the  Illinois  Central  and  Wabash 
depots. 


CHARUES    P.    THATCHER. 

Practical  industry,  wisely  and  vigorously 
applied,  never  fails  of  success  and  the  truth 
of  this  statement  finds  another  exemplifica- 
tion in  tlie  life  record  of  Charles  P.  Thatcher, 
who  after  man}-  years  of  close  connection  with 
business  affairs,  during  which  he  labored 
earnestly  and  indefatigably,  is  now  enjoying  a 
well  earned  rest  from  furtlier  work.  He  was 
born  January  16,  1841,  near  Milford  Mills,  in 
Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  his  parents 
being  William  P.  and  Sarah  ^l.  Thatcher. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  follow- 
ing that  pursuit  in  Chester  county  until  1853, 
after  which  he  turned  his  attention  to  mer- 
chandising in  Schuylkill  county,  Pennsylvania. 
There  he  remained  imtil  1861,  when  he  dis- 
posed of  his  mercantile  interests  in  the  east 
and  came  to  Illinois. 

Mr.  Thatcher,  whose  name  introduces  this 
record,  was  for  two  }ears  a  student  in  the 
school  conducted  by  S.  Aaron  at  Norristown, 
Pennsylvania,  and  he  completed  his  education 
in  the  Friends  Central  School  in  Philadelphia. 


MR.  and  MRS    J.  B.  GLEASON 


MR.  and  MRS.   ADAM  DICKSON 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


>99 


After  leaving  school  he  spent  one  year  in  the 
general  mercantile  business  conducted  hy  his 
fatiier  in  the  town  of  St.  Clair,  Pennsylvania, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1861  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  from  the  Keystone 
state  to  Illinois,  the  family  home  being  estab- 
lished in  Decatur,  near  which  city  the  father 
purchased  a  tract  of  land.  He  then  engaged 
largely  in  the  growing  of  sheep  and  the  pro- 
duction of  wool  and  Mr.  Thatcher  of  tiiis  re- 
view assisted  him  in  the  business  through  the 
six  years  of  its  continuance,  when  owing  to 
the  father's  death  this  industry  was  discon- 
tinued. 

In  the  spring  of  1867  Charles  P.  Thatcher 
turned  his  attention  tt)  the  lumber  business, 
establishing  a  yard  in  Decatur,  at  the  intersec- 
tion of  the  Wabash  Railroad  and  Xorth  Water 
street.  There  he  conducted  a  growing  trade 
for  many  years,  continuing  in  that  line  until 
1890.  draduallv  his  patronage  increased  and 
his  sales  brought  to  him  a  splendid  financial 
return.  His  business  methods  were  honorable 
and  in  all  trade  transactions  he  was  straight- 
forward, never  taking  advantage  of  the  neces- 
sities of  his  fellow-men,  but  gaining  thereby 
a  fair  profit  on  his  investment. 

On  the  18th  of  January,  1865,  Mr.  Thatcher 
was  united  in  marriage  to  J.  Neta  Robinson, 
who  resided  with  her  parents  at  .Schuylkill 
Haven  in  Pennsylvania.  Immediatel\'  after- 
ward he  brought  his  bride  to  Decatur  and  as 
the  years  passed  four  children  were  added  to 
the  family,  of  win  mi  two  died  in  infancy.  The 
others  are  Irene  R.,  now  the  wife  of  W.  L. 
Shellabarger ;  and  Alice  Neta,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Robert  U.  Maffit,  both  residing  in 
Decatur.  Mrs.  Thatcher  died  in  this  city 
March  9,  1895,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  Green- 
wood cemetery.  On  the  Crth  of  ( )ctol)er,  1898, 
Mr.  Thatcher  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Mary  M.  Hall,  with  whom 
he  is  now  living  in  a  pleasant  home  at  the 
corner  of  Water  and  North  streets.  Keen 
and  clear-headed,  always  busy,  always  careful 
and  conservative  in  financial  matters,  moving 


slo\vl\-  l)ut  surely  in  every  tran.saction,  he 
had  few  su])eriors  in  the  steady  progress 
which   in\ariably   reaches  the  objective  jioint. 


.\D.\M  DICKSON. 

Adam  Dickson  is  a  prominent  and  well- 
known  citizen  of  Deeatnr,  where  he  is  now 
living  retired  after  many  years'  connection 
with  agricultural  interests.  His  residence 
in  Macon  county  dates  from  1859,  at  which 
time  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Macon  town- 
ship. He  came  from  the  land  of  hills  and 
heather,  his  birth  ha\  ing  occurred  in  Scot- 
land, on  the  19th  of  July,  1835.  His  parents 
were  Archibald  and  Alice  (Innes)  Dick- 
son, who  were  also  natives  of  Scotland, 
where  they  s]K"nt  their  entire  lives,  the 
father  providing  for  the  family  by  following 
farming.  Unto  this  couple  were  born  eight 
children,  five  of  whom  ha\e  passed  away, 
while  the  three  now  living  are  residents  of 
this  country,  namely :  George,  who  is  now 
residing  in  Clay  Center,  Nebraska ;  Archi- 
bald, a  retired  farmer  residing  at  No.  1012 
West   Decatur   street :    and    Adam. 

Mr.  Dickson  of  tliis  review  was  reared 
on  a  farm  and  educated  in  the  common 
schools,  but  his  privileges  in  that  direction 
were  very  meager,  for  at  the  age  of  ten 
years  he  had  to  leave  school  in  order  to 
assist  his  father  upon  the  home  farm.  He 
was  thus  employed  until  1853,  wdien,  de- 
termining to  try  his  fortune  in  .\merica  he 
sailed  for  the  new  world,  landing  in  New 
York  cit}'.  Me  did  not  tarry  long  in  the 
eastern  metropolis,  however,  but  went  at 
once  to  Rock  county,  Wisconsin,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  farming  for  three  years. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  Red  Wing,  Minnesota,  where 
he  followed  the  trades  of  plastering  and 
brick-making  for  a  season.  lie  then  returned 
to  Rock  county,  where  he  carried  on  agri- 
cultiu-al    pursuits    and    also    worked   at   odd 


600 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


jobs  of  plastering,  being  thus  engaged  until 
1858,  when  he  went  to  Phillips  county, 
Arkansas.  In  that  state  he  was  employed 
in  the  timber  regions  through  the  winter 
and  in  1859  he  returned  to  the  north,  settling 
in  Macon  county,  Illinois,  where  he  se- 
cured employment  as  a  farm  hand.  In  this 
manner  his  time  was  passed  until  1865, 
when  with  the  capital  he  had  acquired 
through  his  own  labors  he  purchased  a  farm 
in  Milam  township,  for  which  he  paid  nine 
dollars  per  acre.  At  once  he  began  its 
further  development  and  cultivation  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  he  built  the  first  school- 
house  in  Milam  township,  erecting  this  in 
1866.  His  wife's  father  was  the  second 
teacher  of  the  first  school  in  the  township. 
After  his  marriage  Mr.  Dickson  engaged  in 
general  farming  in  ^lilam  township  and  as 
his  financial  resources  increased  he  kept 
adding  to  his  land  from  time  to  time  until 
now  he  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres,  constituting  one  of  the  best  improved 
farms  of  the  locality.  The  entire  tract  is 
situated  on  sections  2  and  11,  Milam  town- 
ship, and  it  is  improved  with  modern  build- 
ings and  substantial  equipments  in  harmony 
with  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  twentieth 
century. 

On  the  31st  of  December,  1868,  occurred 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Dickson  and  Miss  Har- 
riet J.  Gleason,  a  native  of  Summit  county, 
Ohio,  born  December  29,  1850.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Jonah  B.  and  Rebecca  (Little) 
Gleason,  the  former  a  native  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  the  latter  of  Peru,  ?klassa- 
chusetts.  •  The  father  was  a  carpenter,  brick- 
mason  and  farmer  and  on  removing  from 
Connecticut  settled  in  Ohio,  while  later  he 
took  up  his  abode  in  Iowa,  where  he  lived 
until  1865.  During  that  time  he  was  county 
surveyor  for  a  number  of  years  and  also 
worked  at  the  brick-mason's  trade.  He  then 
established  his  home  in  Milam  township. 
Macon  county,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
general    farming    in    connection    with    car- 


pentering. Of  that  locality  he  remained  a 
resident  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  February  29,  1884,  and  his  wife 
passed  away  September  13,  1889.  ^^  the 
family  of  Mr.  and  J\lrs.  Dickson  are  nine 
children:  Nina  R.,  who  resides  at  home; 
Allie,  the  wife  of  Frank  Kennedy,  a  resi- 
dent of  Mount  Zion  township,  this  county; 
Luella,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years ; 
.■\rchie  R.,  a  resident  of  Portland,  Oregon; 
Louis  B.,  who  married  Grace  Wilson  and 
lives  in  Milam  township,  this  county; 
George  A.,  who  resides  on  his  father's'  farm 
in  Milam  township  with  his  brother  Louis 
B. ;  Bert,  Edward  M.  and  Nellie  M.,  all  re- 
siding with  their  parents.  Edward  won  the 
four-years'  free  scholarship  and  is  now  at- 
tending James  Millikin  University,  where 
his  brother  Bert  is  also  a  student. 

On  account  of  advanced  age  Mr.  Dickson 
decided  to  retire  from  general  farming  in 
1902  and  on  the  12th  of  August  of  that  year 
removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired.  He  served  as  assessor  while 
in  Milam  township  for  two  years,  but  has 
never  been  an  active  politician  in  the  sense 
of  office  seeking,  preferring  to  devote  his 
time  and  energies  to  his  business  interests. 
Since  becoming  a  naturalized  American  cit- 
izen, however,  he  has  given  an  earnest  sup- 
port to  the  Republican  party.  His  wife  and 
daughters  are  members  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church  of  Decatur.  In  his 
business  career  he  has  been  successful,  for 
he  came  to  America  empty  handed  and  as  an 
employe  on  a  farm  began  working  hard  to 
earn  his  living.  His  economy,  industry  and 
perseverance  have  been  the  strong  elements 
in  his  success  and  have  gained  for  him  valu- 
able property  holdings.  The  hope  which 
led  him  to  America  has  been  more  than 
realized,  for  in  this  country  he  has  found 
not  only  prosperity,  but  has  also  gained  the 
warm  friendship  and  regard  of  manv  with 
whom   he   has  been   associated. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


601 


WILLIAM   BAUM. 

William  Baum,  who  is  successfully  engaged 
in  farming  on  section  24,  lllini  township, 
was  born  on  the  19th  of  May,  1851,  near 
Chambersburg,  in  Franklin  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Lydia 
(Swan)  Bauni,  the  former  of  German  and  the 
latter  of  English  descent.  The  mother  was  a 
devout  Qiristian  and  was  noted  far  and  near 
for  her  charity.  By  occupation  the  father  was 
a  fence  builder.  In  the  family  were  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  our  subject  is  the  youngest. 
One  son  and  one  daughter  died  in  infancy. 
Samuel  Baum,  our  subject's  surviving  brother, 
was  a  member  of  a  Pennsylvania  cavalry  regi- 
ment during  the  Civil  war  and  is  now  living 
at  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania.  He  was 
twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  a  Miss 
Lutz,  by  whom  he  had  a  son,  Harry,  now 
living  in  Hickory  Point  township,  Macon 
county,  Illinois. 

Our  subject  was  quite  young  when  his 
father  died  and  he  then  went  to  live  with  a 
Mr.  Allen  near  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania, 
remaining  with  him  until  Mr.  Allen's  removal 
to  Illinois  in  1865.  He  received  a  fair  district 
school  education  in  his  native  county,  and  on 
leaving  school  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  began 
work  on  a  farm  at  seven  dollars  per  month 
and  was  tlius  employed  until  he,  too,  came  to 
Illinois  in  i86y.  In  the  northern  part  of  this 
state  he  was  also  engaged  in  farm  labor  at 
twenty  dollars  per  month  for  one  year  and 
his  wages  were  subsequently  increased  until 
he  received  twenty-five  dollars  per  month.  He 
began  life  for  himself  without  a  dollar  and  to 
his  own  industry,  economy  and  perseverance 
is  due  his  success  in  life.  He  has  acquired  a 
good  farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  he  has 
placed  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and 
improved  with  every  modern  convenience.  He 
paid  fifty-two  dollars  and  a  half  per  acre  for 
his  land  and  has  made  it  one  of  the  most  de- 
sirable places  of  its  size  in  lllini  township. 

In  1876  Air.  Baum  married  Miss  Annette 
Pharis,  who  is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth  in  a 


family  of  ten  children,  her  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Lydia  Pharis.  She  was  educated 
in  ihe  district  schools  of  Ohio  and  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  and  is  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Church  of  God.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baum  have 
one  daughter,  the  wife  of  G.  W.  Lehn,  who  is 
a  young  farmer  of  exceptional  energy  and 
ability  whose  farm  adjoins  that  of  our  sub- 
ject. In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Baum  is 
a  Republican  and  he  has  most  capably  filled 
the  ofiice  of  school  director.  Wherever  known 
he  is  held  in  high  regard  and  those  who  know 
him  best  are  numbered  among  his  warmest 
friends. 


THOMAS    POWERS. 

Thomas  Powers,  deceased,  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Macon  county  about  1863  and  those 
with  whom  he  was  daily  associated  learned 
that  his  characteristics  were  those  of  upright 
honorable  manhood  and  gave  him  their  re- 
spect and  regard.  He  was  born  in  Waterford, 
Ireland,  on  the  21st  of  March,  1824,  his 
parents,  Thomas  and  Fannie  Powers,  being 
also  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  where  they 
spent  their  entire  lives.  In  their  family  were 
four  sons  and  a  daughter  that  started  for 
America,  but  the  daughter  died  while  on  the 
ocean  voyage.  The  eldest  son  was  Father 
James  Powers,  who  labored  in  the  priesthood 
near  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  is  now  deceased. 
Michael  is  a  merchant  of  Curran,  Illinois. 
Nicholas  died  in  1902. 

Thomas  Powers,  the  fourth  son,  acquired  a 
good  education  in  the  best  schools  of  his  native 
country  and  then  determining  to  try  his  for- 
tune in  .\merica  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and 
made  his  way  direct  to  the  village  of  New 
Berlin,  .Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
secured  a  position  as  ticket  agent  with  what 
is  now  the  Wabash  Railroad  Compaii)-.  He 
occupied  that  position  for  several  years,  dis- 
charging his  duties  in  a  manner  very  satisfac- 
tory to  the  public  and  to  the  corporation  which 
he  represeiUed. 


002 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Whilf  there  residing,'  Mr.  Powers  was  mar- 
ried in  Springfield.  Illinois,  to  Miss  Mary 
Murphy,  also  a  native  ot  Ireland,  born  Novem- 
ber 11,  1831.  Her  parents,  Thomas  and 
Bridget  (Ryan)  Murphy,  spent  their  entire 
lives  in  that  country.  Eight  children  were 
born  unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Powers:  William, 
now  deceased;  Beatrice,  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Delaney,  a  resident  farmer  of  Illini  township, 
Macon  county;  Fannie,  the  deceased  wife  of 
William  Ball,  her  death  being  occasioned  by 
a  railroad  wreck  ;  James  and  Thomas,  who 
have  passed  away ;  ]\Iar_\-,  who  was  killed  in  a 
railroad  wreck ;  Catherine,  the  wife  of  An- 
drew Paine  of  Missouri ;  and  Anna  Henrietta, 
the  widow  of  Thomas  Hayes,  who  was  a  clerk 
in  the  Wabash  Railroad  office  in  Decatur. 
She  has  one  child,  Mary  Mildred,  and  they 
reside  with  her  mother,  }ilrs.  Powers. 

After  his  marriage  Thomas  Powers  resided 
in  New  Berlin,  Illinois,  for  several  years  and 
then  came  to  Macon  county,  purchasing  a 
tract  of  land  in  Maroa  township.  He  made 
a  number  of  substantial  and  modern  improve- 
ments upon  his  place  and  engaged  in  farming 
there  with  excellent  success  for  about  twenty- 
years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
sold  his  farm  and  removed  to  Decatur,  where 
he  conducted  a  dray  line  for  a  short  time.  He 
then  went  with  his  family  to  Springfield,  Il- 
linois, where  he  lived  retired  until  called  to 
his  final  rest,  his  death  occurring  October  10, 
1883.  He  voted  with  the  Democracy  and  had 
firm  faith  in  the  party  and  its  principles,  but 
never  sought  or  desired  office.  His  church 
relationship  was  with  the  Catholic  church  of 
Decatur  and  his  widow  and  daughter  now  be- 
long to  the  same  organization.  Mr.  Powers 
was  an  honest,  upright  man,  very  successful 
in  his  business  affairs  and  wherever  he  lived 
he  won  the  confidence  and  trust  of  his  fellow- 
men.  After  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Powers 
resided  in  Springfield  until  1891,  when  she  re- 
turned to  Decatur,  where  she  has  since  made 
her  home,  owning  and  occuj)ying  a  nice  resi- 
lience at  No.  543  North  Monroe  street,  where 


she  is  now  living  with  her  daughter.  Mrs. 
Hayes.  She  also  owns  the  adjoining  property 
at  543  Monroe  street. 


ROBERT  T.  WILLIAMS. 
After  many  years  connection  with  the  agri- 
cultural interests  of  Macon  county,  having  lo- 
cated here  in  1864,  Robert  T.  Williams  is  now 
living  a  retired  life  in  Decatur  and  has  justly 
earned  the  rest  which  is  now  vouchsafed  him. 
He  is  a  native  of  Kentucky,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Montgomery  county,  October  5, 
1837,  his  parents  being  Colonel  John  and  Car- 
olina (Morrow)  Williams.  The  Colonel  spent 
almost  his  entire  life  in  ^lontgomery  county, 
having  removed  to  Kentucky  from  Virginia 
in  his  early  boyhood  days.  His  wife  was  like- 
wise a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion  and  in  her 
girlhood  days  accompanied  her  parents  to  the 
Blue  Grass  state,  the  family  home  being  estab- 
lished in  Montgomery  county.  Joining  the 
Kentucky  militia,  the  father  became  a  lieuten- 
ant under  \\'illiam  Henry  Harrison,  and 
gained  considerable  distinction  in  military  af- 
fairs. In  the  community  in  which  he  lived  he 
was  known  as  a  progressive,  prominent  and 
influential  man  and  was  frequently  called  to 
positions  of  trust,  having  at  one  time  been 
sheriflf  of  his  county.  As  a  means  of  liveli- 
hood he  followed  the  occupation  of  farming. 
His  wife's  father,  Robert  Morrow,  lived  for 
many  years  in  Montgomery  county,  but  ere 
his  removal  from  \'irginia  served  his  country 
in  the  Indian  war  under  the  command  of  Gen- 
eral Anthony  \\'aync.  He  was  an  honored 
pioneer  settler  of  Kentucky  and  aided  in  re- 
claiming that  state  from  the  dominion  of  the 
red  men  and  in  utilizing  it  for  the  purposes  of 
civilization.  The  Morrows  were  originally 
from  the  north  of  Ireland  and  were  of  Scotch 
Presbyterian  stock. 

Robert  T.  Williams,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  acquired  his  early  education  in 
private  schools  near  his  home  and  later  became 
a  student  in  the  seminary  at  Mount  Sterling, 


JEROME  B-  DAVIS 


MRS.  AMELIA  DAVIS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


6,07 


Kentucky.  In  1859  he  took  up  tlie  stuily  of 
law  with  the  intention  of  making  its  practice 
his  Hfe  work  and  continued  to  read  the  text 
books  bearing  on  that  subject  until  after  the 
inauguration  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  of- 
fered his  services  to  his  country  and  joined  the 
Fourth  Kentucky  Infantry.  The  period  of 
his  enlistment  covered  three  years  and  he  was 
mustered  out  with  the  h'ourteenth  Kentucky 
Cavalrv.  having  served  under  the  command  of 
Cicneral  Thomas.  .\s  a  soldier  he  was  brave 
and  faithful  to  dtUy.  never  faltering  in  his  al- 
legiance to  the  cause  which  he  espoused. 

.\fter  being  mustered  out  Mr.  Williams 
sought  a  home  in  Illinois,  arriving  in  Macon 
county  in  1864.  He  located  in  Mount  Zion 
township,  where  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land, 
which  he  at  once  began  to  improve  and  culti- 
vate and  as  the  years  passed  and  his  financial 
resources  increased  he  extended  the  bound- 
aries of  his  farm  until  it  now  comprises  four 
hundred  acres  of  choice  farming  land.  Year 
by  year  he  worked  as  an  active  and  enterpris- 
mg  agriculturist  and  annually  added  to  his 
income  until,  having  become  the  possessor  of 
a  very  comfortable  competence,  he  removed  to 
Decatur,  wliere  since  i8(j2  he  has  lived  a  re- 
tired life. 

The  year  following  his  arrival  in  Macon 
county  ]\Ir.  Williams  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Sallie  (iill,  a  daughter  of  Harrison 
Gill,  of  Bath  county,  Kentucky,  and  unto  them 
have  been  born  six  children :  Margaret, 
Harry  I,..  Roger,  Cordelia,  W.irren  and  .Syliil. 
Mr.  A\'illianis  became  widely  known  as  a  lead- 
ing and  enterprising  agriculturist  of  his 
comnnmily  and  since  establishing  his  home  in 
Decatur  has  gained  many  friends  here.  His 
achievements  should  inspire  all  young  men 
who  read  this  record  with  a  truer  estimate  of 
tJie  value  and  sure  rewards  of  character. 


JEROME  B.  DAVIS. 
Jerome  I>.  Davis,  deceased,  was  for  many 
years   one   of   the   honored   and   highly    es- 
teemed citizens  of  Macon  countv,  his  home 


being  in  the  village  of  Macon  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  He  was  then  living  retired 
after  many  years  devoted  to  farming.  He 
was  born  in  Cohocton,  Steuben  county, 
New  York,  July  7,  1829,  his  parents  being 
Daniel  anil  Elizabeth  (\an  Warmer)  Davis, 
the  former  of  Scotch  and  the  latter  of  Dutch 
descent.  They  reared  a  large  family  in 
the  Empire  state.  There  our  subject  grew 
to  manhood  and  was  educated  in  nnich  the 
usual  manner  of  boys  of  his  day. 

( )n  coming  west  Mr.  Davis  first  located 
in  Kendall  county,  Illinois,  and  at  Newark 
he  was  married  October  24,  1850,  to  Miss 
.\melia  Ilollenback,  a  daughter  of  George 
and  Sophia  (Sidel)  Hollenback.  Her  father 
was  a  native  of  \'irginia  1)Ut  when  a  young 
man  removed  to  Muskingum  county,  Ohio, 
in  1829,  and  was  there  married.  He  subse- 
quently came  west  and  after  residing  in 
Kendall  county,  Illinois,  for  a  time,  he  lo- 
cated permanently  on  a  farm  in  Macon 
county,  this  state,  where  he  made  his  home 
until  called  to  his  final  rest  at  the  age  of 
seventv-two  years.  His  wife  was  sixty- 
two  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Her  father 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty  years  and  her 
mother  at  the  age  of  seventy.  Mrs.  Davis" 
paternal  grandfather  was  eighty-two  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  and  her  grandmother 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-seven 
years.  Her  ancestors  came  to  America  be- 
fore the  Revolutionary  war.  Mrs.  Davis 
was  born  in  Kendall  county.  Illinois,  on 
the  1st  of  December,  1831,  and  is  a  twin 
sister  of  Hon.  George  Hollenback.  a  prom- 
inent citizen  of  Aurora,  Illinois.  In  the 
family  were  twelve  children,  ten  of  whom 
reached  manhood  and  w<imanhood  and  six 
are  still  living,  but  Mrs.  Davis  is  the  nnly 
one  of  the  number  living  in  Macon  county. 
She  was  only  six  months  old  when  the 
Black  Hawk  war  broke  out,  at  which  time 
the  family  fled  to  Fort  Dearborn  (now  Chi- 
cago) for  protection,  being  among  the  first 
to    reach    that   place.      Her    brother,    Clark 


■60S 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Holl'cnback,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Civil  war 
and  died  from  the  effects  of  wounds  re- 
ceived in  the  service.  Mrs.  Davis  was 
reared  and  educated  in  her  native  county, 
and  is  a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement,  well 
informed,  and  possessing  remarkable  intel- 
lectual powers. 

Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Davis,  as  follows :  Sophia  is  now  the  wife 
of  Arthur  McNicholl  and  has  six  children. 
George  H.,  living  near  Lake  Benton,  Min- 
nesota, is  married  and  has  twin  children. 
Daniel  H.,  of  Decatur,  is  married  and  has 
two  children.  Melvin  H.,  a  prosperous 
farmer  of  Macon  township,  is  married  and 
has  one  child.  Carrie  Belle  married  Clem 
Smith,  of  Louisiana,  and  died  in  April,  1903, 
leaving  two  sons,  both  of  whom  are  mar- 
ried. 

In  1851  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  went  to  New 
York  state,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farm- 
.  ing  until  1857,  when  they  returned  to  her 
native  county,  settling  on  the  Fox  river, 
near  Aurora.  He  continued  to  carry  on  agri- 
cultural pursuits  in  Kendall  county  until  the 
15th  of  January,  1865,  when  they  came  to 
Macon  county  and  located  on  a  farm  five 
miles  southeast  of  Macon,  having  purchased 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  wild  land, 
which  he  at  once  began  to  cultivate  and 
improve.  At  that  time  the  country  was  full 
of  sloughs  and  ponds  and  wild  game  was 
abundant,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  were 
eye  witnesses  of  almost  the  entire  develop- 
ment of  this  state.  Their  first  home  here 
was  a  little  shanty,  which  was  later  replaced 
by  a  nice  comfortable  residence ;  good 
barns  and  outbuildings  were  also  erected  ; 
and  Mr.  Davis  planted  every  tree  upon  the 
place  and  ditched  and  tiled  the  land,  spend- 
ing about  three  thousand  dollars  in  improve- 
ments. Tie  handled  considerable  stock  and 
continued  to  engage  in  general  farming  until 
the  1st  of  January,  1894,  when  he  retired 
from  active  labor  and  removed  lo  the  village 
of  Macon,  where  he   purchased   a   pleasant 


home  and  improved  the  place,  it  being  still 
the  home  of  his  widow.  For  fifty  years 
they  traveled  life's  journey  together,  shar- 
ing its  joys  and  sorrows,  its  adversity  and 
prosperity,  but  soon  after  celebrating  their 
golden  wedding  the  husband  was  called 
away,  dying  on  the  26th  of  November,  1900. 
The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  Meth- 
odist church  and  after  the  sermon,  which 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Willard,  he  was  laid 
to  rest  with  IMasonic  honors,  having  long 
been  a  member  of  that  fraternity.  In 
August,  1868,  Mr.  Davis  united  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  was  ever 
afterward  a  devout  and  earnest  Christian, 
taking  an  active  part  in  church  work.  He 
voted  with  the  Republican  party  and  held 
the  offices  of  school  director  and  road  mas- 
ter in  his  township.  Honest  and  reliable 
in  business,  he  met  with  well  deserved  suc- 
cess and  was  able  to  leave  his  widow  in  com- 
fortable circumstances.  The  old  home- 
stead is  now  rented  and  Melvin  H.  Davis 
now  manages  his  mother's  business  aiYairs. 
Since  the  death  ot  her  husband  and  daughter 
she  has  failed  somewhat  in  health  owing;  to 
the  shock  caused  by  these  sad  events.  She 
is  a  most  estimable  lady  and  is  highly  re- 
spected by  all  who  know  her,  her  lovely 
character  having  won  her  the  friendship  of 
all  with  whom  she  has  been  brought  in  con- 
tact. 


JOHN  ^^'.  WALKER. 
I''or  many  }'ears  this  gentleman  has  been  a 
resident  of  Macon  county  and  his  name  is  in- 
separably connected  with  the  agricultural  and 
comniL-rcial  interests  of  this  region.  He  has 
a  wide  reputation  as  a  most  capable  business 
man  and  his  life  demonstrates  what  can  be  ac- 
complished through  energy,  careful  manage- 
ment, keen  foresight  and  the  utilization  of  the 
powers  with  which  nature  has  endowed  one 
and  the  opportunities  with  which  the  times 
surround  him. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


609 


A  native  of  Illinois,  Mr.  Walker  was  born 
in  Madison  county,  this  state,  on  the  29th  of 
October,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Edmond  B.  and 
Rebecca  (Chance)  Walker.  The  father's 
birth  occurred  in  North  Carolina  in  1809,  and 
he  was  seventeen  years  of  age  when  he  came 
to  Illinois  with  his  parents  aind  located  near 
Relleville  in  St.  Clair  county,  becoming  early 
settlers  of  that  portion  of  the  state.  There  he 
carried  on  farming'  and  stock-raising  quite 
successfully  for  several  years  and  became  the 
owner  of  about  two  hundred  acres  of  valuable 
land.  He  died  in  December,  1847,  '"  '''^'  f'^''^''' 
of  the  Baptist  church,  of  which  he  was  a  life- 
long member,  and  to  wdiich  his  wife  also  be- 
longed. They  were  married  at  the  home  of 
the  bride  on  Rich  Prairie,  north  of  Belleville, 
and  became  the  ])arents  of  nine  children, 
of  whom  four  are  still  living,  namely :  Joel 
T.,  who  is  at  the  head  of  the  firm  of 
Walker  &  Snell,  and  has  charge  of  the  ele- 
vator at  Moweaqua ;  John  W.,  of  this  sketch; 
Elijah,  who  is  a  prominent  business  man  of 
Assumption,  Illinois,  where  he  runs  an  ele- 
vator and  also  conducts  an  implement  store ; 
and  Edmond  11.,  an  extensive  farmer  residing 
near  Blue  Mound  in  Blue  Mound  township, 
this  county.  The  mother  of  these  children 
was  born  in  t8i2  and  came  to  Macon  county 
with  her  two  youngest  sons  in  1863,  making 
her  home  with  her  children  until  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  February,  1892.  lUr 
father.  Rev.  Joseph  Chance,  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  a  minister  of  the  Baptist 
■church.  He  married  Miss  .Sarah  Linton,  who 
was  born  in  Virginia  and  died  in  December, 
1864.    He  was  liorn  in  1778  and  died  in  1840. 

During  his  Iwyhood  and  youth  John  W. 
Walker  received  a  good  common  school  edu- 
cation in  St.  Clair  county  and  for  three  months 
attended  a  school  in  Marion  county,  taught  by 
his  cousin,  Jacob  O.  Chance,  afterward  clerk 
of  the  appellate  court  and  still  later  of  the 
supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  At  the 
-age  of  twenty-three  years  our  subject  entered 


the  Union  army,  enlisted  at  Summerfield,  Il- 
linois, on  the  I2th  of  .\ugust,  1862,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  C,  One  Hundred  and  Seven- 
teenth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which 
he  served  for  three  years,  being  discharged  at 
Camp  Butler  on  the  6th  of  August,  1865,  at 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  participated  in 
thirty-three  battles  and  skirmishes,  including 
the  engagements  at  Pleasant  Hill,  April  9, 
1864;  Marksville  Prairie,  Nashville,  Fort 
Derusia,  Fort  Blakely  and  Spanish  Fort.  He 
was  always  found  at  his  post  of  duty,  valiantly 
defending  the  old  flag  and  the  cause  it  repre- 
sented, and  he  never  missed  a  battle  or  march 
in  which  his  regiment  took  part  during  the 
entire  three  years  he  was  at  the  front. 

^^llile  Mr.  Walker  was  in  the  army  his 
mother  and  two  brothers  had  come  to  Macon 
county  and  purchased  a  half  of  what  is  now 
known  as  the  Brennaman  farm  in  South  Ma- 
con township,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  and  on  leaving  the  service  he  also 
located  here,  Duying  ninety-two  and  a  half 
acres  of  prairie  land  in  the  same  township, 
which  he  broke,  tiled  and  fenced  and  im- 
proved by  the  erection  of  a  good  house  and 
liarn. 

Having  secured  a  home  of  his  own,  Mr. 
Walker  was  married  in  February,  1868,  to 
Miss  Martha  V.  Oglesby,  a  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam B.  and  Edith  (Moore)  Oglesby,  and  six 
cnildren  were  born  of  that  union,  but  only 
three  are  now  living,  namely:  Edith  R.,  wife 
01  Frank  Meyer,  a  farmer  of  Laurens,  Iowa; 
George  W..  who  is  manager  for  H.  1.  Baldwin, 
a  grain  broker  iif  Decalur;  and  Mary  K., 
wife  of  Orin  L.  Wright,  a  farmer  of  South 
'  Alacon  township.  The  mother  of  these  chil- 
dren died  at  Pleasant  Valley  farm  near  Walker 
Station,  June  6.  1883,  and  Mr.  Walker,  was 
again  married  September  9,  1884,  his  second 
union  being  with  Miss  Mary  E.  Kautz,  a 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Mary  Kautz,  who 
were  from  Brown  county,  Ohio.  Twins  were 
lx)rn  to  our  subject  and  his  second  wife  but 


f;io 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  daughter  died  in  infancy.  The  son,  Tom 
P.,  assists  his  father  in  business  and  resides 
at    home. 

-Mr.  Walker  continued  to  reside  upon  his 
first  farm  from  March,  1868,  until  1877,  when 
he  traded  the  place  for  a  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  ninety-two  and  a  half  acres  adjoining 
Walker  Station,  to  which  he  gave  the  name  of 
Pleasant  \'alley  stock  farm.  He  became 
quite  extensively  engaged  in  the  buying  and 
shipping  of  cattle  and  hogs  and  in  1880  in- 
duced the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  to  put  in  a 
switch  and  sidetrack  and  got  up  the  petition 
to  build  a  station  here,  to  which  was  given 
the  name  of  Walker  in  his  honor.  He  then 
began  to  deal  in  grain  as  well  as  stock  and  in 
1882  built  the  first  elevator  here.  He  shipped 
his  first  carload  of  cattle  in  .\pril,  1875,  and 
continued  in  business  alone  until  1885,  when 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother, 
Elijah  Walker,  R.  T.  .\llison  and  W.  B. 
Xeubegin,  under  the  firm  name  of  Walker 
Brothers  &  Company,  and  purchased  the 
south  elevator  at  Macon,  which  they  ran  in 
connection  with  the  one  at  Walker.  Later  our 
subject  retired  from  the  firm  and  for  one  year 
liianaged  the  business  at  Walker.  He  and  his 
brother  then  purchased  I\Ir.  Allison's  interest 
in  the  business,  which  they  carried  on  under 
the  style  of  Walker  Brothers  until  1888,  when 
our  subject  became  sole  proprietor  and  dis- 
posed of  the  south  elevator  at  Jilacort.  He 
carried  on  the  business  alone  at  Walker  until 
his  elevator  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  Decem- 
ber. 189.^,  but  in  the  meantime  he  had  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  north  elevator  at 
]\Iacon  in  partnership  with  J-  F.  \'ongunda\-. 
In  the  spring  of  1895,  i"  partnership  with 
Frank  Snell.  Mr.  Walker  erected  a  new  ele- 
vator at  Walker,  which  they  sold  in  1896  to 
his  older  son,  Ceorge  Walker,  who  is  now 
manager  for  H.  I.  Baldwin.  Besides  the  ele- 
vator at  Walker  the  firm  of  Walker  &  Snell 
own  one  at  Moweaqua  and  another  at  Rad- 
ford, our  subject  being  manager  of  the  one  at 
Walker.     He  has  a  nice  home  at  that  place. 


surrounded    by    beautiful    grounds   consisting' 
of  two  and  a  half  acres. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
-Abraham  Lincoln  in  i860,  Mr.  Walker  has 
affiliated  with  the  Republican  party.  His 
father  was  a  Whig  in  politics.  For  several 
years  he  served  as  school  director  but  has 
always  refused  to  hold  other  official  position, 
preferring  to  devote  his  undivided  attention 
to  his  extensive  business  interests.  He  and  his 
brother  are  charter  members  of  the  blue  lodge, 
.\o.  467,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  ^lacon,  which  they 
joined  thirty-eight  years  ago,  and  he  also  be- 
longs to  the  Grand  Army  Post  at  that  place. 
Religiously  he  and  his  wife  hold  membership 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  give 
liberally  to  toth  church  and  school  work.  Mr. 
Walker  has  made  for  himself  an  honorable 
record  in  business,  and  by  his  well  directed 
efforts  has  acquired  a  handsome  competence. 
As  a  citizen,  friend  and  neighbor  he  is  true 
to  every  duty  and  justly  merits  the  esteem  in 
which  he  is  held. 


NIRUM  ABBOTT. 

In  the  year  1871  Xirum  Abbott  became 
a  resident  of  Decatur.  He  was  a  carriage- 
maker  and  \vood-\vorker  by  trade  and  be- 
cause of  his  proficiencv  in  the  line  of  his 
chosen  vocation  was  a  valued  addition  to 
the  industrial  circles  of  the  city.  A  nati\e 
of  Connecticut,  he  was  born  February  14. 
1837.  ti'iiJ  was  a  son  of  Xirum  and  Eliza- 
beth .\bbott,  who  were  also  born  in  the 
east.  The  mother  died  during  the  early 
childhood  of  her  son  Xirum.  The  father 
afterward  removed  to  the  west,  making  his 
way  to  Michigan,  where  he  worked  at  the 
blacksmith's  trade  for  a  short  time.  He 
then  became  a  resident  of  northern  Illinois, 
where  he  followed  the  same  pursuit  and 
finally  he  removed  to  Minnesota,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming  until  his  death. 

Xirum  Abbott,  whose  name  introduces 
this  recortl.  acquired  a  common  school  edu- 


JOHN  BARRON 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


()13 


cation  and  then  began  preparing  for  a  bus- 
iness career  by  learning  the  trade  of  wagon 
and  carriage  making.  lie  soon  mastered 
the  business,  becoming  an  excellent  work- 
man, and  later  he  owned  a  shop  in  Chaskey, 
Minnesota,  where  he  carried  on  operations 
for  several  years.  He  continued  to  follow 
his  chosen  pursuit  in  that  state  until  1S71, 
when  he  came  to  Decatur.  Here  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  agricultural  works  for  some 
time,  but  afterward  resumed  work  at  his 
trade,  which  he  followed  continuously  up  to 
the  time  of  his  demise. 

Mr.  Abbott  was  married  in  Rockford,  Illi- 
nois, the  lady  of  his  choice  being  JMiss 
Louisa  ^1.  Cooling,  a  native  of  England, 
and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann  Cooling. 
They  came  to  .America  in  an  early  day  and 
settled  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  farming  and  where  both 
he  and  his  wife  eventually  passed  away. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Abbott  became  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  of  whom  three  are  now 
living,  as  follows :  Hattic,  the  wife  of  Will- 
iam Brauchcr,  of  Dan\illc,  Illinois;  Charles 
J.,  who  married  Lulu  Curry  and  is  a  painter 
in  Decatur;  and  .Myrtle,  who  is  residing  at 
home  with  her  mother. 

In  early  life  .Mr.  .Abbott  voted  with  the 
Republican  party,  but  later  held  himself 
free  from  all  party  tics  and  cast  his  ballot  for 
the  candidates  whom  he  regarded  as  best 
qualified  for  office.  He  was  a  hard  working 
man  and  became  skilled  in  his  chosen  pur- 
suit, so  that  he  was  always  enabled  to  com- 
mand good  wages  at  his  trade  and  thus  he 
left  his  family  in  very  comfortable  circum- 
stances. His  wife  owns  the  property  at 
No.  1048  North  Monroe  street,  where  she 
and  her  daughter  reside. 


JOHN   BARRON. 
In  a  history  of  those  who  were  once  ac- 
tive in  the  business  life  of  Decatur  mention 
should   be  made  of  John    Barron,   now   de- 


ceased, who  was  a  real  estate  and  loan 
agent  here.  His  business  grew  to  e.\tensive 
and  important  proportions  and  he  was  wide- 
ly and  favorably  known  as  a  representative 
of  the  trade  relations  of  the  city.  He 
claimed  \"ermont  as  the  state  of  his  nativity, 
his  birth  having  there  occurred  in  the  city 
of  Burlington,  2^1arch  21,  i860.  His  parents 
were  Patrick  and  Julia  Barron,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Vermont  and  they 
always  made  their  home  near  Burlington, 
■where  the  father  followed  the  occupation  of 
farming.  There  both  the  father  and  mother 
passed  away.  One  of  their  sons,  however, 
is  still  a  resident  of  Vermont,  being  now  a 
priest  of  the  Catholic  church  in  Bennington. 
.A  sister,  Mrs.  John  Fitzgerald,  resides  in 
Troy,  New  York. 

Julin  Barron  attended  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  county  to  some  extent,  but  his 
educational  privileges  were  limited.  .At  the 
age  of  ten  years  he  left  home  and  went  to 
Lancaster,  Ohio,  where  he  began  work  as 
an  apprentice  to  the  blacksmith's  trade,  be- 
ing thus  employed  for  three  years.  From 
that  time  until  his  death  he  was  dependent 
entirely  upon  his  own  efforts  and  deserved 
great  credit  for  what  he  accomplished  and 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  he  came  to  Ma- 
con county,  Illinois,  and  settled  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Warrensburg,  where  he  began  work 
at  his  trade.  Later  he  engaged  in  black- 
smithing  on  his  own  account  and  secured  a 
good  patronage  because  of  his  excellent 
workmanship,  liis  honorable  business 
methods  and  his  earnest  desire  to  please  his 
customers.  While  living  in  Warrensburg 
he  likewise  filled  the  office  of  postmaster 
for  three  years  and  was  recognized  as  a 
leading  and  influential  citizen  there.  In  1897 
he  renioved  to  the  city  of  Decatur  and  be- 
came identified  with  its  business  affairs  as 
a  real  estate  and  loan  agent,  his  office  be- 
ing located  at  No.  123  East  Main  street  in 
connection  with  James  O'AIara,  an  attorney. 
He    handled    much    valuable    proijcrty    and 


014 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


negotiated  many  important  realty  transfers ; 
also  placed  many  loans  and  as  a  representa- 
tive of  this  line  of  business  had  a  large 
clientage. 

On  January  i,  1900,  Mr.  Barron  was  mar- 
ried in  Decatur  to  JMiss  Mollie  Holland,  a 
native  of  this  city  and  a  daughter  of  John 
M.  and  Margaret  (White)  Holland,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Ireland,  whence 
they  came  to  America  at  an  early  day,  mak- 
ing their  way  at  once  to  Decatur.  They 
were  among  the  early  settlers  here  and  Mr. 
Holland  worked  as  a  common  laborer  in 
Decatur  until  1901,  when  he  removed  to 
Pueblo,  Colorado,  and  retired  from  business 
life.  Both  he  and  his  wife  still  reside  in 
this  city.  Two  children  were  born  unto  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Barron:  ^\"ilIie  Andrew,  born  June 
22,  1901  ;  and  Julia,  born  Januarv  i,  1903. 

The  business  career  of  Mr.  Barron  was 
one  which  gained  him  deep  and  sincere  ad- 
miration from  all  who  were  familiar  with 
his  honorable  record.  Starting  out  in  life 
for  himself  at  the  tender  age  of  ten  years, 
mastering  his  trade  and  then  following  it 
for  a  long  period,  he  made  his  course  such 
a  one  as  was  worthy  of  the  highest  respect. 
In  public  affairs  he  was  prominent  and 
while  in  Warrensburg  he  held  the  ofifice  of 
constable  and  collector  for  several  years. 
He  was  also  postmaster  at  that  place  for 
three  years  and  was  assistant  supervisor  of 
Decatur  for  some  time.  He  exercised  his 
right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  Repub- 
■  lican  party  and  always  kept  well  informed 
on  the  issues  of  the  day,  thus  being  able 
to  give  intelligent  support  to  the  principles 
which  he  advocated.  He  was  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  Decatur  Council,  No.  577,  Knights 
of  Columbus,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church  of 
this  city.  In  manner  he  was  genial  and  cor- 
dial and  he  gained  man)-  friends.  He  passed 
away  December  28,  1902,  and  that  he  was 
a  popular  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  was 
shown  bv  the  fact  that  his  was  one  of  the 


largest  funerals  ever  held  in  the  city,  hun- 
dreds gathering  to  pay  their  last  tribute 
of  respect  to  one  whom  they  had  known 
and  honored.  Mrs.  Barron  owns  a  nice  new 
residence  at  No.  940  North  Edward  street, 
in  which  she  is  now  living,  and  she  also  has 
other  valuable  property  interests  in  De- 
catur. 


LEVANT  B.  C.  LEFFINGWELL. 

Levant  B.  C.  Leiifingwell  is  now  engaged 
in  dealing  in  oil  in  Decatur.  There  are 
many  points  in  his  business  career  which 
show  him  to  be  an  honorable,  upright  man 
and  while  he  has  encountered  diilficulties 
anil  hardships  he  has  always  maintained  a 
reputation  which  proves  the  truth  of  the 
old  adage  that  a  good  name  is  rather  to  be 
chosen  than  great  riches.  He  is  to-day, 
however,  meeting  with  a  fair  degree  of  suc- 
cess and  year  l)y  year  his  prosperity  is  in- 
creasing. 

Mr.  Leffingwell  was  born  in  Wheeler 
township,  Steuben  county.  New  York,  Jan- 
uary 16,  1830,  a  son  of  Jonathan  and  Han- 
nah (Avery)  Leffingwell, of  New  York.  The 
paternal  grandfather  also  bore  the  name  of 
Jonathan  Leffingwell  and  was  a  native  of 
Massachusetts.  The  maternal  grandfather 
was  Temperance  Avery,  and  he,  too,  was 
born  in  New  England.  Jonathan  Leffing- 
well, Jr.,  died  when  but  fifty  years  of  age, 
his  son  Levant  being  then  a  youth  of  eleven 
years.  He  had  always  followed  farming 
and  upon  the  old  homestead  reared  his 
family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  four  are 
now  living,  namely :  .\rtemas,  Levant, 
Ruth  Cordelia  and  Hannah  Jane.  Those  de- 
ceased are  .\maiula.  Jonathan  .\very.  Lem- 
uel and   Leander. 

Levant  B.  C.  Leffingwell,  who  was  the 
fifth  in  ortler  of  birth,  accompanied  his  pa- 
rents on  their  removal  from  the  Empire 
slate  to  Indiana  during  his  earlv  boyhood 
and   there  he  was  reared.     His  advantasres 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


(315 


for  securing  an  education  in  early  life  were 
limited,  however,  for  he  was  able  to  attend 
school  only  during  three  months  of  the  win- 
ter season.  He  managed  to  acquire  a 
knowledge  sufficient,  however,  to  enable 
him  to  teach  school  and  he  entered  upon 
tliat  profej^sion  when  twenty  years  of  age, 
following  it  for  five  winters  in  the  country 
district.  During  three  winter  seasons  he 
was  a  teacher  in  Macon  county.  lie  ar- 
rived here  in  1856  and  engaged  in  farming 
in  connection  with  his  educational  work. 
In  1861,  however,  he  returned  to  Indiana, 
where  he  spent  four  years.  In  1865  he  came 
once  more  to  Decatur,  where  he  established 
a  grocery  store,  conducting  this  with  a  fair 
measure  of  success  until  1873.  He  then  be- 
came a  factor  in  business  circles  of  Indian- 
apolis. Indiana,  engaging  in  the  wholesale 
paper  trade.  The  following  year  he  came 
once  more  to  Decatur  and  again  opened  a 
grocery  store,  but  about  this  time  he  met 
with  financial  reverses,  and  thinking  to  re- 
cover his  losses  he  removed  to  Kansas  in 
December,  1877,  and  homesteaded  a  claim. 
There  he  began  life  anew,  but  drought  and 
failure  of  crops  again  brought  gloom  and 
disappointment.  However,  he  did  not  to- 
tally lose  his  courage,  but  with  a  brave 
heart  started  again.  Returning  to  Decatur 
in  July,  1880,  he  engaged  in  the  restaurant 
business,  putting  forth  every  efifort  to  make 
the  enterprise  a  j)rofitable  one  with  the  firm 
determination  that  he  would  ])ay  ofif  all  of 
his  creditors.  This  honorable  course  he 
continued  in  and  in  four  years  he  had  paid 
off  dollar  for  dollar.  His  business  industry 
has  since  won  him  a  fair  measure  of  success. 
In  1884  he  removed  to  I'lorida,  where  he 
spent  one  year,  and  then,  returning  to  De-' 
catur,  he  again  engaged  in  the  grocery 
trade.  In  1887  he  began  dealing  in  oil, 
which  business  he  sold  in  1893,  removing 
then  to  California  on  account  of  the  health 
of  his  daughter,  .Maude,  .'^hc  was  not  ben- 
efited as  they  had  hoped,  but  ilit-d  in    Indi- 


ana in  1895,  and  Mr.  Leffingwell  then  re- 
turned to  Decatur,  where  he  became  an 
oil  dealer,  and  his  attention  is  still  devoted 
to  that  pursuit. 

t>n  the  24lh  of  August.  1854,  Mr.  Leffing- 
well was  united  in  marriage  to  Esther  Ann 
Sutton,  who  was  killed  by  a  run-away  team 
on  the  i8th  of  April,  1888.  She  left  two 
children:  Maude,  now  deceased;  and  San- 
ford,  who  is  living  in  California.  On  the 
iSlh  of  August,  1901,  Mr.  Leffingwell  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  being  with 
.'\manda  Seilegg,  of  Decatur.  .Mr.  Leffing- 
well and  his  wife  have  many  friends  in  this 
citv.  A  man  of  strung  individualitx'  and 
indubitable  probit}',  he  has  attained  a  fair 
measure  of  success  in  the  affairs  of  life,  al- 
though he  has  encountered  hardships  and 
difficulties  in  his  career.  He  is  a  man  of 
genial  and  social  nature  and  one  who  is 
honored  and  respectetl  by  all  those  who 
know  him. 


FRANCIS  STEWART. 

Francis  Stewart  was  for  many  years  iden- 
tified with  farming  interests  in  central  Illi- 
nois, and  his  acti\'ity  in  business  and  his 
trustworthiness  in  all  trade  transactions 
made  him  avalucd  representative  of  agricul- 
tural life  here.  .\  native  of  the  Emerald 
Isle,  his  birth  occurred  in  County  Down, 
March  24,  1837,  and  he  was  the  youngest  of 
the  seven  children  of  James  and  Dorothea 
(Brown)  .Stewart,  who  were  also  born  in 
CountyDown,but  were  of  Scotch  descent. 
The  father  was  a  miller  by  trade  and  owned 
a  mill  in  his  native  country,  where  he  and  his 
wife  spent  their  entire  lives, the  father  pass- 
ing away  in  middle  life  and  the  mother  at  an 
advanced  age.  In  the  family  are  two  sis- 
ters who  are  yet  alive  in  Ireland — Mrs. 
Isabella  IJrown.  a  widow,  in  Belfast;  and 
Martha  Stewart,  who  is  living  in  Killalcigh, 
County  Down. 

Francis  Stewart  is   the  onlv   member    of 


c.ic 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  family  that  came  to  America.  He  was 
eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  left  home 
and  went  to  Glasgow,  Scotland,  where  he 
worked  in  a  foundry  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  came  to  America  in  1857,  at- 
tracted by  the  business  opportunities  of  the 
new  world.  He  settled  in  Livingston 
county,  New  York,  fift}'  miles  east  of  Buf- 
falo, where  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  for 
three  years,  or  until  i860,  when  he  came 
to  Illinois  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  land 
in  Christian  county,  to  which  he  afterward 
added  two  hundred  acres,  thus  making  a 
v-aluable  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres,  which  he  owned  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  In  his  farm  work  he  was  prac- 
tical, enterprising  and  resolute,  and  his 
labors  made  his  fields  very  productive  and 
his  work  profitable.  He  had  had  but  lim- 
ited educational  privileges  in  his  native 
land  but  by  experience  and  obeservation 
he  added  greatly  to  his  knowledge  and  be- 
came a  well  informed  man. 

On  the  26th  of  October,  1861,  Air.  Stew- 
art was  married  to  Miss  Isabella  Irvin,  at 
Mount  Auburn,  Christian  county.  She  was 
a  daughter  of  James  and  Margaret  (Corri- 
gill)  Irvin,  natives  of  Scotland,  born  on 
the  island  of  Pomona — "the  goddess  of 
flowers."  Mrs.  Stewart  was  born  there  and 
well  remembers  the  beautiful  island.  Her 
father  was  a  farmer  there.  She  had  an 
uncle  who  was  pressed  into  military  service 
to  assist  the  allied  armies  fighting  against 
Napoleon  and  as  he  was  never  heard  from 
again  it  is  supposed  that  he  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Waterloo.  jNIrs.  Stewart  also 
remembers  when  church  differences  caused 
many  of  the  Presbyterians  to  withdraw 
from  their  church  under  the  name  of  Dis- 
senters. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stewart  were  born 
six  children :  James  married  Agnes  Carr, 
a  native  of  Canada,  and  they  had  two  chil- 
dren, but  both  are  now  deceased.  Dorothea 
and  .Maggie  were  twins  and  the  latter  died 


in  infancy,  while  the  former  died  July  30, 
1895,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  Belle 
is  the  wife  of  William  Black,  living  north 
of  Blue  Mound.  William  married  Nellie 
Armstrong,  of  Blue  Mound,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Golda  B.,  born  July  i,  1897. 
Charles,  who  is  now  superintendent  of  the 
schools  of  Elwood,  Illinois^  waS  a  member 
of  Battery  D,  Sixth  United  States  Artillery, 
in  the  Philippines  and  returned  home  with 
health  greatly  impaired. 

Mr.  Stewart  was  a  volunteer  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fifty-second  Illinois  Infantry, 
and  served  until  the  end  of  the  Civil  war, 
proving  a  valiant  defender  of  the  Union 
cause.  In  times  of  peace  he  was  equally 
loyal  to  the  nation  and  ever  had  a  deep  and 
sincere  love  for  the  stars  and  stripes.  His 
political  support  was  given  the  Republican 
party  and  he  held  the  office  of  school  di- 
rector. A  Royal  Arch  Mason,  he  first  held 
membership  in  Grove  City  Lodge,  F.  &  A. 
AI.,  and  on  his  removal  to  Blue  Mound  he 
joined  Blue  Mound  Lodge,  No.  682,  of 
whicli  he  was  an  exemplary  representative 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  His  church 
relationship  was  with  the  Presbyterian  de- 
nomination, while  his  wife  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  church.  He  lived 
true  to  the  principles  in  which  he  believed 
and  at  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Blue 
Mound,  July  14,  1900,  his  remains  being 
interred  in  Waltz  cemetery,  his  loss  was 
deeply  felt  by  many  friends.  He  came  to 
this  county  a  young  man  with  verj^  limited 
capital  and  in  an  honorable  business  career 
he  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  so  that 
he  left  to  his  family  a  comfortable  com- 
petence as  well  as  an  untarnished  name. 


ANDREW  J.  THOMPSON. 

For   many  years    a    resident    of    Alacon 

county,    .Andrew   J.    Thompson     was     well 

known  because  of  his  activity  in  business 

life   and   his   devotion   to    manly   principles. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


617 


He  followed  farming  during  the  early  years 
of  his  residence  here,  but  afterward  became 
connected  with  industrial  and  commercial 
interests  of  the  city  of  Decatur,  and  his  last 
years  were  spent  in  an  honorable  and  well 
earned  retirement  from  labor. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  a  native  of  the  Em- 
pire state,  his  birth  having  occurred  near 
Rochester,  New  York,  on  the  4th  of  June, 
1834.  His  parents  were  James  C.  and  Me- 
hitable  (Gould)  Thompson,  also  natives  of 
New  York,  where  they  remained  until  their 
removal  to  the  west  at  an  early  epoch  in 
the  settlement  and  development  of  Illinois. 
They  took  up  their  abode  in  McHenry 
county,  this  state,  and  upon  the  farm  which 
the  father  cultivated  and  improved  there 
they  spent  their  remaining  days. 

Andrew  J.  Thompson  was  but  a  boy  at 
the  time  of  the  removal  of  the  family  to  the 
west,  and  his  education,  which  was  begun 
in  the  public  schools  of  New  York,  was 
continued  in  the  schools  of  McHenry  county 
and  in  a  college  in  Chicago,  in  which  he 
was  graduated.  Through  the  periods  of  va- 
cation and  after  completing  his  college 
course,  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  opera- 
tion of  the  home  farm,  and  while  there  he 
also  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He  re- 
mained in  McHenry  county  until  1859, 
when,  with  his  brother,  George  W.  Thomp- 
son, he  came  to  Macon  county.  The  latter 
engaged  in  farming  near  Warrensburg  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1899. 

Andrew  J.  Thompson  settled  upon  a  farm 
in  Hickory  Point  township  and  was  there 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  A. 
Allen,  who  became  a  most  faithful  and 
valued  companion  on  the  journey  of  life. 
She  was  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  Allen,  who  was  born  in  South 
Carolina  but  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  in  Tennessee,  devoting  his  energies  to 
farming  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
during  the  early  childhood  of  our  subject. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson  were  born 


four  children,  but  the  first  one  died  un- 
named. Allen  J.,  the  son,  married  Dora 
Green,  and  now  resides  in  St.  Louis,  where 
he  is  engaged  in  the  restaurant  business. 
Mina  is  now  the  wife  of  J.  L.  Hedrick,  who 
is  employed  as  a  finisher  in  the  Pullman 
car  shops  in  Chicago.  Eva,  the  youngest, 
died  at  the  age  of  eleven  years. 

After  his  marriage  .\ir.  Thompson  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship, where  he  remained  for  six  years,  and 
on  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  sold 
his  land  and  removed  to  Decatur,  where 
he  turned  his  attention  to  the  grain  bus- 
iness, which  he  followed  for  three  years. 
He  then  began  carpentering,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  many  years,  being  engaged  on  the 
construction  of  some  of  the  best  buildings 
in  the  cit}'.  He  also  traveled  for  the  Tait 
Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturers  of 
agricultural  implements.  He  traveled  for 
this  firm  and  also  other  manufacturers  of 
Decatur,  working  at  his  trade  with  them 
all  the  time  in  their  factories  located  at  dif- 
ferent places.  He  was  thus  connected  with 
carpentering  until  a  few  years  prior  to  his 
death,  when  he  put  aside  active  business 
cares  and  labors  and  enjoyed  a  well  earned 
rest  at  his  pleasant  home  in  Decatur  until 
called  to  his  final  rest.  On  the  13th  of  July, 
1903.  he  had  a  stroke  of  paralysis  and  passed 
away  the  following  day. 

Mr.  Thompson  always  took  an  active  in- 
terest in  politics  and  voted  with  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  of  Decatur  and  also  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  lodge,  while  his  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church.  She 
is  an  estimable  lady  whose  excellent  traits 
of  heart  and  mind  have  gained  her  many 
friends.  Mr.  Thompson  was  particularly 
well  known  in  Decatur  and  Macon  county, 
where  he  made  his  home  for  forty-four 
years.  He  made  it  his  aim  to  utilize  his 
time  to  the  best  advantage,  to  so  direct  his 
labors  as  to  bring  the  best  results  possible. 


618 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  he  accomplished  much  through  an  ac- 
tive aiul  reUable  business  career  that  won 
him  tlie  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  with 
whom  he  was  associated. 


WILLIAM  H.  BRAMBLE. 

Indelibly  engraved  on  the  pages  of  his- 
tory in  Illinois  is  the  name  of  William  H. 
Bramble.  Within  the  last  half  century 
America  has  demonstrated  her  right  to  the 
leadership  of  the  world  in  the  realm'  of  in- 
vention. She,  at  first,  by  the  brilliancy  of 
her  achievements  won  the  attention  of  the 
old  countries,  then  commanded  a  respect 
which  rapidly  developed  into  a  wondering 
admiration.  Though  she  cannot  cope  with 
the  old  masters  in  the  fine  arts,  Europe  has 
acknowledged  her  pre-eminence  in  science 
and  useful  invention.  She  has  given  to  the 
world  unexcelled  labor-saving  and  cost- 
reducing  machinery,  and  Mr.  Bramble  has 
contributed  to  this  reputation  of  the  Ihiited 
States  through  his  efiforts  along  the  lines  of 
invention.  It  was  said  by  an  eminent  Chi- 
cago divine  that  "There  is  nothing  extem- 
poraneous ;  everything  results  from  some 
previous  condition  or  labor."  This  truth  is 
especially  manifested  in  the  life  of  the  in- 
ventor. He  may  perfect  in  a  few  weeks  or 
perhaps  days  an  invention  of  good  worth, 
but  it  is  the  outgrowth  of  years  of  thought, 
study  and  experiment. 

Mr.  Bramble  is  now  widely  known  as  a 
pioneer  of  Macon  county,  as  a  prominent 
architect  and  contractor,  and  because  of  his 
inventive  power  is  known  as  the  "Western 
Genius."'  He  was  born  in  Piketon,  Pike 
county,  Ohio,  September  19,  1821,  being  the 
youngest  of  three  children,  the  others  being 
James,  who  died  in  early  childhood ;  and 
Rebecca,  who  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Ly- 
man, of  Chicago.  The  father,  Henry  Bram- 
ble, was  born  and  reared  in  Maryland,  and 
there  learned  the  stone-cutter's  trade.  When 


a  young  man  he  removed  to  Pike  coimty, 
Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  a 
time  and  then  devoted  a  number  of  years 
to  the  conduct  of  a  hotel  in  Chillicothe, 
Ohio.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Delphi, 
Indiana,  and  for  some  time  he  engaged  in 
merchandising.  His  next  venture  was  in 
farming  and  in  connection  with  his  son-in- 
law  he  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  near 
Lafayette,  Indiana,  but  after  several  years 
he  sold  his  interest  in  this  property  and 
purchased  land  elsewhere,  making  his  home 
on  the  latter  tract  until  after  his  son  was 
married.  He  then  went  to  live  with  his 
son-in-law.  Dr.  Lyman,  in  whose  home  he 
passed  away,  at  the  age  of  forty-six  years. 
His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Sarah  Turner,  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
died  in  Chillicothe,  that  state,  when  her 
son   William   was   a   young   lad. 

William  Bramble  spent  his  early  life  in 
his  father's  hotel  and  store.  He  attended 
school  until  about  sixteen  years  of  age  and 
then  went  upon  his  father's  farm,  but  he 
possessed  natural  inventive  genius  and  his 
gift  in  this  direction  was  shown  in  earl)' 
boyhood.  While  working  in  the  fields  he 
would  think  of  some  improvement  that 
might  be  made  in  farm  implements  and 
would  immediately  set  to  work  to  embody 
his  idea  in  material  form,  perchance  to  the 
detriment  of  the  field  he  was  weeding. 
When  but  fifteen  years  old  he  invented  a 
corn  planter  and  about  the  time  he  attained 
his  majority  when  lying  in  bed  one  night  he 
suddenly  conceived  the  idea  of  making  a 
grain  scale  that  would  receive,  weigh  and 
discharge  the  grain  and  add  up  the  amount. 
This  idea  took  complete  possession  of  him, 
but  it  required  eleven  years  for  him  to  bring" 
his  ideas  and  the  scale  to  perfection.  In 
order  to  carry  out  his  experiments  he  sold 
his  farm  and  erected  a  hotel  near  Lafayette, 
Indiana,  building  a  little  workshop  nearby. 
There  he  spent  many  hours  every  daytrying- 
to   perfect   the   grain   scale.    His   mind  was 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


619 


coinplcloly  absorbed  in  ihc  project  and  the 
money  he  received  from  the  sale  of  his 
farm  was  soon  spent.  People  of  the  neigh- 
borhood almost  believed  that  he  had  lost 
his  reason,  so  complclcly  lUd  he  devote  him- 
seh'  to  his  invention,  bnl  after  eleven  years 
of  iiard  and  self-denying  labor  his  work 
was  completed.  Going  to  Washington  he 
received  a  patent  and  on  his  retnrn  he  be- 
gan the  sale  of  the  antomatic  grain  scale. 
One  of  his  sales  amounted  to  eighty  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  success  of  the  invention 
was  astonishing  after  a  brief  period.  A 
machine  w.is  placed  on  exhibition  at  Lafay- 
ette which  received  and  measured  the  grain, 
gave  the  number  of  bushels  and  calculated 
the  amount  which  it  might  bring  at  the 
current  price.  From  the  receipts  of  his 
sales  Mr.  Bramble  erected  a  large  hotel  in 
Lafayette,  Indiana,  which  still  bears  his 
name. 

There  were,  however,  some  difficulties  to 
be  overcome  and  hardships  to  be  endured 
before  he  reaped  the  full  reward  of  his 
labors.  He  sold  his  patent  from  a  model, 
bnl  when  the  purchaser  came  to  put  it  in 
use  it  was  worthless,  so  his  property  was 
returned  and  he  handed  back  the  money. 
He  then  borrowed  money  to  improve  this 
machine  and  after  six  months  he  went  to 
Cincinnati,  where  he  remodeled  and  per- 
fected his  invention.  While  there  he  re- 
ceived a  gold  medal  upon  it,  also  one  in 
Baltimore  and  a  third  at  the  W^orld"s  Fair 
in  New  York.  The  scale  being  completed, 
Mr.  Bramble  admitted  a  partner  to  the  bus- 
iness and  opened  an  office  in  Cincinnati, 
where  lie  began  the  sale  of  his  machine. 
He  sold  it  to  the  extent  of  about  ten  thous- 
sand  dollars,  but  through  the  rascality  of 
his  partner  he  lost  all  that  he  had  made, 
retaining  only  about  twenty-five  hundred 
acres  of  wild  land  near  Council  Bluffs, 
Iowa.  The  machine  he  exhibited  in  every 
state  of  the  Union  and  received  premiums 
at  hundreds   of  places,   including  the   Ohio 


state  fair  in  J855  and  the  New  York  state 
fair  in  the  same  year.  He  also  won  a  gold 
medal  at  Baltimore  and  at  the  New  York 
American  Institute.  He  won  a  special 
gold  nu-dal,  a  silver  medal  and  the  first 
diploma  at  the  fourteenth  annual  exhibition 
of  the  Ohio  Mechanics  Institute  and  also 
gained  another  special  lucdal,  and  all  of 
these  he  now  has  in  his  possession. 

In  the  spring  of  1857  Mr.  Bramble  took 
his  family  and  household  goods  to  Iowa, 
jjroceeding  by  boat  from  St.  Louis  to  his 
possessions  near  Council  Bluffs.  He  found 
the  country,  however,  wild  and  unsettled, 
being  inhabited  much  more  largely  by  Indi- 
ans than  white  men,  and  not  caring  to  make 
that  district  a  place  of  residence  he  re- 
turned to  St.  Louis  with  the  intention  of 
making  his  way  to  Springfield,  Ohio.  Com- 
ing, however,  to  Decatur  he  decided  to 
locate  in  this  city,  feeling  that  it  had  a 
promising  future  before  it.  He  first  pur- 
chased an  acre  of  land  of  the  late  Orlando 
Powers,  and  thereon  built  a  brick  house, 
which  he  afterward  sold  for  eight  thousand 
dollars.  He  then  purchased  six  and  a  half 
acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  has  since  built 
twenty  dwellings,  some  of  which  he  has 
sold  at  different  times.  He  now  owns  a 
dozen  or  more  residences  in  Decatur,  all 
in  two  blocks.  He  has  likewise  done  con- 
siderable contracting  and  building  in  this 
city  fcjllowing  the  erection  o{  his  first  brick 
house. 

His  inventive  genius,  however, has  largely 
been  the  controlling  influence  of  his  life. 
Not  content  to  engage  in  the  usual  routine 
of  business  affairs  his  genius  at  one  time 
found  expression  in  an  improved  bedstead 
known  as  Bramble's  Spring  Rockaway  bed. 
This  proved  successful  and  met  with  an  ex- 
tensive sale,  and  many  of  the  beds  are  still 
used.  One  of  his  most  important  inven- 
tions, however,  is  the  Yale  Postoffice  Lock 
Bo.x,  which  is  now  in  hundreds  of  towns 
throughout    America    and    Euro])e.      He   re- 


620 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ceives  a  royalty  on  every  box  sold  and  this 
affords  him  a  princely  income.  He  secured 
a  patent  on  this  box  in  1865  and  showed  the 
invention  to  the  postmaster  of  Boston  and 
he  agreed  to  adopt  the  box.  Trouble  con- 
cerning the  invention  followed,  for  the  Yale 
JManufacturing  Company  of  Stamford,  Con- 
necticut, adopted  his  ideas  and  began  man- 
ufacturing the  box  without  regard  for  Mr. 
Bramble's  patent.  A  long  contest  followed, 
but  at  length  the  United  States  courts  de- 
cided that  Mr.  Bramble  should  receive  a 
royalty  on  every  postoffice  box  manufac- 
tured. He  has  also  invented  a  padlock  that 
brings  him  a  large  income  and  he  is  the  in- 
ventor of  twenty-seven  different  styles  of 
locks.  A  manufactory  was  established  in 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  called  the  Bramble 
Lock  Compan3%  of  which  he  was  superin- 
tendent, and  from  its  manufactures  he  was 
to  receive  a  royalty,  but  this  company  went 
out  of  existence  after  several  months.  Air. 
Bramble  received  twelve  medals  on  his  in- 
ventions and  his  genius  places  him  among 
the  most  prominent  inventors  of  the  coun- 
try. 

In  politics  Mr.  Bramble  is  a  Republican 
and  has  been  deeply  and  actively  interested 
in  local  politics  in  Decatur.  He  has  served 
as  alderman  of  his  ward  for  forty-five  years 
and  for  a  long  time  he  was  the  only  man 
the  Republicans  re-elected.  He  has  high 
standing  with  the  laboring  classes  and  he 
has  been  an  extensive  employer  of  labor. 
All  who  have  worked  under  him  recognize 
his  fairness,  his  justice  and  his  regard  for 
those  who  serve  him.  He  has  taken  con- 
tracts for  railroad  work  and  graded  the 
line  between  Decatur  and  Monticello,  fin- 
ishing the  road  in  ninety  days.  Besides 
this  he  has  done  much  grading  of  residence 
lawns  and  a  few  years  ago  he  platted  an 
addition  to  Decatur,  covering  four  acres. 

Mr.  Bramble  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Anna  Slaback,  a  daughter  of  Levi  Slaback, 
of  Tippecanoe   countj^,   Indiana.     She   died 


in  December,  1900,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
nine  j'ears.  Three  children  were  born  unto 
them:  Estella  B.,  who  is  the  widow  of 
Alexander  Jenison ;  Edward  Gordon ;  and 
Oneis.  A  friend  of  all  educational,  social 
and  moral  interests  Mr.  Bramble  has  long 
been  recognized  as  a  progressive  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen  of  Decatur,  and,  though 
not  a  member  of  any  religious  denomina- 
tion, he  was  for  a  number  of  years  a  trus- 
tee of  the  Baptist  church  and  his  support, 
co-operation  and  helpfulness  have  never 
been  withheld  from  any  worthy  object.  He 
has  none  of  the  eccentricities  generally  at- 
tributed to  inventors,  and  when  not  in  his 
workshop,  engaged  with  his  experiments, 
he  has  always  been  found  as  a  man  genial 
and  affable,  a  gentleman  whose  pleasing 
manner  has  won  him  hosts  of  friends,  while 
his  achievements  along  the  line  of  inven- 
tion command  the  admiration  and  respect 
of  the  world.  He  has  now  passed  the 
eighty-second  mile-stone  on  life's  journey 
and  is  to-day  enjoying  the  fruits  of  his  toil 
and  the  honor  and  fame  which  he  has  so 
justl}'  won. 


SAAIUEL  WEAVER. 
A  resident  of  Macon  county  for  more 
than  half  a  cenutry,  Samuel  Weaver  is  one 
of  the  best  known  stockmen  in  Illinois,  and 
his  efforts  in  this  direction  have  aided  in 
gaining  for  the  state  its  reputation  as  a 
stock-growing  center  of  America.  He  owns 
altogether  twenty-two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  of  land  in  this  county,  his  home  farm 
comprising  seven  hundred  acres,  and  all 
is  under  cultivation.  He  resides  on  section 
22,  Hickory  Point  township,  and  while  num- 
bered among  the  most  successful  agricul- 
turists of  this  part  of  the  state  all  recognize 
the  fact  that  he  well  deserves  his  prosperity 
for  it  has  come  to  him  as  the  direct  result 
of  his  own  labors.  Since  seventeen  years  of 
age  he  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own 


JOHN  G.  KELLER 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


623 


resources  for  a  living  ami  his  advancement 
has  been  along  legitimate  business  lines. 

Mr.  Weaver  was  born  in  Lancaster 
county,  Pennsylvania,  in  October,  1824,  a 
son  of  Conrad  Weaver,  a  native  of  the  Key- 
stone state,  and  of  German  lineage. 
Throughout  his  entire  life  the  father  fol- 
lowed farming  and  his  labors  were  termin- 
ated in  death  in  the  year  1841.  His  widow, 
who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Rebecca 
Senseman,  survived  him  until  1862.  They 
were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  of  whom 
otir  subject  was  the  fourth  in  order  of 
birth. 

Samuel  Weaver  remained  at  home  until 
after  his  father's  death,  when  he  started  out 
to  make  his  own  way  in  tiie  world,  learning 
the  blacksmith's  trade  in  Carlisle,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
of  two  years,  receiving  nothing  but  his 
board  and  clothing  during  that  time.  He 
then  returned  to  the  farm  and  operated 
his  mother's  homestead  farm  for  six  years. 
In  1850  he  started  by  team  for  Illinois,  lo- 
cating in  Macon  county.  In  1850,  in  Penn- 
sylvania, he  had  married  Miss  Sarah  Sailer, 
and  their  life  in  the  west  was  begun  upon 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres, 
which  Mr.  Weaver  purchased  on  section 
16,  Hickor\-  Point  tow-nship.  It  was  raw 
prairie  and  he  turned  the  first  furrows 
there  and  planted  the  first  seed  upon  the 
virgin  soil.  For  fourteen  years  he  continued 
to  develop,  cultivate  and  improve  that 
place  and  then  removed  to  his  present 
home  on  section  22,  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship, where  he  has  seven  hundred  acres  of 
valuable  land.  As  his  financial  resources 
have  increased  he  has  added  to  his  property 
from  time  to  time  until  now  his  landed  pos- 
sessions in  Macon  county  aggregate  twenty- 
two  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  All  of  liis  land 
is  under  cultivation  and  in  addition  to  the 
production  of  the  cereals  best  adapted  to 
the  soil  and  climate  he  is  extensively  en- 
gaged in  the  raising  and  breeding  of  stock. 


He  has  about  one  hundred  head  of  cattle 
upon  his  place  and  also  good  grades  of 
horses.  His  business  in  this  line  has  been 
carried  on  so  extensively  and  successfully 
that  he  has  won  the  reputation  of  being 
one  of  the  most  j)rominent  stock-raisers  of 
Illinois.  He  is  an  excellent  judge  of  cattle, 
horses  and  hogs,  which  has  enabled  him  to 
purchase  judiciously  and  to  make  advan- 
tageous sales. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weaver  have  been 
born  fixe  children :  Alfred,  the  eldest,  re- 
sides upon  the  home  farm ;  Charles,  who 
married  Miss  Shirley,  is  a  farmer  and  lives 
upon  the  tract  of  land  on  which  his  pa- 
rents settled  more  than  a  half  century  ago; 
Nancy  is  the  wife  of  John  Keister,  of  Ma- 
roa,  Illinois,  a  well  known  farmer  of  this 
county;  Catherine  is  the  widow  of  Jacob 
Lehman,  and  resides  in  Hickory  Point 
township ;  and  Susan  is  the  wife  of  Asa 
Crossman. 

Air.  Weaver  has  served  as  commissioner 
of  highway,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired 
public  ofifice,  his  time  and  attention  being 
fully  taken  up  by  his  business  alifairs,  which 
are  extensive,  important  and  valuable.  His 
life  record  should  serve  to  inspire  and  en- 
courage others  who  have  to  start  out  for 
themselves  empty-handed,  for  it  has  been 
along  legitimate  business  lines  that  he  has 
won  his  splendid  prosperity,  so  that  he  is 
now  ranked  with  the  most  substantial  citi- 
zens of  Macon  county,  and  is  held  in  the 
highest  honor  and  esteem. 


JOHN  G.  KELLER.' 
John  G.  Keller  was  born  near  Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1853,  and  at  the  age  of  four 
was  brought  to  central  Illinois,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  He  is  the  oldest  of  a  family  of 
eight  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  His 
father,  Jacob  S.  Keller,  born  near  Middletown, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1828,  of  German  descent, 
was  married  to  Elizabeth  B.  Garver  in   1850. 


624 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


This  union  was  severed  by  the  father's  death, 
wliich  occurred  October  21,  1903,  making  fif- 
ty-three years  of  married  life,  during  fift_\- 
years  of  which  deatli  never  visited  the  imme- 
diate family.  The  father  was  one  of  the  early 
pioneers  of  central  Illinois;  sacrificing  his 
eastern  home  he  devoted  himself  to  the  devel- 
opment of  the  western  wilds  into  waving  fields 
of  golden  grain. 

Our  subject's  boyhood  days  were  spent  on 
the  farm,  following  the  plow  in  the  summer, 
and  attending  the  neighboring  school  in  the 
fall  and  winter.  After  availing  himself  of  the 
privileges  afforded  by  the  country  schools, 
he  attended  Westfield  College,  from  which 
he  holds  a  certificate  of  graduation. 

The  greater  part  of  his  life,  thus  far,  has 
been  devoted  to  educational  work,  ranging 
from  country  school  to  city  and  county  super- 
intendencies.  In  1894  he  was  elected  county 
superintendent  of  the  Macon  county  schools ; 
in  1898  he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  position, 
which  he  held  until  the  expiration  of  the  term 
December  i,  1902,  making  eight  successive 
years  of  public  service.  He  has  taken  an 
active  part  in  politics  as  well  as  in  education, 
serving  seven  years  as  chairman  of  his  home 
township,  and  two  years  as  chairman  of  the 
county  central  committee. 

In  August,  1890,  at  Argenta,  Illinois,  Mr. 
Keller  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mollie  B. 
Wikoff,  who  is  a  descendant  of  the  Burns  fam- 
ily, of  which  Robert  Burns  was  a  member, 
and  has  for  the  last  nine  years  been  a  resident 
of  Decatur,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Keller  is  a  member  of  the  following 
lodges :  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ; 
lodge  No.  Ill  of  the  Order  of  Eastern  Star 
of  Decatur;'  lodge  of  Modern  Woodmen  of 
Argenta ;  and  of  the  Benevolent  Protective 
Order  of  Elks,  Decatur  Lodge,  No.  401. 


JAMES   E.   BROWN. 
James  E.  Brown  is  one  of  Macon  county's 
native  sons  and  a  representative  of  an  old  and 
honored   familv   of  this   section  of  the  state, 


whose  identification  with  the  history  of  this 
country  dates  from  an  early  period  in  its  de- 
velopment. He  was  born  in  Illini  township  on 
the  2 1  St  of  November,  1868,  and  is  a  son  of 
Amos  and  Abbie  A.  (Brown)  Brown,  natives 
of  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts,  re- 
spectively. The  father  was  born  in  Kensing- 
ton, March  9,  1843,  his  parents  being  Stephen 
and  Dollie  (  Batchelder  )  Brown.  The  latter 's 
fath.er,  David  Batchelder,  was  a  deacon  in  the 
Congregational  church  at  Hampton  Falls, 
New  Hampshire,  having  succeeded  his  father 
and  grandfather  in  that  office.  Our  subject's 
paternal  grandfather,  Stephen  Brown,  was  a 
very  prominent  and  influential  man  in  his  com- 
munity and  was  called  upon  to  represent  his 
town  in  the  state  legislature.  He  was  born 
February  4,  1817,  and  died  July  7,  1900.  In 
his  family  were  ten  children,  of  whom  Amos 
is  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  The  latter  is 
the  father  of  six  children,  four  sons  and  two 
daughters,  nameh' :  James  E.,  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  sketch ;  John  A.,  who  married 
Mabel  C.  Ingham  and  is  living  in  Illini  town- 
ship ;  Alice  M.  and  ]\Iay  Helen,  both  at  home 
with  their  parents ;  .\rthur,  who  was  born 
September  14,  1884,  and  died  in  the  following 
November ;  and  a  son,  who  was  born  October 
28.  1885,  and  died  the  same  day. 

James  E.  Brown  secured  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  Illini  township 
and  later  took  a  general  course  at  the  normal 
school  at  \'alparaiso,  Indiana,  in  1889  and 
1890.  He  began  earning  his  own  livelihood 
by  working  on  a  farm  at  eighteen  dollars  per 
month  and  has  since  devoted  his  time  and 
energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  with  good 
results.  He  commenced  farming  for  himself 
in  1891  upon  the  Taylor  farm  on  section  30, 
Illini  township,  where  he  remained  two  years, 
removing  to  his  present  farm  on  the  same  sec- 
tion in  the  fall  of  1893.  He  is  now  the  owner 
of  one  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  of  land  which 
he  has  placetl  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  well  improved,  making  it  one  of  the  model 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


6:^5 


farms  of  the  locality.  He  feeds  about  two  car- 
loads of  cattle  for  market  each  year  and  a 
half  a  carload  of  hogs,  and  he  also  owns  and 
operates  a  threshing  machine  and  corn-sheller. 
He  is  a  very  industrious,  energetic  man  and 
the  success  that  he  has  achieved  is  certainly 
well  merited. 

On  the  1 2th  of  January,  1892,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Brown  and  Miss 
Katharine  M.  Batchelder,  a  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel E.  and  Sarah  M.  (Clark)  P>atchelder.  Her 
paternal  grandfather  was  Nathaniel  Batch- 
elder,  a  son  of  Elisha  Batchelder  and  grand- 
son of  David  Batchelder,  who  was  torn  Janu- 
ary 13,  1736.  Her  father,  Samuel  E.  Batch- 
elder,  was  born  in  Pittsfield,  New  Hampshire, 
February  24,  1828,  and  died  in  lllini  township, 
this  county,  July  3,  1893,  his  remains  being 
interred  in  the  lllini  cemetery.  He  inherited 
the  old  homestead  in  New  Hampshire,  which 
he  sold  and  removed  here  about  i860,  becom- 
ing one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  community. 
He  was  a  deacon  in  the  lllini  Congregational 
church,  which  was  organized  in  1868  and  is 
one  of  the  few  churches  of  that  denomination 
in  Illinois  that  has  never  received  any  aid  in 
building  the  house  of  worship  and  in  suport- 
ing  its  ministers.  Mrs.  Brown  is  the  youngest 
in  a  family  of  four  children,  the  others  being 
Augusta,  wife  of  William  T.  Eaton;  Abby 
Whitehouse,  who  was  horn  June  8,  1858,  and 
died  October  22,  1893;  and  John  Clark,  who 
married  Susan  L.  Harper.  Our  subject  and 
his  wife  have  an  interesting  family  of  si.x 
children,  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth  are 
as  follows :  Avis  Marilla,  .\pril  24.  1893 ; 
Mildred,  August  27,  1894:  Kathleen  .•\ugusta, 
December  26,  1895:  Baxter  Batchelder,  Janu- 
ary 18.  1898;  Helen  .\bigail.  December  13, 
1899;    and  Theodore,  June  28,  1902. 

Mr.  Brown  is  an  ardent  Republican  in  poli- 
tics and  for  two  years  has  filled  the  office  of 
road  commissioner.  P)Oth  he  and  his  wife  are 
active  and  consistent  members  of  the  Congre- 


gational church  of  lllini  and  are  people  of 
prominence  in  the  locality  where  they  reside, 
their  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  being 
extensive. 


JESSE    E.    YOHE. 

Jesse  E.  Yohe,  a  well-known  jewelry  mer- 
chant of  Decatur,  has  resided  in  this  city  for 
the  past  fifteen  years.  He  was  born  in  Mon- 
ongahela,  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  John  S.  and 
.\manda  .S.  Yohe.  The  father  was  a  carriage 
manufacturer  and  in  the  year  1880  he  left 
Pennsylvania  and  removed  with  his  family  to 
Mount  Vernon,  t)hio,  where  he  remained  for 
seven  years  and  then  came  to  Illinois,  the  fam- 
ily home  IxMng  established  in  Shelbyville, 
Shelby  county.  The  father  again  engaged  in 
carriage  manufacturing,  but  later  turned  his 
attention  to  agricidtural  pursuits,  conducting 
a  farm  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Yohe  of  this  review  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  Ohio  and  to  Il- 
linois. He  pursued  his  education  in  Mount 
Vernon,  Ohio,  and  after  his  father  began 
fanning  he  assisted  him  in  the  cultivation  of 
fields  and  meadows  on  the  home  place  in 
southern  Illinois.  In  1901  the  family  re- 
moved to  Macon  county  and  here  the  father 
again  engaged  in  farming.  He  is  still  living 
in  this  county.  L'nto  him  and  his  wife  were 
born  ten  children,  four  sons  and  si.x  daughters, 
all  of  whom  yet  survive  with  one  exception. 

It  was  in  the  year  1889  that  Jesse  E.  Yohe 
arrived  in  Decatur.  He  was  then  quite  young 
and  he  entered  the  service  of  H.  Post  as  an 
errand  boy,  but  his  ability,  faithful  perform- 
ance of  his  (hities  and  close  adherence  to  his 
work  gradually  won  him  advancement  and 
that  he  enjoyed  the  uncjualified  confidence  and 
trust  of  his  employers  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  he  remained  for  fourteen  years  in  the 
services  of  H.  Post  &  Son,  learning  the  watch- 
maker's and  jeweler's  trade  during  that  time 
and  becoming  an  efficient  workman.  In 
March,  1903,  he  resigned  his  position  and  pur- 


626 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


chased  of  E.  J.  Harpstrite  the  jewelry  store 
located  at  No.  146  East  Prairie  avenue.  This 
he  is  now  conducting  and  it  is  recognized  as 
one  of  the  best  jewelry  stores  in  this  part  of 
the  state. 

Mr.  Yohe  is  a  member  of  Macon  Lodge  No. 
8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  also  belongs  to  En  Ami 
Lodge  No.  593,  K.  P.,  and  to  the  Modern 
Woodmen  Camp,  No.  1626.  Socially  he  is 
connected  with  the  Iroquois  Club,  of  this  city. 
He  is  one  of  the  popular  and  prominent  busi- 
ness men  of  Decatur  and  his  establishment  is 
well  conducted,  he  handling  a  large  line  of 
fine  jewelry  goods,  which  in  its  attractive  ar- 
rangements wins  the  attention  of  the  public 
and  secures  a  liberal  share  of  the  general  pa- 
tronage. Mr.  Yohe  is  genial  in  manner  and 
his  unfailing  courtesy  and  deference  for  the 
opinions  of  others  have  won  him  the  high  re- 
gard of  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor. 


CYRUS  M.  LMBODEN. 
Cyrus  M.  Lnboden,  who  has  longer  been 
connected  with  the  butchering  business  than 
any  other  representative  of  the  trade  in  De- 
catur, was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1845. 
His  father,  John  Lnboden,  was  a  native  of 
Lebanon  county,  that  state,  and  on  the  22d  of 
November,  1855,  arrived  in  Decatur,  where 
on  the  23d  of  December  of  the  same  year  he 
opened  a  meat  market.  He  did  his  own 
slaughtering  and  purchased  his  own  stock. 
The  new  enterprise  proved  profitable  and  he 
continued  to  engage  in  that  business  until  the 
1st  of  April,  1880,  when  he  retired  to  private 
life.  He  was  then  succeeded  by  his  sons, 
Cyrus  M.  and  John  G.,  and  the  new  firm  con- 
tinued in  the  trade  until  the  ist  of  October, 
1808,  when  Cyrus  M.  Lnboden  became  sole 
proprietor.  The  market  has  been  continued 
at  one  location  since  its  establishment  in  1835. 
The  father's  first  shop  was  in  a  small  frame 
building  twenty  by  thirty  feet  and  one  story 
in  height.     That  was  afterward  replaced  by  a 


brick  structure  of  the  same  size  and  early  in 
the  '60s  he  built  the  present  block  known  as 
the  Imboden  Block  at  the  corner  of  South 
Main  and  Wood  streets.  L  was  built  in  mod- 
ern style  and  thoroughly  equipped  for  the  pur- 
pose intended  and  in  the  new  building  Mr. 
Lnboden  gained  even  greater  success  than  he 
had  previously  enjoyed. 

While  in  Pennsylvania  John  Lnboden  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Sarah  Mark,  a  native  of 
Lebanon  county,  and  when  he  came  to  De- 
catur was  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  their 
four  children.  They  made  the  journey  west- 
ward by  way  of  Pittsburg,  Cleveland  and  Chi- 
cago and  eventually  reached  Macon  county. 
Air.  Imboden  never  sought  or  desired  office, 
preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  attention  to 
his  business  affairs  until  his  retirement  from 
active  business  life.  He  died  December  31, 
1899,  and  his  wife  passed  away  March  i, 
1894,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  In 
their  family  were  nine  children,  of  whom 
seven  are  living,  all  sons.  These  are  Cyrus  M., 
of  this  review ;  Adam  H.,  who  is  married  and 
is  a  traveling  salesman  of  Wichita,  Kansas ; 
Hiram,  who  is  married  and  is  living  in  Wich- 
ita ;  Miller,  who  is  married  and  conducts  a 
flouring  mill  in  Wichita ;  David  C,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  the  brokerage  business  in  Chicago; 
and  John  G.,  who  is  a  farmer  and  stock-dealer 
01  Macon  county,  carrying  on  business  on  an 
extensive  scale  and  acts  as  judge  of  cattle  in 
Chicago;  and  Frank  W.,  a  Methodist  min- 
ister, located  in  Kingman,  Kansas.  The  other 
members  of  the  family  died  in  infancy. 
The  father  was  president  of  the  board  of  trus- 
tees of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
for  many  years  and  took  a  very  active  part 
in  chtnxh  work. 

Cyrus  M.  Imboden  acquired  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  Decatur  and  after  putting 
aside  his  text-books  began  clerking  in  this 
city,  being  thus  engaged  with  several  large 
firms.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  en- 
listed in  Compan>'  F,  One  Hundred  and  Fif- 
teenth   Illinois    Infantry,    as   a    private   under 


ANDREW  SHOEMAKKR 


MRS    ANDREW  SHOEMAKER 


PAST  AX  I)  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


629 


Captain  F.  L.  liases  and  Colonel  Jesse  H. 
Moore,  lie  served  until  February  29,  1864, 
and  was  then  discharged  on  account  of  severe 
wounds  sustained  in  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
niauga  on  .September  19  and  20,  1863.  After 
his  return  from  the  war  he  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business  and  in  other  pursuits  in  con- 
nection with  his  brother  Adam  until  July  6, 
1870,  when  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm 
owning  a  meat  market  established  by  his 
father.  The  firm  name  was  then  changed  to 
Tmboden  &  Son  and  our  subject  has  since  con- 
tinued in  this  business,  conducting  the  market 
along  progressive  lines  and  keeping  thorough- 
ly in  touch  with  modern  ideas.  He  deals  in 
a  high  grade  of  meats  and  because  of  the  ex- 
cellent quality  of  his  goods  and  his  honorable 
business  methods  he  receives  a  large  and 
growing  patronage. 

On  the  9th  of  Augu.^l.  1870,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Imboden  and  Miss 
Clara  Allison,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  B.  A.  and 
Amanda  (Patrick)  Allison,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Indiana. 
Seven  children  were  born  of  this  union,  of 
whom  five  are  now  living:  Daisy  J.,  the  wife 
of  Ira  Fleming  of  Storm  Lake,  Iowa;  Sarah, 
who  is  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  De- 
catur ;  Charles  A.,  who  is  a  bookkeeper  in  the 
Millikin  Bank ;  Benjamin  A.,  who  holds  a 
similar  position ;  Susanna,  a  student  in  the 
high  school  of  Decatur;  and  two  that  died  in 
infancy.  The  family  residence  is  at  No.  236 
West  North  street. 

I'raternally  Mr.  Imboden  is  a  Mason,  be- 
longing to  the  blue  lodge  and  chapter  and  also 
to  Beaumanoir  Comniandery,  K.  T.  In  public 
affairs  he  has  been  prominent  and  influential 
and  in  the  '80s  he  served  for  two  terms  as 
assistant  supervisor.  He  has  always  taken  an 
active  part  in  politics  yet  has  never  sought 
office  for  himself,  preferring  that  his  friends 
should  have  the  honor  and  responsibilities  of 
public  office.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of 
the  First  r^Iethodist  Episcopal  church,  with 
which  he  has  been  identified  for  forty  years, 


having  joined  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  He  has 
long  served  as  one  of  its  officers  and  is  now 
a  member  of  its  board  of  stewards. 


ANDREW  SHOEMAKER. 

Andrew  Shoemaker  has  passed  the  sev- 
enty-thinl  mile-stone  on  life's  journey  and 
and  is  now  living  a  retired  life.  In  former 
years  he  was  a  well  known  contractor,  but 
now  a  rest  from  further  labor  has  been 
vouchsafed  to  him  as  the  reward  for  his 
activit\f  and  energy  in  earlier  years.  He  was 
born  in  Herkimer  county.  New  York,  No- 
vember 20,  1828,  a  son  of  John  S.  and  Lena 
(Piper)  Shoemaker,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  Empire  state.  In  their  family 
were  eight  children  and  four  of  the  brothers 
are   still    living   in    New    York. 

Mr.  Shoemaker  of  this  review  was  the 
third  in  order  of  birth  and  he  pursued  his 
education  in  his  native  county,  studying 
in  the  old  schoolhouse  which  stood  on  what 
was  known  as  Shoemaker  Hill.  Nearly  all 
of  the  pupils  in  that  school  bore  the  name 
of  Shoemaker,  as  the  family  was  a  numerous 
one  in  the  locality.  Our  subject  was  reared 
to  farm  life,  early  becoming  familiar  with 
the  labors  of  field  and  meadow  and  he  as- 
sisted in  the  cultivation  of  the  old  home- 
stead until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
.At  that  time  he  went  to  work  on  the  Hud- 
son River  Railroad  under  J.  B.  Moss,  as- 
sisting in  making  the  grade  for  that  road. 
He  acted  as  foreman  for  the  contractor  for 
a  number  of  years  and  in  this  capacity  was 
engaged  upon  the  construction  of  the  Erie 
canal,  being  foreman  of  a  crew  enlarging 
that  artificial  waterway. 

The  business  opportunities  of  the  west, 
of  which  he  heard  favorable  reports,  at- 
tracted him  to  Illinois  and  in  1852  he  came 
to  this  state.  Here  he  worked  under  J.  B. 
IVIoss,  the  contractor,  acting  as  his  foreman 
in  the  grading  of  the  Alton  Railroad.     Later 


630 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


he  returned  to  the  east,  remaining  three 
months,  and  on  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  again  came  to  Ilhnois  in  1854  and  took 
charge  of  the  raih'oad  work  on  the  Ilhnois 
Central  Railroad  extending  through  Cairo. 
With  railroad  building  he  was  long  actively 
identified  as  a  contractor  and  has  taken  and 
executed  many  contracts  for  railroad  bridges 
and  special  work.  He  has  also  carried  on 
contracting  as  a  carpenter  and  in  this  ca- 
pacity has  erected  a  number  of  good  build- 
ings in  Decatur  and  vicinity.  He  possesses 
excellent  mechanical  ability  and  thoroughly 
understands  the  great  scientific  principles 
which  underlie  such  work.  He  has,  more- 
over, had  varied  practical  experience  and 
in  the  execution  of  his  contracts  has  dis- 
played marked  capability,  fairness  and  skill. 
Many  evidences  of  his  handiwork  are  seen 
in  substantial  structures  in  Decatur  and  the 
surrounding  country  and  he  continued  in 
business  until  about  1897,  when  he  put  aside 
the  more  arduous  cares  of  life  and  has  since 
lived    retired. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1856,  Mr.  Shoe- 
maker was  united  in  marriage  in  Decatur 
to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  r^Icyers,  a  native  of 
Indiana,  and  a  daughter  of  James  Meyers. 
She  came  to  Illinois  during  her  girlhood 
days  and  for  many  years  she  was  a  faithful 
companion  and  helpmate  to  her  husband 
on  the  journey  of  life,  but  in  May,  1903, 
she  was  called  to  her  final  rest,  passing  away 
when  about  sixty-six  years  of  age.  Four 
children  had  been  born  unto  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs. 
Shoemaker,  but  one  was  deceased  ere  the 
mother's  death.  The  others  are  as  follows : 
Ernest,  who  resides  at  home ;  Mary  L.,  who 
is  acting  as  her  father's  housekeeper ;  and 
Chloe,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Ira  Swarts, 
of  Christian  county,  who  is  a  train  dis- 
patcher on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 
They  had  two  children  but  both  are  now 
deceased,  (irace  .Shoemaker,  a  daughter  of 
our  subject,  was  the  wife  of  James  Brooks 
and    died    leaving   one    daughter,    Florence 


I.  Brooks,  who  now  lives  in  Chicago.  Mrs. 
Shoemaker  was  a  consistent  and  active 
meniljcr  of  the  (irace  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  a  lady  whose  many  excellent 
traits  of  character  endeared  her  to  all  who 
knew  her  so  that  her  death  proved  a  great 
bereavement  to  her  many  friends  as  well 
as  her  immediate  family. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  .SluDemaker 
has  long  been  an  active  Democrat  and 
served  as  alderman  of  the  city  fourteen 
years,  being  elected  to  represent  the  fifth 
ward.  He  exercised  his  ofificial  prerogatives 
in  support  of  every  measure  which  he  be- 
lieved would  prove  of  public  good  and  did 
much  for  the  substantial  progress  and  im- 
provement of  the  city.  He  also  served  as  a 
volunteer  fireman  of  Decatur  and  for  thirty- 
six  years  he  has  been  a  valued  and  honored 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Society,  ex- 
emplifying in  his  life  its  beneficent  prin- 
ciples. 

For  thirty-nine  years  he  has  occupied 
his  present  home  at  No.  992  East  Eldorado 
street,  this  lia\ing  been  one  of  the  first 
houses  erected  in  that  part  of  the  cit}-.  The 
land  lying  to  the  east  of  his  home  was  even 
not  under  cultivation  at  that  time  and  there 
were  many  sloughs,  which  seemed  to  ren- 
der it  unfit  for  tilling.  There  was  a  great 
(leal  of  wild  game  in  the  neighborhood  and 
the  work  of  improvement  and  progress 
seemed  scarcely  begun.  Mr.  Shoemaker 
has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  everything  per- 
taining to  the  progress  and  development  of 
this '  part  of  the  state  and  has  borne  his 
full  share  in  this  work.  He  now  owns  a  sub- 
stantial residence  in  Decatur  and  other  city 
property  and  is  well-to-do  as  the  result  of 
a  life  of  industr}-,  enterprise  and  careful 
management. 

In  1852  he  cast  his  first  presidential  vote, 
supporting  Pierce,  and  he  regards  it  the 
dutv  as  well  as  the  jjrivilege  of  every  Amer- 
ican citizen  tt)  manifest  his  preference  for 
the  candidate  nominated  for  office  that  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


631 


best  interests  of  the  couiitr}-  may  be  thus 
conserved.  His  wife  was  a  devoted  mem- 
ber of  the  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
for  many  years  and  took  an  active  part  in 
foreign  and  home  missionary  work  and  in 
tlie  work  of  the  Sunday-school  and  yoinis' 
people's  society.  She  did  everything  in 
her  power  to  uplift  humanity  and  to  extend 
the  cause  of  Christianity  and  hers  was  a 
noble  example.  Mr.  Shoemaker  has  now 
advanced  far  on  life's  journey  and  because 
he.  too.  has  lived  an  upright  and  honorable 
life  he  receives  the  veneration  and  respect 
which   should  ever  be  accorded  one  of  his 

V 

vears. 


JOHN"   1-.  KEISTER. 

Prominent  among  the  successful  citizens 
of  Macon  county  w'ho  are  devoting  special 
attention  to  the  raising  of  stock  and  have 
met  with  marked  success  in  thai  business 
is  John  F.  Keister,  whose  home  is  on  sec- 
tion 32,  Maroa  township,  owning  one  of  the 
valuable  and  well  improxed  farms  of  that 
locality.  His  jiossessions  have  all  been 
actpiircd  through  his  own  cfiforts  and  as 
the  result  of  his  good  management  and  ex- 
cellent business  ability  he  has  become  one 
of  the  most  substantial  men  of  his  com- 
munity. 

Mr.  Keister  was  born  in  1843  in  York 
county,  Pennsylvania,  of  which  slate  his 
parents,  Peter  and  .'^usan  Keister,  were  also 
natives.  In  i<S5o  the  father  brought  his 
family  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  and  was 
engaged  in  farming  in  Hickory  Point  town- 
ship until  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1889. 
The  subject  (^f  this  review  was  only  seven 
years  old  when  he  came  to  this  county. 
which  at  that  time  was  but  sparsely  set- 
tled and  much  of  the  land  was  still  in  its 
primitive  condition.  As  soon  as  old  enough 
to  be  of  any  assistance  he  began  to  aid  in 
the  work  of  the  farm,  being  reared  to  habits 
of  industry  and  usefulness.     At  the  age  of 


twenty-two  he  rented  a  tract  of  land  from 
his  father  and  was  engaged  in  its  operation 
for  eight  or  nine  years.  At  the  end  of  that 
lime  he  was  able  to  purchase  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres,  for  which  he  jiaid  forty 
dollars  per  acre,  and  he  has  since  bought 
more  land  from  lime  to  time  until  he  now 
has  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Maroa 
U)WHslii|)  anil  fnnr  lumdretl  acres  in  Hick- 
ory Point  township,  having  paid  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre  for 
the  last  that  be  purchased.  He  has  made 
all  of  the  improvements  upon  his  home 
l)lace,  which  is  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
county.  Besides  his  comfortable  residence 
he  has  built  large  barns  and  other  outbuild- 
ings for  the  accommodation  of  grain,  stock 
and  agricultural  implements.  At  the  present 
time  he  gives  all  of  his  attention  to  the  rais- 
ing and  feeding  of  cattle  and  is  one  of  the 
best  known  stock  men  in  the  county.  He 
has  a  fine  herd  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  head  of  cattle  upon  his  place.  It  is  his 
custom  to  go  to  Texas  and  buy  calves, 
which  he  brings  home  and  fattens  for  mar- 
ket. Twice  he  has  fed  fifteen  head  of  Here- 
fiird  cattle  for  the  International  Fat  Stock 
.'show,  and  on  the  first  occasion  received 
three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  premiums 
and  the  second  time  seven  hundred  dollars. 
I  le  is  now  feedmg  several  head  for  the 
World's  I'air,  to  be  held  in  St.  Louis  in 
J  904. 

In  1866  Mr.  Keister  married  Miss  Nancy 
.\.  Weaver,  a  native  of  Cumberland  county, 
Pennsj'lvania.  and  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Weaver.  I'nlo  them  ha\e  been  born  six 
children,  namely:  Charles,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-four  years ;  Samuel,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  four:  Mary, who  died  at  the  age 
of  thirty ;  Frank,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one;  Harriet,  now  the  wife  of  Fred- 
erick Moore,  who  is  living  in  South  Ha- 
kota  ;  and  Mabel,  at  home  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keister  arc  both  members 
of  the  Christian  church  and  are  most  esti- 


632 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


mablc  people,  well  liked  by  all  who  know 
them.  In  his  political  affiliations  our  sub- 
ject is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  he  is  an 
honored  member  of  the  Grand  Army  Post 
of  Alaroa,  having  been  one  of  the  defend- 
ers of  the  Union  cause  during  the  dark 
days  of  the  Rebellion.  When  the  war  broke 
out  he  was  too  young  to  enter  the  service, 
but  in  1864  he  enlisted  in  Company  E,  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-fifth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  under  Colonel  Lackey,  and  on  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  enlistment  was 
mustered  out  at  Springfield,  Illinois.  His 
life  afifords  an  excellent  example  to  the 
young  in  that  he  started  out  for  himself 
without  capital,  but  having  a  determination 
to  succeed  he  industriously  applied  himself 
until  he  has  acquired  a  good  property  and 
stands  to-day  among  the  most  prosperous 
and  substantial  citizens  of  the  county.  It 
is  his  intention  to  retire  from  active  bus- 
iness life  in  the  fall  of  1903  and  remove  to 
Maroa,  where  he  expects  to  spend  his  re- 
maining years  in  ease  and  quiet,  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  former  toil. 


HIRA:M  H.  WISE. 
Hiram  H.  Wise,  who  is  now  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  in  Decatur  and  whose  in- 
ventive genius  has  given  to  the  world  a  num- 
ber of  devices  of  value  and  importance,  was 
born  in  Akron,  Ohio,  on  the  31st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1851,  his  parents  being  William  and 
Catherine  (Kline)  Wise,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  Pensylvania  and  were  of  German 
descent.  The  father  was  born  in  Union  coun- 
ty of  the  Keystone  state  and  the  mother's 
birth  occurred  in  Cumberland  county,  but  they 
spent  many  years  of  their  active  lives  in  Ohio, 
where  the  father  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  was  an  enterprising  farmer  who 
prospered  in  his  undertakings  and  who  died 
upon  his  Ohio  farm  in  the  year  1876.  Hiram 
H.   Wise  is  the  youngest  in   their  family  of 


twelve  children.  Those  still  living  are  :  Mary, 
the  wife  of  John  Benner ;  William  J. ;  Lydia, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Abraham  Wilhelm  ;  Jacob ; 
\\'ashingfton ;  Catherine,  the  wife  of  William 
J.  Ridgely;  Hiram  H.  Those  deceased  are: 
Samuel,  Elizabeth,  Susan,  Rebecca,  and  Peter, 
who  died  in  infancy. 

Hiram  H.  Wise  spent  the  first  nineteen 
years  of  his  life  in  the  state  of  his  nativity, 
being  reared  to  manhood  upon  the  old  home 
farm,  while  the  district  schools  aflforded  him 
the  educational  privileges  which  he  enjoyed 
in  his  youth.  When  a  young  man  of  nineteen 
years  he  left  Ohio  for  [Macon  covmty,  estab- 
lishing his  home  in  Blue  Mound  in  March, 
1 87 1.  After  attaining  his  majority  he  mar- 
ried and  in  order  to  provide  for  the  expenses 
of  the  newly  established  household  he  began 
business  as  a  barber,  conducting  the  first  shop 
in  Blue  Alound.  It  was  thus  he  gained  his 
start.  After  two  years  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  music  business,  carrying  a  line  of 
musical  instruments  and  musical  specialties  in 
connection  with  sewing  machines.  In  that 
store  he  continued  until  1881,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Taylorville,  Illinois,  where  he  be- 
came a  dealer  in  agricultural  implements. 

In  January,  1882,  however,  he  removed  to 
Decatur  and  formed  a  partnership  with  S.  M. 
Lutz  as  proprietor  of  a  music  store,  which 
he  conducted  for  three  years.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  sold  out  to  his  partner, 
who  still  continues  the  business.  Mr.  Wise 
then  located  on  St.  Louis  avenue  near  the 
southwestern  border  of  the  city  of  Decatur 
and  established  what  is  known  as  the  Wise  ad- 
dition to  the  city.  He  is  now  dealing  in  real 
estate  and  has  an  excellent  knowledge  of 
reah\-  values  and  of  the  properties  that  are  on 
the  market.  He  puts  forth  every  efifort  in  his 
power  to  secure  the  improvement  of  the  city 
along  special  lines  of  progress  and  as  a  real 
estate  dealer  has  excellent  opportunity  to  aid 
in  the  substantial  growth  of  Decatur  in  this 
way.  As  a  real  estate  dealer  he  now  has  a 
large   clientage   and   his   business   is   proving 


H    D.  M.  HODGE 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


635 


profitable.  His  own  attractive  home  was  built 
on  the  Wise  addition  in  1887.  While  a  resi- 
dent (it  Blue  .Mound  he  also  laid  out  an  addi- 
tion to  that  place  and  assisted  in  dividing  the 
village  into  town  lots  in  1892.  lie  also  gave 
to  the  city  a  beautiful  park,  which  has  been 
named  Wise's  Park. 

Mr.  ^^'ise  also  possesses  considerable  in- 
ventive genius  and  three  of  the  productions  of 
his  brain  have  come  to  public  notice  as  being 
useful  and  valuable  devices.  He  is  the  in- 
ventor of  a  window  frame,  which  is  so  con- 
structed that  the  window  may  be  opened  and 
cleaned  without  removing  the  sash.  This  is 
especially  valuable  for  office  buildings.  He 
also  invented  a  shaft  supporter  and  anti-rat- 
tler, a  uni(|ue  invention  likely  to  be  brought 
into  general  use.  .Another  work  of  his  fertile 
brain  and  busy  hands  is  a  dumbwaiter  U>  lower 
into  open  wells  for  the  preservation  of  fruit 
and  table  delicacies.  Mr.  Wise  is  continually 
thinking  out  along  original  lines  and  his  ef- 
forts have  been  of  considerable  benefit  to  the 
world  and  show  marked  mechanical  ingenuity. 

In  1873  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Hiram  If.  Wise  and  Miss  Sarah  E.  Seiberling, 
a  daughter  of  James  Seiberling,  one  of  the 
honored  pioneers  of  P>lue  Mound,  now  living 
at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  .Mrs.  ^\"ise 
was  born  in  Akron,  Ohio,  but  since  her  early 
girlhood  days  lias  lived  in  Macon  county, 
where  she  has  a  wide  acquaintance  and  a  large 
numlier  of  warm  friends.  Socially  Mr.  Wise 
is  coimected  with  Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge, 
K.  P.  He  usually  votes  with  the  Democratic 
party,  but  is  Prohibition  in  sentiment  and  has 
long  been  a  w'arm  friend  of  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance, doing  everything  in  his  power  to  sup- 
press the  sale  of  intoxicants.  His  interest  in 
his  fcllow'-men  is  deep  and  sincere  and  his  co- 
operation has  been  given  to  many  measures  for 
the  general  good.  In  the  business  world  he  has 
attained  an  enviable  position  and  a  creditable 
reputation  and  the  success  which  has  crowned 
his    efforts    shows    that    ability,    energy    and 


strong  determination  are  important  factors  in 
the  active  affairs  of  life  and  that  earnest,  per- 
sistent labor  will  idlimatciv  bring  its  reward. 


IIF-XRY  D.  M.  HODGE. 
Henry  D.  .M.  Hodge  is  a  representative 
of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  the  south- 
eastern part  of  Macon  county,  his  parents 
having  settled  in  Mount  Zion  township  in 
1 83 1.  Six  years  later  his  birth  occurred 
on  the  old  family  homestead  there,  his  natal 
day  being  November  12,  1837.  His  parents 
were  Henry  J.  and  Penelope  (Traughber) 
Hodge,  the  former  a  native  of  North  Caro- 
lina and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  The  father 
was  a  school  teacher  in  early  days  there  and 
removed  from  North  Carolina  to  a  farm 
near  Nashville,  Tennessee,  where  he  resided 
until  1830,  when  he  came  to  Illinois.  He 
first  settled  in  Sangamon  county,  where  his 
step-father  was  living  and  there  he  engaged 
in  general  farming  for  a  year.  In  1831  he 
came  to  Macon  county,  establishing  his 
home  in  Mount  Zion  township,  when  it  was 
all  wild  land.  There  he  entered  a  tract  from 
the  government,  upon  which  not  a  furrow 
had  been  turned  or  an  improvement  made, 
and  the  arduous  task  of  developing  a  farm 
was  capably  performed  by  him.  It  was 
in  this  county  that  Mr.  Hodge  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Penelope  Traughber 
and  the  young  couple  began  their  domestic 
life  upon  the  old  home  place  situated  six 
miles  east  of  the  village  of  Mount  Zion. 
Throughout  his  entire  life  the  father  car- 
ried on  agricultural  pursuits  and  annually 
the  rich  fields  accorded  to  him  good  har- 
vests which  found  a  ready  sale  on  the  mar- 
ket.  His  death,  however,  occurred  when  he 
was  still  in  the  prime  of  life,  he  passing 
away  August  30,  1838,  and  his  widow  after- 
ward became  the  wife  of  Martin  Blaney,  of 
Morgan  county,  Illinois,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased.    Mrs.  Blaney  died  in  the  village  of 


636 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Mount  Zion  on  the  8th  of  September,  1885. 
The  subject  of  this  review  was  the  only 
child  of  the  first  marriage,  but  there  were 
seven  children  by  the  second  marriage,  as 
follows;  Jane,  the  widow  of  John  W'ana- 
cott,  and  a  resident  of  Mount  Zion;  Mary, 
the  wife  of  David  Dickey,  of  Mount  Zion; 
James,  of  Chicago;  and  ^Irs.  Catherine 
Cooper,  Morrison  J.  Blaney  and  ]\Irs.  Alice 
IVIartin,  all  deceased ;  and  one  who  died  un- 
named. 

Henry  D.  M.  Hodge  was  only  one  year 
old  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death.  He 
was  reared  by  his  mother  and  step-father 
and  attended  the  public  schools.  He  worked 
on  the  home  farm  in  his  youth  until  1858, 
when  he  went  to  Missouri  and  there  he  was 
married  the  next  year  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Adams,  a  native  of  Piatt  county,  that  state, 
born  January  6,  1842,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Sarah  (Reed)  Adams.  Her  father  was 
a  farmer  in  Missouri,  but  on  account  of  ill 
health  went  to  Colorado  and  died  near 
Pikes  Peak.  His  wife  passed  awaj'  in  Mis- 
souri. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Hodge  took  up 
his  abode  upon  a  farm  in  Johnson  county, 
Missouri,  where  he  lived  for  two  years  and 
then  in  1861  returned  to  Macon  count}',  pur- 
chasing a  tract  of  land  in  Mount  Zion.  To 
this  he  added  from  time  to  time  and  now 
he  owns  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  all  on 
section  4.  Mount  Zion  township.  He  made 
all  of  the  improvements  upon  the  property 
and  developed  a  splendid  farm,  engaging 
thereon  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  and 
in  the  raising  of  stock  until  1888,  when  he 
removed  to  the  city  of  Decatur,  where  he 
has  since  lived  a  retired  life. 

In  1899  he  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  his  wife,  who  died  in  this  city  on  the 
2ist  of  January  of  that  year.  Three  chil- 
dren were  born  unto  them :  Nannie  C,  the 
eldest,  born  in  Johnson  county.  Missouri, 
January  2.2,  1861,  is  the  widow  of  George 
\V.  Jones  and  resides  with  her  father.    Her 


husband  was  born  in  Mount  Zion  township, 
December  14,  1856,  and  was  a  son  of  Cley- 
bourn  and  :\Iatilda  (Davis)  Jones,  the  latter 
now  deceased,  while  the  former  is  living 
in  Decatur  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
two  years.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  set- 
tlers of  Macon  county.  George  W.Jones  car- 
ried on  agricultural  pursuits  throughout  his 
entire  life  and  died  on  the  i8th  of  July,  1898, 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  Anderson 
J.  Hodge,  the  second  member  of  the  family, 
was  born  September  8,  1862,  and  married 
Bessie  Jones,  a  sister  of  George  W.  Jones. 
She  died  in  June,  1896,  leaving  one  child, 
Everett  Henr}-,  born  October  8,  1889.  After 
the  death  of  his  first  wife  Anderson  J.  Hodge 
married  Emma  Bedford,  and  they  also  re- 
side with  his  father.  He  is  a  contractor 
and  builder  and  also  superintends  his  farm 
in  Mount  Zion  township.  Walter  J.,  born 
April  ID,  1866,  married  •  Hattie  Meisin- 
heilder  and  the^'^  reside  upon  his  father's 
farm  in  Mount  Zion  township.  They  had 
six  children :  Gertrude,  Beulah,  Lucile, 
George  W.,  Orlan  Ray,  and  Leo,  but  the  last 
named  died  in  1890. 

Mr.  Hodge  is  a  Prohibitionist,  voting  for 
the  men  and  measures  of  the  party.  He 
has  held  some  minor  township  offices,  but 
has  never  been  very  active  in  political  work, 
desiring  rather  to  give  his  time  and  atten- 
tion to  business  affairs.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  of 
Mount  Zion,  to  which  his  wife  also  belongs. 
In  his  business  career  he  won  success  and 
his  valuable  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  is  one  of  the  best  improved  in  Mount 
Zion  township  and  is  the  visible  evidence 
of  his  life  of  thrift  and  industry.  A  worthy 
representative  of  one  of  the  honored  pioneer 
families  of  Macon  county,  he  has  witnessed 
the  development  and  growth  of  this  section 
of  the  state  through  two-thirds  of  a  cen- 
tury. Great  changes  have  occurred  during 
this  period  for  Macon  county  has  kept  apace 
with    universal    progress    a)id    improxement 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


637 


and  Mr.  Hodge  has  ever  been  deeply  inter- 
ested in  what  lias  been  done  and  has  borne 
his  part  in  the  work  of  public  development. 


JAMES   MILLIKIN. 

James  Millikin  is  numbered  among  the 
founders  of  Decatur.  He  has  been  the  pro- 
moter of  many  of  its  business  enterprises, 
has  aided  in  its  extension  along  many  lines 
of  permanent  improvement  and  has  assisted 
in  marked  ■  degree  in  making  it  a  center  of 
production  and  commercial  activity  that  has 
a  wide  power  in  the  business  world.  Co- 
operation in  this  work  forms  the  life  record 
of  James  Millikin.  To  say  of  him  that  he  has 
risen  unaided  from  comparative  obscurity  to 
rank  among  the  capitalists  of  Illinois  is  a 
statement  that  seems  trite  to  those  familiar 
with  his  life,  yet  it  is  but  just  to  say  in  a  his- 
tory tliat  will  descend  to  future  generations 
that  his  business  record  has  been  one  that 
any  man  would  be  proud  to  possess.  Begin- 
ning at  the  very  bottom  of  the  ladder  he  has 
advanced  steadily  step  by  step  until  he  is  now 
occupying  a  position  of  prominence  and  trust 
reached  by  very  few  men.  Through  his  en- 
tire business  career  he  has  been  looked  upon 
as  a  n.iodcl  of  integrity  and  honor,  never 
making  an  engagement  that  he  has  not  ful- 
filled and  standing  to-day  an  example  of  what 
determination  and  force,  combined  with  the 
highest  degree  of  business  integrity  can  ac- 
complish for  a  man  of  natural  aliility  and 
strength  of  character.  He  is  res])ccted  by 
the  community  at  large  and  honored  by  his 
business  associates. 

Mr.  Millikin  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  Washington 
county,  on  the  2d  of  August,  1830.  The  fam- 
ily is  of  Scotch  lineage  and  was  established 
in  Pennsylvania  about  the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century  by  representatives  of  the 
name  who  crossed  the  Atlantic  from  the  land 
of  the  heather.     Other  branches  of  the  familv 


settletl  in  Maine  and  in  the  south.  Millikin's 
r>end  on  the  .Mississippi  river  having  obtained 
its  name  in  this  way.  Abel  Millikin,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation and  prospered  in  his  life  work.  He 
wedded  Nancy  \  an  Dyke,  who  was  of  Dutch 
lineage,  her  ancestors  being  among  the  emi- 
grants from  Holland,  who  settled  along  the 
Hudson  river,  Vvhile  at  a  later  date  repre- 
sentatives of  the  family  established  their 
homes  in  New  Jersey. 

Under  the  parental  roof  James  Millikin 
spent  his  boyhood  days  and  while  not  engaged 
with  the  duties  of  the  farm  he  attended  the 
district  schools  of  the  neighborhood,  there 
laying  the  foundation  for  a  good  practical 
education.  He  also  had  the  advantage  of  the 
more  advanced  instruction  to  be  received  in 
Washington  College  of  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  remained  as  a  student  for  three  years.  His 
family  and  friends  believed  that  he  would  be- 
come a  member  of  the  medical  fraternity 
which  claimed  several  representatives  of  the 
Millikin  relationshi]),  but  the  tastes  and  tal- 
ents of  the  young  man  were  evidently  not  in 
this  direction  and  he  determined  to  come  to 
the  west,  believing  that  in  this  great  and 
growing  section  of  the  country  he  saw  oppor- 
tunities for  advancement  along  lines  of  busi- 
ness activity  which  he  thought  would  be  more 
congenial  than  the  jiractice  of  the  healing  art. 
The  )-ear  1848  witnessed  his  arrival  in  the 
Mississippi  valley.  He  first  settled  in  Dan- 
ville. \"crniilion  county,  and  for  a  time  was 
engaged  in  the  live-stock  business,  there  pur- 
chasing, raising  and  trading  in  stock  of  all 
kinds.  He  also  rented  farms  upon  which  to 
raise  his  stock  and  in  control  of  his  business 
interests  showerl  keen  discernment,  excellent 
executive  ability  and  unfaltering  enterprise. 
It  has  been  upon  this  foundation  that  he  has 
reared  the  superstructure  of  success  and 
while  he  is  to-day  numbered  among  the  capi- 
talists of  Decatur  an  analyzation  of  his  life 
record  will  show  that  his  prosperity  is  the 
legitimate  outcoiue  of  his  own  labor.     With 


638 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


keen  disceninient  he  recognized  possibilities 
which  were  not  seen  by  others.  Knowing 
that  the  population  of  Illinois  was  rapidly  in- 
creasing through  the  emigration  of  people 
from  tiic  eastern  states  to  the  ^Mississippi 
valley,  he  resolved  that  he  would  make 
investments  in  land,  believing  that  it  would 
rise  rapidly  in  value.  Accordingly  he  made 
extensive  purchases  of  land  in  Illinois  and 
also  in  southwestern  Iowa,  securing  much 
of  this  land  for  one  dollar  and  one  dollar  and 
a  quarter  per  acre.  He  was  the  original  owner 
of  the  tract  upon  which  the  town  of  Bement, 
Illinois,  is  now  located  and  by  purchase  there 
came  into  his  possession  many  acres  of  broad 
prairie,  upon  w-hich  no  improvements  had  been 
made,  but  wliich  in  due  course  of  time  com- 
manded a  high  market  price. 

The  rapid  development  of  the  state  was 
manifest  in  Decatur  as  well  as  in  other  lo- 
calities and  Mr.  Alillikin  resolved  to  cast 
in  his  lot  v/ith  the  residents  of  this  enter- 
prising and  growing  town.  The  year  1856 
witnessed  his^  arrival  here,  but  though  he 
changed  his  place  of  residence  he  did  not 
change  his  occupation,  but  continued  to 
deal  in  lands,  real  estate  and  live-stock, 
thus  becoming  recognized  as  one  of  the 
prosperous  and  enterprising  men  of  the 
city.  Quick  to  see  business  opportunity 
and  to  utilize  it  he  recognized  the  need  of 
a  banking  establi.shment  in  Decatur  and  in 
i860  organized  the  private  banking  house 
of  J.  ^lillikin  &  Company.  From  that  time 
to  the  present  his  name  has  figured  con- 
spicuously in  connection  with  the  financial 
history  of  the  city  and  he  to-day  stands  at 
the  head  of  one  of  the  strongest,  safest 
and  largest  banking  institutions  of  Illinois. 
He  has  had  dififerent  partners,  but  through- 
out the  entire  existence  of  the  bank  he  has 
been  its  president  and  has  exerted  a  con- 
trolling influence  in  its  affairs.  For  thirty- 
one  years  the  institution  continued  as  a 
private  banking  establishment  and  in  Octo- 
ber, 1897,  was  incorporated  as  the  Millikin 


National  Bank,  with  James  Millikin  as 
president;  O.  B.  Gorin,  cashier;  and  J.  M. 
Brownback,  assistant  cashier.  Mr.  Milli- 
kin is  still  the  president,  while  Mr.  Gorin 
has  become  vice  president  and  Mr.  Brown- 
back  cashier.  These  officers  were  elected 
in  1898  and  since  that  time  there  has  been 
no  change.  To-day  the  home  of  the  Milli- 
kin National  Bank  is  one  of  the  finest  bank 
buildings  in  the  state  outside  of  the  city 
of  Chicago.  It  is  a  seven-story  structure, 
standing  at  the  corner  of  Water  and  East 
Main  streets  and  substantially  equipped  in 
every  particular.  This  bank  is  a  United 
States  depository  and  its  present  deposits 
are  about  three  miUion  dollars,  while  its 
loans  and  discounts  amount  to  two  million 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Its  em- 
ployes reach  the  number  of  sixteen,  some 
of  whom  have  been  connected  with  the  in- 
stitution through  two  decades.  From  a 
small  beginning  Mr.  Millikin  has  developed 
this  enterprise  and  its  almost  marvelous  ex- 
tension is  due  in  very  large  measure  to  his 
thorough  understanding  of  the  business, 
his  keen  sagacity  and  his  unfaltering  pur- 
pose guided  by  the  soundest  business  prin- 
ciples. 

But  while  ]\Ir.  Millikin  is  widely  known  as 
the  president  of  the  banking  institution  which 
bears  his  name  he  is  also  recognized  as  a  lead- 
ing factor  in  many  other  enterprises  which 
have  contributed  to  the  growth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  city  as  w-ell  as  to  the  success  of 
individual  stockholders.  He  is  interested  in 
the  Decatur  Coal  Company  and  is  president 
of  the  Union  Iron  Works  Company,  which 
he  assisted  in  organizing  about  1870.  Large 
and  satisfactory  dividends  have  always  been 
paid  by  this  corporation  and  its  capital  stock 
of  sixty  thousand  dollars  has  been  augmented 
by  a  surplus  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars.  In  other  lines  of  business 
enterprises  his  activity  and  aid  have  been  felt 
and  his  wise  counsel  has  proven  most   valu- 


->  J'-l^*/ 


fi>-^^ 


PAST  AND  i'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


641 


able  in  the  successful  control  of  all  the  in- 
terests with  which  he  has  become  associated. 
In  1858  Mr.  Millikin  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Anna  B.  Aston,  a  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Sannu'l  Aston,  a  minister  of  the  Presby- 
terian cliurcli.  -Mr.  Millikin  has  from  his 
boyhood  days  been  a  member  of  that  church 
and  he  and  his  wife  have  aided  largely  in  its 
growth  and  the  extension  of  its  influences  in 
Decatur,  contributing  freely  of  their  means 
to  its  support  and  co-operating  in  many  de- 
partments of  its  activity  for  the  benefit  of 
the  race.  His  political  allegiance  is  given  to 
the  Republican  party  and  he  has  been  unfal- 
tering in  his  advocacy  of  its  principles,  but 
has  never  turned  aside  from  his  business 
course  to  seek  the  preferments  of  office.  His 
broad  humanitarian  spirit  is  often  manifested, 
but  unostentatiously,  he  has  ever  been  ready  to 
extend  a  helping  hand  to  those  who  try  to  aid 
themselves  and  in  his  business  he  has  ever 
rewarded  faithful  service  on  the  part  of  his 
employes.  It  is  certainly  not  asserting  too 
much  to  say  of  one  who  can  direct  and  con- 
trol business  interests  of  such  magnitude  as 
those  with  which  Mr.  Millikin  is  associated 
that  he  must  possess,  aside  from  commercial 
foresight  and  sagacity,  the  happy  faculty  of 
reading  and  judging  men  and  that  he  has  un- 
usual powers  of  organization  and  executive 
ability — in  a  word,  that  he  must  be  a  master 
mind,  and  yet  if  one  would  seek  in  Mr.  Mil- 
likin's  career  the  causes  that  have  led  to  his 
prosperity  they  will  be  found  along  the  lines 
of  well  tried  and  old  time  maxims.  Honesty 
and  fair  dealing,  promptness  and  fidelity,  all 
these  have  been  manifested  in  his  career  and 
in  the  control  of  the  institutions  with  which 
he  is  associated.  Decatur  acknowledges  her 
indebtedness  to  him  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plislicd  in  her  behalf.  The  city  which  be- 
came his  home  in  the  period  of  his  early  man- 
hood and  almost  at  the  outset  of  his  business 
career  has  always  been  very  dear  to  him  and 
as  his  means  have  increased  he  has  given  lib- 
erally and  generously  for  her  benefit  and  im- 


provement. His  charitable  spirit,  too,  is 
shown  in  iiis  many  benefactions  and  yet  there 
is  perluqjs  in  this  city  no  man  who  gives  with 
less  display  than  James  Millikin.  He  has 
never  allowed  the  accumulation  of  wealth  to 
in  any  way  warp  his  kindly  nature  or  to  in- 
lluence  liis  treatment  toward  those  less  fortu- 
nate. 


JAMES  WILLIAM  RACE.  • 
James  William  Race  has  been  engaged  in 
business  in  Decatur  for  forty-six  years.     He 
has  always  been  successful  and  it  is  his  wish 
that  others  will  meet  with  like  success. 


G.  A.  JIMISON. 

For  over  sixty-two  years  this  gentleman  has 
been  a  resident  of  Macon  county  and  is  to-day 
justly  numbered  among  her  honored  pioneers 
and  leading  citizens.  The  difference  between 
the  past  and  the  present  can  scarcely  be  real- 
ized even  by  those  who  were  active  partici- 
pants in  the  development  of  the  county.  The 
present  generation  can  have  no  conception  of 
what  was  required  by  the  early  settlers  in 
transforming  the  wilderness  into  a  well-settled 
and  highly  cultivated  locality.  Mr.  Jimison 
has  seen  almost  the  entire  development  of  this 
region  and  well  remembers  when  a  person 
could  ride  horseback  across  the  prairies  be- 
tween Maroa  and  Pulaski  without  seeing  a 
farmhouse. 

A  native  of  Macon  county,  he  was  born  in 
Friends  Creek  township,  in  1841,  and  is  a  son 
of  George  and  Hannah  Jimison.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  in  1810,  and 
came  to  America  about  1818.  After  residing 
in  the  east  for  two  years  he  removed  to  Ohio 
in  1820  and  during  the  '30s  came  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Friends  Creek  township,  Macon 
county,  where  he  took  up  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  government  land  and  later 
added  to  his  property  until  at  the  time  of  his 


642 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


death  in  1852  he  owned  two  hundred  and  fif- 
teen acres.  He  made  farming  his  hfe  occupa- 
tion.    In  his  family  were  eight  children. 

At  the  age  of  twelve  years  G.  A.  Jimison 
began  earning  his  own  living,  by  working  as 
a  farm  hand  at  fourteen  dollars  per  month  and 
was  thus  employed  until  i860,  wdien  he  rented 
forty  acres  of  land,  on  which  he  raised  a  crop 
of  corn.  Prompted  by  a  spirit  of  patriotism 
he  enlisted  in  1861  in  Company  A,  Forty-first 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Colonel 
Pugh,  and  was  in  the  battles  of  Fort  Donel- 
son,  Shiloh,  Hatchie's  Run  and  several  other 
small  engagements.  He  was  very  fortunate 
in  that  he  was  never  wounded  or  taken  pris- 
oner, and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  mus- 
tered out  in  1865  at  Hall's  Hill,  \'irginia. 

Returning  to  his  home  in  Friends  Creek 
township,  Mr.  Jimison  began  farming  on  forty 
acres  of  land  left  him  by  his  father  and  an- 
other forty-acre  tract  which  his  brother  had 
purchased  for  him.  Later  he  purchased  forty 
acres  more  and  kept  adding  to  his  property  as 
he  found  opportunity  until  he  had  four  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres.  For  the  first  tract  he 
paid  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre  and  for  the 
next  eleven  dollars  per  acre.  He  made  all  of 
the  improvements  upon  his  land  and  in  his 
farming  operations  met  with  excellent  success. 

In  1867  Mr.  Jimison  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Millie  A.  Woodward,  who  died  a  year 
later,  leaving  one  son,  Theodore,  who  is  now 
in  the  Coast  Artillery  as  sergeant  major  at 
New  Orleans  and  has  been  in  the  service  for 
eleven  years.  Mr.  Jimison  was  again  mar- 
ried in  1877.  his  second  union  being  with  Miss 
Elizabeth  Mulinix.  by  whom  he  has  six  chil- 
dren :  Minnie,  wife  of  Albert  Gould,  of 
Friends  Creek  township ;  Lillie,  wife  of  Bun 
Parr,  also  of  Friends  Creek  township ;  George 
W.,;  Mollie ;  Ida,  and  Daisy. 

Politically  Mr.  Jimison  is  identified  with 
the  Democratic  party  and  he  has  filled  the 
office  of  school  director.  In  1899  he  removed 
to  Argenta  and  has  since  lived  a  retired  life. 
During  the  long  years  he  has  been  a  resident 


of  Macon  county  he  has  championed  every 
movement  designed  to  promote  the  general 
welfare,  has  supported  every  enterprise  for  the 
public  good  and  has  materially  aided  in  the 
advancement  of  all  social,  educational  and 
moral  interests.  After  a  useful  and  honorable 
career  he  can  well  afford  to  lay  aside  all  busi- 
ness cares  and  live  in  ease  and  retirement. 


A\ILLIAM  R.  SCRUGGS. 
Since  1869  the  firm  name  of  Linn  & 
Scruggs  has  been  an  honored  one  in  business 
circles  in  Decatur,  and  one  which  has  marked 
value  on  commercial  paper.  He  whose  name 
introduces  this  record  has  since  1869  been  an 
active  partner  in  the  firm,  and  as  such  is  pro- 
prietor of  one  of  the  most  important  dry- 
goods  houses  in  this  city.  He  was  born  near 
Lynchburg,  Virginia,  on  the  13th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1828.  His  father.  Reaves  S.  Scruggs, 
was  also  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion,  and 
was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  chose  as  a 
companion  and  helpmate  on  life's  journey 
Aliss  Mildred  L.  Otey,  who  was  likewise  born 
in  Mrginia.  her  birthplace  being  in  the  vicinity 
of  Lynchburg. 

In  a  private  school  William  R.  Scruggs  ob- 
tained his  education,  and  under  the  parental 
roof  he  remained  until  he  reached  fifteen 
years,  although  a  period  of  his  youth  was 
spent  upon  the  farm.  He  at  that  time  went  to 
Huntsville.  Alabama,  where  he  remained  for  a 
number  of  years.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  he  joined  the  Confederate 
army,  being  true  to  his  loved  south- 
land. When  the  terrible  struggle  was 
over,  he  returned  to  Lynchburg  and  soon 
afterward  went  to  Bedford  county,  Virginia, 
while  later  he  became  a  resident  of  New  York 
city.  In  the  latter  place  he  found  employ- 
ment in  the  capacity  of  a  clerk  and  continued 
there  until  1869,  when  he  came  to  Decatur. 
Here  he  invested  his  capital  in  a  dry-goods 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


643 


business  in  partnership  with  W  .  11.  l.inn  under 
the  firm  name  of  Linn  iS:  Scruggs,  both  being 
active,    enterprising    men    of    keen    sagacity. 
They  built  up  a  large  business,  and  the  part- 
nership was  of  a  most  harmonious  and  pleas- 
ant character,  being  continued  until  the  death 
of   Mr.   Linn   in   June,    lyoo.     There   was   no 
change  in  the  tirni  name,  even  then,  for  \\  .  11. 
Linn,  Jr.,  succeeded  to  his  father's  interest  in 
the  business,  and  over  the  door  of  the  estab- 
li.shment  the  firm  style  of  Linn  &  Scruggs  is 
still  seen.     This  firm  is  one  of  the  best  know  n 
not  only  in  Decatur  but    in    central    Illinois. 
The  store  is  situated  in  the   I'owers  block,  a 
five-story   building,   and   occupies   the  corner, 
which  is  one  hundred  and  thirty  by  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet.'    A  large  force  of  clerks 
is  employed  and  a  full  line  of  dry  goods,  car- 
pets and  notions  is  carried.     The  stock  is  very 
extensive,  and  the  business  of  the  house  has 
assumed  extensive  proportions.     The  business 
methods  institucd  at  the     organization  of  the 
firm    have    always   been    continued    and    have 
ever     commanded     uniform     confidence     and 
therefore  have  gained   the  liberal   support  of 
the  public.     Mr.   .Scruggs  is   fair  and  just  in 
his  treatment  of  his  employes  and  demands  of 
them  the  same  courteous  treatment  and  honor- 
able dealing  that  he  has  ever  accorded  to  those 
who  trade  in  his  establishment. 

In  1867  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Wil- 
liam R.  Scruggs  and  Miss  Minnie  T.  Chad- 
sey,  of  New  York  city,  where  she  was  reared 
and  educated.  They  have  two  children,  Sal- 
lie,  at  home ;  and  Reaves,  who  was  a  student 
in  the  Alton  Military  College,  and  now  is  a 
resident  of  Niagara  Falls,  New  York.  Mr. 
Scruggs  is  a  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
church,  and  his  wife  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
clunxli.  and  llu'v  do  all  in  their  power  to  pro- 
mote growth  and  extend  influence  of  the 
church.  It  is  but  just  and  merited  praise  to 
say  of  Mr.  Scruggs  that  as  a  business  man  he 
ranks  among  the  foremost;  as  a  citizen  he  is 
honorable,  prom])t  and  true  to  every  engage- 
ment :  and  as  a  husband  and  father  is  a  model 


worthy  of  all  imitation.  He  is  imassuming  in 
manner,  sincere  in  his  friendship,  and  steadfast 
and  unswerving  in  his  loyalty  to  the  right. 


JOSEPH  R.  HARDY. 

Joseph  K.  Hard_\-.  who  has  now  departed 
this  life,  and  who  for  many  years  so  conducted 
his  farming  interests  that  he  won  success, 
becoming  a  prosperous  citizen  of  his  commu- 
nity, was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  on  the 
nth  of  February,  1836,  and  was  the  eldest  of 
the  ten  children  of  George  D.  and  Elizabeth 
I  Marsh)  Hardy.  The  father's  birth  occurred 
in  the  cast,  but  the  mother  was  a  native  of  the 
Buckeye  state.  In  the  family  arc  three  broth- 
ers and  three  sisters  who  yet  survive:  John, 
who  lives  in  Shelby  county,  Indiana ;  Moses, 
a  resident  of  Sheridan  county,  Missouri;  C31i- 
ver,  of  Mount  .Auburn,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Johnson, 
a  widow  of  Blue  Mound;  Mrs.  Hulda  Van 
Cleve,  of  Blue  Mound ;  and  Mrs.  Phoebe 
W'agant,  f)f  Missouri. 

In  the  district  schools  of  Ohio  and  Indiana 
Joseph  K.  Hardy  accpiircd  his  education,  and 
at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  left  school  and  began 
working  on  a  farm,  having  previously  become 
familiar  with  the  labors  of  fields  and  meadow 
by  assisting  his  father  through  the  periods  of 
vacation.  In  1868  he  came  to  Illinois  and  lo- 
cated in  Christian  county,  near  Mount  Au- 
burn. In  September,  1869.  he  removed  to 
]\Iacon  county  and  purchased  forty  acres  of 
land,  while  his  wife  also  Ixiught  an  equal 
amount,  and  he  continued  to  add  to  this  as  his 
financial  resources  increased,  until  he  had  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres,  valued  at  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars. 

Mr.  Hardy  was  twice  married.  He  first 
wedded  Sarah  Jane  Cross,  and  unto  them  were 
born  two  children :  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ellen 
Bowen,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  of  Chariton 
county.  Missoiu'i :  and  Joseph  William,  who 
married  Matilda  Whitman,  and  is  a  farmer 
living   in    .Morrisonville,  Illinois.     Mr.  Hardy 


644 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


next  wedded  Maria  Hurst,  the  widow  of 
George  Junken,  who  was  killed  at  Chicka- 
mauga  during  the  Civil  war.  Her  parents  were 
Benedict  and  Barbara  (Foster)  Hurst,  natives 
of  Maryland,  and  of  English  and  German  de- 
scent. In  their  family  were  ten  children,  nine 
daughters  and  one  son,  of  whom  six  daughters 
are  still  living.  Mrs.  Hardy  was  the  sixth  of 
the  family.  She  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  and  on  the 
2ist  of  INIarch,  1869,  gave  her  hand  in  mar- 
riage to  Mr.  Hardy.  By  his  second  union  he 
had  three  children,  but  only  one  is  living. 
George  E.  and  Sarah  Ivy  were  twins,  but  the 
latter  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen  months.  The 
son  married  Ida  McGrew,  of  Chariton  county, 
Missouri,  and  they  reside  on  the  old  home 
farm  in  Macon  county.  They  have  two  sons, 
Edgar  McGrew  and  George  Evart. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Hardy  was 
always  a  stanch  Republican,  and  was  tax  col- 
lector for  two  terms  and  school  trustee  and 
school  director.  He  belonged  to  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  in  which  he  was  en- 
titled to  membership  because  of  his  service  as  a 
corporal  in  Company  E,  Seventy-ninth  Indiana 
Infantry.  He  was  wounded  in  the  head  and 
shoulder  at  Mission  Ridge.  His  religious 
faith  was  that  of  the  ^lethodist  denomination, 
and  his  membership  with  the  church  at  Blue 
Mound.  In  his  business  affairs  he  was  very 
successful,  and  in  addition  to  his  farm  prop- 
erty he  owned  four  lots  and  a  nice  residence  in 
Blue  Mound  which  Mrs.  Hardy  has  occupied 
for  some  time.  His  widow  is  living  retired, 
save  the  management  of  her  investments,  the 
rental  from  the  farm  bringing  a  good  income 
which  supplies  her  with  all  of  the  necessities 
and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  Mr.  Hardy 
died  May  30,  1903. 


PETER  J.  DEMPSEY. 
Peter  J.  Dempsey  was   for  many  years  a 
member  of  the  police  force  of  Decatur  and 
stood  as  a  stalwart  defender  of  the  rights  and 


liberties  of  the  people  and  the  preservation  of 
the  dignity  of  the  law.  So  loyal  was  he  in  the 
discharge  of  all  his  duties  that  he  won  high 
commendation  from  all  concerned,  and  well 
does  he  deserve  mention  in  this  volume.  Illi- 
nois numbers  him  among  her  native  sons,  for 
his  birth  occurred  in  Clinton  on  the  29th  of 
May,  1858,  his  parents  being  Michael  and 
]\Iary  (  Duim)  Dempsey.  The  father  was  a 
native  of  Queens  county,  Ireland,  and  the 
mother's  birth  occurred  in  County  Limerick, 
Coming  to  America  at  an  early  (lay  each  lo- 
cated in  Massachusetts,  and  in  that  state  they 
were  married.  Subsequently  they  resolved  to 
establish  a  home  in  the  west,  and  accordingly 
made  their  way  to  Clinton,  Illinois,  where  they 
resided  for  eight  or  ten  years.  FoUow^ing  this 
they  located  in  Decatur,  where  Mr.  Dempsey 
worked  at  his  trade  of  marble  cutting  for  a 
few  years.  He  then  became  mail  agent  on  the 
Peoria,  Decatur  &  Eastern  Railroad,  and  occu- 
pied that  position  for  several  years,  after  w^hich 
he  went  upon  the  Wabash  Railroad,  running 
out  of  Decatur  in  a  similar  capacity  for  ten 
years.  In  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties 
he  was  prompt,  faithful  and  reliable,  and  now 
he  is  enjoying  a  well  earned  retirement  from 
furtlier  labor,  making  his  home  with  his  chil- 
dren in  Decatur,  his  wife  having  previously 
passed  away. 

Peter  J.  Dempsey  was  largely  indebted  to 
the  public  schools  of  Decatur  for  the  educa- 
tional privileges  which  he  enjoyed,  and  when 
he  had  mastered  the  branches  of  learning 
therein  taught  he  began  assisting  his  father  in 
the  marble  works,  being  employed  there  until 
eighteen  years  of  age.  He  then  obtained  a 
position  in  the  freight  depot  in  this  city  on  the 
line  of  the  Indiana,  Decatur  &  Western  Rail- 
road, and  that  he  was  most  loyal  to  the  trust 
reposed  in  him  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  for 
eleven  years  he  continued  to  serve  in  that 
capacity.  His  work  was  ever  free  from  error, 
and  he  received  little  criticism  upon  his  meth- 
ods of  discharging  his  duties.  Upon  leaving 
the  freight  department  of  the  railway  service 


T.  E.  DOWNING 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY.  ' 


C)47 


he  obtained  a  position  on  the  Decatur  poHce 
force,  and  acted  in  that  capacity  for  seven 
years  or  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 

Mr.  Dempsey  was  married  May  2,  1883,  in 
St.  Isadore's  church  at  Bethany,  Illinois,  die 
lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Mary  E.  Dwyer, 
a  native  of  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  born  May 
5,  1856,  and  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Cath- 
erine (Cody)  Dwyer.  Her  father  was  born 
in  County  Limerick,  Ireland,  and  at  an  early 
day  braved  the  dangers  incident  to  an  ocean 
voyage  in  order  to  become  a  resident  of  the 
new  world  that  he  might  enjoy  its  better  busi- 
ness opportunities.  He  settled  in  Morgan 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  farming 
for  a  few  years  and  then  removed  to  Moultrie 
county,  this  state,  where  he  continued  to  carry 
on  agricultural  pursuits  until  the  infirmities 
of  old  age  caused  him  to  retire.  He  then 
took  up  his  abode  in  Dalton  City,  Illinois, 
where  he  lived  in  honorable  retirement  from 
further  labor  until  called  to  the  home  beyond 
on  the  i8th  of  August,  1900.  His  widow,  who 
was  born  in  Killarney,  Ireland,  now  owns  a 
nice  home  in  Dalton  City,  where  she  is  greatly 
respected  because  of  her  many  excellencies  of 
character.  The  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Demp- 
sey was  blessed  with  two  children :  Zella,  who 
was  born  October  4,  1886;  and  Lucile,  born 
January  4,  1895. 

It  was  on  the  25th  of  September,  1898,  that 
Mr.  Dempsey  was  called  from  this  life.  He 
had  held  several  minor  offices  in  the  city,  in 
addition  to  his  service  on  the  police  force,  and 
was  ever  found  loyal  to  the  confidence  reposed 
in  him,  discharging  his  duties  to  the  best  of 
his  ability.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, never  wavering  in  his  allegiance  to 
the  party.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church  of  De- 
catur, and  h.is  funeral  was  the  second  preached 
by  Father  Murphy,  now  the  priest  in  that 
church.  Mr.  Dempsey  was  a  leading  resident 
of  Decatur  and  had  many  friends  here  because 
of  his  genial  manner,   jovial   disposition   and 


unfailing  courtesy.  Mrs.  Dempsey  and  her 
children  now  reside  at  No.  1139  North  Clay- 
ton street,  and  she  owns  the  property  there 
located. 


T.   EDWARD   DOWNING. 

T.  Edward  Downing  is  connected  with 
the  business  circles  of  Decatur  as  a  plumb- 
ing and  heating  contractor,  and  is  also  a 
dealer  in  gas  fi.xtures.  His  natal  day  is  De- 
cember 8,  1872,  his  parents  being  Wayne 
and  Elizabeth  Downing,  both  of  whom 
are  now  residents  of  Decatur.  In  their 
family  were  ten  children,  two  sons  and  eight 
daughters.  Eight  of  this  number  are  now 
living.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  born 
in  this  country,  but  the  mother  is  a  native 
of  the  Emerald  Isle  and  was  brought  to 
America  when  cjuite  young  by  her  father, 
Patrick  Casey,  now  deceased,  who  was  a 
wrll   known   Irish   citizen   of  Decatur. 

In  the  public  schools  of  this  city  T.  Ed- 
ward Downing  ac(juircd  his  education  and 
when  he  had  mastered  the  common  branches 
of  English  learning  he  put  aside  his  text 
books  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  en- 
tered the  employ  of  H.  Mueller,  who  was 
then  located  on  East  Main  street  and  with 
whom  he  learned  the  plumbing  trade.  For 
eleven  years  he  remained  with  that  house, 
his  long  connection  being  an  indication  of 
capability,  close  application  and  fidelity. 
Tn  1897  he  resigned  his  position  that  he 
might  engage  in  business  for  himself  and 
formed  a  partnership  with  W.  J.  Wells. 
They  located  at  No.  224  West  Main  street, 
where  they  continued  in  business  until  the 
spring  of  1901,  when  the  partnership  was 
dissolved.  Mr.  Wells  then  embarked  in 
business  alone  on  North  Main  street,  while 
Mr.  Downing  remained  at  the  old  location. 
His  patronage  is  extensive  and  his  business 
profitable.  He  now  has  in  his  employ  seven 
men  and  although  he  has  been  in  business 
but  a  comparatively  brief  period  large  and 


6-1:8 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


important  plumbing  and  heating  contracts 
have  been  awarded  him.  He  has  put  in  the 
phimbing  and  heating  systems  in  some  of 
the  best  and  largest  buildings  in  central 
Illinois,  including  the  Christian  county 
courthouse  at  Taylorville,  the  Logan  county 
courthouse  at  Lincoln,  Illinois,  the  Elks 
auditorium  at  Champaign,  the  new  Car- 
negie library  of  Decatur,  the  National  Bank 
of  Stonington,  St.  Mary's  Catholic  church, 
school  and  parsonage,  at  Paris,  Illinois,  the 
Douglas  Flotel  at  Tuscola,  .St.  Patrick's 
Catholic  church  of  Decatur,  and  also  in 
some  of  the  best  residences  of  this  city  and 
county. 

In  December,  1893,  was  celebrated  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Downing  and  Miss  Cath- 
erine McGrath,  of  Litchfield,  Illinois.  Five 
children  have  been  born  unto  them,  those 
living  are  all  sons,  namely :  Edward,  Roy, 
Louis  and  Harold.  A  little  daughter  died 
in  infancy.  Mr.  Downing  is  a  member  of 
Decatur  Council  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus 
and  the  Fraternal  Army  of  America,  and  he 
and  his  wife  hold  membership  in  St.  Pat- 
rick's Catholic  church  of  this  city.  He 
stands  to-day  as  one  of  the  prominent  self- 
made  men  of  Decatur,  who  has  worked  his 
way  up  from  the  bottom  round  of  the  lad- 
der and  now  he  stands  on  the  plane  of  af- 
fluence. His  business  patronage  is  ex- 
tensive and  the  income  derived  therefrom 
makes  him  one  of  the  leading  and  prosper- 
ous young  business  men  of  the  city. 


CAREY  L.  HOLMAN. 
Carey  L.  Holman,  a  wide-awake  and  up-to- 
date  farmer  residing  on  section  9,  Whitmore 
township,  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having 
occurred  in  Ross  county,  that  state,  on  the 
28th  of  May,  1861.  His  parents,  Martin  and 
Mary  (Ferba)  Holman,  were  also  born  in 
Ohio,  where  they  continued  to  make  their 
home  for  several  years  after  their  marriage, 


but  during  the  Civil  war  they  came  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  and  located  on  a  farm  near 
Decatur,  on  the  Bloomington  road'.  In  their 
family  were  nine  children,  seven  sons  and  two 
daughters,  and  seven  of  the  number  reached 
years  of  maturity,  but  Mrs.  Sabrina  Dillahunt 
and  Mrs.  Eva  Samuels  are  both  now  deceased. 
The  sons  that  are  still  living  are  William,  a 
resident  of  Decatur ;  .-Mbert,  of  Iowa ;  David, 
who  makes  his  home  south  of  Oreana ;  Carey 
L -,  of  this  sketch,  and  Norman,  of  Marshall, 
Texas. 

Carey  L.  Holman  remained  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  attained  his  majority,  and  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
the  neighborhood.  On  the  19th  of  December, 
1888,  he  was  married  in  this  county  to  Miss 
Mabel  Toney,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
(Nesbitt)  Toney,  who  were  natives  of  Ken- 
tucky and  North  Carolina,  respectively.  Her 
father  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he 
removed  to  Indiana.  Her  maternal  grand- 
father, William  Nesbitt,  was  of  Irish  descent, 
while  his  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Jane  Dobbins,  was  of  Scotch  extraction,  and 
could  trace  her  ancestry  back  to  the  seven- 
teenth century.  The  family  was  founded  in 
North  Carolina  at  a  very  early  day  in  its  set- 
tlement. Mrs.  Holman  was  born  in  Lawrence 
county,  Indiana,  on  the  6th  of  April,  1869,  and 
is  now  makmg  preparations  to  visit  her  old 
home  there  which  she  has  not  seen  since  the 
age  of  twelve  years.  Her  education,  which 
was  begun  in  the  public  schools  of  her  native 
county,  was  completed  in  the  high  school  of 
Decatur,  which  she  left  in  her  senior  year. 
She  is  a  well  read  woman,  having  a  special 
fondness  for  history,  and  her  eldest  daughter 
seems  to  have  inherited  that  taste.  In  her 
father's  family  were  seven  children,  of  whom 
two  died  in  infancy,  those  still  living  being 
Claude  L.,  Jesse,  Mabel,  Emmett  and  Grace. 
.\11  are  residents  of  Piatt  county,  Illinois,  with 
exception  of  Mrs.  Holman,  and  Emmett  is 
now  the  only  one  unmarried.  Unto  our  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  were  born  six  children,  but 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


640 


two  died  in  infancy.     Those  living  are  Grace, 
Fred,  i'ark  and  Reva. 

After  liis  niarriaLje  Mr.  llolman  was  en- 
gaged in  farming  upon  rented  land  for  a  few 
years,  but  in  1889  he  purchased  his  present 
place  on  section  9,  Whitmore  township,  con- 
sisting of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich 
and  arable  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion. Since  it  came  into  hi.s  possession  he  has 
planted  trees,  put  up  fences,  erected  a  good 
barn  in  1902,  and  has  made  many  other  useful 
improvements,  which  add  greatly  to  the  value 
and  attractive  appearance  of  the  place.  In 
connection  with  general  farming  he  feeds  con- 
siderable cattle  for  market,  and  is  meeting 
with  good  success  in  his  undertakings.  He  is 
a  progressive  business  man,  of  known  reliabil- 
ity, and  he  has  the  confidence  and  high  regard 
of  all  who  know  him.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church  of  Ore- 
ana,  and  they  have  a  wide  circle  6i  friends  and 
acquaintances  throughout  their  adopted 
county. 


WILLIAM  O.  JONES. 
On  the  list  of  those  who  have  practiced  at 
the  bar  of  Macon  county  and  who.se  careers 
have  reflected  honor  and  credit  upon  the  pro- 
fession appears  the  name  of  William  O.  Jones, 
who  became  a  resident  of  Decatur  in  1859. 
He  had  formerly  been  a  law  student  under 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  Springfield,  and  his  course 
was  a  merit  to  his  honored  preceptor.  Mr. 
Jones  was  a  native  of  Cortland,  Alabama,  born 
on  the  19th  of  August,  1828,  a  son  of  Charles 
Lewis  and  Elizabeth  Speak  McAtee  (Owen) 
Jones,  the  former  a  native  of  Prince  George 
county,  Marxland,  the  latter  of  Fairfax  county, 
A'irginia.  ( )n  leaving  his  native  state  the 
father  removed  to  Alabama,  where  he  remained 
for  a  few  years,  and  then  went  to  Morgan 
county,  Illinois,  removing  afterward  to 
Springfield,  this  state,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death.     The  mother  later  made  her  home 


with  her  children  and  died  at  the  home  of  her 
son,  William  ().,  in  Decatur. 

In  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  William  O. 
Jones  attended  the  public  schools  and  later 
continued  his  studies  in  the  city  of  Spring- 
fu-ld.  lie  t-nti'rcd  upon  his  business  career  at 
the  age  of  si.xteon  as  a  clerk  in  a  dry-goods 
store  of  the  capital  city  and  followed  that  pur- 
suit for  ten  years  or  until  twenty-six  years  of 
age.  In  the  meantime,  however,  he  had 
forme(l  a  desire  to  make  the  practice  of  law 
his  life  work,  and  to  this  end  he  devoted  his 
leisure  hours  to  the  study  of  law,  making 
.\braham  Lincoln's  office  his  headquarters  dur- 
ing the  period  which  he  was  able  to  devote  to 
the  mastery  of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence. 
Mr.  Lincoln  was  a  near  neighbor  of  our  sub- 
ject, residing  just  across  the  street  from  the 
Jones  residence.  Mr.  Jones,  of  this  review, 
continued  as  a  student  for  several  years,  and 
then  became  editor  of  the  Springfield  Journal, 
but  had  charge  of  that  paper  for  only  a  short 
time  or  until  1859,  for  in  that  year  he  removed 
to  Decatur  and  opened  a  law  office  in  this  city. 
He  was  not  long  in  convincing  the  public  that 
he  was  well  qualified  to  handle  important  liti- 
gated interests,  and  he  continued  in  active 
practice  until  after  the  inauguration  of  the 
Civil  war,  when  he  enlisted  in  his  country's 
service.  He  was  made  a  lieutenant  colonel 
and  went  to  ihe  fnmt,  but  was  only  in  the 
army  for  ninety-eight  days,  being  then  honor- 
ably discharged  on  account  of  ill  health.  At 
tile  end  of  that  time  he  returned  to  his  home  in 
Decatur  and  soon  afterward  ])urchased  a  farm 
we.*:!  of  the  city  and  near  Fairview  Park.  To 
the  super\'ision  of  his  property  and  to  light 
labor  in  connection  with  the  cultivation  and 
development  of  the  fields  he  then  gave  his 
attention  until  his  death.  His  health  was 
never  very  rugged,  and  on  the  5th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1873,  he  passed  away. 

Ere  going  to  the  war  Mr.  Jones  was  united 
in  marriage  on  September  10,  1857,  to  Miss 
Sarah  B.  Groves,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  born 
January   11,  1835,  and  a  daughter  of  John  R. 


650 


1\.^£  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  Maria  Louise  (Grooms)  Groves,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  Kentucky,  whence  they 
removed  to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  in  an 
early  day.  The  father  there  carried  on  farm- 
ing until  the  death  of  his  wife,  after  which 
he  abandoned  the  plow  and  removed  to  the 
village  of  Mechanicsburg,  where  he  lived  re- 
tired until  his  own  demise.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jones  became  the  parents  of  seven  children : 
Charles  Lewis,  who  married  Kittie  M.  Cokley, 
who  resides  in  Decatur ;  Frederick  Owen,  who 
married  Katie  Russell  and  is  living  here; 
Marie  Louise,  who  is  with  her  mother;  James 
Thomas,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  year  and 
tliree  months ;  Albert  Hale,  who  married  Car- 
rie Clark  and  is  residing  in  Decatur;  Edna 
Grooms,  who  is  living  at  home ;  and  Willie, 
who  died  m  infancy. 

In  public  affairs  Mr.  Jones  was  prominent, 
influential  and  helpful.  He  quickly  recog- 
nized opportunities  and  did  everything  in  his 
power  to  advance  the  public  growth  along 
social,  intellectual  and  moral  lines.  He  served 
as  county  superintendent  of  schools  in  Macon 
county  for  a  few  years,  and  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation found  in  him  a  warm  friend.  In  politics 
an  earnest  and  stanch  Republican,  he  was  al- 
ways a  hard  worKer  for  the  party,  and  was  one 
of  the  organizers  of  a  L'nion  League  at  the 
time  of  the  Civil  war.  He  belonged  to  the 
Masonic  order  in  Springfield,  and  although  he 
never  united  with  the  lodge  in  Decatur  he 
assisted  in  forming  the  society  here.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian church.  Since  her  husband's  death 
Mrs.  Jones  has  removed  into  the  city  and  is 
now  living  at  No.  1125  North  Church  street 
with  her  two  daughters. 

Decatur  found  in  Mr.  Jones  a  valued  repre- 
sentative of  its  best  interests.  He  was  a  citi- 
zen loyal  and  true,  a  faithful  friend,  a  devoted 
husband  and  father  and  a  consistent  Christian. 
He  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities  not 
only  in  his  own  behalf,  but  for  the  general 
good  and  the  public  welfare,  and  his  life  was 


so  straightforward  and  honorable  that  all  men 
respected  and  esteemed  him  and  his  name  was 
untarnished  bv  anv  unworthy  word  or  deed. 


EDWARD  HARPSTRITE. 
Edward  Harpstrite  has  passed  the  sev- 
enty-sixth mile-stone  on  life's  journey  and 
now  in  the  evening  of  his  days  is  living  re- 
tired in  Decatur,  enjoying  a  well  earned 
rest.  He  also  receives  the  veneration  and 
respect  which  should  ever  be  accorded  to 
one  who  has  attained  advanced  years.  He 
belongs  to  that  class  of  worthy  representa- 
tive citizens  that  Germany  has  furnished 
to  the  new  world,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Baden  on  the  i8th  of  February,  1827. 
His  parents,  John  B.  and  Mary  S.  (Roamar) 
Harpstrite,  were  also  natives  of  Baden,  in 
which  country  they  remained  until  1833, 
when  they  decided  to  establish  their  home 
in  America.  Accordingly  they  left  the  port 
of  Havre  in  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  New 
York.  Th.at  method  of  ocean  travel  was 
very  slow  in  comparison  to  that  of  the  pres- 
ent day  and  it  was  not  until  sixty-one  days 
had  passed  that  the  Harpstrite  family  ar- 
rived at  their  destination.  From  New  York 
city  they  made  their  way  to  Trenton.  New 
Jersey,  thence  to  Reading,  Pennsylvania, 
and  on  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  they  re- 
mained for  a  year.  Their  next  place  of 
residence  was  Logansport,  Indiana,  where 
John  B.  Harpstrite  found  employment  on 
the  canal  and  thus  provided  for  his  family 
for  a  time.  Later  he  was  employed  by 
Freeman  Hunter  on  a  farm  for  six  years 
and  thus  gradually  he  made  a  start  in  busi- 
ness life  in  the  new  world.  In  1844  he  re- 
moved to  Clinton  county.  Illinois,  where  he 
purchased  a  tract  of  new  land.  Not  a  fur- 
row had  been  turned  or  an  improvement 
made  upon  this  place  and  the  family  experi- 
enced all  the  hardships  and  trials  of  pioneer 
life  during  their  early  residence  there.  Mr. 
Harpstrite   performed   the   difficult   task   of 


MB.  and  MRS-  ANDREW  J.  WILLIAMS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


653 


opening  up  a  new  farm,  but  in  tlic  course  oi 
time  his  labors  were  rewarded  with  good 
harvests.  He  also  engaged  in  the  raising 
and  feeding  of  cattle  and  other  stock  and 
was  quite  successful  in  his  w-ork.  It  was 
upon  that  old  home  farm  that  the  mother  of 
our  subject  died  and  was  buried. 

Accompanying  his  parents  on  their  vari- 
ous removals,  Edward  Ilarpstrite  therefore 
attended  school  in  a  number  of  different 
places.  His  last  term  spent  in  the  school- 
room was  at  Delphi,  Tndiana.  Ho  remained 
upon  the  home  farm  until  twenty-one  years 
of  age  and  though  his  educational  privileges 
were  somewhat  meager,  his  training  at  farm 
labor  was  not  limited.  The  year  1855  wit- 
nessed his  arrival  in  Macon  county.  He 
afterward  settled  in  South  Wheatland  town- 
ship, where  he  invested  his  hard  earned  sav- 
ings in  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres.  This  he  improved  and  cultiwited  until 
i860,  when  he  sold  the  property  and  took  up 
his  abode  in  the  city,  becoming  interested  in 
the  brewing  business  in  company  with  his 
brother,  Augustus  Harpstrite,  under  the 
firm  style  of  Harpstrite  Brothers.  This 
business  was  continued  from  i860  until 
1884,  When  Edward  Harpstrite  sold  out  to 
his  partner  and  to  Henry  Shlauderman,  Mr. 
Harpstrite  retiring  from  business  on  account 
of  failing  health.  He,  however,  owns  two 
good  farms  which  return  to  him  an  excellent 
income.  One  of  these  comprises  one  hun- 
dred and  fourteen  acres  and  the  other  one 
hundred  and  eighty  acres  and  all  is  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation. 

In  1852  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Mr.  Harpstrite  and  Miss  Dorothy  C.  Rueb- 
samen,  who  was  then  a  resident  of  Clinton 
county,  Illinois,  but  who  was  born  in  Baden, 
Cermany,  in  1835.  They  traveled  life's 
journey  together  for  about  twenty-four 
years  and  then  Mrs.  Harpstrite  was  called 
to  her  final  rest  in  1876.  .'>he  liad  become 
the  mother  of  eight  children,  of  whom  seven 
are  now  living,  namelv:     Kate  H.,  who  is 


the  wife  of  I'eler  Ullrich,  a  resident  of  Ce- 
dar Rapids,  Iowa ;  Mary  A.,  at  home ; 
Charles  W.,  who  is  living  in  Sedgwick  coun- 
ty, Kansas;  Edward  J.,  at  home;  Dexter; 
John  11.,  who  is  likewise  a  resident  of  Sedg- 
wick county,  Kansas  ;  Bertha,  at  home  ;  and 
Emma  P.,  who  is  still  with  her  father. 

Since  attaining  his  majority  Mr. -Harp- 
strite has  given  his  political  support  to  the 
Democracy  and  for  four  3-ears  he  served  as 
a  memlicr  of  the  city  council,  representing 
the  fiiurlli  ward.  During  that  lime  he  ex- 
ercised his  official  jirerogatives  in  suj^port 
of  every  measure  which  he  believes  would 
contribute  to  the  general  good.  He  began 
life  a  poor  boy,  but  by  energy,  industry  and 
good  management  has  become  the  possessor 
of  valuable  properties.  His  life  has  been 
characterized  by  qualities  which  in  every 
land  and  clime  command  respect  and  his 
career  has  been  creditable  alike  to  the  coun- 
try of  his  nali\-ity  and  to  his  adojited  land. 


ANDREW  J.  WILLIAMS. 
Sixty-seven  years  have  come  and  gone 
since  Andrew  J.  Williams  became  a  resident 
of  Macon  county.  He  was  then  but  a  boy, 
yet  here  he  spent  his  youth  and  early  man- 
hood and  as  he  reached  mature  years  be- 
came a  factor  in  the  agricultural  life  of 
Macon  county.  When  he  passed  away  the 
comnnmity  mourned  the  loss  of  a  valued 
citizen  and  his  friends  one  whom  they  had 
known  only  to  honor  and  esteem.  His  birth 
occurred  in  Yazoo,  Mississippi,  on  the  ist 
of  January,  1831,  his  parents  being  .Xndrew 
J,  and  Rebecca  Williams.  The  mother  died 
in  Mississippi  during  the  earlj^  boyhood 
of  her  son  and  the  father  was  afterward 
married  in  Macon  county.  His  birth  had 
occurred  in  Connecticut  and  in  early  life 
he  had  gone  to  the  Yazoo  valley  of  Missis- 
sip[)i,  where  he  became  a  planter,  remaining 
in  that    locality   until    1836,   which   was   the 


654 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


year  of  his  arrival  in  ;\Iacon  county.  Pur- 
chasing a  tract  of  land  in  Decatur  town- 
ship, he  there  engaged  in  farming  for  a  few 
years,  but  on  account  of  failing  eyesight  he 
retired  from  business  and  resided  in  the 
city  of  Decatur  until  his  death.  Only  two 
of  his  children  are  now  living:  John,  who 
is  living  retired  in  North  Monroe  street  in 
Decatur;  and  Virginia,  the  wife  of  Isaac 
W.  Ehrman,  a  laundryman  of  this  city. 

Andrew  J.  ^^'illiams  was  only  five  years 
of  age  when  his  father  came  to  Macon  coun- 
ty. It  was  in  the  public  schools  of  this 
locality  therefore  that  he  acquired  his  edu- 
cation, but  his  opportunities  for  gaining 
knowledge  from  text  books  were  limited  as 
in  his  youth  he  largely  assisted  in  the  oper- 
ation of  his  father's  farm.  It  was  only 
through  the  winter  months  in  his  early  boy- 
hood that  he  was  enabled  to  attend  school. 
His  training  at  farm  work,  however,  was 
not  meager  and  he  soon  gained  practical 
experience  concerning  the  best  methods  of 
caring  for  and  cultivating  the  fields.  He 
remained  at  home  until  his  marriage  to  Miss 
Lavina  Veach,  who  died  in  Macon  county 
in  the  early  "sos.  In  1858  Mr.  Williams 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Miss  Julia  A.  Gulick,  who  was  born 
September  27,  1840,  at  the  place  where  she 
now  resides.  Her  parents  were  Levi  and 
Harriet  (McElroy)  Gulick,  the  former  a 
native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 
They,  too,  became  early  settlers  of  Macon 
county,  arriving  in  the  year  1837  and  here 
the  father  purchased  a  farm  known  as  the 
old  Packard  estate  now  included  within  the 
city  of  Decatur,  it  being  the  present  resi- 
dence of  Mrs.  Williams.  There  Mr.  Gulick 
made  his  home  and  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits    until    his    death. 

.■\fter  his  marriage  ^Ir.  \\'illianis  pur- 
chased land  in  Decatur  township  and  was 
engaged  in  its  cultivation  and  improvement 
up  to  the  time  of  the  Civil  war.  .\s  he 
could  not  content  himself  to  remain  at  home 


when  his  country  was  in  danger  and  needed 
the  aid  of  her  loyal  sons  at  the  front  he 
enlisted  in  1862,  becoming  a  member  of 
Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth 
Illinois  Regiment  under  Captain  McClurg 
and  Colonel  Tupper.  The  company  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Vicksburg,  the  Ar- 
kansas expedition,  the  Atlanta  campaign, 
the  march  to  the  sea  and  the  Carolina  cam- 
paign and  history  records  many  acts  of 
valor  performed  by  the  One  Hundred  and 
Si.xteenth  Illinois.  Mr.  \\'illiams  was  never 
injured  in  any  way,  but  on  account  of  ill- 
ness contracted  in  the  south  he  was  dis- 
charged after  a  short  service  and  returned 
to  his  home.  He  then  resumed  farming 
in  Decatur  township  and  continued  to  culti- 
vate his  fields  until  his  removal  to  the  city 
of  Decatur  in  order  that  he  might  live  a  re- 
tired life.  He  took  up  his  abode  at  the  home 
which  his  widow  now  occupies  and  spent 
his  remaining  days  in  rest  from-  further 
labor. 

Unto  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  W'iiliams  were  born 
eight  children  ;  Harriet  Ellen,  the  wife  of 
M.  S.  Perry,  a  farmer  of  Decatur  township ; 
Francis  F.,  who  married  Annie  Bain  and  re- 
sides in  Douglas,  Arizona ;  Virginia  A.,  the 
wife  of  David  II.  Hughes,  of  Decatur;  Al- 
bertus  G..  who  married  Catherine  Rife  and 
is  a  merchant  of  Dillon,  Alontana;  Mary  E., 
the  wife  of  Fred  L.  Muzzy,  of  Decatur;  \\'. 
L.,  who  married  Elsie  Fickle  and  lives  in 
Decatur :  George,  deceased ;  and  one  that 
died  unnamed  in  infancy. 

The  death  of  Mr.  \\'illiams  occurred  De- 
cember 15,  1896.  He  had  served  as  high- 
way commissioner  in  Decatur  township  for 
a  number  of  years,  but  otherwise  held  no 
office  nor  sought  political  preferment  as  a 
reward  for  party  fealty.  He  gave  strong 
endorsement  to  Republican  principles,  how- 
ever, and  always  voted  for  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  party.  He  was  a  valued 
representative  of  the  Grand  Army  Post 
of  Decatur  and  had   manv   friends  outside 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


655 


of  the  tralernily,  his  excellent  traits  of 
character  having  endeared  him  to  those  with 
whom  he  was  brought  in  contact.  He  was 
one  of  nature's  noblemen,  who  without  pre- 
tense or  ostentation  so  lived  as  to  enjoy 
the  esteem  and  regard  of  all  with  whom 
he  was  associated.  Mrs.  Williams  now  re- 
sides at  No.  1345  North  Union  street,  where 
her  lawn  covers  a  half  block  square.  She 
also  owns  ten  acres  of  land  on  College 
street  near  the  Peoria,  Decatur  &  Evans- 
ville  Railroad.  She  was  left  in  comfortable 
financial  circumstances  by  her  husband  and 
in  social  circles  she  is  highly  esteemed,  be- 
ing widely  and  favorably  known  in  this  city. 


WILLIAAI  F.  BROOKSHIER. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the  self- 
made  men  of  Macon  county,  who  through  his 
own  imaided  efforts  has  attained  a  place 
among  the  leadmg  and  well-to-do  farmers  of 
Pleasant  \'iew  township  where  he  now  makes 
his  home.  He  was  horn  near  Winchester,  in 
Clark  county,  Kentucky,  December  23,  1833, 
his  parents  being  Martin  and  Amanda  (Cum- 
mins) Brookshier,  both  of  English  descent. 
The  father  was  also  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
where  the  family  was  established  at  a  very 
early  day  in  its  history  by  our  subject's  pater- 
nal grandfather,  who  was  froiu  North  Caro- 
lina, and  settled  in  Clark  county,  where  he 
bought  a  tract  of  lain!.  The  maternal  grand- 
parents of  our  subject  were  from  \'irginia 
and  North  Carolina.  Martin  lirookshier  be- 
came the  owner  of  eighty-four  acres  of  land 
in  Clark  county.  T\entucky,  on  which  he 
raised  corn,  oats  and  wheat,  tobacco  being  an 
improfitable  crop  at  that  time,  tbough  it  has 
since  been  raised  with  profit  in  that  state.  He 
also  raised  some  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  and 
was  the  owner  of  one  slave  before  the  war.  In 
his  family  were  the  following  children:  Min- 
erva, who  died  during  her  girlhood ;  William 
¥.:  Martin  A.,  who  died  in  1900;  Elias  H.,  a 


preacher  living  in  Monroe  county,  Indiana; 
W  iley,  a  widower  living  in  Clark  county,  Ken- 
tucky;  O.  II.,  a  retired  farmer  living  in 
Springfield,  Illinois;  John  N.,  a  resident  of 
Clark  county,  Kentucky ;  Amanda,  wife  of 
William  KerrNinan,  of  that  county;  Achilles, 
deceased ;  James  (J.,  living  in  Madison  county, 
Kentucky;  Mary  A.,  who  died  in  girlhood; 
Elizabeth,  also  deceased ;  \N',  W.,  who  makes 
his  home  in  Madison  county,  Kentucky,  and 
Lucy,  who  died  unmarried. 

Jveared  in  the  state  of  his  nativity,  W'illiam 
F.  r.rookshier  pursued  his  studies  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Clark  county,  the  school  house 
being  built  of  logs  with  a  puncheon  floor  and 
seats  and  a  large  fireplace  at  one  end.  At  the 
age  of  fifteen  began  earning  his  own  liveli- 
hood b\'  working  as  a  farm  hand  at  seven  dol- 
lars per  nuinth.  tie  w'as  thus  employed  for 
eleven  months  and  was  obliged  to  rise  each 
morning  at  four  o'clock.  Later  he  learned 
blacksniithing,  and  during  the  two  years  of  his 
apprenticeship  he  was  given  only  fifty  dollars 
per  }-car  in  compensation  for  his  services, 
."subsequently  he  worked  one  year  for  another 
blacksmith  in  Kentuck}-,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  removed  to  Danville,  Indiana,  where  he 
was  employed  in  a  mill  one  summer.  He  then 
returned  home  and  resumed  work  as  a  farm 
hand.  His  next  employment  was  getting  out 
ties  for  the  Wabash  Railroad  in  \^ermilion 
county,  Indiana,  and  Vermilion  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  saw  the  first  train  run  into  Decatur 
in  1857,  Later  he  worked  one  year  for  old 
Uncle  Johnny  Taylor,  nine  miles  southwest 
of  Decatur. 

Mr.  Urookshier  was  then  married  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  Hurst,  and  they  located  on  the  Tay- 
lor farm,  where  they  spent  one  year.  He  then 
removed  to  a  farm  near  Mount  Auburn,  in 
Christian  county,  where  the  following  two 
years  were  passed,  and  for  five  years  lived  on 
the  Augur  farm  in  the  same  county,  after 
which  he  worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade  in 
Mount  Auburn  for  one  year.  In  1863  he 
came  to  Macon  county  and  bought   railroad 


()5G 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


land  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Blue 
Mound,  paying  ten  dollars  per  acre  for  one 
forty  acre  tract,  and  eleven  dollars  for  the 
other  forty  acres.  This  he  sold  in  1881  for 
sixty  dollars  per  acre  and  then  purchased  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  where  he  now  lives  in 
Pleasant  A'iew  township,  for  which  he  paid 
forty-five  dollars  per  acre.  He  has  erected  all 
the  buildings  upon  the  place  and  today  has  a 
very  desirable  and  well  improved  farm  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Besides  his  home 
property  he  owns  ninety-two  acres  in  South 
]Macon  township,  for  which  he  gave  sixty-five 
dollars  per  acre.  He  is  a  very  energetic,  en- 
terprising and  progressive  farmer,  and  the 
success  that  has  come  to  him  is  certainly  well 
merited.  At  present  his  sons  operate  the  land 
while  he  is  now  practically  living  a  retired  life, 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest. 

Mr.  Brookshier's  first  wife  died  in  1869. 
By  that  union  he  had  five  children,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living,  namely :  Lola  May,  wife 
of  James  Chapman,  of  Blue  Mound  town- 
ship :  Benedict  M.,  who  married  Rosa  Price 
and  is  in  the  employ  of  a  wholesale  house  in 
St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  and  Barbara  Etta,  wife 
of  William  B.  Gordon,  who  is  in  a  wholesale 
house  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  For  his  second 
wife  ^Ir.  Brookshier  married  ^Irs.  j\Iary  J. 
(Logan)  Boyd,  who  died  July  20,  1902.  leav- 
ing four  children  by  our  subject :  Jonathan 
\\'.,  who  married  Laura  Easley  and  follows 
farming  in  South  .Macon  township;  Joseph  E.. 
who  married  Lulu  Shaddock  and  lives  on  sec- 
tion 12,  Pleasant  Mew  township;  Edwin  F., 
at  home  with  his  father,  and  Mabel,  wife  of 
Frederick  ^^'eicklein,  living  on  section  13, 
Pleasant  \'ie\v  township. 

Since  attaining  his  majority,  Mr.  Brookshier 
has  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party,  and 
he  has  long  been  an  earnest  and  consistent 
member  of  the  Christian  church.  He  has  led 
an  upright,  honorable  and  useful  life,  and  he 
has  won  the  confidence  and  high  regard  of 
those  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  con- 
tact either  in  business  or  social  life.  He  helped 


organize  and  proposed  the  name  of  Pleasant 
View  township  and  was  also  one  of  the  four 
men  to  organize  the  school  district  in  which  he 
lives. 


SAAIUEL   GRLMiAL 

Samuel  Grimm,  who  is  practically  living 
a  retired  life  in  Decatur,  though  to  some 
extent  is  interested  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness here,  came  to  Macon  county  on  the  17th 
of  INIarch,  1875.  His  early  home  was  in 
Pennsylvania,  for  he  was  born  in  York 
county^  that  state,  on  the  5th  of  June,  1S56, 
a  son  of  Joseph  and  Kate  (Sowers)  Grimm, 
who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  York  county. 
By  occupation  the  father  was  a  farmer.  The 
first  of  the  family  to  come  west  was  our 
subject's  brother,  John  S.  Grimm,  who  ar- 
rived in  Macon  county,  Illinois,  in  the  spring 
of  1S72,  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Hickory 
Point  township,  where  he  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  for  seven  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  he  returned  to  the  Key- 
•■^tone  state  and  is  still  residing  in  York 
county. 

Samuel  Grimm  received  a  good  practical* 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  na- 
tive county  and  he  also  acquired  an  excel- 
lent knowdedge  of  those  duties  which  fall 
to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  His  brother 
having  previously  located  in  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  he  too  came  to  this  county  in 
^larch,  1875,  'IS  previously  stated,  and  be- 
gan work  here  as  a  farm  hand,  being  em- 
ployed on  several  different  farms  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Forsyth  until  1877.  That  year  he 
rented  a  farm  near  the  same  village  in  Hick- 
ory Point  township  from  the  late  Charles 
Ewing,  of  Decatur,  and  continued  to  operate 
that  place  for  thirteen  years. 

At  the  end  of  that  time  Mr,  Grimm  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  seventy  acres  near  the  vil- 
lage of  Boody,  where  he  lived  for  three 
vears.  and  then  removed  to  a  farm  near  La 


FREDERICK  KRASCHEL 


m. 


■'i-.i^'>:-^vr'  ^■.<  r     r;i  '  jai:;.' 


iifti^ 


MRS.  FREDERICK  KRASCHEL 


PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


tJtU 


Place,  Illinois,  where  he  lived  for  two  years. 
He  next  moved  to  Elwin,  Illinois,  where 
he  bought  ninetj'-five  acres  of  land,  mak- 
ing his  home  there  for  three  years.  On  dis- 
posing of  that  property  he  went  to  St. 
Charles  comity,  Missouri,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-four 
acres  and  engaged  in  its  cultivation  for  two 
vcars,  but  in  March,  1903.  he  returned  to 
Illinois  and  now  makes  his  home  in  Deca- 
tur. Here  he  has  purchased  several  build- 
ing lots  in  the  western  part  of  the  city 
and  erected  houses  thereon,  which  he  now 
rents,  deriving  therefrom  a  good  income. 
These  are  located  on  W^est  Wood  and  West 
Macon  streets  and  his  own  private  residence 
is  at  No.  1129  the  former  street. 

On  the  14th  of  December,  1881,  ^Ir. 
Grimm  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Tempie  E.  MeCoUoni.  who  was  born  in 
Anna,  Illinois,  on  the  31st  of  July,  i860. 
Her  father,  John  .McCollom,  avIio  was  a 
cooper  by  trade,  came  to  this  state  at  an 
early  day  and  is  now  living  retired  with 
our  subject  and  his  wife.  Unto  -Mr.  and 
Airs.  Grimm  were  born  six  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Arthur,  deceased;  Edward,  who  is 
employed  in  the  car  shops  at  St.  Charles, 
Missouri ;  Cliiiford,  a  clerk  in  a  shoe  store  at 
St.  Louis,  Missouri;  W'illiam,  at  home  with 
his  parents ;  Phyllis,  deceased :  and  Doris, 
at  home. 

In  religious  faith  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Grimm  are  Methodists  but  have  never 
united  with  the  church  at  Decatur.  Mr. 
Grimm  gives  his  political  sujjport  to  the 
men  and  measures  of  the  Democratic  i>arty 
and  lakes  an  active  interest  in  public  af- 
fairs, though  he  has  never  cared  for  office. 
He  stands  well  in  business  circles,  being  a 
man  of  known  reliability,  and  by  his  well 
directed  efforts  he  has  acquired  a  com- 
fortable competence.  He  started  out  in  life 
for  himself  empty-handed  and  his  success 
is  due  enlirelv  to  his  own  industrv.and  gfood 


FREDERICK    KRASCHEL. 

Frederick  Kraschel,  residing  on  section 
'34,  South  Macon  township,  is  a  man  whose 
successful  struggle  with  adverse  circum- 
stances shows  what  can  be  done  by  indus- 
try and  economy,  especially  if  a  sensible 
wife  seconds  his  efforts  to  secure  a  home 
and  competence.  Starting  out  in  life 
empty-handed,  he  was  obliged  to  make  his 
way  without  any  of  the  aids  which  are  usu- 
ally considered  essential  to  success,  but  he 
steadily  worked  his  way  upward  and  is  to- 
da}'  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm. 

Mr.  Kraschel  was  born  in  Germany,  Jan- 
uary 27,  1842,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary 
(Schroder)  Kraschel.  The  father  spent  his 
entire  life  in  that  country  and  died  there 
about  1848.  Our  subject  was  reared  and 
educated  in  his  native  land,  where  he  made 
his  home  until  fourteen  years  of  age.  In 
1856  his  mother,  accompanied  by  her  three 
children,  Frederick,  John  and  Sophia, 
crossed  the  broad  Atlantic  with  the  hope 
of  bettering  their  financial  condition  in  the 
new  world,  and  settled  in  Tonawanda,  New 
York,  where  our  subject  and  his  brother 
obtained  work  on  farms.  The  mother  also 
worked  out  until  our  subject  was  married, 
when  she  went  to  live  with  him,  making 
her  home  there  until  her  death. 

After  going  to  New  York  in  1856,  Mr. 
Kraschel  worked  by  the  month  as  a  farm 
hand  for  seven  years  at  as  low  wages  as 
two  dollars  per  month  and  then,  in  1865, 
came  to  Illinois  and  purchased  forty 
acres  of  lanfl  in  Pope  county,  partially 
covered  with  timber.  .About  this  time 
he  was  married,  in  .\i)ril,  1865,  to  Miss 
.\nna  Sandman,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  Sand- 
man, and  renting  his  own  land  he  removed 
to  a  farm  belonging  to  his  wife,  it  being 
a  part  of  her  father's  estate  which  she  had 
inherited.  Here  the  young  couple  began 
their  domestic  life  in  an  old  log  house  with 
puncheon  floor  and  large  fireplace.  The 
cabin    was    only    sixteen    feet   square,    con- 


662 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


tained  but  one  window  and  the  cracks  be- 
tween the  logs  were  daubed  with  mud. 
After  residing  there  for  seven  years  both 
farms  were  sold,  and  'Sir.  and  Airs.  Kraschel 
removed  to  Alacon  county  in  1870  and 
rented  a  farm  near  Boody.  A  year  later  our 
subject  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss 
of  his  wife,  w'ho  died  June  26,  1871,  leaving 
the  following  children:  Alary,  deceased; 
Joseph,  now  a  resident  of  California ;  Rosa, 
wife  of  William  Eckhart,  a  farmer  of  South 
Macon  township ;  Johnnie,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  five  years.  Mr.  Kraschel  was  again 
married  January  2,  1874,  his  second  union 
being  with  Aliss  Nancy  Jane  Poe,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Frank  and  Elizabeth  Poe.  Five  chil- 
dren blessed  this  union  but  only  three  are 
now  living,  namely:  Melvin,  a  farmer  of 
South  Macon  township ;  and  Ella  and  Nel- 
son, both  at  home. 

For  three  years  after  coming  to  Macon 
county,  Air.  Kreschel  operated  rented  land 
and  then  bought  eighty  acres  of  raw  prairie 
near  Boody,  which  he  tiled,  ditched  and  im- 
proved by  the  erection  of  a  house  and  barn, 
making  that  place  his  home  for  twenty- 
two  years.  He  then  purchased  a  farm  of 
one  hundred  acres  in  South  Alacon  town- 
ship and  in  1897  bought  sixty  acres  more, 
on  which  he  took  up  his  residence  the  fol- 
lowing year.  He  has  since  devoted  his  ener- 
gies to  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of 
this  place,  has  set  out  an  orchard,  built  a 
barn,  bored  deep  wells  and  erected  wind- 
pumps.  He  is  quite  extensively  engaged 
in  the  raising  of  Duroc  Jersey  hogs  and  he 
also  feeds  some  cattle  for  market. 

Coming  to  the  new  world  without  a  dol- 
lar, Air.  Kraschel  has  made  all  that  he  pos- 
sesses, winning  success  through  his  own 
untiring  energy  and  diligence  and  the  as- 
sistance of  his  estimable  wife,  who  has  in- 
deed been  a  true  helpmate  to  him.  She  has 
labored  with  him  in  the  fields  from  early 
morning  until  late  at  night  and  he  gives  her 
credit    for    much    of    the    success    that   has 


crowned  their  efforts.  She  never  com- 
plained under  the  most  trying  circum- 
stances and  always  had  a  word  of  encour- 
agement and  cheer  for  her  husband  at  all 
times.  Before  she  was  married  she  worked 
out.  She  chopped  wood  and  fed  stock, 
besides  doing  the  washing  and  cooking, 
and  sometimes  worked  in  the  field  at  one 
dollar  per  week.  By  his  ballot  Air.  Kraschel 
supports  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Dem- 
ocratic party,  and  he  has  filled  the  offices 
of  road  commissioner  and  school  director 
in  a  most  creditable  manner.  It  was  during 
his  term  that  the  first  gravel  road 
was  made  in  Wheatland  township,  and  he 
was  one  of  the  grand  jurors  that  tried  to 
indict  the  mob  which  hung  Bush  in  Decatur. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  Beacon 
Lodge  No.  434,  K.  P. 


ISAAC  W.  KILE. 

Isaac  W.  Kile,  of  Argenta,  is  practically 
living  a  retired  life  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
rest  which  he  has  truly  earned  and  richly 
deserves  by  reason  of  his  industrious  ef- 
forts of  former  years.  Accomplishment 
and  progress  ever  imply  labor,  energy  and 
diligence,  and  it  was  these  qualities  that 
enabled  our  subject  to  rise  from  the  ranks 
of  the  many  and  stand  among  the  success- 
ful few.  He  is  now  one  of  the  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  Argenta  and  his  long 
residence  in  Alacon  county  and  the  active 
part  he  has  taken  in  its  development  well 
entitle  him  to  representation  in  its  history. 

A  native  of  Illinois,  Air.  Kile  was  born 
near  Todds  Point  in  Shelby  county,  now 
Moultrie  county,  December  i,  1840,  and  is 
a  son  of  Josiah  and  Alapy  Kile.  His  father 
was  born  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  in 
1812,  and  in  the  fall  of  1838  came  to  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  Shelby  county,  where  for 
some  time  he  was  engaged  in  farming  dur- 
ing the  sununer  and  in  teaming  to  St.  Louis 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


663 


in  the  winter.  Later  he  removed  to  Piatt 
count)',  this  state,  and  four  years  later  to 
Macon.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  near  Monticello,  and 
to  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of  that 
place  he  devoted  his  energies  during  his 
residence  there.     He  died  in  1891. 

Isaac  W.  Kile  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  Friends  Creek  schoolhouse  near  Alon- 
ticello,  the  little  temple  of  learning  being 
a  log  structure  with  slab  benches  and  other 
primitive  furnishings.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
years  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  worked 
on  a  farm  at  fifteen  dollars  per  month  for 
three  months.  About  this  time  the  Civil 
war  broke  out  and  in  response  to  the  presi- 
dent's call  for  troops,  Mr.  Kile  enlisted 
Jul)-  25,  1861,  in  Company  A,  Forty-first 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Colonel 
I.  C.  Pugh.  He  participated  in  the  battles 
of  Fort  Donclson,  Shiloh,  Hatchic's  Run, 
\'icksburg,  Jackson,  Cold  Water  and  sev- 
eral other  engagements,  and  being  wounded 
in  the  shoulder  was  in  the  hospital  at  Mound 
City  for  a  time.  On  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  enlistment  he  was  mustered  out  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  in  1864,  and  returned 
home. 

Mr.  Kile  then  commenced  work  for  others 
but  at  the  end  of  one  month,  he  rented  a 
farm  in  Friends  Creek  township,  Macon 
county,  and  turned  his  attention  to  its  cul- 
tivation. In  1868  he  jjurchased  eightv  acres 
of  land,  for  which  he  paid  twenty- 
two  huniired  dollars,  and  on  selling 
that  he  bought  ninety-two  acres  in 
^^'hitmore  township,  on  which  he  lived 
for  fifteen  years.  He  then  disposed 
of  that  property  and  bought  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Friends  Creek 
township,  and  is  to-day  the  owner  of  sixty- 
five  acres  near  Argenta  and  two  hundred 
and  twenty-three  acres  elsewhere  in  the 
county.  A  quarter  section  of  this  has  been 
in  the  Kile  family  since  1R48.  For  manv 
years  our  subject  was  actively  and  success- 


fully engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and 
fed  nearly  all  the  grain  that  he  raised  to  his 
hogs,  being  quite  extensively  engaged  in 
stock  raising,  .\bout  1893  he  purchased  a 
house  in  Argenta,  where  he  has  since  made 
his  home  and  although  he  has  practically 
retired  from  active  labor  he  has  charge  of 
se\'eral  farms  besides  his  own.  He  is  a 
man  of  excellent  business  ability,  is  ener- 
getic and  reliable,  and  generally  carries  for- 
ward to  successful  completion  whatever  he 
undertakes. 

In  1867  .Mr.  Kile  was  united  in  marriage 
to  .Miss  Emma  Thomas,  of  Piatt  county, 
and  to  them  have  been  born  two  children : 
William,  who  married  Rose  Miller  and  is 
li\ing  on  the  one  hundred  and  si.\ty-acre 
farm  belonging  to  his  father:  and  Charles, 
who  married  Luclla  Wilkinson  and  is  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  business  in  Ivesdale. 
Mrs.  Kile  is  an  earnest  member  of  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  church  and  is  a  most 
estimable  lady.  Fraternally  our  subject  be- 
longs to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  of  Argenta, 
and  politically  he  is  identified  with  the 
Democratic  party.  He  has  taken  quite  an 
active  and  influential  part  in  the  pul)lic  af- 
fairs of  his  town,  has  acceptably  filled  the 
ofifiice  of  justice  of  the  peace,  was  mayor  of 
Argenta  two  years  and  postmaster  three 
years.  He  made  a  most  capable  official  and 
has  always  been  found  true  to  every  trust 
reposed  in  him  whether  public  or  private 
and  has  manifested  the  same  loyalty  in  days 
of  peace  as  in  days  of  war.  All  who  know 
him  have  for  him  the  highest  regard  and 
he  has  many  friends  throughout  his  adopted 
county. 


JOHN  C.  BATCHELDER. 
mini   township  has  no  more  progressive 
or  enterprising  citizen  living  within  its  bor- 
ders than  the  gentleman  whose  name  intro- 


664 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


duces  this  biography.  Throughout  his  ac- 
tive business  life  he  has  been  identified  with 
the  agricultural  interests  of  this  locality 
and  is  to-day  the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  sec- 
tions 30  and  31,  the  neat  and  thrifty  ap- 
pearance of  which  well  indicates  his  care- 
ful supervision.  Substantial  improvements 
are  surrounded  b}-  well  tilled  fields,  and  all 
of  the  accessories  and  conveniences  of  a 
model  farm  are  there  found. 

Mr  Batchelder  was  born  in  Pittsfield,  Illi- 
nois, January  21,  1861,  and  was  only  two 
years  old  when  brought  by  his  parents, 
Samuel  E.  and  Sarah  ]\Iarilla  (Clark) 
Batchelder,  to  this  county,  the  family  lo- 
cating in  mini  township.  During  his  boy- 
hood he  pursued  his  studies  in  the  district 
schools  of  his  native  township,  and  in  1881 
and  1882  was  a  student  in  the  Normal 
School  at  Bloomfield,  Iowa,  where  he  took, 
a  course  in  commercial  banking  and  general 
business.  On  completing  his  education  he 
returned  to  his  father's  farm,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1888,  when  he  removed  to  the 
north  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 30,  mini  township,  and  commenced 
farming  on  his  own  account.  To  the  culti- 
vation and  improvement  of  that  place  he 
devoted  his  attention  until  1893,  when  he 
took  up  his  abode  upon  his  present  farm 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  Besides 
this  property  he  owns  an  eighty-acre  tract 
in  Custer  county,  Nebraska.  He  has  re- 
modeled the  barn  upon  his  home  farm,  mak- 
ing it  fifty-four  by  sixty  feet  in  dimensions 
and  with  accommodations  for  sixty  head  of 
cattle.  He  also  has  stable  room  for  sixteen 
horses  and  a  large  mow  above.  The  cattle 
business  claims  much  of  his  time  and  he 
usually  keeps  on  hand  three  carloads.  He 
buys  his  stock  in  Kansas  City  and  after 
fattening  them  ships  them  to  the  Chicago 
markets.  He  also  ships  the  hogs  which  he 
raises  to  that  city.  In  the  operation  of  his 
land    'Mr.    Batchelder    uses    the    latest    im- 


proved machinery  and  everything  about  his 
farm  is  thoroughly  up-to-date  and  con- 
venient. He  has  a  fine  system  of  water 
works,  which  supplies  both  his  house  and 
his  barn  with  water,  and  the  former  also 
has  hot  water  pipes.  The  residence  is  heated 
by  a  furnace  and  an  acetjdene  gas  system 
furnishes  the  light,  there  being  twenty- 
seven  jets  throughout  the  house.  Upon  the 
place  there  is  also  the  tenant's  house,  and 
two  sets  of  farm  buildings,  besides  a  scale 
house,  stockpens,  etc.  A  mill,  operated  by 
a  gasoline  engine  grinds  the  feed  for  both 
J.  A.  Brown's  and  Mr.  Batchelder's  stock. 
Mr.  Brown  is  a  brOther-in-law  of  our  sub- 
ject and  lives  a  quarter  of  a  mile  north. 
The  farm  is  laid  out  into  fields  of  convenient 
size  and  a  grove  of  hard  maple  and  walnut 
trees  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  place,, 
which  is  considered  one  of  the  best  im- 
proved and  most  desirable  farms  in  the 
county.  Mr.  Batchelder  was  the  first  man 
in  mini  township  to  put  a  telephone  into 
his  house,  although  there  is  scarcely  a  resi- 
dence without  one  at  the  present  time. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1888,  was  cele- 
brated his  marriage  to  Miss  Susan  L.  Har- 
per, a  daughter  of  Lucien  and  Ruth  Esther 
(Kenney)  Harper,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  New  Hampshire  and  the  former 
was  of  Irish  and  Scotch  descent  and  the  lat- 
ter of  English  and  Scotch.  For  many  years 
Mr.  Harper  was  a  merchant  of  Haverhill, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  died  in  1865,  his 
remains  being  interred  in  a  cemetery  at 
Derry,  New  Hampshire.  His  father  was  a 
very  prominent  man  in  early  days  and  was 
a  member  of  congress  in  181 1.  Among  her 
most  cherished  possessions  Mrs.  Batchelder 
lias  some  old  letters  written  by  her  grand- 
father at  that  time,  and  has  a  yard  stick 
which  her  father  used  in  his  store.  She  is 
a  cousin  of  Marcia  Emery,  a  poetess  of  some 
note  now  living  in  Boston.  Mrs.  Batchelder 
is  the  only  child  born  to  her  parents.  Her 
primary  education  was  obtained  in  district 


MR.  and  MRS.  HENRY  J0STE3 


PAST  AND  I'RESEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


GC( 


schools,  and  later  she  was  a  student  in  the 
city  schools  of  Georgetown,  Colorado,  and 
Martinez,  California,  and  at  the  Wesleyan 
University  at  Bloomington,  Illinois,  where 
she  pursued  a  literary  course  and  made  a 
special  study  of  music.  Becoming  quite  pro- 
ficient in  that  art  she  successfully  engaged 
in  teaching  music  in  lllini  township  for 
three  or  four  years  and  is  now  organist  of 
the  Congregational  church  there,  to  which 
she  and  her  husband  belong,  the  latter  being 
a  member  of  the  choir.  He,  too,  is  a  mu- 
sician of  considerable  ability  and  has  been 
leader  of  a  band,  which  he  made  a  credit  to 
his  work.  They  had  three  children:  Rulh 
Esther,  who  was  born  February  2,  1890,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  one  month;  Ina  Lorette, 
born  January  28,  1892;  and  Milton  Harper, 
March  2y,  1894.  Both  are  now  in  school, 
where  for  the  past  four  years  the  daughter 
has  missed  only  three  days  and  the  son  none. 
The  former  now  devotes  considerable  at- 
tention to  vocal  music. 

Mr.  Batchelder  is  a  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican party  and  its  principles  and  he  is 
an  honored  member  of  Summit  Lodge,  No. 
431,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Harristown,  of  which 
he  is  now  worshipful  master.  As  a  citizen 
he  is  public-spirited  and  progressive  and 
he  occupies  an  enviable  position  in  the  es- 
teem of  his  fellow  men.  His  pleasant, 
genial  manner  makes  him  many  friends  and 
he  stands  high  both  in  business  and  social 
circles. 


HENRY  JOSTES. 
One  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Macon 
who  has  laid  aside  all  business  cares  and  is 
now  living  retired  at  his  beautiful  home  in 
tiiat  village  is  Henry  Jostes.  Although  an 
adopted  son  of  America  his  loyalty  is  above 
question  and  was  manifest  by  his  service 
in  the  civil  war.  He  was  born  in  Germany 
April  8,  1840,  a  son  of  William  F.  and  Cath- 


erine Jostes,  who  came  to  this  country  in 
1870  but  were  not  long  permitted  to  enjoy 
their  new  home  as  the  mother  died  soon 
after  her  arrival  here  and  the  father  passed 
away  in  1877  when  about  seventy-seven 
years  of  age.  Of  the  nine  children  born  to 
them  only  our  subject  and  his  sister,  Ame- 
lia, are  now  living,  the  latter  being  the 
wife  of  John  Rahler,  a  farmer  of  Shelby 
county,  Illinois. 

Henry  Jostes  preceded  his  parents  to 
the  new  world,  landing  here  in  1857.  He 
commenced  wurk  on  a  farm  in  Macon 
count v,  Illinois,  where  the  town  of  Boody 
now  stands  and  continued  to  be  employed 
by  the  month  as  a  farm  hand  until  the  Civil 
war  broke  out.  Feeling  that  his  adopted 
country  needed  his  services,  he  laid  aside 
all  personal  interests  and  enlisted  in  July, 
1861,  in  Company  E,  Forty-first  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  which  was  assigned  first  to 
the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps  and  later  to  the 
Seventeenth  and  was  under  the  command  of 
Generals  McPherson  and  Sherman.  He  re- 
inained  at  the  front  for  three  years  and  i)ar- 
ticipated  in  the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson, 
the  sieges,  of  Corinth  and  Vicksburg,  the 
battle  of  Hatchie's  Run  and  many  other 
important  engagements.  When  his  term 
of  enlistment  expired  he  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  August, 
1864,  and  returned  home  with  a  military 
record  of  which  he  may  be  justly  proud. 
He  was  always  found  at  his  post  of  duty, 
valiantly  defending  the  stars  and  stripes 
and  the  cause  they  represented. 

Soon  after  his  return  from  the  army  Mr. 
Jostes  was  married  January  12,  1865,  to 
Miss  Julia  Shoop.  who  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, March  3,  1843,  and  was  four  years 
old  when  she  came  to  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois, with  her  parents,  Daniel  and  Lena 
(Yoder)  Shoop.  Her  father,  who  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation,  died  in  1854,  and  her 
mother  long  survived  him,  passing  away 
in  1888,  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years.    Mrs. 


668 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Jostes  has  two  sisters  living:  Mrs.  Matilda 
Snider,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  near 
Sterling,  Illinois ;  and  Mrs.  Rosa  Moss, 
whose  husband  followed  farming  near  Blue 
Mound,  this  county.  Here  Mrs.  Jostes  was 
reared  and  received  her  education  in  an  old 
log  school  house  in  Blue  ^Nlound  township, 
it  being  furnished  in  a  primitive  manner, 
heated  b}'  a  large  fireplace  and  lighted  by 
greased  paper  windows. 

The  children  born  to  our  subject  and 
his  wife  are  as  follows:  Emma,  now  the 
wife  of  William  Fedderman,  who  follows 
farming  near  Moweaqua ;  Agnes,  who  died 
in  infancy;  William,  a  farmer  of  Pleasant 
View  township ;  Mary,  wife  of  Richard 
Dorsey,  a  farmer  of  Pleasant  View  town- 
ship ;  Frederick,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
stock  business  on  a  ranch  in  Grant  county, 
Nebraska;  Benjamin,  who  is  with  his 
brother  in  Nebraska ;  Lena,  wife  of  Frank 
Phillips,  a  tinner  of  Blue  Mound,  Illinois ; 
and  Lillie  and  Effie,  both  at  home.  The 
sons,  William  and  Frederick,  are  graduates 
of  Brown's  Business  College  of  Decatur, 
and  all  of  the  children  have  been  given  good 
common  school  advantages. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Jostes  located  in 
Blue  Mound  township,  where  he  purchased 
forty  acres  of  wild  prairie  land,  which  he 
tiled  and  drained,  transforming  it  into  a 
good  farm.  Two  years  later  he  bought 
another  forty  acre  tract  and  kept  adding  to 
his  property  from  time  to  time  as  his  finan- 
cial resources  increased  until  he  now  has 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  rich  and 
arable  land  in  Blue  Mound  township.  His 
first  home  was  a  log  cabin,  twelve  by  four- 
teen feet  in  dimensions,  to  which  he  made 
an  addition  after  residing  there  for  three 
years.  Still  later  this  home  was  replaced 
by  a  nice  two  story  frame  residence,  and  he 
also  built  a  good  barn  and  other  outbuild- 
ings. He  continued  to  actively  engage  in 
the  operation  of  his  land  until  1896,  when 
he  removed  to  Alacon  and  bought  a  lovely 


home — one  of  the  finest  in  the  village.  It  is 
surrounded  by  five  acres  of  ground  adorned 
by  beautiful  shade  trees. 

Mr.  Jostes  was  formerly  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  Post  at  Blue  Mound,  but  is 
now  connected  with  the  one  at  ]\Iacon,  and 
by  his  ballot  supports  the  men  and  meas- 
ures of  the  Republican  party.  For  eleven 
years  he  filled  the  office  of  school  director 
and  has  ever  taken  a  deep  and  commend- 
able interest  in  those  enterprises  calcu- 
lated to  advance  the  welfare  of  his  town 
and  county.  His  wife  and  daughters  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  take  an  active  part  in  its  work  and 
give  liberally  toward  its  support.  As  a 
young  man  he  came  to  the  United  States 
and  without  capital  started  out  in  a  strange 
land  to  overcome  the  difficulties  and  obsta- 
cles in  the  path  to  prosperity.  His  youthful 
dreams  have  been  more  than  realized  and 
he  is  now  the  possessor  of  a  comfortable 
home  and  competence  which  enables  him  to 
live  in  ease  and  retirement. 


H.  H.  BROWN. 
The  middle  portion  of  the  nineteenth 
centur)-  may  properly  be  termed  the  age  of 
utility,  especially  in  the  west.  The  vast 
region  known  as  the  upper  Mississippi  val- 
ley was  but  then  opened  up  to  civilization- 
and  the  honored  pioneers,  who  found  homes- 
in  this  fertile  but  undeveloped  region,  were 
men  who  had  to  contend  with  the  trials  and 
difficulties  of  frontier  life.  Immediately 
following  those  who  claimed  the  wild  land 
and  began  the  work  of  civilization  here  by 
developing  farms,  came  another  class  who 
were  soon  as  active  factors  in  commercial 
and  industrial  life.  It  is  to  the  latter  class 
that  Henry  H.  Brown  belonged  and  central 
Illinois  has  largely  profited  by  his  labors. 
It  is  encouraging  and  interesting  to  note 
that  many  of  the  residents  who  came  to  Illi- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


G09 


nois  empty-handed  worked  their  way  up- 
ward from  humble  financial  position  to  a 
position  of  afiluence ;  that  as  the  years 
passed  and  the  country  improved,  pros- 
perity attended  their  efforts  and  wealth 
rewarded  their  earnest  endeavors.  The  ca- 
reer of  Mr.  Brown  proved  his  capability 
in  business  circles  and  at  the  same  time 
demonstrated  the  honor  and  integrity  which 
were  crowning  points  in  his  life  record. 

Hcnr)-  H.  Brown  was  born  in  Pottsdam, 
St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  August 
ID,  1820.  His  early  life  was  spent  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  native  home.  He  was  in- 
clined to  be  studious  in  his  boyhood  days 
and  at  an  early  age  he  was  admitted  to  the 
academy  in  Pottsdam,  New  YorL,  where 
he  pursued  his  studies  for  four  years  and 
was  then  graduated  with  honors  from  that 
institution.  While  yet  a  young  man  he 
came  to  the  middle  west,  settling  first  in 
St.  Louis.  There  he  followed  various  pur- 
suits in  most  of  which  he  prospered.  On 
leaving  that  city  he  took  up  his  abode  in 
Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in 
general  merchandising,  forming  a  partner- 
ship with  Mr.  Wright  under  the  firm  name 
of  Wright  &  Brown.  Theirs  became  one  of 
the  largest  and  leading  commercial  houses 
of  central  Illinois.  It  was  in  1862  that  Mr. 
Brown  retired  from  this  line  of  business  and 
removed  to  Decatur.  After  remaining  here 
but  a  short  time  he  became  interested  with 
the  late  Franklin  Priest  in  several  enter- 
prises. His  life  work  was  of  decided  ad- 
vantage to  this  locality.  He  was  successful 
in  nearly  every  undertaking  to  which  his 
attention  was  given  throughout  his  active 
business  career.  After  remaining  in  De- 
catur for  a  few  years  he  became  identified 
with  .\.  Ruth  &  Company  as  proprietor  of 
a  large  dry-goods  house,  which  was  con- 
ducted along  legitimate  and  progressive 
business  lines  and  was  prosperous.  After 
a  few  years,  however,  Mr.  Brown  retired 
from   this  concern  and   was   elected  to  the 


office  of  tax  collector,  and  was  also  county 
collector,  acting  in  that  capacity  for  a 
period  of  eight  years.  At  the  end  of  his 
last  term  he  was  appointed  a  deputy  sheriff" 
under  the  late  ex-Sheriff'  Fostmeyer. 

In  1878  Mr.  Brown  organized  the  II.  H. 
Brown  Manufacturing  Company,  which  be- 
gan the  manufacture  of  gasoline  stoves  and 
at  one  time  did  a  very  extensive  and  profit- 
able business,  the  trade  reaching  mammoth 
proportions.  In  1893  the  company  was  in- 
corporated and  Mr.  Brown  was  elected  its 
president,  holding  that  position  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death.  Although  he  retired  from 
the  active  management  of  the  business 
about  four  years  prior  to  his  demise  he 
allowed  his  capital  to  remain  in  the  enter- 
prise and  did  not  withdraw  the  use  and  in- 
fiuence  of  his  name.  He  was  also  the  in- 
ventor of  a  steel  device  used  to  fasten  down 
the  corners  of  burial  caskets.  It  is  now 
extensively  utilized  throughout  the  country 
and  is  manufactured  and  marketed  by  the 
company  in  Decatur  at  the  present  time. 

On  Christmas  day  of  1847,  occurred  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  Brown  and  Julia  S.  Brown, 
the  ceremony  taking  place  at  the  residence 
of  the  bride's  parents  in  Springfield.  The 
widow  and  one  son,  Charles  H.  Brown,  now 
survive  the  husband  and  father.  His  deep- 
est interests  centered  in  his  home,  which 
was  to  him  his  castle.  He  was  a  man  of 
modest  and  retiring  disposition,  but  his 
family  and  friends  found  him  a  most  com- 
panionable and  genial  gentleman,  always 
considerate  of  the  feelings  of  others  and 
with  generous  deference  for  the  opinions 
of  others.  As  a  citizen,  too,  he  was  consid- 
erate of  men  of  sterling  worth  and  his  many 
excellent  traits  of  character  gained  for  him 
the  warm  regard  of  all  wiUi  whom  he  was 
associated.  TT(Tlding  membership  in  the 
Univcrsalist  clnirch,  he  took  an  active  part 
in  its  work,  regularly  attended  its  services 
and  contributed  liberally  to  its  financial  sup- 
port.     Through    the    whole    course    of    his 


670 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


career  the  prime  moving  spirit  that  prompt- 
ed all  of  his  actions  seems  to  have  been 
improxfnieiii  and  ad\anccment.  The  idea 
of  leaving  whatever  he  touched  better  than 
he  found  it  was  always  dominant  with  him. 
He  was  a  man  of  true  character,  whose  rec- 
ord nuist  be  studied  carefully  to  be  rightly 
understood  because  he  was  never  ostenta- 
tious in  anything  that  he  did.  In  all  his 
views,  political,  religious  and  social,  he  was 
broad  gauged  and  liberal.  He  was  a  luan  of 
action  rather  than  of  thought  and  while 
others  might  argue  and  debate  he  went  to 
work  and  demonstrated. 

"He  was  a  man,  take  him  for  all  in  all; 
I  shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again." 


CHARLES  H.  BROWN. 
Well  known  in  the  business  circles  of 
Decatur  Charles  H.  Brown  has  been  an  ac- 
tive factor  in  controlling  interests  which 
have  become  of  value  in  promoting  the  in- 
dustrial and  commercial  activity  of  this  city. 
He  is  a  native  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  born 
on  the  nth  of  May,  1852.  His  parents 
were  Henry  H.  and  Julia  S.  (Brown) 
Brown.  In  the  public  schools  of  Decatur 
and  Chicago  he  acquired  his  education  and 
early  m  life  he  became  a  railroad  employe. 
He  is  to-day  one  of  the  oldest  railroad  men 
living  in  this  city.  Pie  was  connected  w'th 
the  engineering  corps  that  made  the  orig- 
inal survey  on  the  Decatur  &  State  Line 
road,  now  a  part  of  the  Wabash  system,  this 
work  being  executed  in  1870.  In  1871  he 
was  employed  as  ticket  agent  in  Decatur 
for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company, 
serving  in  that  position  for  two  years.  Sub- 
sequently he  acted  as  agent  for  the  Paris 
&  Decatur  road,  now  a  part  of  the  Vandalia 
line,  from  1873  until  1876  and  in  the  latter 
year  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Wabash 
Railroad  Company  as  ticket  agent  at  De- 
catur, continuously  serving  until  1891,  when 


he  resigned.  His  connection  with  railroad 
interests  was  of  long  duration  and  alv/ays 
I  if  ilie  most  honorable  character.  He  was 
so  loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him  that 
the  corporations  which  he  served  enter- 
tained for  him  the  highest  regard  and  re- 
])osed  in  him  the  most  unqualified  confi- 
dence. As  ticket  agent  he  was  always  oblig- 
ing and  courteous  to  the  patrons  of  the  road 
and  he  won  many  friends  through  the  pos- 
session of  these  estimable  qualities.  On 
resigning  he  became  general  manager  of 
the  P>rovvn  Manufacturing  Company  and  is 
now  also  its  secretary.  One  of  the  features 
of  this  company  is  the  manufacture  of  a  de- 
vice for  dehorning  cattle,  the  invention  be- 
ing in  use  extensively  in  the  United  States 
and  is  largely  exported  to  the  wholesale 
trade  in  foreign  countries,  including  Africa, 
New  Zealand,  Holland,  Cuba  and  South 
America  and  throughout  the  cattle  coun- 
tries of  the  world.  Mr.  Brown  was  also 
president  of  the  Robinson  Manufacturing 
Company  during  its  existence  in  Decatur 
and  was  vice  president  of  the  Savings  & 
Loan  Association  for  many  years. 

In  1873  occurred  the  marriage  of  Charles 
H.  Brown  and  Miss  ^lary  A.  Ellis,  who 
died  in  1883,  leaving  two  sons.  The  elder 
is  William  E.  Brown,  now  the  president 
of  the  Brown  Manufacturing  Company.  He 
maintains  his  residence,  however,  in  Chi- 
cago and  is  in  the  employ  of  the  National 
Casket  Company.  He  is  an  expert  engraver 
and  designer.  Roy  H.  Brown,  the  younger 
son,  is  an  arti.st  and  illustrator  in  oils  of 
enviable  reputation.  He  studied  in  Deca- 
tur and  later  in  the  Art  League  of  New 
York  and  was  with  Jean  Monheim  of  Paris. 
He  is  now  a  member  of  the  Art  League  of 
New  York  and  was  one  of  the  exhibitors  in 
the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago  in  December, 
1899.  his  oil  painting  Cranberry  Bog  receiv- 
ing special  attention  and  commendation. 

Since  the  3'ear  1872  Charles  H.  Brown 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 


F.  R.  GOODE 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COuNTY. 


673 


nity  and  in  his  life  has  exenipliticil  the  be- 
neficent spirit  of  the  craft.  He  belongs  to 
Ionic  Lodge,  No.  312,  F.  &  A.  Al.;  Macon 
Chapter,  No.  21.  R.  A.  M.;  Decatur  Coun- 
cil, No.  16,  R.  &  S.  -M.;  and  Beaumanoir 
Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T.  He  is  a  man 
of  much  force  of  character  and  strong  in- 
dividuality and  his  pleasant,  social  manner 
has  won  him  a  host  of  warm  friends. 


JOSIAH  likUW  \,  M.  D. 

On  the  list  of  charter  members  of  the 
Macon  County  Medical  Society  is  the  name 
of  Dr.  Josiah  Brown.  Dr.  Brown  was  born 
at  Whitby,  Canada,  August  24,  1827.  He 
was  a  son  of  Abraiii  and  Bathsheba  Brown, 
who  were  Quakers  from  New  England.  Dr. 
Brown  attended  school  in  Canada  and  at 
Wilson,  New  York.  As  a  child,  he  desired 
to  become  a  physician  and  always  studied 
with  that  end  in  view.  His  father  died 
when  Josiah  was  but  iweKe  }cars  old,  leav- 
ing a  small  estate  to  be  divided  among  a 
large  family.  With  this  little  assistance, 
and  i)y  dint  of  energy  and  liard  work,  and 
by  teaching  school  for  a  time  he  was  able 
to  enter  the  Augusta,  Georgia,  Medical  Col- 
lege, then  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the 
country.  At  the  end  of  the  course  he  was 
graduated  and  began  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine at  Ciaylesville,  Alabama.  It  was  at  this 
place  that  he  married  .Miss  Sarah  F.  Brown. 
Together  they  moved  to  Maroa,  Illinois, 
where  Ihey  lived  about  two  years.  In  1859 
they  located  at  Decatur,  making  this  city 
their  permanent  home. 

TJieir  first  two  children  died  in  infancy. 
A  daughter,  Minnie  S.,  died  in  February, 
1881,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  A  son. 
Dr.  Warren  Brown,  is  a  practicing  phy- 
sician of  Tacoma,  Washington.  Another 
son,  Dr.  Everett  J.  Brown,  is  a  worthy  suc- 
cessor of  his  father  at  Decatur.  Still  an- 
other son.  Frederick  A.  I'.rown.  is  prac- 
ticing law  in  Chicago. 


Dr.  Josiah  Brown  died  May  6,  1889,  at 
his  home  665  I'rairie  axenue,  Decatur,  Illi- 
nois, where  his  wife  aiul  daughter,  Mrs. 
Charles  R.  Murphy,  still  reside.  Dr.  Brown 
was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican.  In  religion 
he  was  a  Presbyterian  and  was  a  member 
of  that  church  for  more  than  twenty-five 
years. 

r>\-  those  who  knew  him  best  he  will  e\-er 
be  remembered  as  a  cordial,  true  friend  ;  an 
able  and  successful  ])hysician.  sound  in  his 
judgment  and  correct  in  diagnosis,  a  keen 
observer  and  a  good  adviser.  He  was  strict- 
ly temperate  and  always  maintained  a  high 
standard  of  right. 


FRANK  R.  GOODE. 
This  is  an  age  of  improvement  and  inven- 
tion and  America  is  the  exponent  of  the 
spirit  of  the  age.  No  country  has  kept 
apace  with  the  United  States  in  its  inven- 
tions of  a  utilitarian  character,  American 
citizens  having  given  to  the  world  many 
products  which  have  been  of  the  greatest 
value  in  business  life.  Frank  R.  Goode  is 
an  inventor  whose  career  has  been  eventful 
and  who  is  a  self-made  man.  One  of  Illi- 
nois" native  sons  he  was  born  in  Taylorville, 
Christian  county,  on  the  12th  of  February, 
1873,  and  is  a  son  of  Francis  and  Margaret 
(A lay)  Goode,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  this  state.  The  father  died  in  the  year 
1887,  when  sixty  years  of  age.  He  had  de- 
voted his  entire  life  to  stock-raising  and  was 
also  an  auctioneer  for  several  years.  In 
politics  he  was  a  prominent  and  influential 
Democrat,  who  held  a  number  of  offices, 
serving  both  as  sheriflf  and  deputy  .sheriff 
in  Christian  county.  As  a  citizen  he  was 
enterprising  and  public  spirited,  as  a  busi- 
ness man,  active  and  energetic,  and  thus  in 
his  life  record  are  many  elements  worthy 
of    emulation.      His    widow    still    survives 


674: 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


him  and  is  now  living  at  129  North  Church 
street  in  Decatur.  The  Goodes  came  orig- 
inally from  Pennsylvania  and  James  Goode, 
an  uncle  of  our  subject,  is  now  the  oldest 
living  representative  of  the  family.  He  has 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eight3--nine 
years  and  makes  his  home  in  Springfield, 
Illinois.  He  is  the  oldest  living  settler  of 
Sangamon  county,  and  the  Old  Settlers' 
Association  presented  him  with  a  pair  of 
gold  glasses  in  1900,  and  a  gold  headed  cane 
in  1901.  He  has  never  been  ill  a  da\-  in  his 
life,  and  has  never  used  tobacco  or  intoxi- 
cants in  any  form. 

;\Irs.  Goode,  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  a  daughter  of  the  late  Dr.  Fran- 
cis May,  who  began  his  career  as  a  physi- 
cian in  1847  and  continued  in  active  prac- 
tice until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  De- 
catur in   1885. 

Frank  R.  Goode  was  the  onl}-  child  born 
unto  his  parents.  He  acquired  his  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  and  when  four- 
teen years  of  age  he  lost  his  father.  He  en- 
tered upon  his  business  career  as  a  clerk 
and  at  first  received  no  salary,  gaining, 
however,  experience  concerning  mercantile 
methods.  The  first  money  he  received  for 
his  services  was  eight  dollars  per  month, 
and  gradually  his  wages  were  increased  until 
he  had  reached  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 
He  then  worked  upon  the  road  as  a  travel- 
ing salesman  for  the  Wichita  Produce  Com- 
pany of  Wichita,  Kansas,  being  associated 
with  that  house  until  nineteen  years  of  age. 
He  then  took  charge  of  the  wholesale  house 
at  Hennessey,  Oklahoma,  owned  by  the  M. 
T.  Gillock  Milling  Company,  the  territory 
extending  through  Oklahoma  and  with 
headquarters  at  Hennessey.  Mr.  Goode 
spent  altogether  sixteen  years  in  Kansas 
and  Oklahoma,  remaining  in  the  west  from 
1880  until  1896.  In  the  latter  )'ear  he  came 
to  Decatur  and  entered  the  employ  of  the 
F.  B.  Tait  Manufacturing  Company  for  the 
purpose  of   selling   a  windmill   patent.      In 


September,  1897,  he  engaged  in  the  patent 
business  on  his  own  account  opening  an 
office  in  Decatur  exclusively  for  the  sale  of 
patents.  In  1897  he  secured  a  patent  upon 
an  invention  of  his  own — a  clothes  line 
grip — which  he  sold  in  1898.  In  the  latter 
year  he  took  out  a  patent  for  a  slot  rending 
machine  and  the  same  year  secured  a  patent 
on  an  invention  for  laundry  packing  and 
wrapping.  In  1900  he  again  became  a  trav- 
eling salesman  for  the  F.  B.  Tait  .Manu- 
facturing Company,  having  charge  of  the 
gasoline  department  for  one  year.  In  1903. 
he  invented  a  spring  hitch  for  farm  wagons 
and  machinery  and  he  carries  this  on  sale 
in  connection  with  his  patent  business.  His 
specialt)',  however,  is  patents  and  during  his 
nine  years  connection  with  this  line  of  activ- 
ity he  has  placed  some  fort}'  different 
patents  on  the  market,  many  of  which  have 
become  paying  inventions.  Two  important 
ones  have  been  the  equalizer  for  gang  plows 
and  the  surface  blade  attachment  for  culti- 
vators. Mr.  Goode  has  made  several  trips 
to  Washington,  D.  C,  in  the  interest  of  his 
patents  and  his  office  is  located  at  No.  no 
A\'est    Prairie  street,   Decatur. 

In  1899  Mr.  Goode  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Gertrude  Wisher,  a  daughter 
of  C.  W.  ^^'isher,  of  Decatur,  and  they  have 
one  child,  Ruth  Beatrice.  He  is  well  known 
in  connection  with  industrial  and  manufac- 
turing interests  throughout  this  portion  of 
the  country  and  has  done  an  important 
business  by  placing  upon  the  market  many 
inventions  which  have  proven  of  value  to 
the  business  world. 


J.  P.  STOUTENBOROUGH. 
The  subject  of  this  biography  is  one  of 
the  leading  citizens  of  Maroa  township, 
where  he  has  spent  his  entire  life.  He  is 
not  only  engaged  in  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing but  is  also  interested  in  a  number  of  dif- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


675 


ferent  enterprises  which  have  been  of  de- 
cided advantage  to  his  section  of  the  coun- 
ty, promoting-  its  material  welfare  in  no 
uncertain  manner.  As  a  business  man  he 
is  notably  prompt  and  reliable  and  he  has 
attained  a  leading  place  among  the  repre- 
sentative men  of  the  community  in  which 
he  lives. 

Mr.  Stoutenborough  was  born  in  }iiaroa 
township  in  1865,  a  son  of  Anthony  and 
Sarah  J.  Stoutenborough.  His  father  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  county  and 
is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Maroa,  hon- 
ored and  respected  by  all  who  know  him. 
He  is  a  brother  of  Garrett  Stoutenborough, 
whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this 
work.  The  primarj'  education  of  our  sub- 
ject was  obtained  in  the  public  schools  of 
Maroa  and  he  later  attended  a  business  col- 
lege at  Decatur. 

At  the  age  of  twenty  years  Mr.  Stouten- 
borough commenced  operating  his  father's 
farm,  having  previously  become  thoroughly 
familiar  with  every  department  of  farm 
work.  He  now  owns  one  hundred  and  si.xty 
acres  of  the  old  homestead  but  has  charge 
of  the  entire  tract  of  four  hundred  acres, 
which  is  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  well  improved  with  good  and  substan- 
tial buildings.  His  place  is  supplied  with 
all  modern  conveniences,  the  house  is  heat- 
ed by  a  furnace  and  there  is  a  good  system 
of  water  works.  Mr.  Stoutenborough  has 
always  been  more  or  less  interested  in  stock- 
raising  and  now  has  some  pedigreed  stock 
of  the  Hereford  and  shorthorn  breed  of  cat- 
tle. He  is  a  director  of  the  Farmers'  Mer- 
cantile Association;  is  also  interested  in  the 
Citizens'  Bank  of  ^^aroa  and  was  instru- 
mental in  establishing  elevators  at  Rowell 
and  Maroa.  He  possesses  good  business 
and  executive  ability  and  the  success  that 
has  come  to  him  is  certainly  well  deserved. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  1891,  Mr.  Stouten- 
borough was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Gertrude  Barr,  a  daughter  of  Captain  Barr, 


of  Maroa.  She  first  attended  school  in 
Friends  Creek  township,  this  county,  and 
later  pursued  her  studies  at  Galesburg,  Illi- 
nois. Both  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Stoutenborough 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church  and  he 
is  also  a  member  of  the  blue  lodge  and  chap- 
ter of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Order 
of  the  Eastern  Star  at  Maroa.  He  votes 
with  the  Republican  party  but  has  never 
consented  to  hold  office,  preferring  to  de- 
vote his  undivided  attention  to  his  business 
interests  which  have  become  quite  exten- 
sive. He  is  a  true  type  of  western  progress 
and  enterprise  and  in  all  his  undertakings 
he  has  prospered  thus  far,  his  success  being 
the  logical  result  of  his  careful  and  correct 
business  methods. 


AUGUSTUS  HARPSTRITE. 
The  name  of  Harpstrite  early  became  well 
known  in  connection  with  agricultural  in- 
terests and  the  subject  of  this  review  is  now 
the  owner  of  splendid  tracts  of  farm  land 
in  Alacon  county.  The  name  is  also  a  well 
known  one  in  commercial  circles,  for  during 
thirty  years  Augustus  Harpstrite  was  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business  in  Decatur. 
Now  he  is  living  a  retired  life  and  all  that 
he  possesses  has  come  to  him  as  the  legiti- 
mate reward  of  his  own  labors.  He  was 
only  three  years  of  age  when  brought  to 
this  country,  but  is  of  German  birth,  having 
first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in 
Baden  on  the  4th  of  March,  1830.  He  is  the 
third  son  in  the  family  of  John  B.  and  Mary 
(Roamar)  Harpstrite,  who  in  the  year  1833 
severed  the  connections  that  bound  them 
to  the  fatherland  and  came  to  the  new 
world.  They  braved  the  dangers  incident 
to  an  ocean  voj'age  at  that  time  when  weeks 
were  required  to  make  the  trip  while  only 
days  are  now  demanded  for  the  voyage. 
-Sixty-one  days  had  passed  ere  they  reached 
the  harbor  of  New  York,  and   after  living 


G76 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


al  a  minibcr  of  ])lacos  in  the  east  the  family 
home  was  established  at  Delphi,  Indiana, 
where  Augustus  Harpstrite  spent  about  six 
years,  pursuing  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  (luring  that  time.  The  year  1844 
witnessed  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Illi- 
nois and  the  estalilishment  of  the  family 
home  in  Clinli.in  count}-.  Air.  Harpstrite 
of  this  review  largely  passed  his  early  life 
upon  a  farm  and  for  some  time  made  his 
home  with  his  sister.  In  Clinton  county  he 
also  continued  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  antl  he  was  early  instructed  in  the 
value  of  industry  and  perseverance  in  the 
active  affairs  of  life.  The  habits  which  he 
thus  formed  have  been  strong  elements  in 
his  later  success. 

In  October,  1855,  Mr.  Harpstrite  came  to 
Macon  county  and  settled  upon  a  farm  near 
Albion  in  South  Wheatland  township.  In 
1857,  however,  he  went  to  Chicago,  after- 
ward to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he  was 
employed  for  a  time,  while  later  he  located 
in  Belleville,  Illinois,  and  was  employed  as 
a  farm  hand  at  eight  dollars  per  month.  It 
is  from  such  a  humble  beginning  that  he 
has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  until 
his  name  is  now  enrolled  among  the  pros- 
])erous  citizens  of  Decatur.  After  five 
months  at  farm  work  near  Belleville  he  re- 
moved to  Michigan  in  1858,  but  in  the  same 
vear  came  to  Decatur  and  located  in  the 
first  ward. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Harpstrite  had 
managed  to  save  a  small  sum  from  his  earn- 
ings and  began  business  for  himself  as  a 
grocer.  His  stock  of  goods  was  limited, 
but  he  gradually  increased  his  facilities  in 
order  to  meet  the  growing  demands  of  his 
trade  and  for  long  years  he  had  one  of  the 
best  equipped  grocery  houses  of  this  city. 
His  courteous  treatment  of  his  patrons,  his 
earnest  desire  to  please  and  his  fair  and 
honorable  dealings  won  him  many  cus- 
tomers and  he  conducted  a  successful  en- 
terprise from  1858  until  1888,  when  he  sold 


out  to  -Mr.  Apple.  As  his  financial  resources 
increased  he  also  invested  in  realty  and  is 
to-day  the  owner  of  five  valuable  farms  in 
Macon  county  in  addition  to  considerable 
citv  property.  His  labors  have  been  very 
helpful  in  the  upbuilding  of  Decatur  and 
its  improvement  is  attributable  in  consid- 
eralde  measure  to  his  eliforts,  for  he  has 
erected  twenty-eight  dwellings  and  business 
houses  here.  These  he  rents  and  the  finan- 
cial returns  from  his  property  are  sufficient 
to  supply  him  with  all  of  the  comforts  and 
many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

^^'hile  Mr.  Harpstrite  began  business  with 
very  small  means  he  soon  gained  a  reputa- 
tion for  honesty  and  persistency  of  purpose 
and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  throughout  his 
entire  career  he  never  took  advantage  of  the 
necessities  of  his  fellow  men  in  any  trade 
transaction.  In  all  of  his  dealings  he  paid 
one  hundred  cents  on  the  dollar.  There 
has  been  no  sensational  chapter  in  his  busi- 
ness career,  his  wealth  not  coming  to  him 
as  the  result  of  a  single  fortunate  deal,  but 
as  the  direct  outcome  of  earnest  and  long 
continued  effort. 


HIRAM  ARNOLD. 
Hiram  Arnold,  who  was  an  honored  vet- 
eran of  the  Civil  war  and  who  for  many 
vears  was  a  representative  of  agricultural 
life  in  Macon  county,  was  born  on  the  29th 
of  February,  1840,  in  Marshall  county.  West 
A'irginia.  where  the  city  of  Wheeling  now 
stands.  His  parents,  Joseph  and  Lucretia 
(Alannon)  Arnold,  were  natives  of  Virginia 
and  the  father  there  followed  the  occupa- 
tion of  farming.  The  paternal  grandfather 
was  engaged  in  building  steamboats  which 
sailed  on  the  Ohio  river.  During  the  early 
boyhood  of  our  subject  the  parents  removed 
to  Misssouri  and  subsequently  to  Illinois 
and  in  the  schools  of  this  state  he  acquired 
his    education.      He   had    just    attained   his 


GEORGE  OREN 


JOHN  H.  OBEN 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


6S1 


majoritj'  at  the  time  of  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  war  and  becoming  deeply  interested 
in  the  events  which  aroused  the  country  at 
that  time,  he  espoused  the  Union  cause,  en- 
listing in  Company  E,  Fifty-seventh  Illi- 
nois N'olunteer  Infantry,  with  which  he  re- 
mained for  nine  months.  lie  was  in  the 
hospital  and  because  of  physical  disability 
was  then  discharged.  Later  the  govern- 
ment granted  him  a  pension  in  recognition 
of  the  aid  he  had  rendered  the  country  and 
because  of  the  ill  results  which  followed 
his  military  career. 

h  was  on  the  2Slh  of  January,  1868,  that 
Mr.  Arnold  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  ICUen  Ward.  I'or  his  second  wife 
he  chose  Elizabeth  I  lurst.  and  by  that  union 
had  one  son  ami  five  daughters:  Mary 
Lucrelia,  the  wife  of  1.  N.  Newberry,  a 
farmer  of  Osbornville,  Illinois,  by  whom 
she  has  three  children;  Sarah  M.,  the  wife 
of  J.  W.  Fillers,  who  follows  farming  near 
.Mount  Auburn,  and  has  two  children  ;  Ellen 
S.,  the  wife  of  Philip  Wetzel,  a  carpenter 
of  Blue  Mound,  by  whom  she  has  one  living 
child:  Ithamar.  at  home:  and  Dora  May, 
the  wife  of  Henry  Ehlers,  a  car  inspector 
of  Decatur. 

.Mr.  .\rnold  was  a  member  of  the  United 
Brethren  churcli  and  exemplified  in  his  life 
his  Christian  faith  and  belief.  He  gave  his 
political  allegiance  to  the  Republican  ])arty 
and  he  had  fraternal  relations  with  the 
Grand  .A.rmy  of  the  Republic.  Throughout 
his  business  career  his  attention  was  given 
to  farming  and  he  was  the  owner  of  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  Pleasant  View  township, 
which  is  slill  in  the  jjossession  of  his  widow, 
lie  ])laccd  his  land  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  the  fields  returned  to  him 
golden  harvests,  so  that  tlie  sale  of  his  crops 
brought  to  him  a  comfortable  living.  Me 
died  January  24,  1903,  when  in  his  sixty- 
third  year,  and  his  remains  were  interred 
in  llall  cemetery.  The  qualities  of  his  man- 
hood and  the  strength  of  his  upright  char- 


acter had  gained  for  him  the  confidence  and 
regard  of  his  fellow  men,  so  that  his  death 
was  deeply  regretted. 


JOHN  H.  OREN. 

John  H.  Oren,  a  well  known  and  enter- 
prising business  man  of  Decatur  and  now 
proprietor  of  the  industry  conducted  under 
the  name  of  the  Decatur  Hard  Plaster  Com- 
pany, was  born  in  this  city  June  17,  1859, 
his  parents  being  George  and  Mary  (Miller) 
Oren.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Potts- 
ville,  Pennsylvania,  and  came  to  Decatur 
in  the  early  '50s  in  company  with  Jackson 
Fisher,  making  the  tri])  from  Pennsyhania 
in  a  wagon.  He  was  then  a  young  man  and 
in  this  county  he  learned  the  trade  of  a 
plasterer  and  later  entered  into  partnership 
with  Mr.  Fisher  under  the  firm  style  of 
Fisher  &  Oren.  They  did  a  large  contract- 
ing business  as  plasterers  and  their  services 
were  in  constant  demand,  a  liberal  patron- 
age bringing  to  them  a  good  income.  Mr. 
Oren  continued  an  active  factor  in  the  in- 
dustrial circles  of  the  city  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  August,  1899,  when  he 
was  sixty-seven  years  of  age.  His  wife,  a' 
native  of  Virginia,  died  in  1897,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-three  years.  She  was  a  representa- 
tive of  the  old  historic  Miller  family  and 
was  a  daughter  of  "Aunt  Polly"  Miller, 
one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  state.  Unto 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oren  were  born  five  children  : 
John  H..  the  subject  of  this  review;  Mar- 
garet, the  wife  of  John  Diller ;  Frank;  Liz- 
zie, the  wife  of  Charles  Jacobs;  and  Clara, 
the  wife  of  Harry  Misenhelter. 

John  II.  Oren  received  but  limited  edu- 
cational privileges  yet  mastered  the  com- 
mon English  branches  of  learning  which 
prepare  one  for  life's  practical  duties.  He 
began  learning  the  plasterer's  trade  with 
his  father  when  seventeen  years  of  age  and 
subsequently  became  interested  in  the  com- 


68'2 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


pail}-,  doing  contracting  on  his  own  account 
and  having  charge  of  the  business  for  twelve 
years.  He  became  associated  with  S.  F. 
Perry,  who  was  a  practical  plasterer  with 
an  experience  of  over  twenty-five  years  in 
business  at  the  time  the  partnership  was 
formed.  When,  in  1897,  the  Decatur  Rock 
Plaster  Company  became  financially  em- 
barrassed, resulting  in  the  forced  sale  of  the 
plant,  the  firm  of  Perry  &  Oren  bought  the 
outfit  and  established  the  Decatur  Hard 
Plaster  Company.  They  began  experiment- 
ing for  the  production  of  a  material  which 
would  prove  superior  to  anything  known  in 
that  line  and  their  experience  and  skill  en- 
abled them  to  perfect  a  wall  plaster  better 
than  anything  placed  upon  the  market  to 
which  they  gave  the  name  of  the  Decatur 
hard  wall  plaster.  All  contractors  and 
builders  recognize  the  fact  that  there  has 
been  nothing  placed  upon  the  market  equal 
to  that  which  is  now  manufactured  by  the 
Decatur  Hard  Plaster  Company.  The  basis 
of  this  is  gypsum  rock,  which  is  secured 
from  deep  mines.  It  is  manufactured  by 
men  who  have  devoted  many  years  to  se- 
curing and  making  the  best  that  can  be 
made  and  as  the  chief  element  in  the  hard 
plaster  it  makes  an  article  of  superior  worth. 
That  the  Decatur  hard  plaster  has  become 
popular  and  that  its  value  is  recognized  by 
contemporaries  throughout  the  country  is 
seen  by  enumerating  many  fine  buildings 
in  which  it  is  to-day  used.  In  Decatur  it  is 
seen  in  the  Orlando  Powers  block,  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  church,  in  a  number 
of  large  business  buildings,  together  with 
some  of  the  best  private  residences  of  the 
cit)^  It  is  now  recommended  by  every  con- 
tractor in  the  city  and  by  business  and  pro- 
fessional men  generally.  The  plant  is  lo- 
cated at  No.  341-343  Wabash  avenue,  where 
the  firm  is  not  only  manufacturing  and  deal- 
ing in  hard  plaster,  but  where  they  also  deal 
in  lime,  hair,  cement  and  other  materials. 
Mr.  Oren  has  ever  worked  conscientiouslv 


and  has  gained  a  splendid  reputation  among 
all  classes  of  citizens  as  a  business  man  of 
integrity  and  worth,  well  meriting  a  large 
share  of  the  public  patronage.  He  manu- 
factures two  forms  of  plaster.  The  first 
is  known  as  the  Decatur  hard  plaster,  which 
has  all  the  ingredients  ready  mixed  and  to 
which  simply  water  needs  to  be  added  and 
the  second  is  the  Decatur  hard  plaster  com- 
pound which  requires  the  addition  of  sand. 
In  placing  this  product  upon  the  market 
Mr.  Oren  has  given  to  the  world  a  material 
of  marked  value  in  building  operations  and 
he  certainly  richly  merits  the  success  which 
is  now  accorded  him. 

Mr.  Oren  has  been  twice  married.  In 
1887  he  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Mag- 
gie Tiernan,  of  Dalton,  Illinois.  They  lived 
happily  together  for  five  years  and  then  in 
1892  Mrs.  Oren  was  called  to  her  final  rest. 
In  1894  ^Ir.  Oren  was  again  married,  his 
second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Mary  Millard, 
a  daughter  of  Captain  C.  C.  Mason,  of 
Mount  Pulaski,  Illinois.  They  have  two 
children:  Elsie  May  and  George  ^lason. 
In  his  political  views  Mr.  Oren  is  a  Repub- 
lican where  questions  of  national  import- 
ance are  involved,  but  at  local  elections  he 
votes  independently  of  party  ties.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Fireman's  Association,  to  Coeur 
de  Lion  lodge.  No.  17,  K.  P.,  and  to  De- 
catur District  Court,  No.  39,  of  the  Court 
of  Honor.  He  finds  his  chief  source  of 
recreation  in  fishing  and  hunting,  but  allows 
nothing  to  interfere  with  his  faithful  per- 
formance of  business  duties  and  no  man  en- 
joys a  more  enviable  reputation  because  of 
the  fidelity  which  he  manifests  in  meeting 
business  obligations. 


CAPTAIN  JAMES  H.  GLORE. 
A\'hen    the    tocsin    of    war    sounded    and 
brave   men   from    all   parts   of  the   country 
flocked  to  the  standard  of  the  nation  Macon 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


683 


county  sent  its  full  quota  of  gallant  soldiers 
to  the  field  and  among  this  number  was 
Captain  James  II.  Glore,  who  won  his  title 
through  the  valiant  aid  which  he  rendered 
to  the  nation.  Because  of  this  and  because 
of  his  loyalty  in  citizenship  in  times  of  peace 
he  is  well  worthy  of  representation  in  the 
history  of  j\Iacon  county.  He  was,  more- 
over, one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  here,  estab- 
lisjiing  his  home  in  this  county  in  1850. 

.\  native  of  Kentucky,  his  birth  occurred 
in  Brownsboro,  Olden  county,  on  the  27lh 
of  November,  1834.  His  parents,  Milburn 
and  Sarah  (Clark)  Glore,  were  also  natives 
of  Olden  county,  and  in  the  year  1850  the 
father  removed  with  his  family  from  Ken- 
tucky to  Decatur,  where  he  became  asso- 
ciated with  business  affairs  as  a  manufac- 
turer of  brick.  He  owned  and  operated  a 
brickyard  for  many  j-ears  and  the  product 
of  his  factory  was  utilized  in  the  construc- 
tion of  many  important  buildings  here  at 
an  early  day.  Later  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  grocery  business,  which  he  car- 
ried on  for  a  few  years  and  subsequently 
he  lived  a  retired  life,  spending  his  last  days 
in  rest  from  further  labor  and  in  the  enjoy- 
m.ent  of  the  comforts  which  his  own  en- 
ergy and  industry  provided.  He  passed 
away  in  1887  and  his  wife  has  also  departed 
this  life.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten 
children  :  Wash,  who  now  resides  in  Chi- 
cago;  I.on.  a  resident  of  St.  Louis;  Scott 
and  Norman,  both  deceased;  James  H.; 
Relda,  the  wife  of  Captain  Bingham,  of  De- 
catur; Amy,  the  wife  of  Andrew  Hill,  of  this 
city ;  Alice  G.,  who  is  now  librarian  of  the 
Decatur  Free  Public  Library;  Valissa,  the 
widow  of  Edward  Moore,  of  Decatur ;  and 
Ella,  also  in  this  city.  All  were  well  edu- 
cated in  the  best  schools  of  Macon  county. 

Like  the  others  Captain  Glore  attended  the 
public  schools  and  subsequently  he  assisted 
his  father  in  the  conduct  of  the  brickyard 
here.  At  the  same  time  he  learned  the  trade 
of  a  brickmason  and  assisted  in  the  erection 


of  many  of  the  best  brick  buildings  of  this 
city.  Until  the  war  broke  out  he  followed 
that  pursuit,  but  after  the  inauguration  of 
hostilities  he  could  not  content  himself  to 
remain  at  home  while  his  country  was  in 
danger  and  therefore  he  enlisted  as  a  private 
of  Company  K,  One  1  lundred  and  Sixteenth 
Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers.  This  regi- 
ment was  organized  in  1862  and  with  the 
exception  of  two  companies  its  members 
were  all  sons  of  Macon  county.  Mr.  Glore 
was  afterward  promoted  to  the  captaincy 
of  his  company  and  served  in  many  import- 
ant engagements  of  the  Civil  war.  AVith 
his  conmiaud  he  remained  at  Camp  Macon 
(luring  the  months  of  August,  September 
and  October  and  on  the  30th  of  September, 
1862.  was  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service.  On  the  Sth  of  November,  the  regi- 
ment was  ordered  to  ^lemphis,  where  it 
was  attached  to  the  First  Brigade,  Second 
Division,  Fifteenth  Army  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  the  Tennessee.  Its  active  service  be- 
gan in  Grant's  campaign  in  central  Missis- 
sippi and  included  Sherman's  Yazoo  expedi- 
tion, meeting  the  enemy  in  battle  at  Chris- 
tian Bayou  and  afterward  at  Chickasaw 
Bluffs.  Later  came  the  Arkansas  expedi- 
tion, including  the  investment  and  capture 
of  Arkansas  Post.  In  General  Grant's  ef- 
forts to  gain  a  foothold  in  the  rear  of  Vicks- 
burg  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Illi- 
nois joined  the  expedition  up  Steele's  Bayou 
and  after  other  encounters  with-  the  enemy 
rejoined  the  corps  and  fought  at  Jackson, 
Mississippi,  Champion  Hills,  Bridgeport 
and  in  the  assaults  on  Vicksburg.  After 
tlie  fall  of  this  city  the  regiment  advanced 
on  Jackson  and  in  September,  1863,  moved 
to  Memphis,  Tennessee,  'thence  marching 
to  Chattanooga.  They  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Tunnel  Hill,  Missionary  Ridge 
and  afterward  marched  to  the  relief  of 
Knoxville.  On  the  4th  of  May,  1864,  be- 
gan the  Atlanta  campaign  and  with  Sher- 
man's  great   army    the   One    Hundred    and 


684 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Sixteenth  Illinois  moved  toward  the  soutli- 
east.  During  this  time  Captain  Glore  and 
his  men  were  in  tlie  engagements  at  Snake 
Creek  Gaj).  Resaca  and  New  Hope  Church 
and  at  the  last  named  Captain  Glore,  who 
was  then  lieutenant,  was  wounded.  Then 
followed  other  encounters  with  the  enemy  in 
the  Atlanta  campaign,  concluding  in  the 
great  battle  of  Atlanta,  July  22,  1864,  and 
later  the  siege  of  the  city  resulting  in  its  sur- 
render. For  three  months  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Sixteenth  Regiment  had  been  un- 
der tire  continually  night  and  dav.  On  the 
15th  of  November  they  started  on  the  march 
to  the  sea  and  then  came  the  Carolina  cam- 
paign, ending  in  the  battle  of  Bentonville, 
the  last  engagement  of  the  war.  followed  by 
the  Grand  Review  in  Washington,  where 
with  the  other  representatives  of  the  vic- 
torious army  Captain  Glore  and  his  men 
received  the  plaudits  of  the  nation.  On  the 
/th  of  June.  1865.  with  his  command.  Cap- 
tain Glore  was  mustered  out. 

After  the  war  he  returned  to  Decatur  and 
established  a  woodyard,  which  he  conducted 
for  a  few  years  or  up  to  the  time  of  his 
marriage  in  1870.  The  lady  of  his  choice 
was  Miss  Frances  E.  Gunther.  a  daughter 
of  George  and  Susan  Gunther,  the  former  a 
native  of  Germany  and  the  latter  of  Ten- 
nessee. Her  father  came  to  America  in 
1832  and  settled  in  Ohio  but  after  a  short 
time  removed  to  ^lacon  county,  Illinois,  be- 
ing one  of  its  early  residents.  Here  he 
first  operated  a  saw  mill  and  later  purchased 
a  tract  of  land  in  South  Wheatland  town- 
ship, whereon  he  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing up  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1849. 
His  widow,  long  surviving  him,  passed 
away  in  Decatur. in  1901.  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Glore  became  the  ])arents  of  two  children : 
Sarah  Alice  and  George  G.,  both  with  their 
mother.  The  latter  was  born  March  28, 
1882,  and  is  now  a  machinist  by  trade. 

After  his  marriage  Captain  Glore  pur- 
chased a  farm   in   South   Wheatland  town- 


shi]),  three  miles  southeast  of  Decatur^ 
where  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  carry- 
ing on  general  agricultural  pursuits  and  also 
worked  at  the  mason's  trade  during  the 
busy  season.  His  life  was  one  of  activity 
and  usefulness.  He  died  February  27,  1886, 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him  because  in 
all  life's  relations  he  had  been  loyal  to  duty, 
honorable  in  business,  generous  in  friend- 
ship and  loving  and  considerate  of  his  fam- 
ih'.  For  fifteen  years  he  served  as  a  school 
director  in  South  ^^'heatland  township  and 
the  cause  of  education  profited  by  his  earn- 
est efforts  in  its  behalf.  In  politics  he  was 
independent,  supporting  the  men  rather 
than  the  party.  However,  he  kept  well  in- 
formed on  the  issues  of  the  day  and  took 
great  delight  in  all  political  arguments.  In 
all  his  business  undertakings  he  was  very 
successful.  Socially  he  was  connected  with 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at 
Decatur  and  he  maintained  pleasant  rela- 
tions with  his  old  army  comrades  through 
his  membership  in  the  Grand  Army  Post 
of  this  city.  He  held  membership  in  the 
Christian  church,  to  which  his  wife  yet  be- 
longs and  there  was  in  his  career  naught 
that  could  be  censured  by  his  fellow  men, 
because  he  had  been  ever  actuated  by  hon- 
orable motives.  After  his  death  Mrs.  Glore 
resided  upon  the  home  farm  until  1890,  when 
she  returned  to  Decatur  and  purchased 
her  present  residence  at  No.  412  South 
Main  street,  where  she  and  her  two  chil- 
dren now  reside. 


J.  S.  BUFFMEYER. 
For  many  years  J.  S.  BufTmeyer  was  ac- 
tively identified  with  the  farming  interests 
of  ^lacon  county  but  is  now  living  a  retired 
life  on  section  2.  Whitmore  township,  hav- 
ing acquired  a  competence  which  enables 
him  to  lay  aside  all  business  cares  and  en- 
jov   a   well   earned  rest.     He   was  born   on 


:0 
4 


■j^o-x^- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


087 


lliL-  141I1  of  Xovcmber,  1834,  in  IV-nnsyl- 
vania,  of  which  state  his  parents,  Joseph  and 
Anna  (Shaffer)  P.uffmeycr,  were  also  na- 
tives. He  was  their  only  child.  In  1856 
the  family  removed  to  Illinois  and  first  lo- 
cated west  of  Chicago.  Subsequently  our 
subject  became  a  resident  of  McLean  coun- 
ty, this  state,  and  from  there  removed  to 
Moultrie  county.  It  was  in  1879  that  he 
came  to  Macon  county  and  purchased  forty- 
acres  of  land  on  section  2,  Whitmore  town- 
ship, which  had  already  been  placed  under 
cultivation.  Later  he  added  to  his  farm 
another  tract  of  forty  acres  on  section  11, 
just  across  the  road  from  his  former  pur- 
chase, and  he  was  actively  engaged  in  the 
operation  of  his  land  for  some  years.  In 
connection  with  general  farming  he  engaged 
in  stock  raising  to  some  extent  and  met 
with  good  success  in  tlie  raising  of  hogs. 
Since  i8g6  he  has  practically  lived  retired, 
leaving  the  management  of  the  farm  to  his 
son  Iosei:)li.  who  now  devotes  considerable 
attention  to  the  raising  of  fruit.  The  farm 
is  verv  productive  and  yields  a  handsome 
return  for  the  care  and  labor  bestowed 
upon  it. 

In  1854  Mr.  Buffmeycr  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Hartman,  of  Lan- 
caster, Pennsylvania,  and  to  them  have  been 
born,  ten  children,  those  still  living  being 
John,  who  is  married  and  lives  in  Oregon; 
Joseph,  who  is  single  and  resides  upon  the 
home  farm  ;  Benjamin,  who  is  married  and 
also  follows  farming  in  Whitmore  town- 
ship: Lou,  wife  of  Frederick  ?^lyers ;  and 
Annie,  at  home. 

Mr.  Buffmeyer  has  served  as  school  di- 
rector one  term  and  as  ditch  commissioner 
five  years,  being  the  present  incumbent  in 
the  latter  ofifice.  Fie  and  his  family  are 
members  of  the  German  Baptist  church  and 
stand  high  in  the  community  where  they 
reside.  Hospitality  reigns  supreme  in  their 
pleasant  home,  which  is  a  modern  frame 
residence,    surrounded    by    spacious    lawns. 


beautiful  shade  trees  and  an  abundance  of 
llowers.  In  his  political  affiliations  Mr. 
Buii'mexer  is  an  ardent  l\ei)ublican  and  he 
takes  <|uite  an  active  and  inlhu-ntial  part 
in  local  affairs,  his  opinions  carrying  weight 
with  his  neighbors  and  many  friends. 


ENOCH  A.  GASTMAN. 
Enoch   A.    Gastman  has  a  record   hardly 
l)aralleled  in  the  history  of  the  country  for 
through    forty-one    years    he   has   remained 
at  the  head  of  the  Decatur  schools.     Several 
times  has  he  handed  in  his  resignation,  but 
each  time  the  school  board  and  his  fellow 
townsmen  have  urged  him  to  remain  in  the 
l^osition,    which    he   has   so    lK)norably    and 
creditably  filled.    No  city  in  this  great  com- 
monwealth has  a  better  school  system  than 
Decatur   and    this    is    attributable    in    large 
measure  to  the  earnest  efforts,  marked  abil- 
ity and  untiring  devotion  of  Enoch  A.  Gast- 
man.    He  has  been  so  closely  and  promi- 
nently connected  with  the  educational  and 
moral  interests  here  that  no  history  of  the 
community  would  be  complete  without  the 
record  of  his  career.    It  is  a  widely  acknowl- 
edged fact  that  the  most  important  work  to 
which  a  man  can  direct  his  energies  is  that 
of  teaching,  wdiether  it  be  from  the  pulpit, 
from    the    lecture    platform    or    from    the 
schoolroom.     Its  primary  object  is  ever  the 
same,  the  development  of  one's  latent  pow- 
ers that  the  duties  of  life  may  be  bravely 
met   and  well  performed.     It  would  be  im- 
l)ossible  to  estimate  the  intluence  of  the  life 
of  Mr.  Gastman  upon  those  with  whom  he 
has    come    in    contact,    but    there    are   hun- 
dreds of  i)eople  who  have  been   under   his 
instruction  and   who  acknowledge  their  in- 
debtedness   to    him     f<ir    so    shaping    their 
course  in  early  years  that  in  later  life  they 
have   become   valued   factors   in   the   affairs 
I  if  the   various   conuunnitic'S   in   which   they 
lia\e   lived. 


688 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Enoch  ^\.  Gastmaii  is  a  native  of  Xew 
York  city,  but  almost  his  entire  life  has 
been  passed  in  Illinois  and  he  has  the  deep- 
est love  for  the  state  which  has  so  honored 
him.  His  natal  day  was  June  15,  1834,  but 
in  April,  1838,  he  was  brought  to  McLean 
county,  the  family  home  being  established 
near  Hudson.  His  early  life  was  quietly 
passed  in  a  manner  not  unlike  that  of  most 
boys  of  the  period.  Books  were  always  a 
source  of  pleasure  to  him  and  his  interest 
in  the  work  of  the  schoolroom  prompted 
him  to  enter  upon  the  teacher's  profession 
as  he  neared  manhood.  He  was  twenty 
years  of  age  when  on  the  loth  of  October, 
1854,  he  first  took  his  place  in  the  school- 
room as  an  instructor,  being  employed  in 
Saybrook,  Illinois.  In  the  year  1855  he  was 
a  student  in  the  Illinois  Wesleyan  Univer- 
sity and  in  the  following  year  he  accepted 
a  position  as  teacher  in  Kappa,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  for  nine  months,  or 
throughout  the  scholastic  year.  In  1857  he 
entered  Eureka  College  and  on  the  5th  of 
October  of  that  year  he  matriculated  in  the 
Illinois  Normal  University.  It  was  on  that 
date  that  the  institution  opened  and  he  was 
graduated  with  the  first  class  on  the  29th 
of  June,  i860.  On  the  loth  of  the  following 
September  \lr.  Gastman  became  connected 
with  the  schools  of  Decatur,  being  assigned 
to  a  position  as  teacher  in  the  third  grade. 
In  the  spring  of  1861  he  taught  a  three 
months'  term  of  school  in  Hudson,  Illinois, 
and  on  the  12th  of  July,  1862,  he  was  ap- 
pointed the  first  superintendent  of  the  city 
schools  of  Decatur  and  the  first  principal  of 
the  high  school.  Here  he  has  remained  con- 
tinuously since.  To  give  an  entire  history 
of  his  life  would  be  to  present  a  faithful 
picture  of  the  work  done  along  educational 
lines  in  Decatur.  During  the  forty-one 
years  of  his  active  superintendency  marked 
progress  has  been  made,  Decatur  keeping 
abreast  with  the  universal  improvement 
along  educational  lines.     At  first  Mr.  Gast- 


man received  a  salary  of  only  two  lunulred 
and  seventy  dollars  for  six  months'  term  of 
school,  but  gradually  he  was  advanced  un- 
til he  has  received  on  an  average  of  seven- 
teen hundred  and  twenty-eight  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  per  year  for  each  year  of  the  four 
decades  in  which  he  has  been  superin- 
tendent. Only  twice  during  this  entire 
period  has  he  ever  spoken  of  salary  to  the 
school  board.  At  the  beginning  of  the  sec- 
ond year  he  was  re-appointed  to  his  posi- 
tion with  no  advance,  while  another  man 
doing  the  same  work  received  an  increase 
of  five  dollars  per  month.  Mr.  Gastman 
spoke  of  this  matter  to  the  school  board  and 
was  given  the  increase.  Later,  when  he 
was  receiving  a  salary  of  nine  hundred  dol- 
lars per  year  he  was  offered  a  school  in  a 
neighboring  city  with  the  salary  of  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per  year.  Wishing 
to  accept  the  more  remunerative  position, 
Mr.  Gastman  asked  to  be  released  from  his 
contract  with  Decatur  and  the  board  replied 
to  this  request  by  advancing  his  salary  to 
twelve  hundred.  Many  important  positions 
have  been  offered  him,  for  his  reputation 
has  spread  far  and  wide  and  his  name  has 
been  inscribed  liigh  on  the  roll  of  prominent 
educators  in  Illinois.  Again  and  again  he 
has  received  flattering  offers,  and  at  one 
time  he  decided  tQ  accept  one.  Accordingly 
he  presented  his  resignation  to  the  school 
board,  but  it  was  at  once  proposed  that  his 
salary  should  be  advanced  to  twenty-five 
hundred  dollars  per  year  and  that  he  should 
be  elected  for  a  term  of  five  years.  Certain- 
ly no  higher  testimonial  of  the  public  re- 
gard or  of  his  great  usefulness  could  be 
given.  .\s  long  as  Mr.  Gastman  wishes  to 
remain  in  the  position  it  is  undoubtedly  his. 
He  has,  indeed,  become  a  part  of  the  school 
system  of  Decatur.  He  has  instituted  many 
measures  of  the  greatest  and  most  perma- 
nent benefit  to  the  schools ;  his  own  zeal  and 
interest  in  the  work  have  inspired  and  en- 
couraged his  teachers  :  and  his  co-operation 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


GS9 


Avith  the  piqiils  li:is  led  to  splendid  results 
along  character  development  as  well  as  in- 
tellectual progress.  As  far  as  possible  he 
has  become  personally  acquainted  with  all 
of  the  students  and  has  watched  with  keen 
interest  their  course  in  life  after  leaving 
school.  During  his  superintendency  more 
than  a  thousand  diplomas  have  been  as- 
signed to  the  graduates  of  the  high  school 
of  Decatur  and  thus  leaving  his  guidance 
young  men  and  women  have  gone  out  in 
the  world,  many  of  them  to  attain  to  promi- 
nence and  honor  in  the  active,  tiseful  and 
important  walks  of  life.  Mr.  Gastman  has 
always  been  a  close  and  earnest  student  of 
social  and  economic  questions  and  of  all 
things  pertaining  to  the  progress  of  the 
world.  His  interest  of  course  has  centered 
along  the  line  of  his  chosen  field  of  labor 
and  he  has  been  quick  to  adopt  all  new 
measures  which  he  believed  would  contrib- 
iite  to  intellectual  progress  and  improve- 
ment, i'ublic  spirited  in  an  eminent  de- 
gree his  labors  have  been  of  the  greatest 
benefit  to  l^ecatur  and  his  name  figures  con- 
spicuously in  connection  with  the  educa- 
tional history  of  the  state.  For  a  half  cen- 
turv  he  has  been  a  teacher  of  Illinois  and 
for  thirtv-two  years  of  that  time  has  been 
a  member  of  the  state  board  of  education, 
during  which  time  he  has  been  acquainted 
with  all  of  the  state  superintendents,  being 
a  personal  friend  of  all  but  two  of  the  num- 
ber. 

In  Julv,  1862,  Mr.  Gastinan  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Frances  A.  Peterson, 
of  Sublette,  Lee  county,  Illinois,  who  died 
seven  months  later,  and  in  August,  1864, 
he  was  again  married,  his  second  union  be- 
ing with  Miss  Caroline  S.  Sargent,  of  Clare- 
mont.  New  Hampshire.  At  the  time  of  their 
marriage  she  was  a  teacher  in  the  Decatur 
schools.  Unto  them  five  children  were 
born,  tho.se  still  living  being  Elizabeth  G., 
wife  of  John  H.  Powell,  of  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington ;  and   Louise,  at  home  with  her  pa- 


rents. Frances  died  at  the  age  of  three 
years.  Winthrop  E.,  who  was  a  graduate 
of  Michigan  University  and  an  electrical 
engineer  by  profession,  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years.  Floyd  A.  died  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  while  a  freshman  at  Ann  Arbor. 
The  two  sons  died  in  1893  within  ten  days 
of  each  other.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gastman  have 
a  pleasant  home  on  West  North  street, 
where  they  have  resided  for  thirty-eight 
years. 


NEWTON  F.  PICKLE. 
Twenty-two  \ears  have  come  and  gone  since 
Newton  F.  Pickle  became  a  resident  of  Macon 
county,  where  for  some  years  he  followed 
farming,  but  is  now  li\'ing  a  retired  life  in  De- 
catur, his  home  being  at  No.  2075  North 
("hurch  street,  lie  is  a  native  of  Bedford 
county,  Tennessee,  born  June  29,  1834,  a  son 
of  John  and  Delilah  (Lefler)  Pickle,  who  were 
also  born  in  lledford  county,  where  the  mother 
died  when  her  son  Newton  was  a  lad  of  four- 
teen years.  The  father  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Sarah 
Cheeves.  He  remained  upon  a  farm  in  his 
native  county  until  1863.  when  he  took  up  his 
abode  in  Johnson  county,  Illinois,  while  later 
he  established  his  home  in  Pope  county,  111- 
nois,  where  he  continued  to  engage  in  general 
farming  until  his  death.  There  were  two 
children  of  the  family  who  came  to  Macon 
county,  the  brother  of  our  subject  being  Jo- 
seph Pickle,  who  arrived  here  about  1880,  set- 
tling in  the  village  of  ]\Iacon,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  meat  market  for  a  short  time.  He 
then  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  for  a 
few  years,  after  which  he  took  up  his  abode 
upon  a  farm  in  South  Wheatland  township 
and  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields 
there  for  a  few  >ears.  He  next  removed  to 
Piatt  county,  but  after  a  short  time  returned 
to  Alacon  county  and  lived  retired  in  the  city 
of  Decatur  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
Mav  2.  1900. 


690 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


The   educational    privileges    which    Newton 
Pickle   received   were  meager,   as  his   studies 
were  pursued  in  a  log  school-house  in  his  na- 
tive county.     Farm  work  early  became  famil- 
iar to  him  through  the  assistance  which  he 
rendered  to  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
fields  on  the  old  homestead.     After  reaching 
adult  age  he  desired  to  start  out  in  life  for  him- 
self, and  sought  a  companion  and  helpmate  for 
the  journey.     In  Bedford  county  he  wedded 
Miss  Margaret  E.  Musgrave,  a  native  of  the 
same    county,    born    December    29,    1840,  a 
daughter  of  Thomas    and    Harriet    (Forbes) 
Musgrave.     Both  parents  passed  away  in  Ten- 
nessee.    The  father,  who  devoted  his  life  to 
farming,  died  on  the  14th  of  July,  1855.     The 
young  couple  began  their  domestic  life  upon 
the  old  home  farm  and  remained  in  Tennessee 
until  1859,  when  they  removed  to  St.  Francis 
county,  Arkansas,  where  IMr.  Pickle  engaged 
in  farming  for  two  years.     He  then  returned 
to  his  native  state,  but  in  October,  1863,  re- 
moved to  Johnson  county,   Illinois,  where  he 
followed  agricultural  pursuits  until  1881,  when 
he  came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois.     His  first 
home  here  was  a  farm  two  miles  east  of  De- 
catur, but  after  a  short  time  spent  on  that  place 
he  took  up  his  abode  in  Friends  Creek  town- 
ship where  he  remained  for  four  years.     He 
next  removed  to   !Maroa  township,  where  he 
carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for  five  years. 
He  then  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in 
^^^^itmore  township  and  continued  its  cultiva- 
tion for  four  years,  after  which  he  sold  the 
property  on  the  ist  of  March,   1896,  and  re- 
moved to  Decatur,  where  he  purchased  a  lot 
and  built  his  present  home.    He  owns  a  large 
lot  and  nice  residence  on  the  north  side  of  the 
city  and  this  property  is  the  visible  evidence  of 
his  life  of  industry,  for  he  has  nothing  that  he 
has  not  gained  through  his  own  labors,  being 
entirely  a  self-made  man. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pickle  w-ere  born  five 
children :  Thomas  N.,  who  married  Harriet  E. 
Barber  and  resides  in  Decatur :  Mary  Delilah, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  three  vears ;  James  M., 


who  wedded  Emma  Phillips  and  is  a  grocery- 
clerk  of  Decatur ;  Martha  E.,  the  wife  of 
Charles  A.  Dickey,  of  Moweaqua,  Illinois ;  and 
William  F.,  who  married  Maud  Withgott  and 
is  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  loan  business 
in  Decatur. 

^Ir.  Pickle  votes  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  while  living  in.  Johnson  county  held  some 
local  offices,  but  has  always  preferred  to  de- 
vote his  energies  to  his  agricultural  interests, 
and  from  the  tilling  of  the  soil  he  has  gleaned 
a  comfortable  competence  which  now  enables 
him  to  rest  from  further  labor. 


MICHAEL  DEMPSEY. 
Michael  Dempsey,  a  retired  mail  agent 
living  in  Decatur,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Dublin.  Ireland,  on  the  29th  of  September, 
1830.  His  father,  John  Dempsey,  followed 
the  sea  and  was  in  the  Spanish  service  at 
the  time  of  our  subject's  birth,  being  cap- 
tain of  a  Spanish  man-of-war.  The  mother 
died  when  her  son  was  but  two  or  three 
months  old  and  he  was  left  an  orphan  at 
the  early  age  of  six  years,  being  then  reared 
bv  strangers.  He  obtained  a  common- 
school  education  in  Ireland  and  his  first 
independent  step  in  life  was  taken  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  years  when  he  emigrated 
to  America,  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  a  sail- 
ing vessel,  Jilount  Washington,  which 
dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Boston, 
on  the  2nd  of  July,  1849.  He  then  went  into 
the  country  and  spent  four  years  in  Pel- 
ham.  New  Hampshire,  w^orking  as  a  farm 
hand.  Later  he  went  to  the  city  of  Lowell, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  learned  and  fol- 
lowed the  stone-cutter's  trade  and  thus  he 
gained  a  start  in  the  new  world.  While  re- 
siding in  Lowell,  Massachusetts,  he  was 
married  in  1854  and  in  the  spring  of  the 
following  year  he  came  to  Illinois,  arriving 
in  Clinton  at  midnight,  accompanied  by  his 
wife  and  his  brother-in-law,  \\'illiam  Duim, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


61H 


and  his  wife.  Clinton  was  then  a  small 
town  with  little  business  prospects.  Mr. 
Dcnipscv  worked  as  a  marble-cutter  there 
until  about  1859. 

In  j86i  in  response  to  the  call  of  his 
adopted  country  for  aid  to  crush  out  the 
rebellion  which  threatened  the  destruction 
of  the  Union,  Mr.  Dempscy  enlisted  in 
Company  E,  Sixty-eiglith  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry  as  a  private.  He  was  after- 
ward transferred  to  Company  B,  Seventieth 
Illinois  Infantry  as  first  sergeant  and  was 
in  active  service  for  five  months,  being  dis- 
charged in  October,  1861,  at  Alton,  Illi- 
nois. He  then  came  to  the  city  of  Decatur 
and  in  the  spring  of  1863  removed  his  busi- 
ness here,  locating  at  the  corner  of  Pine 
and  West  Williams  street,  where  he  has 
since  made  his  home.  He  began  working 
at  the  marble  cutter's  trade  and  followed 
that  pursuit  for  a  number  of  years.  About 
1876  he  entered  the  railway  mail  service  and 
remained  in  that  capacity  for  twelve  years 
on  the  Wabash  Railroad.  Six  months  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  Grover  Cleveland's 
administration  he  was  given  his  discharge 
for  political  reasons,  although  he  had  long 
been  a  faithful  representative  of  the  mail 
service.     Since  1888  he  has  lived  retired. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  1854,  Mr.  Demp- 
sej'  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Dunn,  a  native  of  Queens  county,  Ireland, 
who  emigrated  with  her  brother  to  the  new 
world  in  1850.  She  was  educated  on  the 
Emerald  Isle  and  was  a  daughter  of  Peter 
and  i\lary  (McCabe)  Dunn,  who  spent  their 
entire  lives  in  Ireland.  For  fort\'-one  years 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dempsey  traveled  life's  jour- 
ney together  and  the  wife  was  then  called 
to  her  final  rest  May  5,  1895.  By  that  mar- 
riage there  were  eight  children,  two  of  whom 
died  in  infanc\-;  John  S.,  a  marble  worker 
of  Springfield,  wedded  Miss  Mary  McGorey.. 
of  Decatur,  and  they  have  one  child.  Flora. 
Peter  J-,  who  is  represented  elsewhere  in 
this    volume,   is   the   second   in   the   familv. 


.Mary  is  the  widow  of  T.  A.  Russell  ami 
lives  with  her  father.  She  has  two  children, 
William  E.  and  Margaret  Louise,  but  the 
latter  is  known  as  Jessie.  Catherine  is  the 
]irincipal  of  the  W'ood  street  school  of  De- 
catur and  is  a  graduate  of  the  col'ege  at 
Oregon,  Illinois.  Thomas  F.  is  a  piinting 
contractor,  who  married  Mamie  Garber  and 
they  have  one  son,  Peter  O.  Lucy  I.,  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  is  acting  as  her 
father's  housekeeper.  Mr.  Dempsey  and  his 
children  are  members  of  St.  Patrick's 
church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belonged. 
Mr.  Dempsey  owns  a  good  house  and  lot 
in  Decatur,  his  home  being  one  of  the  best 
on  the  street  and  the  plans  for  this  were 
drawn  bv  one  of  his  daughters. 


JACOB  W.  KOHR. 
When  after  years  of  long  and  honorable 
labor  in  some  field  of  business,  a  man  puts 
aside  all  cares  to  spend  his  remaining  years 
in  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  his  former 
toil,  it  is  certainly  a  w'cll  deserved  reward 
of  his  industr}'. 

"How    blest   is   he    who    crowns   in   shades 
like  these 
A  youth  of  labor  with  an  age  of  ease," 

wrote  the  poet,  and  the  world  everywhere 
recognizes  the  justice  of  a  season  of  rest 
following  an  active  period  of  business  life. 
Mr.  Kohr  is  now  living  retired  at  his  pleas- 
ant home  on  section  5,  Whitmore  township, 
and  his  history  is  one  that  shows  the  ac- 
complishment of  well  directed  labor. 

A  native  of  Pennsylvania,  he  was  born  in 
York  county.  January  18,  1846,  and  is  the 
ninth  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  ten 
children,  all  of  whom  lived  to  be  grown. 
His  parents,  Louis  and  Rebecca  Kohr,  are 
now  deceased.  He  passed  the  days  of  his 
bo3'hood  and  youth  in  the  Keystone  state 
and  is  indebted  to  its  public  school;;  for  the 


692 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


educational  advantages  he  enjoyed.  When 
the  Civil  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany B,  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteer  Infantry,  and  after  nine 
months  in  the  service  was  discharged.  On 
account  of  failing  health  he  subsequently 
went  to  Minnesota  and  was  engaged  in 
steamboating  on  the  Alississippi  river  for 
a  time. 

In  the  fall  of  1868  Mr.  Kohr  came  to  Ma- 
con county  and  took  up  his  residence  on 
section  5,  Whitmore  township,  where  he  at 
first  purchased  seventy  acres  and  later 
added  to  it  a  tract  of  forty  acres  and  still 
later  eighty  more  acres,  but  he  has  since 
sold  eighty  acres  to  his  son  Samuel  after 
the  letter's  marriage.  In  his  farming  opera- 
tions our  subject  met  with  marked  success 
and  as  he  found  that  the  raising  of  hogs 
proved  quite  profitable  he  devoted  consid- 
erable attention  to  that  industry.  The 
house  he  erected  upon  his  place  in  1868  is 
still  standing  in  a  good  state  of  preserva- 
tion, and  in  1892  he  built  a  good  barn,  has 
set  out  trees  of  various  kinds,  and  he  has 
a  number  of  soft  maples  which  he  has  raised 
from  the  seed.  Although  his  land  was  full 
of  ponds  and  sloughs  when  it  came  into  his 
possession  he  has  tiled  and  drained  it,  and 
to-day  has  a  very  desirable  and  attractive 
farm  under  excellent  cultivation.  Since 
1896  he  has  practically  lived  a  retired  life, 
leaving  the  labors  of  the  farm  to  younger 
hands. 

On  the  14th  of  October,  1868,  in  Whit- 
more township,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Kohr  and  Miss  Helen  Brown, 
a  daughter  of  Rev.  Ephraim  and  Jane 
Brown,  who  are  pioneers  of  this  county  and 
live  east  of  our  subject  in  Whitmore  town- 
ship. Three  children  bless  this  union :  Ida, 
Samuel  and  Nellie.  The  son,  who  resides 
on  section  5,  Whitmore  township,  married 
Ida  Birchfield  and  has  two  children :  Wel- 
ma  and  an  infant  son. 

Mr.  Kohr  is  one  of  the  standard  bearers 


of  the  Republican  party  in  his  community 
and  does  all  in  his  power  to  insure  its  suc- 
cess. He  is  now  serving  as  highway  com- 
missioner and  his  official  duties  have  always 
been  most  faithfully  and  conscientiously 
discharged.  In  the  work  of  public  improve- 
ment he  has  ever  borne  his  part  and  has 
never  withheld  his  support  from  any  enter- 
prise which  he  believed  would  prove  of  pub- 
lic benefit.  When  he  came  to  Macon  coun- 
ty the  villages  of  Oreana  and  Argenta  had 
not  yet  sprung  into  existence,  and  much  of 
this  region  was  still  wild  and  unimproved. 


ST.  PATRICK'S  CHURCH. 
The  first  Catholic  service  ever  held  in 
Decatur  was  conducted  by  Rev.  Father 
Pendergast  in  July,  1853,  at  the  residence 
of  Mrs.  Marvin  on  West  Main  street.  At 
the  close  of  that  service  Mary  Phalin  was 
baptized,  she  being  the  first  child  to  receive 
that  ordinance  in  the  Catholic  church  in 
Decatur.  Father  Pendergast  continued  his 
labors  as  rector  of  the  Catholic  organiza- 
tion in  Decatur  for  one  year.  In  1854  Rev. 
Father  Cussack,  a  traveling  priest,  succeed- 
ed to  the  rectorship  and  continued  in  the 
same  until  1859.  I"  the  early  days  of  the 
church,  services  were  conducted  at  private 
residences,  one  of  the  favorite  places  for 
holding  the  meetings  being  the  log  cabin  of 
Michael  Phalin,  which  was  located  on  the 
site  of  his  present  residence  on  West  Macon 
street.  .\t  this  time  the  Great  Western 
(now  the  Wabash)  Railroad  was  in  process 
of  construction.  Among  the  contractors 
and  construction  men  were  a  number  who 
were  members  of  the  denominational  church 
in  the  east  and  the  attendance  at  mass  in  the 
early  days  was  considerably  augmented  by 
delegations  from  this  laboring  class.  The 
attendance  at  mass  finally  became  so  great 
that  it  was  necessary  to  find  a  more  com- 
modious place  for  worship,  and  during  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


G!)3 


early  days  of  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Father 
Cussack,  mass  was  celebrated  in  the  old 
brick  court  house,  which  was  located  in  the 
southeast  corner  of  Lincoln  square. 

In  1857  Rev.  Father  Cussack  raised 
money  enough  to  erect  a  frame  church 
building  on  a  lot  in  the  700  block  on  West 
Prairie  street.  The  lot  was  donated  to  the 
cause  by  a  Mr.  Shepherd.  In  1859  Rev. 
Father  Vogt  was  sent  to  be  rector  of  the 
church  and  remained  until  1870.  The  corner 
stone  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church,  lo- 
cated on  East  North  street,  was  laid  on 
Alarch  17  (St.  Patrick's  day),  1863,  and  was 
occupied  for  worship  during  the  following 
winter. 

Rev.  Father  Walsh  succeeded  Rev.  Father 
Vogt  in  1870  and  remained  rector  until 
1873  when  Rev.  Father  Hickey,  now  vicar 
general  of  the  diocese,  became  rector  and 
continued  until  1876.  Very  Rev.  Father 
Joseph  Macken  succeeded  Rev.  Father 
Hickey  in  1876.  During  the  pastorate  of 
this  pious  and  assiduous  priest  the  church 
attained  its  greatest  growth.  During  his 
administration,  which  lasted  for  a  period  of 
over  twenty-five  years,  every  branch  of  the 
church  was  thoroughly  organized  and 
equipped  for  assiduous  work,  and  before  the 
death  of  the  priest,  which  occurred  in  the 
month  of  March,  1898,  the  membership  of 
the  church  included  over  three  thousand 
souls.  The  new  parochial  school  building 
adjoining  St.  Theresa's  academy  was  built 
during  his  rectorship,  and  the  convent, 
which  had  formerly  been  the  property  of 
the  church,  was  transferred  to  the  order 
of  the  Ursuline  Sisters.  The  magnificent 
parish  residence  on  the  lot  at  the  rear  of  the 
church  was  bought  from  Moses  Stafford  for 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  a  short  time 
before  Rev.  Father  Macken's  death. 

After  watching  the  heart-broken  parish- 
ioners follow  the  remains  of  their  loved 
priest  to  the  last  resting  place  in  Calvarj', 
Bishop    Ryan    began     looking    around    for 


some  one  to  take  his  place.  At  Mattoon 
there  was  a  priest  who  had  attained  an  age 
barely  above  that  of  middle  age,  but  yet 
who  had  made  signal  and  distinguished  ad- 
vances in  the  work  of  the  priesthood  of  the 
church.  This  priest  was  Very  Rev.  Father 
Murphy,  the  present  rector,  who  was  called 
to  the  pastorate  of  St.  Patrick's  in  the  early 
part  of  Jul}-,  1898,  and  who  said  his  first 
mass  in  the  church  on  Sunday,  July  17. 

\'cry  Rev.  Father  Jeremiah  Murphy  is  a 
native  of  Mill  street.  County  Cork,  Ireland, 
where  he  was  born  on  Christmas  day  of 
1856.  Near  to  the  hallowed  haunts  of  his 
childhood,  at  the  national  school  at  Cullen, 
he  studied  until  his  sixteenth  year,  and 
then  for  a  short  time  became  a  preceptor. 
Obedient  to  the  Divine  call  he  entered  St. 
Brendan's  Seminary  in  Killarney  where, 
with  class  honors,  he  completed  the  classics 
However,  in  1876,  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  he  bade  farewell  to  the  green  shores 
of  Erin  and  the  dear  folks  at  home'  and  set 
sail  for  America.  Arriving  in  this  country 
he  commenced  at  once  upon  a  course  of 
philosophy  and  theology  at  the  Seminary  of 
St.  Francis  in  Milwaukee. 

He  was  ordained  a  priest  by  Right  Rev. 
P.  J.  Baltes,  of  the  Diocese  of  Alton,  June 
29,  1881.  His  first  mass  was  celebrated  July 
2,  in  the  Church  of  Our  Savior,  Jackson- 
ville, Illinois.  The  occasion  was  not  char- 
acterized by  the  pomp  and  display  which 
usually  attend  such  celebrations.  It  was 
low  mass  at  which  a  few  dc\ont  wor- 
shipers assisted,  while  the  only  attendaht 
at  the  altar  was  Rev.  Father  Hickey.  For 
a  short  time  he  actetl  as  assistant  priest  at 
Decatur  and  was  then  assigned  to  Virden 
as  a  pastor.  Later  he  received  charge  of 
.St.  Patrick's  church  at  Cairo,  Illinois,  which 
mission  he  resigned  to  pursue  a  course  of 
study  under  the  Jesuits.  Soon  after  he  re- 
turned he  received  an  appointment  as  pastor 
at  Winchester,  w^hcre  he  built  a  beautiful 
church     and     parochial     residence.       From 


094 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


thence  he  went  to  Mattoon  where  he  re- 
mained for  six  years.  In  that  city  St.  Jo- 
seph's school  and  numerous  other  buildings 
and  improvements  stand  as  a  monument  to 
his  zeal. 

Those  who  know  Dean  Murphy  best 
know  that  his  work  has  been  tireless  and 
he  has  accomplished  much  since  his  resi- 
dence in  Decatur.  On  his  arrival  he  found 
a  debt  of  twenty-one  thousand  dollars  hang- 
ing over  the  church  and  his  constant  en- 
deavor has  been  to  sweep  that  debt  out  of 
existence.  Those  who  have  watched  his  in- 
cessant labor  know  that  it  will  not  take 
him  a  great  while  longer  to  accomplish  his 
object.  When  the  debt  is  finally  discharged 
the  fact  will  no  doubt  be  commemorated 
by  a  fitting  celebration. 

Besides  laboring  to  remove  the  debt  on 
the  church  property  Dean  Murphy  has  made 
some  notable  improvements  in  St.  Patrick's 
church.  The  remodeling  of  the  interior  of 
the  church  at  great  cost  and  the  installing 
of  a  new  heating  apparatus  are  among  the 
improvements  he  has  effected. 


CHARLES  J.  HARTLEY. 

Charles  J.  Hartley  is  the  senior  member 
of  the  C.  J.  Hartley  Company  of  Decatur, 
contractors  and  builders  of  special  machin- 
ery, also  doing  all  kinds  of  general  repair 
work.  The  business  of  which  our  subject 
is  the  head  has  grown  to  extensive  propor- 
tions under  his  capable  management,  and 
the  industry  to-day  is  a  profitable  one,  con- 
stantly growing  in  volume  and  importance. 

Mr.  Hartley  was  born  in  Quincy,  Illinois, 
September  4,  1848,  and  is  a  son  of  James 
and  Sarah  (Moffitt)  Hartley.  The  paternal 
grandfather,  Thomas  Hartley,  was  a  native 
of  Virginia,  who  removed  from  the  vicinity 
of  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  to  Kentucky 
about  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war, 
taking  up  his  abode  in   Greenup  county  in 


the  latter  state.  Tie  had  loyally  served  in 
the  cause  for  inde])cndence  with  the  Vir- 
ginia troops,  taking  i)arl  in  the  long  war 
from  its  beginning  to  its  close  and  thus 
valiantly  aiding  in  winning  independence  for 
the  nation.  He  resided  in  Kentucky  for  a 
number  of  years  and  at  length  was  drowned 
in  the  Licking  river  about  1820.  Thomas 
Mofifitt,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Ireland  and,  crossing 
the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  about  1803, 
located  in  Rochester,  New  York.  \\'hile 
living  there  he  saw  General  LaFajette, 
who  was  paying  a  visit  to  America.  In  1810 
Mr.  Moffitt  removed  to  the  west  and  be- 
came a  resident  of  Nauvoo,  Hancock  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  he  carried  on  the  occu- 
pation of  farming.  He  reached  the  very  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-six  years  ere  he  was 
called  to  the  home  beyond. 

James  Hartley,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  but  during  his  youth 
went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  for  some 
time  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  car- 
riages. Later  he  became  a  millwright, 
spending  the  latter  part  of  his  life  in  Quin- 
cy, Illinois,  where  he  died  in  1852,  at  the 
age  of  fifty  years. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of 
Charles  J.  Hartley  we  present  to  our  read- 
ers the  life  record  of  one  who  has  become 
widely  and  favorably  known  in  industrial 
circles  in  Decatur.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  until  about  twelve  years  of  age  and 
was  then  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  so 
that  the  mental  training  which  he  obtained 
afterward  was  received  by  study  at  night. 
He  followed  various  occtipations  in  order 
to  earn  an  honest  living,  and  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  became  employed  in  a  machine  shop. 
This  gave  him  opportunity  to  continue  his 
education  by  attending  night  school  and 
he  devoted  his  time  to  the  study  of  me- 
chanics and  natural  philosophy,  being  thus 
engaged  from  1863  until  1868.  He  was  first 
with   the  firm   of   Gardner  &  Robertson  in 


DR.  M.  DeWITT  POLLOCK 


PAST  AXD   PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


G97 


^     their   jobbing    shops    and    from    18O8    until 
1873  was  eniploj-ed  in  the  engine  works  of 
M.     T.      Greenleaf     in      Ouincy.      Illinois. 
Through  the  succeeding  six  years  he  worked 
in  various  shops  in  Hannibal,  Missouri,  and 
again  went  to  Ouincy,  whence  he  came  to 
Decatur    in    1879.      Eor    a    few    months    he 
worked  as  a   machinist  in  the   Union    iron 
Works   and   then    returned    to   Ouincy    and 
later  went  to  Fort  Madison,  Iowa,  l)ut  made 
a  permanent  location  in  this  city  in  March, 
1882.     Here  for  two  years  he  was  employed 
in    the    W.    L.    Oakes   Novelty    Works   antl 
then    engaged   as   foreman   and   superinten- 
dent  with   the   Warren   &   Durfee   Wooden 
Tray   Works,   filling  that   position   for   two 
years.     The   firm    then   incorporated   under 
the  name  of  the   Warren  &  Durfee   Manu- 
facturing   Company,    Mr.    Hartley   continu- 
ing  as    its   superintendent.      The    manufac- 
tured output,   however,   did  not  prove  suc- 
cessful and  the  company  took  up  the  manu- 
facture of   a   grain    weigher,   the   invention 
of  William   Dunkel,   which  they   continued 
for  two  years,  but  the  machine  did  not  prove 
a   success.     In   the   meantime    Mr.    Hartley 
had  himself  patented  a  grain  weigher  and 
in   1897  assumed  control  of  the  plant.     He 
began  manufacture  under  the  firm  name  of 
C.  J.   Hartley  &  Company  and  also  estab- 
lished a   general   machine  shop.     He  asso- 
ciated  with   him    in    this  business   his   son, 
Arthur   J,    Hartley,    when    on    the    17th    of 
March,  1902,  the  business  was  incorporated, 
under  the  name  of  the  C.  J.  Hartley  Com- 
pany.    The   success  of   this   enterprise  has 
been    almost    phenomenal.      The   output   of 
1902  more  than  doubled  that  of  1901.    They 
are  contractors  and  builders  of  special  ma- 
chinery   and    manufacture    grain    weighers 
and   lifting  jacks.     They  also  do  a  general 
machnie  and  repairing  business  and  the  vol- 
ume of  their  trade  has  grown  to  extensive 
proportions. 

In    1871    occurred    the    marriage    of    ^Ir. 
Hartley  and  Miss  Eunice  Spencer,  of  Quin- 


cy,  Illinois,  and  imlo  them  were  born  five 
children,  Arthur  J.,  Josei)h  E.  and  Eh-a  Inez, 
who  are  li\ing;  Florence,  who  died  in  1882; 
and  one  that  died  in  infanc}'.  Mr.  Hartley 
belongs  to  Ionic  Lodge,  No.  31J,  F.  &  A. 
M.;  and  Park  Lodge,  No.  56,  A.  (  ).  l\  W^, 
of  Ouincy,  Illinois.  'Jlie  record  oi  Mr.  Hart- 
ley is  that  of  a  man  who  by  his  own  un- 
aided efforts  has  worked  his  way  upward 
to  a  ])osition  of  altluence.  Mis  life  has  been 
one  of  industry  and  ]ierseverance,  and  the 
systematic  and  honorable  business  methods- 
which  he  has  follow^ed  have  won  him  the 
support  and  confidence  of  many.  Without 
the  aid  of  influence  or  wealth,  he  has  risen 
to  a  position  among  the  most  prominent 
men  of  the  state,  and  his  native  genius  and 
acquiretl  ability  are  stepping-stones  on 
which  he  mounted. 


.MILTON  DE  WITT  POLLOCK,  .M.  D. 
In  this  enlightened  age  when  men  of  in- 
dustry and  energy  are  constantly  pushing 
their  way  to  the  front,  those  who,  by  their 
own  individual  efforts,  have  won  favor  and 
fortune  may  properly  claim  recognition. 
Dr.  Pollock  has  won  a  creditable  position 
in  the  ranks  of  the  medical  fraternity  and 
although  a  comparatively  3'oung  man  he 
has  at  the  present  time  a  liberal  jjatronage 
which  many  an  old  practitioner  miglit  well 
in\\ .  He  is  one  of  the  citizens  of  Decdtur 
that  Pennsylvania  lias  furnislied  to  Macon 
county.  His  birth  occurred  in  the  Key- 
stone state.  April  20,  1863,  his  parents  being 
James  II.  and  Lydia  .\l.  (Phillips)  Pollock, 
the  former  a  native  of  Lawrence  county, 
Pennsylvania,  born  C^ctober  24,  1822,  and 
the  latter  of  Vermont.  It  was  in  the  fall 
of  1863  that  the  family  came  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  McLean  county  near  Bloomington, 
where  the  father  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing. He  made  his  home  there  until  1871, 
when    he    removed    to    Champaign    county. 


698 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Illinois,  and  settled  upon  a  farm.  Through- 
out his  entire  life  he  carried  on  agricultural 
pursuits  and  was  still  living  on  the  old 
homestead  in  Champaign  county  until  a 
short  time  before  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  Foosland,  Illinois,  June  16,  1899.  His 
wife  died  on  the  4th  of  April,  1903.  She 
was  born  at  \'ershire,  \'ermont,  June  25, 
1831,  and  by  her  marriage  became  the 
mother  of  eight  children:  Dr.  Milton  D., 
of  Decatur:  Dr.  Robert  M..  a  physician, 
Dr.  Samuel  H.,  a  dentist,  and  Joseph  P., 
a  retired  merchant,  all  of  Rockyford,  Colo- 
rado ;  David  W.,  a  merchant  of  Foosland, 
Illinois ;  U.  S.  (jrant,  who  lives  on  the  old 
homestead  ;  and  Emma,  wife  of  W.  S.  Hin- 
ton,  of  Champaign  county,   Illinois. 

At  the  usual  age  Dr.  Pollock  began  his 
education  in  the  district  schools  of  Cham- 
paign county  and  advanced  to  a  grade  that 
would  entitle  him  to  receive  a  teacher's 
certificate.  In  the  fall  of  1885  he  became 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  J.  H.  Pollock  & 
Sons,  general  merchants  and  grain  dealers, 
of  Foosland.  Illinois,  who  were  recognized 
at  that  time  as  among  the  heaviest  local 
grain  shippers  in  central  Illinois.  Dispos- 
ing of  his  business  interests  in  January, 
1891,  the  Doctor  went  west,  locating  at 
Rockyford,  Colorado,  and  determining  to 
make  the  practice  of  medicine  his  life  work 
he  became  a  student  under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  C.  S.  Marks,  of  that  place,  and  on  the 
completion  of  a  course  in  Rush  Medical 
College,  of  Chicago,  he  was  graduated  in 
the  class  of  1895. 

After  his  graduation  Dr.  Pollock  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  M.  Miles, 
of  Foosland,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
S.  and  Harriet  (Crow)  Miles.  The  young 
couple  began  their  domestic  life  in  Decatur, 
where  the  Doctor  opened  an  office  and  began 
the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  has 
steadily  advanced  in  public  favor  and  if 
patronage  is  any  criterion  of  skill  Dr. 
Pollock  mav  well  be  accounted  one  of  the 


most  capable  jjhysicians  of  his  adopted  city. 
He  is  a  student  who  reads  broadly,  thinks 
deeply  and  with  ready  adaptability  uses  the 
knowledge  that  he  has  gained  for  the  bene- 
fit of  his  fellow  men.  He  holds  member- 
ship in  the  Decatur  Medical  Societ\-,  also 
in  the  State  Medical  Society  and  in  the 
American  Medical  Association  and  thus  he 
keeps  informed  concerning  the  ad\anced 
ideas  of  the  profession  and  the  new  methods 
of  work  that  have  been  instituted  and 
adopted  by  leading  physicians  throughout 
the  country.  He  is  a  member  of  the  First 
I'resbyterian  churcli  of  Decatur.  He  now 
has  convenient  and  well  appointed  offices 
^t  513,  514  and  515  Powers  building. 


EDWIX  J.  ROBERTS. 
For  over  a  third  of  a  century  this  gentle- 
man has  been  identified  with  the  farming  in- 
terests of  I^Iacon  county,  and  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  his  chosen  work  he  has  met  with  excel- 
lent success,  being  industrious,  careful  and 
painstaking  in  carrying  on  the  labors  of  the 
farm.  His  early  home  was  in  Xew  England, 
for  he  was  born  on  the  5th  of  July.  1842,  in 
Barnstead.  Belknap  county,  New  Hampshire, 
and  his  parents  were  George  S.  and  Eliza  A. 
(  Bunker)  Roberts,  also  natives  of  that  state, 
and  the  former  of  Welsh  and  the  latter  of 
English  descent.  Throughout  life  the  father 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  Leaving  his 
old  home  in  the  east  he  came  to  Illinois  in 
1865,  and  after  spending  about  three  years  in 
Woodford  county,  he  removed  to  Macon 
county  in  the  spring  of  1868  and  settled  on  the 
northwest  quarter  of  section  16,  Illini  town- 
ship, paying  thirty-five  dollars  per  acre  for  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  and  sixteen  and 
two-third  dollars  for  the  remaining  forty  acres 
on  which  our  subject  now  resides.  Here  he 
died  in  1897,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in 
1885.  Their  child'-en  were  Sarah  Elizabeth, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years;  Edwin  J,, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


699 


of  this  review  ;  George  F.,  a  physician  of  Min- 
iieapoHs,  Minnesota,  who  married  Ella 
Tha\er,  of  Lacon,  Marshall  county,  Illinois; 
and  Everett  L.,  a  miller  of  Gothenburg,  Ne- 
braska, who  married  Anna  B.  Clarke,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Bradbury  Clarke,  of  lllini  township,  this 
county. 

Edwin  J.  Roberts  grew  to  manhood  in  his 
native  state  and  received  a  good  practical  edu- 
cation in  the  conmion  schools  and  at  the  Pitts- 
field  Academy.  He  attended  the  latter  insti- 
tution only  during  the  summer,  while  through 
the  fall  and  winter  terms  he  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school,  receiving  at  first  thirteen  dollars 
per  month  and  his  board  and  afterwards 
twenty  dollars  per  month,  the  highest  wages 
paid  at  that  time.  For  three  winters  he  taught 
in  the  same  township  in  New  Hampshire,  and 
after  coming  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  he  had 
charge  of  a  school  in  lllini  township  for  three 
years,  his  wages  at  that  time  being  fifty  dollars 
per  month.  In  the  early  '70s  Mr.  Roberts 
made  his  first  purchase  of  land,  consisting  of  a 
forty  acre  tract  for  which  he  paid  thirty  dol- 
lars per  acre,  and  later  bought  forty  acres  of 
his  brother  for  fifty  dollars  per  acre.  He  came 
into  control  of  the  remainder  of  the  old  home- 
stead on  the  death  of  his  father,  and  to  the  cul- 
tivation and  improvement  of  his  farm  he  de- 
voted his  energies  for  many  years,  but  is  now 
practically  living  a  retired  life  while  he  rents 
his  farm.  He  is  secretary  of  the  lllini  Mutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  which  was  formed 
in  March,  1875,  with  risks  which  amoimtcd  to 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  but  now  amount  to  four 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  all  placed. 
As  there  have  only  been  five  assessments  it  is 
a  very  safe  and  economical  investment  for  one. 
The  territory  of  the  company  extends  over  six 
townships :  Niantic,  Maroa,  lllini,  Harristown, 
Austin  and  Hickory  Points,  and  it  is  called  the 
lllini  Mutual  because  the  office  is  located  in 
that  township.  The  present  officers  of  the 
company  are  John  A.  Connely,  president ; 
Charles  S.   Bullard,  treasurer,  and   Edwin   J. 


Roberts,  secretary,  our  subject  having  filled 
that  position  for  twenty-one  years  with  credit 
to  himself  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all 
concerned. 

In  18(14  Mr.  Roberts  married  Miss  Sarah 
Elizabeth  Daniels,  the  only  daughter  of  Na- 
thaniel and  Mary  Ann  (Langley)  Daniels. 
She  was  born  in  Lee,  Strafford  county.  New 
Hampshire,  July  16,  1840,  and  like  her  hus- 
band she  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
and  Pittsfield  Academy,  where  she  took  the 
English  course.  Harr)'  E.  Roberts,  the  only 
living  son  of  our  subject  and  his  wife,  was 
born  June  3,  1866.  He  attended  the  Wesleyan 
E^niversity  for  a  time  and  later  was  graduated 
at  Grand  Prairie  Seminary  in  Onarga,  Illinois. 
He  married  Miss  Abbie  M.  Eaton,  by  whom 
he  has  one  child,  Laurence  B.,  born  July  31, 
1897,  and  they  live  on  the  southeast  quarter  of 
the  northeast  quarter  of  section  17,  lllini 
township.  Ernest  E.,  another  son,  was  born 
November  6,  1870,  and  died  July  2,  1871. 
Since  the  age  of  three  years  Margaret  May 
Chceseman  has  made  her  home  with  Mr.  and 
]\Irs.  Roberts  and  has  been  given  the  same  ad- 
vantages as  a  daughter.  She  was  born  July 
28,  1883,  and  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools. 

As  a  Democrat  Mr.  Roberts  takes  an  active 
interest  in  political  affairs.  For  eight  years 
he  efficiently  served  as  supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship and  was  chairman  of  the  board  two  years 
of  that  lime.  He  was  also  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  plans  and  specifications  for  the 
new  court  house.  For  thirty  years  he  has 
been  an  active  and  earnest  member  of  the  Con- 
.gregational  church  of  lllini  township,  to  which 
his  wife  and  children  also  belong,  and  has  been 
deacon  of  the  same  for  a  number  of  years. 
They  receive  and  merit  the  high  regard  of  the 
entire  community  in  which  they  live.  Mr. 
Roberts'  public  and  private  life  are  above  re- 
proach, for  his  career  has  ever  been  one  char- 
acterized by  the  utmost  fidelity  to  duty. 


roo 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


H.  C.  JOHNS,  M.  D. 

The  contemporary  and  friend  of  Abraham 
Lincohi,  a  leader  in  poHtical  circles  of  the 
state,  an  extensive  farmer  and  stock-breeder, 
and  one  of  the  most  active  promoters  of  agri- 
cultural interests  in  Illinois,  a  man  of  strong 
purpose  and  unfaltering  fidelity  to  duty,  Dr. 
Johns  was  an  eminent  and  influential  factor  in 
the  public  life  and  business  circles  of  Illinois 
for  many  years.  He  was  known  and  honored 
throughout  Decatur  and  the  state  and  through- 
out the  entire  country  his  name  was  a  familiar 
one  in  connection  with  the  advancement  and 
interests  of  agriculture. 

Dr.  Harvey  C.  Johnes  was  a  native  of  Del- 
aware county,  Ohio,  born  on  the  20th  of  June, 
1819,  and  was  in  the  eighty-second  year  of  his 
age  when  his  life  record  was  ended.  The 
family  name  was  originally  spelled  Johnes,  but 
owing  to  the  misdirection  of  business  letters 
and  other  communications  which  came  to  him 
it  was  concluded  to  drop  the  "e,"  and  so  the 
present  spelling  of  the  name  was  adopted.  It 
was  in  1846  that  the  Doctor  made  this  change. 
His  early  literary  education  was  pursued  in 
Granville,  Ohio,  and  determining  to  become  a 
member  of  the  medical  profession  he  afterward 
•entered  the  Jefiferson  Medical  College  of  Phila- 
delphia. Pennsylvania,  in  which  institution  he 
was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1842.  Open- 
ing an  office  in  Circleville,  Ohio,  he  began 
practice  in  that  cit_\',  but  later  removed  to  Piatt 
county,  Illinois.  At  this  time  he  largely  aban- 
doned professional  life  in  order  to  devote  his 
time  and  energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  be- 
cause of  the  splendid  opportunities  which  this 
state  oiifers  in  that  direction.  Occasionally, 
however,  he  was  called  to  visit  a  patient  and 
rendered  valuable  aid  in  this  direction  in  many 
a  pioneer  household.  His  time  and  energies, 
however,  were  largely  given  to  general  fann- 
ing and  stock  raising.  He  made  a  specialty  of 
the  breeding  of  cattle  and  hogs,  and  through- 
out his  remaining  days  was  identified  with 
agricultural  interests. 

It   was  because  of   failing  health   that   Dr. 


Johns  removed  from  Ohio  to  Piatt  count v,  set- 
tling there  in  the  year  1849.  Five  years  later 
he  came  to  Decatur,  and  in  1857  '^"'It  the  fam- 
ily home,  which  stands  on  a  splendid  building 
site,  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  surround- 
ing country.  The  furniture  of  the  Doctor  and 
his  wife  was  brought  to  Macon  county  by 
wagon.  They  owned  the  only  piano  between, 
Danville  and  Springfield,  and  it  was  the  first 
one  in  Decatur.  On  the  arrival  of  the  piano 
the  question  arose  concerning  a  plan  for  trans- 
ferring it  from  the  wagon  to  the  hotel  in  which 
the  Doctor  and  his  wife  were  boarding.  The 
landlord  was  questioned  as  to  whether  there 
were  an}-  men  around  who  could  assist  in  un- 
loading the  musical  instrument.  He  replied 
that  there  were  none,  but  that  court  was  in 
session  and  that  when  it  adjourned  several 
men  would  come  to  the  hotel  for  supper  and 
probably  assistance  could  then  be  gained. 
The  wagon  was  still  standing  in  front  of  the 
door  when  about  supper  time  three  men  came 
walking  down  the  street  and  volunteered  their 
services  in  unloading  the  piano.  These  men 
were  Abraham  Lincoln,  David  Davis'  and 
Leonard  Sweet,  who  begged  that  in  return  for 
their  services  Mrs.  Johns  \\'ould  play  for  them 
and  gladly  she  complied. 

It  was  on  the  29th  of  October,  1845,  '"  Cir- 
cleville, Ohio,  that  Dr.  Johns  had  been  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Jane  Martin,  and  after  a 
brief  residence  of  less  than  four  years  in  the 
state  of  their  nativity  they  came  to  Illinois. 
In  his  business  afi^airs  here  the  Doctor  was  very 
successful.  He  was  also  a  tvpe  of  the  repre- 
sentative American  citizen  who  while  promot- 
ing his  individual  interests  likewise  advances 
the  general  welfare.  There  is  no  man  in  all 
the  state  of  Illinois  who  deserves  greater  grat- 
itude for  labor  performed  in  behalf  of  agricul- 
ture and  stock-raising  interests.  He  was  made 
a  member  of  the  first  state  board  of  agricul- 
ture of  Illinois,  but  even  previous  to  this  time 
had  begun  to  import  thoroughbred  stock  and 
was  the  first  to  introduce  fine  blooded  stock  ' 
into  this  part  of  the  country.     He  it  was  who 


PAST  AND  TRESEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


701 


introduced  Durham  cattle  into  Illinois,  and 
from  that  time  until  his  labors  were  ended  he 
was  greatly  interested  in  the  improvement  of 
stock,  and  thus  added  largely  to  the  welfare  of 
the  state  for  prices  were  proportionately  ad- 
vanced as  the  grade  of  cattle,  horses  and  hogs 
were  improved.  His  farming  lands  situated 
in  Piatt  and  Macon  county  and  this  portion  of 
Illinois  w-ere  extremely  valuable.  The  rich 
productive  soil  yielded  splendid  crops,  while 
every  equipment  conducive  to  the  best  inter- 
ests of  his  stock  was  added  to  his  farm.  It 
was  in  1852  that  the  agricultural  board  of 
Illinois  was  organized  and  Dr.  Johns  rode  a 
nuile  all  the  way  from  Monticello  to  Spring- 
field to  participate  in  the  work  of  its  first 
meeting.  He  was  chosen  one  of  the  vice  pres- 
idents of  the  board  and  was  elected  its  second 
president.  For  a  period  of  ten  years  he  con- 
tinued his  association  with  the  board  in  this 
official  capacity  and  fonned  many  close  and 
lasting  friendships  with  men  prominent  in 
stock-breeding  and  farming  interests  through- 
out Illinois  and  neighboring  states.  In  con- 
junction with  Mr.  Jacoby  and  James  M. 
Brown,  of  Springfield,  he  was  sent  to  Europe 
by  the  Illinois  State  Breeders'  Association,  to 
purchase  thoroughbred  horses  and  cattle. 
They  performed  their  mission  successfully, 
bringing  some  of  the  finest  thoroughbred  stock 
ever  introduced  into  the  state.  The  state  leg- 
islature had  appropriated  fiftv  thousand  dol- 
lars for  this  purpose  and  the  stock  sold  at  such 
excellent  prices  that  money  was  returned  from 
the  sale  into  the  state  treasury.  This,  together 
with  the  introduction  of  stock  made  by  Dr. 
Johns  indivitlually,  formed  the  foundation  of 
the  stock-breeding  interests  of  Illinois.  The 
Doctor  continued  an  active  member  of  the  Illi- 
nois State  Agricultural  .\ssociation  until  about 
1864,  and  u\)  to  that  time  he  and  his  col- 
leagues, Mr.  Jacoby  and  Mr.  Brown,  were  the 
mainstays  of  the  organization.  Dr.  Johns  was 
also  vice  president  of  the  National  Agricul- 
tural .\s.sociation  and  was  one  of  its  managers 
at  the  big  exposition  which  was  given  by  the 


organization  in  Chicago  and  which  has  become 
a  historical  event  of  the  state.  In  business 
affairs  the  Doctor  was  far-sighted,  capable  and 
enterprising,  and  his  indefatigable  energy  and 
sound  judgment  proved  salient  features  in 
winning  him  most  gratifying  prosperity. 

The  Doctor  was  holh  prominent  in  political 
and  business  life,  and  left  the  impress  of  his 
individuality  upon  the  histor}'  of  the  state  in 
that  way.  His  early  political  allegiance  was 
given  to  the  Whig  party,  and  in  1852  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  from 
Piatt  county.  He  became  an  active  participant 
in  the  memorable  contest  which  occurred  in  the 
assembly  growing  out  of  the  election  of  Ly- 
man Trumbull  to  the  position  of  United  States 
senator.  In  that  session  Dr.  Johns  first  gave 
his  support  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  of  whom  he 
was  a  warm  admirer  and  personal  friend,  but 
when  he  saw  that  many  votes  were  being 
given  to  Madison  he  and  other  supporters  of 
Lincoln,  at  Mr.  Lincoln's  personal  solicitation 
cast  their  ballots  for  Mr.  Trumbull,  who  ul- 
timately secured  his  election.  .\t  other  times, 
however.  Dr.  Johns'  service  was  of  more  de- 
cided benefit  to  Lincoln.  The  latter  was  a 
frequent  visitor  at  the  Johns'  residence  in  De- 
catur and  close  ties  of  friendship  and  of  com- 
radeship were  formed  between  the  two  gentle- 
men. As  a  delegate  to  the  first  national  con- 
vention of  the  Republican  party  held  in  Phila- 
deli)bia,  Dr.  Johns  supported  John  C.  Fremont 
for  the  presidency  and  in  that  convention 
l)laced  Abraham  Lincoln  in  nomination  for  the 
vice  presidency. 

During  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  following 
the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson,  the  Doctor  ten- 
dered his  services  as  a  volunteer  surgeon  to 
C.overnor  Yates  and  was  sent  to  the  front  to 
minister  to  the  sick  and  wounded.  He  had 
charge  of  a  boat  load  of  wounded  soldiers,  and 
did  much  effective  service  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  war,  his  medical  skill  being  of  the 
utmo.st  importance  in  relieving  the  pain  and 
suffering  of  those  who  were  wounded  in  de- 
fense of  the  old  flag.     He  was  commissioned 


'02 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


regimental  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-ninth  IlHnois  Regiment  and  acted  in 
that  capacity  until  February,  1864,  when  his 
own  failing  health  caused  him  to  resign. 
Earlier  in  the  period  of  the  war  he  went  to 
Washington  to  use  his  best  efforts  to  induce 
President  Lincoln  to  accept  the  services  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Fourteenth  and  One  Hun- 
dred and  Sixteenth  Regiments  which  were 
then  in  camp  in  Decatur  and  were  eager  to  be 
called  to  the  front.  At  that  time  President 
Lincoln  offered  Dr.  Johns  a  position  as  sur- 
geon in  either  regiment,  but  he  did  not  ac- 
cept. It  was  largely,  however,  through  his 
influence  that  the  two  regiments  were  sent 
south  to  engage  in  the  successful  struggle  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  Union.  Just  before 
the  national  election  of  1864  Governor  Yates 
sent  Dr.  Johns  to  Tennessee  to  bring  back  the 
ill  and  wounded  soldeirs  who  came  home  on 
furloughs  and  to  vote.  He  continued  a  most 
active  advocate  of  the  Republican  party  until 
1872,  when  he  voted  for  Horace  Greeley  and 
later  became  allied  with  the  Democracy.  In 
his  last  years,  however,  he  took  little  active  in- 
terest in  political  affairs,  although  he  always 
kept  informed  concerning  questions  of  local, 
state  and  national  interest. 

Unto  the  Doctor  and  his  wife  were  born  five 
children :  Hon.  W.  C.  Johns ;  Sheridan  W. 
Johns ;  Mrs.  Fannie  W.  Sedgwick ;  Mrs.  C.  B. 
Moore,  her  husband  being  commander  in  the 
United  States  Navy ;  and  Mrs.  George  C.  Dan- 
forth.  In  1895  the  golden  wedding  of  the 
Doctor  and  his  honored  wife  was  brilliantly 
celebrated.  All  of  the  members  of  their  fam- 
ily were  present  with  many  invited  guests,  and 
little  Frances  Moore,  their  granddaughter, 
acted  as  one  of  the  receiving  parties  and  was 
a  most  interesting  figure  on  that  occasion, 
wearing  a  gown  that  was  the  wedding  dress 
of  the  bride  fifty  years  before.  Dr.  Johns  died 
April  22,  180Q,  and  is  interred  in  Greenwood. 
Mrs.  Johns  still  occupies  the  old  homestead  in 
which  she  lived  for  so  many  years  with  her 
husband.  Her  mind  bears  the  impress  of  many 


of  the  historical  annals  of  the  county  and  state 
and  she  relates  in  most  interesting  manner 
tales  of  the  early  days. 

Dr.  Johns  was  a  charter  member  of  the  De- 
catur Club  and  an  active  figure  in  its  circles 
during  the  early  years  of  its  existence.  He 
also  held  membership  in  the  Odd  Fellows  So- 
ciety. He  was  a  man  of  great  strength,  a 
man  of  commanding  personalities,  was  cordial 
and  genial  and  the  circle  of  his  friends  was  co- 
extensive with  the  circle  of  his  acquaintances. 
His  broad  reading  made  him  a  well  educated 
man,  and  his  unusual!}-  strong  intellect  and 
ready  comprehension  and  appreciation  of 
everv  situation  made  him  a  most  entertainins: 
companion.  He  never  faltered  in  his  allegi- 
ance to  any  purpose  or  plan  which  he  believed 
to  be  right  and  in  business  circles  he  sustained 
an  unassailable  reputation.  His  name  became 
a  synonym  for  integrity  and  while  he  won 
success  it  could  not  be  grudged  by  the  most 
envious  because  it  was  gained  by  such  worthy 
methods  and  so  honorably  used.  His  ability, 
great  mentality  and  physical  activity  enabled 
him  to  accomplish  much  in  life  and  the  state 
of  Illinois  has  been  greatly  benefited  by  his 
residence  within  its  borders. 


VV.  L,  FOULKE. 
Farming  and  stock-raising  claims  the  time 
and  attention  of  W.  L.  Foulke,  who  has  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  upon  the  farm  on 
section  26,  Maroa  township,  where  he  now  re- 
sides. He  was  born  in  Macon  county  on  the 
2d  of  December,  1873,  and  is  a  son  of  Edward 
and  Adelaide  (Callady)  Foulke,  in  whose  fam- 
ily were  five  children,  our  subject  being  the 
fourth  in  order  of  birth.  The  father  died  Oc- 
tober 30,  1 90 1. 

W.  L.  Foulke  acquired  his  early  education 
in  the  district  schools  near  his  boyhood  home 
and  later  attended  the  Westfield  high  school. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  left  the  home 
farm  and  has  since  been  dependent  upon  his 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Tii:! 


own  resources  for  a  livelihood*  For  six  years 
he  was  einployed  in  the  Vandalia  freight  office 
at  Decatur,  but  with  that  exception  his  life  has 
been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  he 
now  operates  his  father's  old  home  farm  in 
Maroa  township,  in  which  he  lias  an  undi- 
vided interest.  At  present  he  is  largely  de- 
voting his  time  to  the  stock  business  and  is  re- 
garded as  a  good  judge  of  farm  animals.  He 
is  a  wide-awake,  energetic  young  -business 
man,  and  is  meeting  with  good  success  in  his 
work. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  1901,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Foulke  and  Miss 
Lelah  Craig,  a  daughter  of  \\'illiam  H.  Craig, 
and  they  now  have  a  little  daughter,  Lydia 
Adelaide,  who  was  born  November  4.  igo2. 
Mr.  Foulke  is  a  member  of  Macon  Lodge,  No. 
8,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  he  also  belongs  to  the  chap- 
ter and  commandery  of  that  fraternity,  all  in 
Decatur.  By  his  ballot  he  supports  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  Republican  party,  and  he 
takes  a  commendable  interest  in  public  affairs. 
Well  and  favorably  known,  he  has  many 
friends  throughout  his  native  county,  and  he 
enjoys  the  confidence  and  high  regard  of  all 
with  whom  he  is  brought  in  contact  either  in 
business  or  social  life. 


SIMON  P.  HOY. 

Simon  P.  Hoy  is  now  district  agent  for  the 
Northwestern  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, with  hcad(|uarters  at  Decatur.  ]\Iany 
years  of  his  life  were  devoted  to  the  active 
work  of  the  ministry  and  his  influence  therein 
was  of  no  restricted  order.  His  career  has 
been  such  a  one  as  makes  the  world  better  for 
his  having  lived  and  his  influence  is  ever  given 
on  the  side  of  right,  the  true  and  the  beautiful. 
Decatur  numbers  him  among  its  valued  and 
representative  citizens,  and  his  many  friends 
in  Macon  county  will  receive  gladly  this  rec- 
ord of  his  career. 

Simon    P.    Hov    is    a    native    of    Fairfield 


county,  Ohio,  his  birth  having  there  occurred 
on  the  i6th  of  June,  1837.  He  comes  of  New 
England  ancestry.  His  father,  Peter  Hoy,  was 
born  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  and  there 
spent  a  portion  of  his  early  life.  He  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation  and  was  an  active  mem- 
l)or  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He 
possessed  considerable  musical  talent — a  char- 
acteristic of  the  Hoy  family — and  had  a  splen- 
did voice.  He  died  early  in  life,  however, 
passing  away  on  the  13th  of  August,  1837,  his 
death  being  the  result  of  a  fall  in  crossing  a 
stream  on  his  return  from  church.  He  was  a 
most  devoted  Christian  gentleman,  zealous  in 
behalf  of  the  church  and  its  upbuilding,  and 
his  life  was  ever  in  harmony  with  his  profes- 
sions. Although  small  in  stature  he  possessed 
great  strength.  He  had  married  Miss  Mary 
Stump,  a  daughter  of  Joel  Stump,  who  re- 
moved to  Ohio  from  Pennsylvania  when  a 
young  man,  first  settling  in  Pickaway  county. 
He  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  Buck- 
eye state.  He  was  a  man  of  great  moral 
worth,  of  unquestioned  honor  and  integrity 
and  of  high  ideals  as  to  family  life.  He  was 
of  (jerman  lineage  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church  which  was  also  the  faith  of 
his  ancestors.  His  daughter,  Mary  Stump, 
after  losing  her  first  husband  was  again  mar- 
ried in  1839  to  David  A.  Hoy,  a  brother  of  her 
first  husband.  P.y  him  she  had  ten  children 
who  reached  years  of  maturity,  namely :  John 
1!..  who  served  in  the  Civil  war  as  a  member  of 
Company  II,  Forty-first  Volunteer  Infantry; 
Joel  \\'.,  who  was  also  a  defender  of  the 
Union  (hiring  tlic  Civil  war  for  three  months; 
Adam  .M..  who  belonged  to  Company  H, 
Forty-first  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volunteers; 
Kathcrine  E. ;  David  W. ;  Jacob  M. ;  Joshua; 
.Mbert ;  Mary  E. ;  and  Julia,  the  wife  of  John 
W".  Jinks.     All  of  this  family  are  living. 

Simon  P.  Hoy  at  the  usual  age  entered  the 
public  schools  and  therein  pursued  his  studies 
until  he  had  mastered  the  common  branches 
of  learning.  He  afterward  spent  five  months 
as  a  student  in  the  seminarv  at  Shelbvville, 


704 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Illinois,  uiulcr  Professor  Jerome,  and  later  he 
engaged  in  teaching  in  the  district  schools  of 
Shelby  count}'  for  three  }cars.  \Mien  tw'enty- 
one  years  of  age,  while  in  Hancock  county, 
Ohio,  he  was  converted  and  became  a  member 
of  the  United  Brethren  church,  joining  the 
conference  in  the  fall  of  i860  at  Lexington, 
Illinois,  that  he  might  devote  his  life  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry.  The  church  organiza- 
tion was  known  as  the  Illinois  Annual  Confer- 
ence of  the  United  Brethren  church.  His  first 
pastorate  was  the  Broadwell  mission,  over 
which  he  had  charge  for  a  year.  He  was  next 
appointed  to  the  church  in  Decatur,  Illinois, 
where  he  served  for  one  year,  largely  advanc- 
ing the  cause  of  Christianity  through  his  zeal- 
ous and  earnest  efforts  here.  He  then  located 
in  Shelby  county,  where  he  again  engaged  in 
teaching  school  for  one  year.-  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  re-entered  the  ministry 
and  filled  the  pastorate  of  the  church  at  Wash- 
ington, Illinois,  for  two  years.  At  the  annual 
conference  in  the  fall  of  1866  he  was  elected 
presiding  elder  of  his  district,  his  territory 
covering  ten  fields  of  labor.  He  was  the 
youngest  man  in  the  ministry  of  this  district, 
but  he  proved  most  capable  in  his  labors  as 
presiding  elder,  and  under  his  guidance  the 
churches  did  effective  work.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  of  service  in  that  office  he  con- 
tinued in  tlie  active  work  of  the  ministry, 
preaching  at  the  new  Pana  mission  and  after- 
ward at  the  Macon  mission.  During  the 
period  of  his  ministry  his  labors  were  greatly 
blessed  with  accessions  in  membership.  Two 
churches  were  also  built  during  his  labors  in 
the  ministry,  one  at  Wheatland  at  a  cost  of 
three  thousand  dollars,  and  the  other  at  Blue 
Mound,  which  was  also  erected  at  a  similar 
cost.  Later  Mr.  Hoy  served  the  Locust 
Grove  circuit  of  Shelby  county  for  one  year 
and  was  then  elected  presiding  elder.  At  the 
next  annual  conference  the  central  Illinois 
conference  was  formed  and  he  was  given 
charge  of  the  church  at  Lexington,  Illinois, 
this  being  in   187 1.     Later  he  was  once  more 


chosen  presiding  elder  and  continued  to  serve- 
in  that  capacity  for  two  years,  following 
which  time  he  was  stationed  at  Streator,  Illi- 
nois, for  one  year,  and  while  pastor  there  the 
new  church  building  was  completed. 

In  1874  he  located  permanently  in  Decatur 
and  entered  the  employ  of  D.  Appleton  as 
salesman  for  the  American  Encyclopedia.  He  ■ 
continued  in  this  line  of  business  until  1882, 
when  he  entered  the  service  of  the  Northwest- 
ern ]\Iutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Mil- 
waukee. Wisconsin.  His  identification  with 
this  corporation  covers  twenty-one  years,  and 
at  the  present  time  he  is  district  agent  with  an 
office  in  room  312  of  the  Millikin  Building  in 
Decatur.  He  has  a  very  thorough  under- 
standing of  the  insurance  business,  its  methods 
and  its  scope  and  keeps  in  touch  with  the  great 
volume  of  detail  work  incident  to  carrying  on 
this  business  throughout  the  district. 

In  i860  Mr.  Hoy  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Amanda  F.  Morris,  a  daughter  of  Na- 
thaniel and  Eliza  (  Fisher )  Morris.  She  died  in 
her  sixtieth  year  on  the  nth  of  February, 
1901.  Seven  children  had  been  born  of  this 
union:  Edward  M..  who  is  a  druggist  of 
Springfield,  Illinois :  Mollie,  who  is  the  wife 
of  Frank  J.  Hodgins ;  Charles  D..  who  is 
bookkeeper  for  the  firm  of  Linn  &  Scruggs,  of 
Decatur;  Josie  E.,  who  is  the  wife  of  Harry 
Lathrop ;  Ira  B. :  and  two  who  are  now  de- 
ceased. These  are  Alice  M.,  the  first  born, 
and  Crala  L..  the  third  of  the  family. 

In  reviewing  the  life  history  of  Mr.  Hoy  it 
seems  that  special  providence  has  watched 
over  him  and  guided  him.  \\'hen  he  was  but 
an  infant  of  six  months  his  mother  was  carry- 
ing him  in  her  arms  on  horseback,  when  the 
animal  stumbled  and  fell  and  the  mother  and 
babe  were  thrown  to  the  ground  with  great 
force,  but  Mrs.  Hoy  shielded  her  child  by 
striking  upon  her  own  elbows,  and  though  her 
arms  were  lacerate«l  in  a  fearful  manner  the 
babe  was  uninjured.  During  his  pastorate  at 
the  Broadwell  mission  rather  than  miss  an 
appointment  for  religious  service  that  he  had 


THOMAS  B.  JONIDS 


MRS-  THOMAS  B-  JONES 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


707 


made,  Mr.  Hoy  forded  the  Sangamon  river  on 
horseback  at  great  peril  of  his  own  hfe.  It 
was  in  1861,  at  the  time  of  high  water.  The 
fording  of  the  river  was  a  very  dangerous 
operation,  but  he  made  it  in  safety,  and  his 
compensation  for  that  service  was  but  a  dol- 
lar and  a  quarter.  On  another  occasion  Mr. 
Hoy  was  crossing  a  stream  in  a  buggy  with 
his  wife  and  cnild  when  the  bridge  cut  loose 
from  its  fastenings  and  started  to  float  down 
the  stream.  Quick  as  a  flash  he  urged  his 
horse  on  and  plunging  into  the  stream  it 
quickly  brought  them  forth  in  safety  to  the 
shore.  Other  proofs  of  the  care  which  the 
Creator  has  for  his  children  and  which  Mr. 
Hoy  has  specially  received  might  be  given.  In 
his  own  work  in  behalf  of  the  church  he  has 
greatly  promoted  moral  development.  He 
was  a  strong  forceful  speaker,  energetic  and 
zealous  and  willing  to  make  an  effort  or  sac- 
rifice to  keep  his  appointments.  No  task  was 
too  arduous  for  him,  and  his  labors  were  at- 
tended with  splendid  results,  many  additions 
being  made  to  the  church  during  his  various 
pastorates. 


THOMAS  1;.  JONES. 
Thomas  B.  Jones,  a  retired  farmer  resid- 
ing at  No.  1259  West  Wood  street  in  De- 
catur, is  a  representative  of  one  of  the  old 
families  of  Macon  connty.  wlmse  residence 
here  dates  from  1851.  Our  subject  was 
born  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  August  6, 
1845,  '"'s  ])arents  being  Joseph  E.  and  Sarah 
(Ncel)  Jones,  the  former  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee and  the  latter  of  X'irginia.  They 
were  married  very  early  in  life  and  when 
Mr.  Jones  was  eighteen  years  of  age  they 
came  to  Decatur,  where  he  secured  employ- 
nicnl  in  the  lumber  mills  as  a  for*.'man  ami 
later  he  was  engineer  in  what  was  known 
as  the  l-'astman  .Mill.  Subsequenth-  he  was 
made  superintendent  of  the  Macon  county 
poor  farm,  of  which  be  had  charge  for 
eleven  years.     He  then  purchased  that  farm 


and  devoted  his  energies  to  general  agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  26th  of  March,  1866.  His 
widow  afterward  sold  the  farm  and  re- 
moved to  Mount  Zion  township,  where  she 
purchased  another  tract  of  land,  upon 
which  she  made  her  home  until  called  to  her 
final  rest  on  the  17th  of  July,  1894.  This 
worthy  couple  were  the  parents  of  five 
children:  Yong  P.;  Thomas;  Amanda, 
the  wife  of  Martin  Cooper,  of  Decatur; 
( )zro,  who  married  Luella  .Mbright  and  is  a 
farmer  of  Traverse  City,  Illinois;  and  Will- 
iam Columbus,  who  wedded  Sarah  Grover 
and  now  resides  on  the  old  home  farm  in 
Mount  Zion  township. 

At  the  usual  age  Thomas  Jones  entered 
the  public  schools  and  pursued  his  educa- 
tion here  until  he  had  mastered  the  common 
branches  of  learning  and  became  well  fitted 
to  meet  the  practical  duties  of  life.  In  his 
youth  he  was  also  trained  to  the  work  of 
the  farm  and  he  assisted  his  father  in  its 
operation  until  his  marriage  which  im- 
portant event  in  his  life  occurred  December 
8,  1867,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Martha  Roardman,  a  native  of  Bartholomew 
county,  Indiana,  born  June  17,  1841.  Her 
parents  were  Captain  Isaac  C.  and  Margaret 
(Cheddy)  Boardman.  Her  father  served  as 
a  captain  in  the  Mexican  war  for  one  year 
and  one  month  and  became  an  early  settler 
of  .Macon  county,  where  his  extensive  oper- 
ations as  a  stock-dealer  made  him  known 
as  one  of  the  leading  stockmen  of  the  state. 
He  also  engaged  in  the  raising  of  grain  on 
a  large  scale  and  his  business  interests 
brought  to  him  a  splendid  financial  return. 
Elected  clerk  of  Macon  county,  he  held  that 
position  for  a  number  of  years  and  was  also 
a  member  of  llie  Ijoard  of  supervisors  ftir 
many  years.  Both  he  and  his  wife  sjient 
their  last  days  in  Decatur  and  were  recog- 
nized as  leading  and  highly  respected  citi- 
zens of  that  place.  In  their  family  were 
eIo\-cn     (-In'Mrcn,     namclv:       Thomas,    who 


708 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


died  on  the  old  honieslead  in  November, 
1902,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years ;  Eliza, 
wife  of  Jacob  Sine,  of  Decatur ;  Rebecca, 
who  is  the  widow  of  Joseph  Sine  and  lives 
on  a  farm  in  South  Wheatland  township ; 
Malissa,  wife  of  Yong  P.  Jones,  of  Decatur; 
William,  who  married  Elizabeth  McDaniel 
and  resides  in  South  Wheatland  township ; 
Mary,  widow  of  J^mes  \\'alton  and 
a  resident  of  South  Wheatland  township ; 
Charles,  who  wedded  Mary  Eallenger  and 
lives  in  South  Wheatland  township ;  Ed- 
ward, who  married  Mary  Blassengame,  now 
deceased,  and  makes  his  home  in  South 
W'heatland  township ;  Martha,  the  wife  of 
our  subject;  James,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
nine  years ;  and  Buena  \'ista,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  fourteen. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  has 
been  blessed  with  five  children:  Margaret, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven  months ; 
2\Jary,  the  wife  of  John  Lambert,  who  re- 
sides upon  a  farm  near  Ehvin.  this  county  ; 
Thomas  Smith,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fif- 
teen years ;  Charles,  who  married  Abbie 
May  and  resides  on  his  father's  farm  in 
South  Wheatland  township;  and  Jessie 
May,  the  wife  of  Frank  Sprague,  a  resident 
of  Oden,  Indiana. 

After  his  marriage  ^Ir.  Jones  removed  to 
Decatur  and  was  variously  employed  there 
for  about  a  year.  He  then  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  in  South  Wheatland  township, 
a  mile  and  a  quarter  southeast  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Elwin,  and  to  the  improvement  and 
cultivation  of  his  farm  devoted  his  time  and 
energies  until  the  spring  of  1903.  He  had 
placed  his  fields  under  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation and  annually  harvested  good  crops. 
He  also  raised  high  grades  of  stock  and  his 
annual  sales  of  cattle  and  hogs  brought 
him  very  gratifying  success.  Removing  to 
the  city  of  Decatur  in  the  spring  of  1903  he 
erected  his  present  home  at  No.  1259  West 
Wood  street  and  is  now  living  a  retired 
life,    here    enjoying    a    rest    which    he    has 


truly  earned  and  richly  deserves.  He  still 
owns  the  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  South 
Wheatland  township  and  also  a  building  lot 
near  his  home  in  Decatur.  His  political 
allegiance  has  been  given  to  the  Democracy 
and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Elwin.  Mr.  Jones  has 
been  very  successful  in  his  business  afifairs 
and  is  a  representative  of  a  well  known  and 
leading  family  of  Macon  county.  His  in- 
terests were  capably  managed  and  sound 
and  keen  sagacity  characterized  all  of  his 
business  dealings. 


JONES  MALONE. 

For  seventy-one  years  Jones  Malone  has 
been  a  resident  of  Illinois,  and  he  has  there- 
fore witnessed  almost  its  entire  development. 
He  has  seen  its  wild  lands  transformed  into 
beautiful  homes  and  farms,  its  hamlets  grow 
into  villages  and  flourishing  cities,  and  all  of 
the  interests  and  evidences  of  an  advanced 
civilization  introduced.  Since  1865  he  has 
made  his  home  in  Macon  county  and  has  been 
particularly  active  in  promoting  its  interests. 

Mr.  Malone  was  born  in  Rutherford  county, 
Tennessee,  November  10,  1821,  a  son  of  W'il- 
liam  and  Elizabeth  (Hodaway)  Malone.  who 
were  natives  of  Mrginia,  but  were  married  in 
Rutherford  county,  Tennessee,  where  they 
continued  to  reside  until  1832,  when  they 
brought  their  family  to  Illinois  and  settled  in 
Perrv  county.  There  both  died  when  about 
fifty-four  years  of  age. 

After  spending  the  first  eleven  years  of  his 
life  in  his  native  state  Jones  IMalone  accom- 
panied his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Illinois. 
This  state  was  at  that  time  an  almost  un- 
broken wilderness,  wolves  and  deer  were  fre- 
(|ueml\-  seen  and  all  kinds  of  wild  game  was 
plentiful.  Our  subject  was  the  oldest  in  his 
father's  family  and  received  but  a  limited  edu- 
cation in  the  subscription  schools.  After  liv- 
in"'   for  some   \ears   in    Perrv   countv.  he   re- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


709 


inovod  to  Washington  county,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  farming  for  seven  years,  and  about 
the  close  of  the  Civil  war  he  came  to  Macon 
county,  locating  upon  his  present  farm  of  sec- 
tion 8,  Whitmore  townshi]).  The  unbroken 
prairie  stretched  for  miles  around  him  and 
nnich  of  the  land  was  under  water,  it  having 
to  be  thoroughlv  tiled  and  drained  before  fit 
for  cultivation.  He  paid  thirty  dollars  per 
acre  for  his  property,  which  is  to-day  worth 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre 
owing  to  the  rise  in  land  values  and  the  many 
improvements  he  has  placed  thereon. 

In  Perry  county,  Mr.  Malone  was  married 
in  1845  to  Miss  Nancy  Huggins,  who  was 
born  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  December 
6,  1828.  Her  parents  were  Patrick  and  Eliza- 
beth (Mitchell)  Huggins,  who  were  natives 
of  Pennsylvania  and  died  of  cholera  on  the 
same  day  in  .\ugust,  1833,  leaving  eight  chil- 
dren. After  their  deaths  Mrs.  Malone  was 
reared  by  an  aunt,  Mrs.  Mary  Walker,  who 
was  her  mother's  sister  and  with  win  mi  she 
remained  until  her  sixteenth  year.  She  then 
lived  with  her  second  oldest  sister,  Mrs.  Re- 
becca Lard,  until  her  marriage.  Her  father 
w^as  a  prominent  and  prosperous  farmer  and 
left  to  each  of  his  children  forty  acres  of 
land.  Seven  children,  six  daughters  and  one 
son,  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Malone, 
namely :  Mrs.  .^ddie  Cronce,  a  resident  of 
Washington:  Mrs.  Jennie  M\rl,  nnw  dc- 
ceased :  Mrs.  Margaret  1'".  liishop,  of  Maroa; 
Mrs.  Mary  Wilson,  of  (  )lney,  Illinois; 
Ephraim,  who  is  married  .-uid  li\iiig  in  I  lick- 
cry  Point  township,  this  comity:  Emma,  at 
home;  and  Mrs.  Eva  Belle  Harris,  who  was 
married  in  September,  1903,  and  resides  in 
Perry  county,  Illinois,  (^ur  subject  and  his 
wife  have  eleven  grandchildren. 

In  religious  faith  .Mr.  Malone  is  a  Baptist, 
and  in  politics  he  is  a  stalwart  Deiuocrat.  He 
is  thoroughly  familiar  with  ])ionccr  conditions 
and  in  common  with  the  other  tnembers  of  his 
father's  family  he  endured  all  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  frontier  life.     He  has  used 


the  scythe  and  cradle  in  the  harvest  fields 
long  before  reapers  were  invented  and  he  has 
plowed  with  an  old  wooden  mold  board. 
While  lixing  in  Perry  county  he  made  the 
first  gang  plow  invented  in  the  state  but  the 
patent  was  stolen  from  liim.  It  was  con- 
structed for  the  purpose  of  both  plowing  and 
harrowing.  Mr.  .Malone  has  broken  luany  an 
acre  of  prairie  with  an  ox-team  and  has  ma- 
terially aided  in  the  development  and  improve- 
ment of  this  state.  He  has  assistetl  in  molding 
laliow  candles  and  also  some  made  out  of 
beeswa.x.  The  early  settlers  fotmd  many  a 
bee  tree  in  the  woods  and  honey  was  so 
plentiful  that  it  often  sold  for  twenty-five  cents 
a  gallon.  Fires  were  then  lighted  by  means  of 
flint  and  tow,  as  the  friction  matches  had  not 
come  into  use.  On  coming  to  Illinois  Mr. 
Malone  made  the  journey  on  horseback  across 
the  prairies,  passing  few  settlements,  and  he 
was  several  weeks  on  the  road.  He  can  re- 
late many  interesting  incidents  of  those  early 
da>s  and  he  well  deserves  prominent  mention 
on  the  roll  of  Illinois'  honored  pioneers  and 
representative  citizens. 


JO?IN    E.    NICHOLS. 

There  has  been  a  wonderful  developiuent 
in  life  insurance  business  in  recent  years  and 
its  value  as  an  institution  is  now  universally 
re'eognized  and  tliere  has  certainly  been  no 
one  line  of  business  that  has  proven  of  more 
general  benefit  than  this.  John  1'"..  Xichf)ls  is 
to-day  occupying  a  prominent  position  in  in- 
surance circles  as  manager  for  the  Manhattan 
Ct)mpany,  his  territory  covering  the  entire 
state  of  Illinois  outside  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Nichols  has  been  one  of  Decatur's  na- 
tive sons  and  his  popularity  is  well  known 
among  friends  with  whom  he  has  been  ac- 
quainted from  boyhood.  He  was  born  in  this 
city,  August  23,  1863,  and  is  a  son  of  Charles 
and  .Alzina  (I'raden)  Nichols.  The  father 
was  a  native  of  Rochester.  New  York,  and  in 


710 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  year  1858,  leaving  the  east,  became  a  resi- 
dent of  Decatur.  He  was  employed  by  the 
government  to  purchase  horses  and  he  also 
engaged  in  general  farming  in  Decatur  town- 
ship. In  1885  he  went  to  Nebraska,  locating  in 
Box,  Butte  county,  and  was  there  a  prominent 
and  influential  citizen.  He  served  as  county 
judge  during  his  residence  there  and  was  also 
postmaster  under  President  Cleveland's  first 
administration.  He  belonged  to  Macon  Lodge 
No.  8,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  while  in  Decatur,  be- 
coming one  of  the  charter  members  of  that 
organization  and  in  his  life  exemplified  its 
beneficent  spirit.  His  death  occurred  on  the 
30th  of  January,  1898,  and  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1863.  She  was  a  daughter  of  J.  Y. 
and  Laura  (Hunting)  Braden.  The  mother 
was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  of  New  England 
ancestry,'  while  the  father  was  born  in  Ten- 
nessee. Mr.  Braden  became  one  of  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  Macon  county,  Illinois,  and  ably  as- 
sisted in  the  early  work  of  development  and 
improvement  here. 

John  E.  Nichols,  the  only  child  born  unto 
his  parents,  acquired  his  early  education  in 
the  public  and  subscription  schools  of  Rock- 
port,  Illinois,  and  later  attended  the  commer- 
cial college  in  St.  Joseph,  Missouri.  Subse- 
quently he  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  a 
period  of  ten  years,  following  the  profession 
in  Macon  and  Piatt  counties  from  1880  until 
1890.  As  an  educator  he  met  with  success,  for 
he  was  zealous  and  interested  in  his  work  and 
had  the  ability  to  impart  with  readiness  and 
clearness  to  others  the  knowledge  that  he  had 
acquired.  In  1890,  however,  he  abandoned 
the  schoolroom  in  order  to  become  solicitor 
for  the  Manhattan  Life  Insurance  Company 
and  for  nine  years  following  continued  to  de- 
vote his  energies  to  that  branch  of  the  busi- 
ness. His  success  from  the  start  won  him  dis- 
tinction and  gained  him  the  confidence  of  the 
company.  With  the  exception  of  four  years 
spent  in  Chicago  his  eflforts  have  always  been 
confined  to  Decatur  and  vicinity.  In  recogni- 
tion of  his  capability  and  the  excellent  work 


which  he  had  done  for  the  company,  he  was 
promoted  on  the  8th  of  May,  1899,  to  the  posi- 
tion of  manager  and  established  his  head- 
quarters in  his  native  city,  having  charge  of 
the  entire  business  of  the  Manhattan  Com- 
pany for  the  state  of  Illinois  outside  of  Chi- 
cago. He  thoroughly  understands  the  multi- 
plicity of  duties  connected  with  such  an  un- 
dertaking and  keeps  in  touch  with  every  de- 
tail of  the  business  as  well  as  its  major  points. 
Mr.  Nichols  was  married  November  28, 
1889,  to  Bertie  E.  Sutton,  a  daughter  of  T.  L. 
and  Elizabeth  Sutton,  of  Pike  county,  Illinois. 
They  have  four  daughters :  Ollie  Fay,  Mae, 
Hazel  E.  and  Mvian.  Mr.  Nichols  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Cisco  Lodge  No.  599,  I.  O.  O.  F.  He 
was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Democracy  and 
continued  to  give  his  support  to  the  party  until 
the  nomination  of  W.  J.  Bryan  upon  a  free 
silver  platform.  As  his  views  were  not  in 
harmony  with  the  principles  of  the  party  or- 
ganization at  that  time  he  became  an  advocate 
of  the  Republican  party  and  has  since  voted 
its  ticket.  In  his  political  views  he  is  inde- 
pendent, voting  for  the  measures  which  he  be- 
lieves to  be  for  the  best  interest  of  the  city, 
state,  and  nation.  He  is  a  man  well  liked 
wherever  known  and  most  liked  where  best 
known  and  the  fact  that  his  stanchest  friends 
are  numbered  among  those  with  whom  he  has 
been  acquainted  from  boyhood  is  an  indica- 
tion that  his  career  has  ever  been  an  honorable 


ARTHUR  D.  BREWER. 
Arthur  D.  Brewer,  a  photographer  of  De- 
catur, was  born  in  the  neighboring  state 
of  Wisconsin,  the  place  of  his  nativity  being 
ihe  city  of  .\ppleton,  and  the  date  July  9, 
1876.  He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Jemima  (In- 
man)  Brewer.  He  obtained  his  education 
in  the  public  schools,  continuing  his  studies 
until  he  had  completed  the  high  school 
course.  He  spent  his  boyhood  days  in 
Baraboo,  Wisconsin,  and  at  the  age  of  fif- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


11 


teen  years  lie  became  iiileresled  in  photog- 
raphy, securing  a  situation  in  the  gallery 
of  Simon  Mould,  where  he  remained  for 
seven  years,  mastering  the  business  both  in 
principle  and  detail,  and  becoming  cpiite 
expert  in  the  art  of  taking  pictures.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  he  went  to  Chicago,  where 
he  filled  positions  in  some  of  the  leading 
photographic  studios  of  that  city  during  a 
period  of  five  years.  In  May,  1900,  he  ar- 
rived in  Decatur  and  opened  his  present 
gallery,  in  which  he  is  now  doing  a  high 
grade  of  work,  being  recognized  as  one  of 
the  capable  and  successful  photographic 
artists  here. 

On  August  30,  1902,  Air.  Brewer  was 
married  to  Miss  Laura  K.  Wright,  of  De- 
catur, and  they  lia\'e  a  large  circle  of  friends 
and  accpiaintances  in  this  city,  where  their 
own  home  is  noted  for  its  gracious  hospi- 
tality. 


JOSEPH  SPANGLER. 
No  man  was  better  known  in  Macon  county 
in  the  period  of  its  early  development  than 
was  Joseph  Spangler,  who  settled  here  in 
1834.  The  conditions  which  prevailed  at  that 
time  are  within  the  memory  of  few  men  of  the 
present.  The  Indians  were  numerous  in  the 
count\'  at  that  time,  the  lands  were  unclaimed 
and  uncultivated  and  the  work  of  civilization 
and  progress  seemed  scarcely  begun.  It  re- 
mained to  such  intrepid  pioneers  as  Joseph 
Spangler  to  reclaiin  this  district  for  the  uses 
of  the  white  race  and  to  plant  here  the  seeds 
of  advancement  and  development  that  have 
ripened  with  time  and  have  made  Macon  coun- 
ty one  of  the  most  important  in  this  great 
commonwealth,  .\fter  residing  here  for  a 
short  time  lie  removed  to  Springfield,  Illinois, 
in  order  that  he  might  afford  his  sons  better 
business  opportunities,  but  after  six  months  he 
returned  and  settled  near  the  village  of  Oreana 
in  Whitmore  township,  where  he  entered  land 
from  the  government  at  the  usual  price  of  a 


dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre,  brom  time  to 
lime  he  added  to  his  property  until  he  was 
the  owner  of  an  extensive  farm. 

Mr.  Spangler  was  a  native  of  Cumberland 
county,  Pennsylvania,  born  January  14,  1788. 
1  lis  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  at 
an  early  day  came  to  .\merica,  first  settling  in 
York  county,  Pennsylvania,  whence  they  after- 
ward went  to  Cumberland  county,  where  the 
father  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  His  wife  also  passed 
away  there. 

The  educational  privileges  of  Joseph  Spang- 
ler were  extremely  limited.  He  was  but  thir- 
teen years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  father's 
death  and  soon  afterward  he  began  to  learn 
the  miller's  trade,  which  he  followed  in  his 
native  county  for  several  years.  He  then  re- 
moved to  York  county,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Ernst 
in  the  establishment  and  conduct  of  a  mill. 
They  engaged  in  grinding  flour  and  meal  for 
several  years  and  also  carried  on  a  distillery 
there. 

While  living  in  York  county  Mr.  Spangler 
was  first  married  and  a  number  of  years  after- 
ward he  sold  his  mill  and  distillery  and  started 
for  the  west  with  the  idea  of  establishing  his 
home  in  ()hio.  He  was  not  pleased  with  that 
state,  however,  on  account  of  the  heavy  growth 
of  timber  there  and  accordingly  returned  to 
York  county,  Pennyslvania,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  for  a  year  longer.  During 
that  year  he  sent  his  oldest  son  back  to  the 
west  to  look  for  a  location  and  the  son  re- 
ported favorably  upon  Macon  county  and  its 
prospects,  writing  for  the  father  to  join  him 
here.  Accordingly  in  the  year  1834  Joseph 
Spangler  arrived.  He  entered  land  from  the 
government  in  dififerent  townships  and  finally 
entered  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  on  the 
.Sangamon  river  in  Whitmore  township,  where 
he  built  what  is  still  known  as  the  old  Spang- 
ler mill.  There  he  engaged  in  the  milling  busi- 
ness and  also  in  farming.  There  was  no 
market  here  for  grain  at  that  time  and  he  had 


712 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


to  haul  his  wheat  to  Chicago.  Throughout 
his  remaining  days  he  engaged  in  general 
farming  and  milling  and  was  one  of  the  early 
and  prominent  representatives  of  trade  rela- 
tions in  Alacon  county. 

As  before  stated  Joseph  Spangler  was  mar- 
ried in  York  county,  Pennsylvania,  the  lady  of 
his  choice  being  Miss  Barbara  Bentsley,  who 
was  born  in  the  Keystone  state,  but  died  in 
Macon  county.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children :  Betsey  Elizabeth,  Polly  Alary, 
Jacob,  John,  Susan,  Joseph,  Felix,  and  Daniel, 
all  now  deceased ;  and  Eliza,  the  widow  of  D. 
Daniels,  who  now  resides  on  a  farm  five  miles 
east  of  Decatur.  Mr.  Spangler's  second  mar- 
riage was  celebrated  in  Macon  county,  at 
W'hich  time  Miss  Elizabeth  Zerger  became  his 
wife.  She  w-as  a  native  of  York  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, born  August  27,  1828,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Polly  (Ferringer)  Zerger, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  York  county, 
where  her  father  engaged  in  the  distilling 
business  and  also  in  the  conduct  of  a  farm. 
In  1839  li^  made  his  way  westward  by  the 
river  route  and  settled  in  Macon  county  near 
the  village  of  Oreana,  where  he  continued  to 
engage  in  the  tilling  of  the  soil  until  his  life's 
labors  were  ended  in  death.  His  wife  also 
passed  away  there.  They  had  seven  children, 
five  of  whom  are  living:  Elizabeth,  Andrew, 
Ann,  Mary,  and  John.  Caroline  and  Mary 
Ann  are  both  deceased.  Four  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spangler :  Lydia,  the 
wife  of  William  Strong,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  poultry  business  in  Missouri ;  Hattie,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  seven  years ;  Caroline,  the 
deceased  wife  of  Thomas  Daniels ;  and  Frank, 
who  is  residing  with  his  mother  and  superin- 
tends the  farm. 

Mr.  Spangler  died  on  the  17th  of  February, 
1862,  and  thus  passed  away  one  of  the  valued 
pioneer  settlers,  whose  efforts  were  very  help- 
ful in  the  early  work  of  the  county  as  it 
emerged  irom  pioneer  conditions.  On  several 
occasions  his  friends  desired  him  to  become  a 
candidate   for  office,   but  he   alwavs   refused. 


His  vote  was  usually  given  to  the  Democratic 
party,  but  he  took  no  active  part  in  political 
affairs.  He  and  his  wife  were  at  one  time 
members  of  the  Universalist  church  of  De- 
catur, but  ]\Irs.  Spangler  now  attends  the 
Christian  church.  Mr.  Spangler  was  a  very 
successful  business  man  and  became  well-to- 
do.  Prior  to  his  death  he  told  his  wife  to 
select  her  future  home  and  she  decided  upon 
her  present  location  in  Decatur,  which  he  pur- 
chased for  her.  She  resides  at  the  east  edge 
of  tlie  city  where  she  has  a  good  residence  on 
Wood  street,  standing  on  a  high  hill  and  com- 
manding an  excellent  view  of  the  surrounding 
country.  She  there  owns  fifty  acres  of  valua- 
ble land  and  she  and  her  son  Frank  are  carry- 
ing on  farming.  'Sir.  Spangler  was  a  man  of 
strong  character  and  marked  individuality  and 
firm  purpose  and  such  qualities  are  valuable 
in  the  pioneer  who  braves  the  hardships  and 
dangers  of  life  on  the  frontier  in  order  to  es- 
tablish a  home  in  a  new  countrv. 


FRANK  P.  LEHMAN. 
Frank  P.  Lehman,  who  for  many  years  was 
an  active  representative  of  business  interests 
in  Decatur,  but  is  now  living  retired,  was  born 
in  Clark  county,  Ohio,  on  the  31st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1853,  the  third  in  order  of  birth  in  the 
family  of  Peter  F.  and  Mary  Jane  (Alvin) 
Lehman.  The  father  was  born  August  19, 
1826,  and  was  of  German  descent,  while  his 
wife  was  born  September  14,  1828,  and  came 
of  an  old  American  family.  His  death  oc- 
curred April  19,  1883,  when  he  was  but  fifty- 
seven  years  of  age.  In  the  family  were  eight 
children,  all  of  whom  reached  mature  years, 
while  seven  are  yet  living.  The  eldest,  George 
W ..  is  married  and  now  lives  in  Decatur; 
J.  H.  is  married  and  resides  in  Hickory  Point 
township,  Macon  county  :  Mary  Elizabeth  has 
passed  away :  Ida  L.  is  the  wife  of  James  B. 
Good,  now  general  manager  for  the  Decatur 
Lumber    Company ;     Emma    is    the    wife    of 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


713 


Samuel  Cussins;    Katie  is  at  home;   ami  Min- 
nie is  the  wife  of  Charles  Andrews. 

The  other  memher  of  the  Lehman  family  is 
Frank  P.  Lehman  of  this  review,  who  in  the 
district  schools  acquired  his  preliminary  edu- 
cation, which  was  supplemented  by  study  in 
Eastman's  Ihisiness  College  at  Poughkeepsie, 
New  York,  in  which  he  was  a  graduate  in  the 
class  of  1878.  After  his  return  home  he  be- 
came connected  with  his  father  in  general 
farming  pursuits  in  Hickory  Point  township, 
the  family  having  removed  to  Macon  county 
in  the  spring  of  1865.  Mr.  Lehman.  Sr.,  con- 
tinued to  engage  in  farming  until  about  1881, 
when  on  account  of  ill  health  he  removed  to 
the  city  of  Decatur  and  there  passed  away  two 
years  later.  Frank  P.  Lehman  had  come  to 
this  city  on  the  3d  of  Uecenibcr.  1878,  and  he 
accepted  a  position  as  bookkeeper  and  general 
clerk  with  Read  Spencer,  agent,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  about  two  years  in  those  ca- 
pacities. The  co-operative  company  then  sold 
out  to  the  Deere  &  Mansur  Company  of  Mo- 
line,  with  whom  Mr.  Lehman  remained  two 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  a  jKirtnership  in  an  implement  and 
farm  machinery  business  under  the  firm  style 
of  Spencer,  Lehman  &  Company,  and  later 
the  business  was  incorporated  under  the  name 
of  the  Spencer  &  Lehman  Company.  After- 
ward Mr.  Spencer  and  Mr.  Lehman  purchased 
the  interest  of  the  other  stockholders  and  the 
firm  style  of  Spencer  &  Lehman  was  then  as- 
sumed and  was  continued  until  June,  igoi, 
when  our  subject  sold  his  interest  and  retired 
from  business.  When  he  left  the  farm  he  ex- 
pected to  remain  with  Mr.  Spencer  for  only  a 
brief  period,  merely  to  assist  him  with  his 
accounts,  but  the  connection  was  continued  for 
twenty-three  consecutive  years,  the  relation 
being  mutually  pleasant  and  profitable.  They 
worked  together  in  most  harmonious  connec- 
tion, the  labors  and  efforts  of  the  one  supple- 
menting the  energy  and  activity  of  the  other 
so  that  the  firm  was  a  strong  combination, 
taking  an  active  and  important  place  in  busi- 


ness circles.  For  years  they  enjoyed  an  ex- 
tensive patronage  which  continually  added  to 
their  income  and  with  a  handsome  competence 
Mr.  Lehman  retired  to  private  life.  He  had 
invested  his  earnings  in  lands  and  he  now  en- 
joys the  financial  return  from  eleven  hundred 
and  sixty-five  acres  of  choice  farming  and  rice 
land,  a  part  of  which  is  yet  uncultivated.  Llis 
farming  lands  are  distributed  in  Pocahontas 
county,  Iowa,  near  the  village  of  Rolfe,  and  in 
TL^milton  county,  Iowa,  near  Webster  City, 
while  his  rice  lands  are  located  in  Louisiana. 
He  has  lived  a  Hfe  of  industry,  thrift  and  en- 
terprise and  well  deserves  the  rest  which  is 
now  vouchsafed  to  him.  He  resides  on  the 
ol<l  family  home  which  was  deeded  to  his 
mother  as  long  as  she  lives  and  which  is  a 
comfortable  residence  at  No.  557  West  Wood 
street.  His  business  record  is  commendable 
and  in  the  city  where  he  has  so  long  resided 
and  where  his  history  is  familiar  to  his  fellow- 
townsmen  he  is  held  in  the  highest  regard  and 
esteem,  a  fact  which  indicates  that  his  has 
been  an  upright  and  honorable  career. 


JOSHUA   GREEN. 

For  almost  forty  years  this  gentleman  has 
been  a  resident  of  Macon  county,  his  home 
being  on  section  31,  Whitmore  township,  and 
he  has  therefore  witnessed  much  of  the  growth 
and  improvement  of  this  section  of  the  state, 
seeing  the  wild  lands  transformed  into  fine 
farms,  villages  and  cities  spring  up,  and  all  of 
the  conveniences  of  the  twcntictli  century  in- 
troduced. 

Mr.  Green  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  England, 
on  the  3d  of  October.  1826.  a  son  of  Thomas 
and  Sally  (Wilson)  Green,  prominent  farm- 
ing pepple  who  lived  and  died  in  England. 
In  their  family  were  eight  children,  four  of 
whom  are  now  deceased,  namely :  Mary,  Wil- 
liam. Charles  and  George.  Those  still  living 
are  Mrs.  Sarah  Hughes,  now  eighty-five  years 
of  age,  whose  home  is  between  Chester  and 


714 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Liverpool,  England;  Joshua,  of  this  review; 
Ann,  wife  of  John  C.  Dodson,  of  Christian 
county,  Illinois ;  and  Mrs.  Emma  Bailey,  who 
lives  in  the  state  of  Washington.  On  the  8th 
of  May,  1903,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  C.  Dodson 
celebrated  their  golden  wedding  and  among 
those  present  our  subject  and  his  wife  were 
the  bnh"  ones  who  had  attended  their  wed- 
ding. Mr.  Dodson  is  a  brother  of  our  sub- 
ject's wife.. 

Joshua  Green  was  reared  upon  a  farm  and 
was  educated  in  the  parish  of  Roystone.  He 
continued  to  make  his  home  in  his  native  land 
until  about  twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  he 
decided  to  try  his  fortune  in  America.  Ac- 
cordingly on  the  5th  of  May,  1850,  he  took 
passage  on  the  Isaac  Wright,  a  sailing  vessel 
in  command  of  Captain  Peabody,  and  landed 
in  New  York  on  the  1st  of  July  after  about 
two  months  spent  upon  the  water.  From  that 
city  he  went  to  Philadelphia  and  shortly  after- 
ward came  west  to  Illinois,  locating  first  in 
Greene  county,  where  he  worked  for  two  years 
at  ten  dollars  per  month.  In  the  meantime  he 
had  purchased  about  three  hundred  acres  of 
land,  and  to  the  improvement  and  cultivation 
of  that  place  he  devoted  his  time  and  energies 
until  1854.  He  then  removed  to  Christian 
county  and  bought  three  hundred  acres  of 
land  at  the  government  price  of  one  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  acre.  This  was  all  wild 
prairie  and  he  broke  the  land  with  five  yoke 
of  oxen  and  made  many  improvements  there- 
on. He  rented  a  house  in  the  edge  of  the 
timber  and  continued  a  resident  of  Christian 
county  for  ten  years,  Springfield  being  his 
trading  point. 

Selling  his  farm  in  1864,  at  twenty-six  dol- 
lars per  acre,  JMr.  Green  came  to  Macon  coun- 
ty and  purchased  two  hundred  acres  of  land 
on  section  31,  Whitmore  township,  at  thirty 
dollars  per  acre.  He  has  since  tiled  and 
drained  the  tract  and  placed  it  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  Upon  the  place  is  a  good 
brick    residence,    substantial    barns    and    out- 


buildings, and  its  neat  and  thrifty  appearance 
indicates  the  owner  to  be  a  man  of  progressive 
ideas  and  good  business  ability,  as  well  as  a 
good  practical  farmer.  His  front  yard  is 
shaded  by  beautiful  soft  maple  trees,  which 
were  raised  from  seed  which  he  brought  in  his 
pocket  from  Christian  county.  He  now  rents 
his  land  and  is  living  retired  upon  his  farm, 
enjoying  a  well  earned  rest. 

On  the  loth  of  October,  1854,  Mr.  Green 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hannah  Dod- 
son, who  was  born  near  Carrollton  in  Greene 
county,  Illinois,  June  19,  1837,  and  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Prudence  (Robins)  Dod- 
son, natives  of  England  and  North  Carolina, 
respectively.  Her  paternal  grandparents  were 
John  and  Elizabeth  Dodson,  the  former  of 
whom  lived  to  be  eighty-five  years  of  age  and 
the  latter  ninety-two.  They  had  six  sons: 
Thomas,  John,  Charles,  Peter,  Christopher, 
and  W'illiam,  all  of  whom  emigrated  from 
England  and  settled  in  Greene  county,  Illinois, 
before  the  admission  of  the  state  to  the  Union. 
Mrs.  Green's  father  died  in  1846  and  her 
mother,  who  survived  him  for  some  years, 
passed  away  at  the  home  of  our  subject  in 
1864.  She  was  a  great  weaver  and  her  skill 
in  that  direction  is  shown  in  a  number  of 
coverlets  now  in  the  possession  of  her  daugh- 
ter. Of  the  six  children  constituting  the  Dod- 
son family  only  two  are  now  living,  these 
being  John  C,  previously  mentioned,  and  Mrs. 
Green.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  two 
sons:  Edward,  who  married  Mrs.  Mary 
(Eckert)  Hiser;  and  Charles  W.,  who  mar- 
ried Carrie  Renshaw  and  has  one  son,  Wal- 
ter J.  Both  are  residents  of  Whitmore  town- 
ship. 

'Sir.  and  Mrs.  Green  are  familiar  with  many 
pioneer  experiences  and  can  relate  many  in- 
teresting incidents  of  frontier  life.  During 
her  girlhood  Mrs.  Green  often  assisted  in 
molding  the  tallow  candle  used  in  lighting  the 
house  and  performed  other  duties  which  are 
entirely  unfamiliar  to  the  girls  of  the  present 


MARTIN  p.  MURPHEY 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


717 


■day,  such  as  spinning  and  weaving.  She  is 
a  strong  Prohibitionist  and  was  the  first 
woman  in  her  township  to  cast  a  vote.  Mr. 
Green  is  independent  in  pohtics  and  has  been 
called  upon  to  fill  a  number  of  positions  of 
honor  and  trust.  He  was  made  enrolling  of- 
ficer at  the  time  of  the  draft  during  the  Civil 
war;  has  served  as  county  supervisor  four 
terms;  assessor  many  years;  and  highway 
commissioner.  He  was  also  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Christian  county  one  term  and  has 
filled  the  offices  of  school  trustee  and  school 
treasurer,  serving  in  the  latter  capacity  for 
thirty  consecutive  years.  He  was  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  the  Farmers'  Mutual  In- 
surance Company  and  is  now  secretary  of  the 
same.  His  official  duties  have  been  most 
faithfully  and  conscientiously  discharged  and 
no  trust  reposed  in  him  was  ever  misplaced. 
He  helped  to  district  Whitmore  township  and 
has  been  prominently  identified  with  its  devel- 
opment and  prosperity,  doing  all  in  his  power 
to  advance  its  interests  along  material,  social 
and  moral  lines.  In  early  days  he  assisted  in 
locating  several  roads  in  this  part  of  the  state 
and  in  improving  the  same.  Both  j\lr.  and 
Mrs.  Green  are  people  of  literary  tastes  and 
have  a  complete  library,  of  which  they  make 
good  use.  They  are  members  of  the  Old  Set- 
tlers' Association  and  the  Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  no  couple 
in  their  conmiunity  is  held  in  higher  regard 
or  has  more  warm  friends.  In  their  home  they 
have  a  number  of  interesting  relics  which  they 
prize  very  highly,  including  a  candlestick, 
which  belonged  to  Mr.  Green's  grandfather 
and  dates  back  to  1730,  and  a  decanter  which 
is  about  as  old.  Besides  these  Mrs.  Green  has 
a  splendid  collection  of  valuable  relics  which 
belonged  to  her  ancestors.  She  recently  re- 
ceived two  solid  gold  spoons  intended  as  pres- 
ents for  their  golden  wedding  to  be  celebrated 
October  10,  1904.  One  of  these,  which  was 
sent  by  her  sister,  Mrs.  Hughes,  is  of  the  car- 
nation pattern  and  a  facsimile  of  the  spoon 
used  in  anointintr  King  Ivhvard  VII. 


.MARTl.X   1'.  MURPHEY. 

Decatur  has  been  the  home  and  scene  of 
labor  of  many  men  who  have  not  only 
led  lives  that  should  serve  as  an  example  to 
those  who  come  after  them,  but  have  also 
been  of  important  service  to  their  city  and 
county  through  various  avenues  of  useful- 
ness. Among  them  must  be  named  .Martin 
P.  Murphey,  who  passed  away  on  the  J4th 
of  June,  1896,  after  a  life  of  industry,  and 
rich  in  those  rare  possessions  which  only  a 
high  character  can  give. 

Mr.  Alurphcy  was  born  in  Warren  county, 
Indiana,  I\larch  3,  1832,  a  son  of  John  J.  and 
Ursilla  (Mauzy)  Murphey,  who  were  both 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  removed  thence  to 
the  Hoosier  state.  During  his  boyhood  and 
youth  Mr.  IMurphey  of  this  review  received 
a  very  good  education  in  the  schools  of  New 
Paris,  Ohio.  Coming  to  Illinois  in  1858,  he 
located  in  Decatur,  where  he  continued  to 
make  his  home  until  called  to  the  world 
beyond.  He  began  business  here  as  a  clock 
agent,  selling  clocks  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country,  and  later  he  was  with  a 
lightning  rod  firm  for  a  few  years,  tie  gave 
up  his  position  as  agent  on  being  appointed 
deputy  under  SherilT  Wheeler,  and  besides 
filling  that  office  he  also  served  as  constable 
for  a  few  years.  He  served  as  deputy  under 
four  different  sheriffs.  During  the  Civil 
war  he  enrolled  the  county  for  the  draft, 
performing  that  difficult  undertaking  very 
satisfactorily.  On  his  retirement  from  of- 
fice he  began  speculating  in  land  and  also 
in  loaning  money.  This  business  he  car- 
ried on  for  several  years  with  excellent  suc- 
cess, but  finally  on  account  of  ill  health  he 
retired,  his  remaining  dav'S  being  spent  in 
ease  and  f|uict. 

On^thc  9th  of  .\pril,  1863,  Mr.  Murphey 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  P. 
W'vkc'l.  a  native  of  Macon  county  and  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  D.  and  Margaret  Wykel, 
who  came  to  this  county  at  a  very  early 
(lav  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Decatur  town- 


718 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ship,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farming 
for  several  years.  He  then  retired  from 
active  lal)or  and  remoxed  to  the  city  of 
Decatur,  purchasing  a  residence  on  South 
Main  street,  where  he  and  his  wife  resided 
until  their  deaths.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Murphey 
became  the  jiarents  of  four  children,  namely: 
Minnie  L.,  wife  of  J.  J.  jMcDonald,  a  resi- 
dent of  New  York  city;  John  L.,  a  traveling 
salesman  who  resides  with  his  mother  in 
Decatur;  Joseph  ^I.,  also  a  traveling  sales- 
man, who  married  P^lla  Pike  and  lives  in 
Decatur ;  and  Margaret  Elizabeth,  deceased 
wife  of  Charles  B.  Ogle,  who  is  now  travel- 
ing passenger  agent  for  the  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  Railroad. 

Mr.  Murphe}-  always  took  a  very  active 
part  in  politics  and  was  formerly  a  Repub- 
lican, but  when  the  temperance  movement 
became  an  important  issue  in  American  poli- 
tics he  joined  the  Prohibition  party,  though 
he  afterward  supported  the  Republican 
ticket  again  at  presidential  elections.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  earnest  and  faithful 
members  of  the  Central  Church  of  Christ 
of  Decatur,  and  there  was  no  one  in  the  city 
who  took  more  interest  in  church  and  tem- 
perance work  than  he.  He  assisted  in  build- 
ing all  the  churches  of  Decatur  and  gave 
liberally  to  any  enterprise  which  he  believed 
would  prove  of  pidilic  benefit.  For  many 
years  he  labored  with  all  the  strength  of  a 
great  nature  and  all  the  earnestness  of  a 
true  heart  for  the  bettering  of  the  world 
about  him  ;  and  when  he  was  called  to  the 
rest  and  reward  of  the  higher  world  his  best 
monument  was  found  in  the  love  and  re- 
spect of  the  community  in  which  he  lived 
for  so  many  years.  Throughout  his  career 
of  continued  and  far-reaching  usefulness, 
his  duties  were  performed  with  the  greatest 
care  and  his  personal  honor  and  integrity 
were  without  blemish. 

Mrs.  Mtirphcy  has  a  beautiful  residence 
at  No.  459  South  Main  street  and  also  owns 
other  valuable  property  in  the  city.     She  is 


a  lady  of  many  excellent  traits  of  character 
which  have  endeared  her  to  all  with  whom 
she  has  been  brought  in  contact,  and  she 
and  her  family  occupy  a  prominent  position 
in  social  circles  where  true  worth  is  received 
as  the  passport  into  good  society. 


JOHN  R.  AHLLER. 

Since  1856  this  gentleman  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Decatur,  and  for  many  years  he  was 
actively  identified  with  its  business  interests, 
but  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  a  beautiful 
home  at  No.  303  West  Main  street.  He  was 
born  on  the  9th  of  September,  1831,  in  Bour- 
bon county,  Iventucky,  of  which  state  his  par- 
ents, John  and  Jane  (Levesque)  Miller,  were 
also  natives.  The  father  was  a  soldier  of  the 
war  of  1812,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  now 
deceased.  In  their  family  were  six  children, 
three  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  our  sub- 
ject has  two  sisters  still  living,  namely:  Sarah 
E.  Proctor,  who  makes  her  home  with  him, 
and  Mary  J.  W'orshan,  a  resident  of  Coving- 
ton, Kentucky. 

Mr.  ]Miller  began  his  education  in  an  old 
log  school  house  in  Kentucky,  and  during  his 
bovhood  assisted  his  father  on  the  home  farm, 
but  after  completing  his  education  he  began 
learning  the  tailor's  trade,  which  he  followed 
for  seven  years.  Before  coming  to  Decatur 
he  spent  most  of  his  time  in  Bourbon  county, 
Kentucky,  and  as  before  stated  arrived  in  this 
county  in  1856.  For  many  years  he  conducted 
a  boarding  house  where  the  American  Express 
Company's  office  in  Decatur  now  stands,  at 
the  corner  of  Prairie  and  North  Main  streets, 
and  for  some  time  worked  in  the  grocery 
store  of  Dr.  Hughes,  which  occupied  the  pres- 
ent site  of  the  Arcade.  As  the  years  passed 
he  prospered,  and  has  become  the  owner  of 
some  good  business  property  in  this  county  be- 
sides his  city  home.  He  has  now  laid  aside  all 
business  cares  and  is  enjoying  a  well  earned 
rest. 


FELIX  B.  TAIT 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


72 1 


On  the  1st  of  September,  1856,  Mr.  Miller 
was  married  in  Paris,  Kentucky,  to  Miss  Mary 
E.  Galloway,  who  was  to  him  a  faithful  com- 
panion and  helpmate  on  life's  journey.  She, 
too,  was  a  native  of  Kentvicky,  as  were  her 
parents.  After  a  long  and  happy  married  life 
she  passed  away  on  the  21st  of  March,  1901. 
Their  only  chikl,  a  son.  died  in  infancy.  For 
a  number  of  years  ^Ir.  JMiller  owned  a  cottage 
at  Mackinaw  Falls,  near  Peoria,  Illinois, 
where  every  year  he  and  his  wife  used  to 
spend  considerable  time  during  the  fishing  sea- 
son, and  in  that  sport  he  took  his  chief  delight 
antl  recreation.  He  is  widely  known  through- 
out this  section  of  the  state  and  is  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  by  his  fellow  citizens.  Since 
1886  he  has  been  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  Greenwood  cemetery. 


F.  B.  TAIT. 
F.  15.  Tait  is  one  of  the  most  prominent 
business  men  of  Decatur,  being  president 
and  treasurer  of  the  F.  B.  Tait  Manufac- 
turing Compau}-  (incorporated),  manufac- 
turers of  agricultural  implements,  gasoline 
engines,  buggies  and  wagons.  The  other 
officers  of  the  company  are  D.  W.  Tait, 
vice-president,  and  E.  C.  Bassey,  secretary. 
This  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  im- 
portant industrial  enterprises  of  the  city 
and  its  fame  is  as  widespread  as  the  use  of 
agricultural  implements  in  the  western 
country,  nor  is  it  even  confined  to  this  im- 
mense territory.  Their  immense  ])lant, 
which  is  located  on  East  Cerro  Gordo 
street,  is  four  stories  in  height  and  covers 
a  city  block.  It  is  equipped  with  every 
labor-saving  device  possible  to  be  utilized 
and  gives  employment  to  a  force  of  one 
hunchid  and  twenty-five  skilled  workmen. 
Six  men  are  on  the  road  in  the  states  of 
Iowa,  Nebraska,  Missouri.  Kansas,  Illinois, 
South  Dakota,  Ohio  and  Indiana.  The 
brand  of  this  company  is  a  mark  of  superior 


excellence  and  their  products  once  used 
are  never  replaced  by  others. 

Mr.  Tait  is  a  native  of  Macon  county, 
lj(irn  on  a  farm  within  two  miles  of  Deca- 
tur, November  29,  1850,  his  parents  being 
James  D.  and  Susanah  Tait.  At  the  usual 
age  he  entered  the  public  schools  of  this 
count)-,  where  he  continued  his  studies  un- 
til he  was  nineteen,  and  then  became  a  stu- 
dent in  the  State  Normal  University  at 
Normal,  Illinois,  graduating  in  the  class  of 
1873.  He  then  taught  for  one  year  in  the 
Woodstock  Seminar}-  at  Woodstock,  11- 
liniiis,  and  following  this  read  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  m  1876,  after  which  he 
was  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  chosen 
profession  in  Decatur  until  1880,  when  his 
health  failed  and  he  endiarked  in  the  manu- 
facturing business  under  the  firm  name  of 
Tait  Brothers  &  Company,  check  rt)llers. 
Since  that  time  he  has  devoted  his  attention 
entirely  to  this  line  of  work  and  has  met 
with  most  excellent  success  in  his  under- 
takings. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1893,  .Mr.  Tait 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  E. 
Boyer.  lie  stands  high  in  both  business 
and  social  circles,  and  is  now  serving  as 
president  of  the  Chandler  of  Commerce,  the 
Citizens'  Alliance  of  Decatur,  and  the  Man- 
ufacturers" and  Jobbers'  Association  of 
Decatur. 


DANIEL  STOOKEY. 
No  history  of  Macon  county  would  be 
com])lete  without  the  life  record  of  Daniel 
Stookey.  He  has  now  passed  the  eighty- 
liiird  mile-stone  of  life's  journey  and  has 
witnessed  much  of  the  remarkable  advance- 
ment which  the  country  made  through  the 
nineteenth  century.  He  has  lived  to  see  the 
dawning  of  a  new  century  of  prosperity  and 
progress,  and  yet  takes  a  deep  interest  in 
;dl  that  pertains  to  the  national  welfare 
and  to  local  imi)ro\-enienl. 


722 


PAST  Ax\D  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Mr.  Stookey  was  born  in  St.  Clair  county, 
Illinois,  on  the  6th  of  March,  1820,  and  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  a  prominent  old 
family  of  this  state,  his  paternal  grand- 
father, 1  )aniel  Stookey,  having  come  to 
Illinois  as  early  as  1802.  He  was  a  native 
of  Maryland  and  was  one  of  the  hardy 
pioneers  who  aided  in  opening  up  this 
region  for  settlement  and  assisted  in  lay- 
ing broad  and  deep  the  foundation  for  its 
future  prosperity.  Our  subject  has  often 
heard  him  say  he  went  as  far  west  as  he 
could  and  stay  in  the  United  States.  By 
occupation  he  was  a  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser.  The  Stookey  family  originated  on 
the  Rhine  in  Germany.  In  1902  they  held 
a  large  re-union  in  St.  Clair  county,  this 
state,  to  celebrate  the  coming  of  the  grand- 
father to  Illinois  in  1802,  and  our  subject 
had  the  pleasure  of  attending  the  same. 
.  His  father,  Simon  Stookey,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania  and  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  removal  to  this  state.  He  married 
ATiss  Plannah  Gooding,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky, whose  father  removed  from  Vir- 
ginia to  that  state  and  in  1816  came  to 
Illinois,  taking  up  his  residence  in  St.  Clair 
county,  where  he  followed  his  chosen  oc- 
cupation— that  of  farming. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  a  family  of  ten 
children,  and  he  and  his  sister  Angle  are 
the  only  ones  now  living,  the  latter  being 
the  wife  of  M.  W.  Weir,  a  prominent  at- 
torney of  Belleville,  Illinois.  Three  of  the 
number  died  in  infancy.  Two  sons  were 
soldiers  of  the  Civil  war,  both  being  mem- 
bers of  the  Fifty-ninth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.  They  enlisted  at  Belleville  and 
James  M.  held  the  rank  of  major,  while 
Simon  J.  was  quartermaster  of  his  regi- 
ment. Both  died  in  Dade  county,  ^Missouri, 
where  they  were  engaged  in  farming  for 
some  years.  James  M.  left  a  daughter  who 
is  living  in  Carthage,  Missouri,  while  his 
wife  and  another  daughter,  Huddie,  who 
was  married  to  \\'ill  Sherman  Heller.  Octo- 


ber 14,  1903,  make  their  home  in  Alton, 
Illinois.  The  wife  of  Simon  J.  died  leav- 
ing two  daughters  in  infancy.  She  was  a 
native  of  London,  England.  Simon  J.  be- 
came acquainted  with  her  while  in  the 
army  and  they  were  married  in  New  Or- 
leans. Their  children  were  Tina,  now  Mrs. 
Dorsey,  of  Gillespie,  Illinois ;  and  Jane,  who 
died  in  young  womanhood. 

Daniel  Stookey  was  educated  in  a  countrj' 
school  near  his  home,  it  being  conducted  on 
the  subscription  plan  and  held  in  a  build- 
ing erected  for  both  church  and  school  pur- 
poses. His  education  was  somewhat  lim- 
ited, as  there  were  very  few  school  books 
at  that  time,  and  he  learned  to  read  from  a 
speller.  One  of  his  teachers,  an  Irish- 
man, taught  him  to  read  by  reading  a  sen- 
tence which'  the  pupil  would  then  re- 
peat, this  being  the  method  employed  in 
those  days.  During  his  boyhood  and  youth 
he  assisted  his  father  on  the  home  farm, 
giving  him  the  benefit  of  his  labors  until 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  com- 
menced farming  on  his  own  account  upon 
land  which  his  father  assisted  him  in  buy- 
ing. Later  our  subject  worked  in  a  saw- 
mill for  about  ten  years,  during  which  time 
he  was  able  to  save  some  money,  and  he 
then  embarked  in  the  manufacture  of  a 
grain  drill  at  Bloomington,  Illinois,  in 
1856,  carrying  on  business  at  that  place  for 
seven  years,  but  during  the  panic  which  fol- 
lowed he  lost  everything. 

In  1864  Mr.  Stookey  came  to  Macon 
county  and  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in 
Harristown  township.  Here  he  steadily 
prospered,  adding  to  his  property  by  de- 
grees until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  one  of 
the  finest  stock  farms  in  Illinois,  and  his  ac- 
cumulations have  been  the  result  of  his  own 
well  directed  and  energetic  efforts.  During 
his  early  residence  in  this  county  he  was 
quite  extensively  engaged  in  the  stock  busi- 
ness, which  he  found  very  profitable.  While 
his  eyesight  is  at  present  much  impaired  he 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MAGON  COUNTY. 


r23 


still  attends  to  his  financial  affairs,  but  his 
son  Lewis,  who  lives  with  him,  manages 
the  farm.  His  home  is  an  elegant  mansion 
just  east  of  the  village  of  Harristovvn,  and 
here,  surrounded  b}^  all  the  comforts  of 
life,  he  is  spending  his  declining  years  in 
ease  and  quiet. 

Mr.  Stookey  was  married  in  St.  Clair 
county  in  1845  to  Miss  Caroline  Goodner, 
a  native  of  that  county  and  a  daughter  of 
Benjamin  and  Nancy  (Jackson)  Goodner, 
who  were  born  in  Tennessee  and  became 
residents  of  St.  Glair  county  at  an  early 
day.  Six  children  blessed  this  union  and 
four  of  the  number  are  still  living. 

Lewis  Stookey,  the  oldest  of  the  children, 
attended  the  public  schools  of  St.  Clair 
county  for  some  years,  and  later  was  a 
student  at  the  public  and  normal  schools  of 
Bloomington,  and  Shurtleff  College  in  Up- 
per Alton,  Illinois.  After  completing  his 
education  he  returned  home  and  began  farm- 
ing for  himself  and  later  took  an  interest 
in  the  home  place,  now  having  entire 
charge  of  the  farm.  In  connection  with 
general  farming  he  is  engaged  in  the  raising 
of  shorthorn  cattle  for  market  and  is  doing 
an  extensive  business  in  that  line.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Leona  Childs,  a  daughter  of  John 
S.  Childs,  now  living  in  Decatur,  and  to 
them  were  born  three  children,  but  one  is 
now  deceased.  The  others  are  Marshall 
and  Helen,  who  are  graduates  of  the  De- 
catur high  school,  as  was  also  their  mother, 
and  are  now  attending  the  L^niversity  of 
Illinois,  at  Champaign.  Lewis  Stookey  is 
a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Republican  party 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belongs. 
The  family  is  one  of  prominence  in  the 
community  where  they  reside. 

Daniel  Wesley  Stookey,  the  second  son 
of  our  subject,  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  l^loomington,  later  attended 
school  in  this  county  and  was  afterward  a 
student  at  the  ITniversity  of  Illinois,  where 


he  was  graduated  in  1876.  For  a  short 
time  he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
tile,  at  Buffalo,  Illinois,  and  from  there  re- 
moved to  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  the  same  business.  He  and  his 
family  are  active  and  prominent  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  he 
is  now  serving  as  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school.  At  one  time  he  was  also 
president  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation of  Cedar  Rapids.  His  political 
support  is  given  the  Republican  party.  He 
married  Miss  Angle  Dunnock,  of  Mechan- 
icsburg,  Illinois,  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  one  daughter,  namely: 
Margaret,  Daniel  D.,  Carl,  Lewis  and 
Keith. 

^lary,  a  daughter  af  our  subject,  is  the 
wife  of  E.  B.  Randle,  now  living  in  Muncie, 
Indiana.  He  is  a  Methodist  minister  and 
is  pastor  of  the  largest  church  at  that  ])lace. 
.\t  one  time  he  was  presiding  elder  in  De- 
catur. Illinois.  Fraternally  he  is  a  Knight 
Tem]:)lar  ^Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
])endent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  politi- 
cally is  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife 
have  three  chilrlren:  Lalah,  Foster  and 
Hubert. 

Florence,  the  youngest  of  the  Stookey 
family,  is  the  wife  of  S.  M.  Lutz,  of  Decatur, 
who  is  proprietor  of  the  largest  music  house 
in  central  Illinois,  and  they  are  the  jiarents 
of  three  children :  Caroline,  Robert  and 
Eloisc.  Mr.  Lutz  is  also  a  Republican  in 
politics  and  he  and  his  family  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

On  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Stookey 
became  a  Democrat  and  continued  to  sup- 
]")ort  that  parly  until  the  seciMid  election  of 
Abraham  Lincoli>.  when  he  voted  for  the 
martyr  president  and  has  since  affiliated 
with  the  Republican  party.  He  is  a  man 
of  broad  general  information  and  has  always 
kept  well  informed  on  political  questions. 
Although  he  has  met  with  reverses  in  life  he 
has  usually  prospered,  being  a  man  of  sound 


724 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


judgment  and  good  business  and  executive 
ability,  so  that  he  is  to-day  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial men  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
honored  and  highly  esteemed  citizens  of 
the  county  in  wliich  he  lives. 


ADAM  KREHER. 

Adam  Kreher,  one  of  the  most  prominent 
German  citizens  of  Decatur,  has  here  re- 
sided through  twenty-nine  years  and 
throughout  this  period  his  record  has  been 
so  creditable  that  he  enjoys  in  an  unlimited 
degree  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  those 
with  whom  he  has  been  associated.  His 
birth  place  was  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany, 
antl  his  parents  were  Emerich  and  Cathe- 
rine Kreher,  in  whose  family  were  five. chil- 
dren, three  sons  and  two  daughters.  Of 
this  number  two  have  passed  away.  It 
was  in  the  year  1856  that  the,  parents 
crossed  the  .\tlantic  to  America,  making 
their  way  to  Chicago.  The  father  was  a 
veterinary  surgeon  and  practiced  his  pro- 
fession for  about  si.x  months  in  that  city, 
after  which  he  removed  to  St.  Clair  county. 
Illinois,  where  he  continued  in  practice  up 
to  the  time  of  his  death.  His  wife  has  also 
passed  away. 

Adam  Kreher  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  the  fatherland  and  after  arriving 
in  the  new  world  he  went  to  St.  Louis  in 
order  to  learn  the  butcher's  trade,  being  at 
that  time  but  fourteen  years  of  age.  For 
thirteen  years  he  remained  in  St.  Louis,  and 
then  removed  to  DuOuoin,  Illinois,  where 
he  embarked  in  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count, conducting  a  market  for  over  two 
years.  He  then  returned  to  St.  Clair  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  and  after  two  years  there  he 
went  to  Grand  Tower.  Illinois,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  business  for  seven  yeans. 
In  1875  he  arrived  in  Decatur  and  entered 
the  employ  of  Blenz  &  Danzeisen,  with 
wiiich  firm  he  remained  for  two  years.  He 
was    afterward    in     the     service     of     Blenz 


Brothers,  for  a  short  time  and  later  was 
connected  with  the  firm  of  Imboden  Broth- 
ers for  two  years.  Resolving  to  once  more 
engage  in  business  on  his  own  account  he 
then  opened  a  market  near  the  depot,  where 
he  remained  for  several  years,  after  which 
he  sold  out  and  again  worked  for  Adam 
Blenz  for  a  short  time.  Subsequently  he 
entered  the  employ  of  G.  J.  Danzeisen,  with 
whom  he  remained  for  seven  years,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  business  for  himself  at- 
his  present  location — Xo.  879  North  Mon- 
roe street.  Here  he  has  remained  for  ten 
years  and  has  been  very  successful  in  the 
conduct  of  his  market,  accumulating  a  com- 
fortable competence.  He  is  recognized  as 
one  of  the  most  experienced  and  capable 
men  in  his  line  of  business  in  Decatur,  and 
in  his  business  career  has  instituted 
methods  that  have  won  for  him  the  pub- 
lic confidence  and  therefore  a  generous 
share  of  the  public  support. 

In  1863  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Kreher  and  Miss  Catherine  Berg.  Of  the 
ten  children  born  of  their  union  nine  are 
yet  living,  as  follows :  Lena,  the  wife  of 
John  Van  Ende,  of  Decatur ;  Kate,  the  wife 
of  Charles  Lewis,  Jr.,  who  is  living  upon 
a  farm  in  this  state:  John,  of  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois: Anna,  the  wife  of  Gus  Meyers,  of 
Odanah,  Wisconsin;  .intone,  who  is  now 
living  in  Moweaqua ;  Clara,  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Olson,  of  Odanah,  XMsconsin ; 
Mary,  of  this  city ;  and  Frank  and  Leo,  who 
are  living  in  Decatur.  Mr.  Kreher  votes  in- 
dependently, but  takes  an  active  interest 
in  politics  and  in  matters  of  citizenship  he 
is  also  deeply  interested,  advocating  the 
improvement  and  material  advancement  of 
Decatur  and  aiding  in  many  ways  for  the 
]iromotion  of  its  interests. 


T.   X.   LEAVITT. 
T.  X.  Leavitt.  of  Maroa,  needs  no  special 
introduction   to  the  readers  of  this  \-olume 
but  the  work  would  be  incomplete  without 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COl^NTV 


72.'; 


the  record  of  his  Hfe.  There  is  hardl}-  a 
man  in  Macon  county  who  has  been  more 
prominently  identified  with  the  commercial 
or  political  history  of  the  coniinimil\'  or  has 
taken  a  more  active  part  in  its  upbuilding 
and  pr(jgress.  He  has  ever  cheerfidly  given 
his  support  to  those  enterprises  thai  lend 
to  public  development  and  has  been  con- 
nected with  many  interests  which  have 
promoted  the  general  welfare. 

Mr.  Leavitt  was  born  in  Rockingham 
count}',  New  Hampshire,  in  1838,  and  is  a 
son  of  A.  1j.  and  l-'annie  (Fogg)  Leavitt. 
The  father,  who  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
brought  his  family  to  Illinois  in  1844  'i"'' 
for  five  years  they  made  their  home  in 
Peoria  county.  On  the  15th  of  .\pril,  1849. 
he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  and 
landed  in  Sacramento  on  the  15th  of  Sep- 
tember. Although  he  reached  his  destina- 
tion in  safety  he  died  in  the  Golden  state 
the  following  year.  His  wife  long  survived 
him  and  died  in  .Marshall  ciuint\-.  lllinnis. 
in  1896. 

For  two  years  after  the  father  went  west 
the  family  lived  on  a  farm  in  Marshall 
county,  and  then  removeil  to  Henry,  Illi- 
nois, where  our  subject  was  principally  edu- 
cated, though  for  two  years  he  was  also  a 
student  in  the  Northern  Illinois  Institute, 
now  discontinued.  After  entering  upon  his 
business  career  he  drove  cattle  to  Minne- 
sota for  two  years,  and  for  the  same  length 
of  time  was  engaged  in  farming  in  .Marshall 
county,   Illijiois. 

It  was  on  the  13th  of  .\])ril,  1861,  that 
Mr.  Leavitt  removed  to  Maroa  and  his  first 
employment  there  was  in  breaking  prairie 
for  W.  H.  I'.nnis.  In  \hv  spring  of  1862 
he  put  in  ;i  croj)  but  did  not  remain  to  see 
it  de\elop,  for  feeling  that  his  counlrv  need- 
ed his  services  in  putting  down  the  rebellion 
in  the  south,  he  enlisted  the  same  year  in 
Company  C,  Sixty-sixth  X'olunteer  Infantry 
under  Colonel  Patrick  Burke.  He  partici- 
pated    in     the    battle   of    Corinth,    was   v.ll 


through  the  Atlanta  campaign,  and  accom- 
panied (ieneral  Sherman  on  his  celebrated 
march  to  the  sea.  Mr.  Leavitt  was  with  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  and  saw  much  hard 
fighting.  .At  one  time  he  was  wounded  in 
the  head  by  a  ten-pound  shell,  which  has 
made  him  slightly  deaf,  and  he  alst)  had  the 
sole  of  his  shoe  shot  oft'  at  another  time. 
At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  mustered 
out  at   Rome,  (leorgia. 

(Jn  his  return  home  he  engaged  in  hand- 
ling grain,  shelling  corn,  etc.,  for  a  time, 
and  later  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  bus- 
iness until  1879.  He  next  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  lumber,  implement  and  coal  bus- 
iness, which  he  carried  on  quite  success- 
fully until  January,  1902,  when  he  sold  out 
and  has  since  been  connected  with  Reeves 
&  C'Mm|)any.  of  .^'^pringtield.  in  the  threshing 
machine  business.  As  the  years  have  passed 
he  has  steadily  ])ros|)ered  and  is  to-day  one 
of  the  wealthy  citizens  of  the  county.  He 
is  a  ilirector  in  the  State  liank  of  Clinton, 
Illinois;  is  interested  in  a  five  thousand 
acre  rice  ])lantation  near  Pay  City,  Texas; 
and  owns  i\vv  or  six  store  buildings  in 
.\laroa,  which  he  rents,  besides  several 
dwellings. 

In  185S  .Mr.  Leavitt  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Catharine  Ann  Crowell,  a 
daughter  of  Moses  and  Salina  Crowell,  and 
to  them  was  born  one  child.  Clara  F.,  now 
the  wife  of  James  F.  Harris,  of  Maroa.  The 
family  have  a  beautiful  home  which  Mr. 
Leaxill  built  t^riginalh'  for  1  )r.  Morgan,  and 
when  the  Doctor  left  Maroa  he  purchased 
the  ])lace.  The  house  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  five  thousand  dollars,  is  well  and  taste- 
fully furnished,  and  is  supplied  with  a  De- 
troit gas  machine,  wdiich  furnishes  the  gas 
for  lighting  and  cooking.  The  grounds 
around  the  residence  are  very  beautiful, 
in  fact  it  is  one  of  the  nicest  homes  of  the 
place, 

-Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leavitt  are  both  members 
•jf  the  C'hristian  church  and  he  also  belongs 


126 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


to  the  Masonic  fraternit\-,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
pubhci  Since  castmg  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  .\brahani  Lincohi  he  has  affiliated 
with  the  Republican  party  and  has  taken 
a  vcr}-  active  and  influential  part  in  local 
politics.  For  seventeen  years  he  filled  the 
office  of  postmaster , of  Maroa,  was  chairman 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  one  year  and 
was  a  member  of  the  lower  house  in  the 
thirty-eighth  general  assembly.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  state  board  of  equali- 
zation for  four  years  and  was  nominated 
for  another  term  but  was  defeated  by  a 
small  majorit}-  in  a  district  which  was 
strongly  Democratic.  His  public  life  has 
been  most  exemplary  and  he  has  left  office 
as  lie  entered  it,  with  the  confidence  and 
high  regard  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

As  a  self-made  man,  ]Mr.  Leavitt  enjoys 
the  reward  of  his  painstaking  and  consci- 
entious w-ork.  By  his  energy,  perseverance 
and  fine  business  ability  he  has  been  en- 
abled to  secure  an  ample  fortune.  Social, 
educational  and  moral  interests  have  been 
promoted  by  him  and  anj'thing  that  tends 
to  uplift  and  benefit  humanity  secures  his 
hearty  co-operation. 


WILLIAM  HEXRY  CARMEAX. 
William  Henry  Carmean,  a  retired  farmer 
and  a  representative  of  one  of  the  early 
famiHes  of  Macon  county  connected  with 
this  section  of  the  state  since  1849.  w^as 
born  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  August  24, 
1829.  He  w-as  therefore  a  young  man  of 
twenty  years  wlien  he  came  to  the  west  and 
here  he  has  grown  to  advanced  age,  living  a 
life  of  usefulness,  activity  and  honor.  His 
parents  were  James  and  Mary  (Miller)  Car- 
mean,  the  former  a  native  of  Maryland  and 
the  latter  of  Virginia.  After  their  marriage 
they  took  up  their  abode  on  a  farm  in  Pick- 
awav   count\-,   Ohio,   where   thev   lived    for 


several  years  and  then  they  removed  tO' 
Marion  county  in  the  same,  state,  where 
the  father  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits until  1849,  when  he  brought  his  fam- 
ily to  the  Mississippi  valley,  settling  in  Ma- 
con county,  Illinois.  He  purchased  an  ex- 
tensive farm  in  Long  Creek  township, 
known  as  the  old  Smaly  farm,  and  thereon 
the  family  resided,  his  attention  being  given 
to  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  and  the  im- 
provement of  his  property  until  his  death. 
His  wife  has  also  passed  away  and  only- 
three  of  the  children  are  now  living,  the 
sisters  of  our  subject  being  married  and 
residing  upon  farms  in  Long  Creek  town- 
ship. 

The  educational  privileges  which  A\'illiam 
Henry  Carmean  received  were  limited  ta 
those  afforded  by  the  public  school  system 
of  Ohio  at  an  early  period.  Schools  were 
not  very  good  at  that  time  as  compared 
Avith  those  of  the  present  day,  but  from 
experience  and  observation  Mr.  Carmean 
gained  many  valuable  lessons.  After  put- 
ting aside  his  text  books  he  assisted  his 
father  on  the  home  farm,  being  thus  en- 
gaged until  he  had  attained  his  majority. 

In  early  manhood,  desiring  a  companion 
and  helpmate  for  the  journey  of  life,  he 
wedded  ^liss  Mary  Scott,  a  daughter  of 
John  Scott,  who  came  to  the  west  at  an 
early  day,  settling  in  Christian  county, 
Illinois,  where  both  he  and  his  wife  died 
during  the  early  girlhood  of  their  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Carmean.  She  was  thus  left  an 
orphan  and  was  reared  by  a  family  in  the 
neighborhood.  Her  death  occurred  in  .\pril, 
1864.  She  had  become  the  mother  of  three 
children:  JNlartha,  wdio  died  in  childhood; 
George  and  James,  w-ho  have  also  passed 
away.  The  elder  son  married  Eliza  Gott 
and  they  resided  upon  a  farm  in  Long  Creek 
township.  They  had  five  children:  Maude, 
Mclvin,  Gustin,  George  Leslie  and  John 
Henry.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Carmean 
chose    ]\Irs.    r^Iary    (Davis)    Spalding,    who 


'Jr<^JL 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


729 


was  born  in  Macon  counly,  June  14,  184J, 
a  daughter  of  James  and  Eliza  (Campbell) 
Davis.  She  also  came  of  an  early  family 
of  Macon  county,  the  ]J)a\ises  having  lo- 
cated here  in  1832,  at  which  time  the  family 
homestead  was  established  in  Long  Creek 
township.  There  the  father  devoted  his 
energies  to  agricultural  pursuits  until  his 
death.  His  wife  also  died  there  at  the  very 
advanced  age  of  ninety-one  years.  By  the 
second  marriage  of  Mr.  Carmean  there  has 
been  one  child  born :  Grace,  now  the  wife 
of  H.  B.  Clark,  who  resides  on  a  farm  in 
I-ong  Creek  township.  'Jliey  have  three 
children:  Annie  Grace,  Mary  L.  and  Earl 
Lee. 

After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Carmean 
jiurchased  a  tract  of  land  on  section  30, 
Long  Creek  township,  and  with  character- 
istic energy  began  its  development  and  im- 
provement, transforming  it  into  a  \aluablc 
property.  He  placed  the  fields  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  and  in  connection  with 
the  production  of  the  crops  best  adapted 
to  the  soil  and  climate  he  also  engaged  in 
stock-raising;  in  fact,  he  made  the  latter 
l)ursuit  the  principal  department  of  his 
business  and  carried  it  on  until  1891,  when 
he  removed  to  Decatur,  built  his  present 
residence  and  has  since  li\cd  a  retired  life. 
His  home  is  at  No.  850  South  Webster  street 
and  is  one  of  the  best  in  that  section  of  the 
city. 

>Mr.  Carmean  held  several  minor  offices  in 
his  township,  sucli  as  school  director  and 
township  trustee.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican until  1888,  since  which  time  he 
has  endorsed  the  Prohibition  princi]jles,  but 
usually  votes  for  the  best  men  regardless 
of  parly  affiliations.  Both  he  ami  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Cirace  Methodist-  Epis- 
copal church  of  Decatur.  He  now  owns  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  the  best  farm- 
ing land  in  Long  Creek  township  and  the 
rental  brings  to  him  a  good  income.  His 
life  of  activity  has  been  crowned  with  splen- 


did linancial  results  and  shows  the  force 
of  industry  and  enterprise  in  the  affairs  of 
life.  During  his  long  residence  in  the  county 
he  has  witnessed  its  many  changes  and  has 
also  borne  a  pari  in  llie  work  which  has 
transformed  it  from  a  frontier  region  fo  a 
highly  developed  section  of  this  great  state. 
Whatever  has  been  for  its  benefit  has  re- 
ceived his  endorsement  and  many  times 
he  has  given  -.his  co-operation  to  improve- 
ments for  the  general  good. 


WH.LIAM    T.    ATOFFETT. 

The  ancestral  history  of  our  subject,  so 
far  as  known,  dates  from  the  birth  of  Wil- 
liam Moffat  (such  was  his  spelling  of  the 
surname)  in  Scotland,  in  the  year  1685. 
F.arly  in  the  eighteenth  century  he  moved 
with  his  Scotch  wife  to  the  north  of  Ire- 
land and  there  raised  a  number  of  children, 
among  them  James,  born  in  1720.  James 
married  in.  Ireland  and  from  his  marriage, 
William,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  born,  at  Legagowan,  Ireland,  in  1763. 
Religious  and  political  oppression  drove 
William  out  of  Ireland  to  America,  he  land- 
ing at  Philadelphia  in  the  spring  of  1784. 
About  two  years  later  he  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky and  therjc  founded  the  "  Old  Ken- 
tucky stock  of  Moffetts."  His  son  John 
B.  MofTett  was  the  father  of  William 
Thomas  Moffett  of  whom  we  now  speak. 

William  T.  Moffett,  the  youngest  child 
of  John  I'.,  and  Patsy  (Morgan)  Moffett, 
was  born  in  a  log  hut  upon  the  sparsely 
settled  prairie  of  Illinois,  seven  miles  south- 
west of  Springfield,  on  the  19th  of  Febru- 
arv,  1826.  When  six  weeks  old  his  mother 
died  leaving  him  largely  to  the  care  of  his 
most  faithful  father.  In  those  days  and  at 
such  ])laces  there  was  dearth  of  medical  as- 
sistance, conveniences  were  meager  and 
neighbors  far  apart.  Under  these  circum- 
stances his  voung  life  became  fraught  with 


34 


730 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


perils,  and  at  times  was  despaired  of.  For- 
tunately possessed  of  vigorous  physical 
powers  and  a  strong  vitality,  he  was  ena- 
bled to  baffle  the  untoward  dangers  and 
develop  into  a  strong,  active  and  ambitious 
boy.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  moved  to 
Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  attended 
school  for  some  two  years  and  thence  to 
Rushville,  Schuyler  count}^  Illinois,  where 
he  lived  for  about  three  jears  attending 
school  and  assisting  his  father,  who  was  a 
carpenter  and  wheelwright. 

In  1841  he  moved  with  his  father  to 
j\Iacon  county,  Illinois,  and  settled  on  lands 
in  the  edge  of  the  timber  along  the  south 
bank  of  the  .Sangamon  river  in  what  years 
afterward  became  Blue  Alound  township. 
The  building  site  selected  was  a  hjU  situ- 
ated across  the  river  and  a  half  mile  to  the 
west  of  where  Abraham  Lincoln  lived  ten 
years  before.  Here  the  well  known  "  yioi- 
fett  Settlement  "  was  made,  and  here  Wil- 
liam T.  Moffett  made  his  home  until  his 
marriage,  when  he  moved  upon  a  portion 
of  the  same  lands,  which  he  afterward  be- 
came seized  of,  and  upon  which  he  resided 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  October 
II,  1901.  Thus,  for  sixty  years  his  home 
was  in  Macon  county,  which  time  covers  a 
period  nearly  contemporaneous  with  the 
corporate  existence  of  the  county,  and  dur- 
ing which  period  most  of  the  political  sub- 
divisions of  the  county  have  been  created. 
The  boyhood  days  of  Mr.  Moffett  were  not 
eventful.  He  attended  the  common  schools, 
some  of  them  subscription  schools,  was  an 
apt  scholar,  at  least  in  mathematics,  and 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  taught  one  term 
of  school.  His  education,  while  not  exten- 
sive, was  of  a  very  practical  sort.  Broad  in 
his  conceptions  and  generally  logical  in  his 
reasoning,  he  was  recognized  among  his 
fellows  as  possessing  a  large  fund  of  what 
we  call  "  common  sense."  To  a  very  con- 
siderable extent  nature  marked  him  as  a 
leader,    and    his    opinions    were    therefore 


both  sought  and  trusted.  His  political 
preferences  were  early  manifested.  In  the 
notable  campaign  of  1840,  when  but  four- 
teen years  of  age,  he  took  a  lively  interest 
in  the  election  of  General  Harrison  for  pres- 
ident. He  attended  political  gatherings  for 
miles  around  and  his  voice  was  often  heard 
shouting  the  slogan  "  Tippecanoe  and  Ty- 
ler, too."  As  a  boy  upon  the  farm,  in  the 
workshop  or  at  his  father's  mill,  he  was 
always  industrious,  obedient  and  true  to 
every  undertaking.  He  rather  invited  dif- 
ficult tasks  and  enjoyed  the  labor  of  their 
accomplishment. 

As  a  representative  of  the  pioneers  of 
this  country  his  history  becomes  interest- 
ing and  likewise  instructive.  Early  in  life 
he  became  inured  to  the  regime  of  manual 
toil.  The  wild,  unbroken  fields  lay  before 
him  and  he  desired  to  make  them  respond 
to  the  touch  of  labor.  Appliances  for  this 
work  were  rude,  but  those  at  hand  he  util- 
ized. He  would  yoke  the  oxen,  fasten  them 
to  what  we  would  now  call  an  ill  designed 
sod  plow,  and  then  in  slow,  vmeven  tread 
he  would  cross  and  re-cross  the  fields  while 
the  sod  would  turn  leisurely  over  in  irregu- 
lar laps  as  if  flouting  the  skill  of  the  hus- 
bandman. Upon  this  overturning  of  the 
sod  the  seed  was  sown,  not  in  the  almost 
e.xact  mathematical  order  the  labor-saving 
machinery  of  to-day  does  it  but  in  the  hap- 
hazard manner  incident  to  the  swinging  of 
tlie  arm.  \\'hen  the  small  grain  ripened  he 
used  the  scythe  and  cradle  to  garner  it  in 
and  the  flail  to  thresh  it  out.  There  were 
no  markets  of  importance  nearer  than  Chi- 
cago -or  St.  Louis.  It  required  weeks  to 
transport  grain  and  stock  to  these  markets, 
for  there  were  no  railroads  then  in  this 
country.  But  the  products  of  the  farm  had 
a  bartering  value  and  two  bushels  of  wheat 
were  often  exchanged  for  one  yard  of  cal- 
ico. Money  was  scarce  and  of  uncertain 
value;  gold  hardly  obtainable  in  sufficient 
quantities   to   meet    the   deferred   payments 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


(31 


due  tlic  government  upon  lands  entered. 
Kconuniy — rigid  economy — was  necessar- 
ily practiced.  To  make  ends  meet  required 
not  only  this,  but  often  denials  of  the  very 
accessaries  of  life.  The  sacrifices  of  these 
forerunners  of  our  civilization  deserve  an 
encomium  far  more  sublime  than  any  that 
has  yet  been  spoken.  .Mr.  Aloli'ett  wore 
clothing  that  was  carded,  spun,  wove  and 
made  in  his  own  home;  he  would  hunt 
wolves,  carry  corn  to  the  grist-mill,  fight 
prairie  fires,  attend  corn  huskings  and 
house  raisings,  and  experiencetl  in  all  its 
rigors,  what  no  pioneer  escaped,  the  old- 
time  '■  ague."  Upon  attaining  manhood's 
estate  .Mr.  Moft'ett  became  imbued  with  a 
spirit  of  adventure.  Colonel  Sutter's  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California  presented  new 
and  glaring  opportunities  for  acquiring 
riches  in  that  far-off  west.  So,  in  1849,  '''^ 
crossed  the  plains  in  charge  of  a  division 
of  the  wagon  train  and  landed  at  Sacra- 
mento. There  for  a  short  time  he  engaged 
in  placer  mining  and  then  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  freighting.  His  adventure  was 
proving  highly  remunerative  and  he  was 
loath  to  abandon  it ;  but,  after  an  absence 
of  eighteen  months,  at  the  earnest  and  re- 
peated solicitations  of  his  father,  he  sailed 
for  home,  making  the  return  journey  by 
way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  Havana 
and   New  Orleans. 

Upon  reaching  home  he  found  his  fath- 
er's business  affairs  in  an  unsatisfactory 
condition.  The  large  estate  was  encum- 
bered, family  e.xpenses  were  enhanced,  and 
a  genera!  financial  crisis  was  approaching. 
The  return  of  the  son  was  to  his  father  an 
omen  of  security;  loyalty  to  his  father's 
interests  was  of  first  importance  with  Mr. 
Mofifett.  So,  turning  the  money  earned  in 
California,  which  was  considerable,  to  meet 
pressing  demands,  he  then  set  about  wil- 
lingly and  by  tmremitting  toil  to  make  the 
forest  and  the  prairie  yield  up  their  fruits 
to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  future.    Many 


of  the  best  years  of  his  life  were  devoted  to 
this  purpose,  and  the  estate  was  saved. 

On  October  14,  1856,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Helen  L,  ISarrows,  at 
r.ritlport.  \'ermont.  Eight  children  were 
born  to  them,  six  of  whom  are  now  living, 
three  sons  ami  lliree  daughters.  During 
the  forty-five  years  of  his  married  life  he 
was  a  devoted  husband  and  to  his  children 
he  was  ever  kind  and  indulgent. 

In  politics  Mr.  MofTett  was  first  an 
ardent  Whig  and  supported  that  party  so 
long  as  it  had  a  candidate  in  the  field.  In 
1856  he  cast  his  vote  for  .Millard  Fillmore 
for  president,  not  because  Fillmore  was  a 
'■  Know  Nothing,"  but  because  he  was  a 
\\'hig.  Henry  Clay  was  his  political  ideal 
and  the  "  American  system  of  protection  " 
his  shibboleth.  These  opinions  came  in 
part  by  inheritance  from  his  father,  who 
as  a  native  born  and  reared  citizen  of  Ken- 
tucky, was  a  devotee  of  the  ''  Great  Com- 
moner " ;  and,  in  part,  from  independent 
thought.  \\'ith  him  it  was  a  short  step 
from  the  ^^'hig  to  the  Republican  party, 
for  he  had  no  especial  interest  in  the  main- 
tenance of  slavery  and  his  ideas  of  tariff 
were  adopted  l^y  the  latter  party ;  but  per- 
hajis  Iiis  greatest  reason  for  uniting  with 
the  Republican  party  was  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  L'nion.  He  had  a  personal  ac- 
quaintance with  Lincoln  as  a  man  and  a 
lawyer,  and  had  formed  a  good  opinion  of 
his  ability  and  character,  and  admired  him 
as  the  .standard  bearer  of  the  party  in  i860. 
While  Mr.  Moffett  never  became  a  soldier 
in  active  service  during  the  Civil  war,  yet 
he  Milunteered  and  went  to  Camp  Butler  to 
engage  in  the  service,  when  on  account  of 
the  serious  illness  and  subsequent  death  of 
his  father,  he  returned  home,  but  for  which 
occurrence  he  would  undoubtedly  have 
been  actively  engaged  in  the  conllict.  Later 
in  the  war  he  was  commissioned  by  Gov- 
ernor Yates  as  captain  of  a  company  of 
\-olunteer  home  guards  and   in   that   capac- 


i3-2 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ity  rendered  valiant  service  to  the  Union 
cause.  He  smote  treason  wherever  he 
found  it  lurking  in  the  rear  of  the  Union 
army.  Despising  disloyalty  to  his  govern- 
ment, he  would  tear  the  masks  from  the 
faces  of  those  who  sought  to  hide  their 
treason  and  hold  them  up  to  public  scorn 
and  contempt. 

In  1861  he  represented  Blue  Mound 
township  on  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
^lacon  county.  He  filled  this  position 
again  in  1864  and  for  the  five  succeeding 
years,  also  in  1876  and  1894,  making  nine 
years  he  served  in  that  capacity.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Twenty-seventh  and 
Twenty-eighth  General  Assemblies  of  the 
state  of  Illinois.  In  1876  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  state  board  of  equalization 
and,  serving  two  years  as  such,  he  resigned 
to  take  his  seat  in  the  state  senate  of  Il- 
linois, which  he  accupied  for  four  years. 
During  all  the  years  of  his  pubHc  life  he 
performed  his  duties  fearlessly,  meritori- 
ously and  honestly.  He  left  a  clean  record 
and  an  untarnished  reputation. 

In  his  private  walks  of  life  and  in  his 
home  we  find  his  true  character  and  worth 
revealed.  As  a  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church  he  gave  liberally  to 
its  support  for  upwards  of  forty  years.  He 
frequently  attended  its  synod  and  general 
assembly  meetings  and  felt  deeply  inter- 
ested in  whatever  promoted  the  interests 
of  the  church.  His  religious  ways  were  not 
spasmodic  and  impetuous,  but  even,  regu- 
lar, firm.  He  taught  correct  thinking  and 
living  by  example  rather  than  precept.  Of 
a  hospitable  nature,  the  society  of  his  fam- 
ily, his  neighbors  and  friends  was  pleasing 
to  him.  Without  ostentation  himself,  he 
recognized  no  distinction  between  men  on 
account  of  material  affluence.  Affectation 
in  any  of  its  forms  was  distasteful  to  him. 
Canting  hypocrisy  and  sycophancy  were 
entirely  foreign  to  his  make-up.  Thorough- 
Iv  democratic  in  his  thoughts,  manners  and 


living,  he  bowed  respectfully  only  to  that 
nobility  born  of  the  heart  and  mind.  The 
many  private  offices  of  trust  he  filled  as 
executor  and  administrator  of  estates  be- 
speak the  general  confidence  reposed  in 
his  integrity.  He  was  popular  because  eas- 
ily approached  and  generous  in  his  treat- 
ment. If  it  can  be  said  that  he  possessed  a 
distinguishing  trait  in  his  business  and  so- 
cial life,  it  was  his  disposition  to  help  those 
unfortunate  or  in   distress. 

Mr.  Moffett  was  a  successful  farmer  and 
business  man.  His  commodious  home  and 
large  farm  attest  his  thrift  and  enterprise. 
In  all  that  pertained  to  his  business  he  kept 
abreast  of  the  times.  The  promotion  of 
agricultural  matters  at  all  times  received 
his  active  interest  and  support.  When  the 
"Farmers'  Institute"  of  the  county  was  or- 
ganized he  became  its  first  president.  Edu- 
cational matters  received  a  large  share  of 
his  attention.  For  years  a  director  in  his 
school  district,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  Lincoln  University, 
Lincoln,  Illinois,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
state  legislature  he  became  interested  in  our 
state  university  at  Urbana,  Illinois;  and 
during  his  last  years  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  directors  of-  the  James  Millikin 
University,  Decatur,  Illinois,  he  discharged 
his  duty  in  these  several  positions  with' 
pleasure  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  the 
public. 

Early  in  1901  a  fatal  disease  had  seized 
him,  but  with  an  abiding  patience  and 
splendid  fortitude,  he  was  able  to  wave 
back  for  a  time  the  approach  of  dissolu- 
tion :  and,  lingering  through  the  summer 
months  of  that  3'ear  and  far  into  the  fall 
to  where  nature  was  changing  her  garb 
for  a  new  season,  then  he,  too,  nature's 
child  as  he  had  always  been,  changed  his 
garb  to  enter  the  new  life.  He  left  as  his 
richest  legacy  to  his  widow  and  children 
an  honored  name ;  his  worldly  affairs  were 
placed   in   the   hands   of  his   three   boys  to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


733 


control,    manage    and    administer    for    the 
benefit  of  his  ever  devoted  and  loving  wife. 

Mrs.  Helen  L.  Aioffett,  his  widow,  still 
survives  him.  In  years  she  is  now  beyond 
the  allotted  three  score  and  ten,  but  still 
enjoying  a  fair  measure  of  good  health. 
She  is  the  eldest  daughter  of  Josiah  and 
Susan  (Walker)  Barrows,  and  was  born 
near  the  inland  town  of  Bridport,  in  Addison 
county,  Vermont,  on  the  ist  day  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1832.  The  only  near  relative  now 
living  is  a  sister,  Mrs.  A.  C  Allinson,  of 
Table  Rock,  Nebraska.  General  Artemus 
Ward,  whom  Washington  succeeded  as 
commander-in-chief  of  the  American  army, 
was  her  great  uncle. 

The  site  of  her  Vermont  home  is  a  beau- 
tiful and  picturesque  place.  It  is  upon 
the  summit  of  a  hill  where  looking  east- 
ward the  Green  mountains  present  a  view 
of  perennial  verdure,  and  on  the  west  arc 
the  massive  and  towering  Adirondacks. 
There  the  first  beams  of  morning  break 
upon  the  mountain  tops  of  the  east  and  the 
latest  beams  of  evening  fall  behind  the 
mountain  peaks  of  the  west.  Some  four 
miles  distant,  and  between  these  mountain 
scenes,  are  the  clear,  silvery  waters  of  Lake 
Champlain.  All  about  are  the  hillside  and 
valley  farms  upon  which  quaint  but  sub- 
stantial buildings  rest;  and  everywhere  are 
to  be  seen  evidences  of  thrift,  enterprise 
and  frugality,  which  are  permeated  by  a 
moral  stamina,  altogether  worthy  the  de- 
scendants of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers.  In  the 
early  days  of  the  American  Revolution  this 
very  soil  was  consecrated  to  civil  liberty. 
Over  and  across  it  the  colonial  bands 
marched  to  strike  here  and  there  a  blow  for 
independence.  Just  across  the  lake  on  its 
west  bank  were  Crown  Point  and  Fort  Ti- 
conderoga,  and  these  places,  then  important 
commanding  positions  of  the  British,  were 
assaulted  and  captured  by  the  intrepid 
Green  Mountain  boys  under  the  command 
of   the   gallant   Ethan    Allen    "in   the    name 


of  the   Great  Jcho\ah   and  the  Continental 
Congress." 

These  natural  features  and  historical 
facts  always  inspired  in  Mrs.  Moffett  a  just 
pride  in  her  New  England  home,  but  from 
a  more  personal  standpoint  its  memories 
have  become  hallowed.  There  were  her 
playmates  of  youth  with  whom  ties  of  af- 
fection bound  her  for  life ;  there,  as  a  girl, 
she  went  tripping  down  the  hill  and  over 
the  narrow  highway  to  the  little  red  school- 
house  ;  there  she  was  awakened  to  a  realiza- 
tion that  life  is  earnest  and  full  of  possi- 
bilities ;  there  her  marriage  vows  were 
spoken;  and  there  lies  the  sacred  dust  of 
her  father  and  sister. 

\'ery  early  in  life  Mrs.  Moffett  began  to 
prepare  herself  carefully  to  become  a  school 
teacher.  With  diligence  and  close  applica- 
tion  she  became  qualified  for  this  work 
upon  completing  the  course  of  studies  in 
the  public  schools.  She  thereupon  engaged 
a  school  and  for  two  terms  taught  with  en- 
tire satisfaction  to  her  patrons.  Not  yet 
satisfied  with  her  preparations  for  the  work, 
she  entered  Castleton  Seminary,  at  Castle- 
ton,  X'ermont,  aw)  there  completing  the 
course  of  studies,  was  graduated  in  1852 
with  high  honors.  Thus  qualified,  she  be- 
gan what  she  assumed  was  her  life  work  in 
real  earnest.  Her  services  were  in  demand 
and  the  question  of  better  wages  was  un- 
der consideration.  An  unexpected  oppor- 
tunity was  offered.  It  seems  almost  in- 
credible that  the  teachers  of  New  England 
came  west  for  better  wages  in  that  early 
day,  but  such  was  the  fact.  In  1854  Mrs. 
MofFett  was  invited  by  her  cousin,  Erastus 
Wright,  a  noted  abolitionist  of  Springfield, 
Illinois,  to  visit  him  with  a  view  of  pur- 
suing her  work  in  the  west.  This  invita- 
tion was  accepted,  and,  in  company  with 
her  sister,  Susan,  who  was  on  her  way  to 
Missis.=;ippi  to  teach  school,  she  started  for 
Springfield,  and  when  forty  miles  south  of 
ChicasfO  her  train  became   snow  bound  for 


73i 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


two  weeks.  ,l'"inally  reaehing  lier  tleslina- 
tion  she  was  delighted  to  find  a  school 
awaiting  her  and  for  nearly  two  years  there- 
after, and  until  her  marriage,  she  taught  in 
Sangamon  and  Macon  counties. 

The  marital  relations  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Moffett  were  in  many  respects  ideal.  She 
was  a  most  capable  helpmate.  Her  educa- 
tional attainments  and  affable  manner  made 
her  services  indispensable  to  the  promotion 
of  her  husband's  interests  and  ambition. 
Ever  sharing  his  joys  and  pleasures,  she 
likewise  shared  his  sorrows  and  trials.  In 
the  best  and  truest  sense  of  the  term  she 
was  a  kind,  affectionate  and  beloved  wife. 

At  an  early  age  she  united  with  the  Con- 
gregational church,  but  after  her  marriage 
her  membership  was  changed  to  the  Madi- 
son Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  of 
Blue  Mound  township,  where  she  has  ever 
since  continued  to  worship.  Her  bounties 
to  the  cause  of  her  church,  in  labor  and 
means  and  devotion,  were  always  to  the  full  , 
measure  of  her  abilities. 

In  her  home,  with  her  family,  she  dis- 
played much  ability  and  tact.  Giving  edu- 
cation a  large  place  in  the  circle,  she  di- 
rected it  along  those  lines  that  make  better, 
truer  and  nobler  lives.  Many  of  the  typical 
traits  of  the  New  England  people  were 
strikingly  manifested  in  her  ways  and  work. 
Economical,  systematic,  neat,  a  model  cook 
and  housekeeper,  were  among  her  distin- 
guishing characteristics  and  accomplish- 
ments. For  years  her  home  was  a  social 
mecca  where  country  life  was  enjoyed  by 
friends  far  and  near ;  and  now,  in  the  even- 
tide of  her  life,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say 
that  all  who  know  her  respect  her.  For 
nearly  a  half  century  she  has  mingled  with 
the  people  of  Macon  county,  and,  at  every 
step,  her  true,  upright,  Christian  life  has 
sent  sunshine  and  happiness  unto  some 
heart  and  home,  in  a  quiet,  unobtrusive  way. 
As  a  wife  she  was  adored  ;  as  a  mother  she 


is  loNcd.     It  may  well  be  said  that  the  world 
is  belter  for  her  living. 

"And  (in  that  cheek,  and  o'er  that  brow, 
So  soft,  so  calm,  yet  eloquent. 

The  smiles  that  win,  the  tints  that  glow, 
But  tell  of  days  in  goodness  spent, 

A  mind  at  peace  with  all  below, 
A  heart  whose  love  is  innocent!" 


CHARLES  C.  PFISTER. 

Decatur  is  pre-eminently  a  city  of  gen- 
erals— generals  of  commerce,  of  manufac- 
tures, of  construction  and  what-not.  Ihe 
small  salesman  has  a  modest  occupation, 
looked  upon  as  comparatively  humble  until 
he  becomes  a  manager  and  employer  of 
men  on  a  large  scale.  Then  he  proves  his 
ability  as  a  general  and  then  it  is  that  his, 
occupation  is  no  longer  humble  but  abreast 
of  those  of  the  leaders  of  all  countries.  In 
the  lines  of  manufacture  and  construction 
he  becomes  a  general,  marshalling  his  forces 
with  precision  and  utilizing  all  the  means 
at  hand  to  the  best  ends  and  accomplishing 
results  that  are  creditable  alike  to  himself 
and  his  city.  Such  has  been  the  career 
of  Charles  C.  Pfistcr,  who  is  now  largely 
and  profitably  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  carpets  and  rugs  and  who  is  also  a  re- 
tail dealer  in  such  commodities. 

A  native  of  Weissenberg.  Bavaria, 
Charles  C.  Pfister  was  born  on  the  nth  of 
March,  1852,  and  is  a  son  of  George  and 
Wilhelmina  Pfister.  His  father  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade  and  died  when  the  son  was 
a  little  lad  of  four  years,  leaving  a  widow 
and  seven  children.  Charles  C.  and  his  sis- 
ter, Amelia,  however,  are  the  only  ones 
of  the  family  that  ever  came  to  the  new 
world.  The  subject  of  this  review  spent  the 
days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  his  native 
country,  acquiring  his  education  there  and 
entering  upon  his  business  career  within  its 
Ixirdcrs.     .\t  length,  however,  he  determined 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


735 


to  sever  the  hiisincss  ties  that  bound  him  to 
the  fatherland  and  to  come  to  America  with 
its  broader  opportunities  and  its  great  ad- 
vantages. He  crossed  the  .\tlantic  in  the 
year  1881  and,  locating  in  Pittsburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, spent  nine  months  in  tJuit  city. 
He  next  went  to  Lancaster.  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade,  that  of  weav- 
ing, for  three  years.  He  had  learned  the 
business  in  Bavaria  and  he  put  it  to  much 
use  in  seeking  a  living  in  the  new  world. 
In  September,  1885,  he  arrived  in  Decatur 
and  purchased  the  carpet-weaving  business 
of  C.  A.  Westhaver.  Since  that  time  he  has 
increased  the  plant  and  enlarged  the  scope 
of  the  enterprise  until  his  establishment 
represents  one  of  the  leading  industries  of 
Decatur,  which  is  a  city  of  manufactories 
and  industrial  concerns.  He  now  manufac- 
tures not  only  carpets,  but  also  a  choice 
grade  of  rugs  and  in  1899  he  added  a  re- 
tail department  to  his  establishment,  in 
which  he  carries  a  large  line  of  ingrain  car- 
l)eis,  mattings,  linoleums,  oilcloths  and 
other  tlo()r  coverings.  He  began  business 
with  a  cash  capital  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
dollars,  but  has  gradually  developed  his  in- 
dustry and  has  made  it  a  paying  and  jjros- 
perous  concern.  Two  before  him  who  were 
owners  of  the  jdant  had  met  with  failure 
and  disappointment,  but  he  brought  10  his 
work  marked  energy,  good  experience  and 
strong  determination. 

In  1876  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Pfister  and  Miss  .Vnnastiena  LoefHer,  a  na- 
tive of  Saxony,  Germany,  and  they  now 
have  tw'o  children,  Richard  and  Otto.  Mr. 
Pfister  has  built  a  comfortable  home  for 
his  family  in  Decatur  and  he  is  a  member 
of  the  German  .Aid  Society  here  and  a  loyal 
citizen  devoted  to  the  welfare  and  progress 
of  the  locality.  Probably  no  person  in  De- 
catur is  a  better  representative  of  a  purely 
self-made  man  than  he.  He  has  not  a  dollar 
that  has  not  been  honestly  acquired  through 
his  own  labors  and  his  great  success  should 


furnish  both  lessons  and  incentive,  his  life 
being  an  example  of  honest  worth  and  un- 
swer\ing-  inlegril)-.  Success  in  any  lin.e  of 
occupation  or  in  an}-  avenue  of  business  is 
not  a  matter  of  spontaneity,  but  is  the  le- 
gitimate result  of  strong  determination  and 
consecutive  effort  and  it  is  in  this  way  that 
.Mr.  Pfister  has  adxanced  from  a  lunnble 
position  in  the  business  workl  to  a  place 
among  the  leading  manufacturers  of  De- 
catur. 


WILLI A.M  J.  CllI'.NOWETH,  M.  D. 

Dr.  William  J.  Chenoweth  is  the  veteran 
medical  practitioner  of  Decatur,  and  also 
stands  at  the  head  of  his  profession  in  skill 
and  ability.  He  reached  this  city  on  the 
J4th  of  May,  1854,  and  has  since  been  con- 
nected with  its  interests,  professionally  and 
Dlherwise.  Few  men  are  more  widely 
known  in  Macon  county  than  the  Doctor, 
who  well  deserves  representation  in  the  his- 
tory of  his  adopted  county. 

Dr.  Chenoweth  was  born  in  Greensburg, 
Kentucky,  and  comes  of  one  of  the  old 
and  prominent  families  of  that  state.  His 
l^aternal  great-grandfather,  Captain  Richard 
Chenoweth,  went  to  that  state  and  settled 
on  an  island  in  the  Ohio  river,  later  called 
Corn  island,  for  it  was  there  that  the  first 
corn  was  raised  for  the  colonies.  He  was 
a  carpenter  by  trade  and  contracted  to  build 
the  fort  at  Louisville  for  three  thousand 
dollars.  He  performed  his  part  of  the  con- 
tract but  never  received  the  money.  He  cul- 
tivated a  farm  near  Middletown  and  ex- 
perienced all  the  hardships  and  difficulties 
of  pioneer  life.  ( )n  one  occasion  he  and  his 
family  were  attacked  in  the  night  by  Indi- 
ans and  narrowly  escaped  death.  On  hear- 
ing the  red  men  he  ran  to  his  gun  rack  and 
while  taking  down  the  gun  was  struck  on 
the  arm  and  so  disabled  as  not  to  get  it. 
Seeking  safety  by  rushing  out  of  the  open 


736 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


door,  he  escaped  and  made  his  way  to  the 
fort.  One  or  two  of  the  children  were  killed. 
Mrs.  Chcnoweth  was  attacked  and  stabbed 
seven  times  and  the  scalp  torn  off  her  head, 
which  fortunately  was  not  tomahawked. 
The  Indians  left  her  for  dead  but  she  sur- 
vived the  awful  treatment.  James  Cheno- 
weth  was  asleep  in  a  chair  when  the  Indi- 
ans broke  down  the  door  at  his  side  and 
buried  a  tomahawk  in  his  skull  as  they 
rushed  past  him.  Slipping-  out  of  the  house, 
he  hid  under  a  pile  of  wood  until  the  sav- 
ages left,  when  he  attempted  to  find  the  fort 
at  Middletown,  but,  becoming  confused,  he 
crouched  between  the  roots  of  a  large  peach 
tree  until  daylight.  John  Chenoweth,  the 
first  ancestor  of  the  family  in  this  country, 
came  from  Wales  in  1720,  accompanied  by 
his  two  sons.  The  family  made  their  home 
in  Berkeley  county,  Virginia,  until  1778, 
when  a  part  of  the  family,  Richard,  the 
great-grandfather  of  our  subject  among 
them,  went  to  Kentucky,  as  above  stated. 

The  grandfather,  James  Chenoweth,  was 
a  native  of  that  state,  and  our  subject's 
father,  John  S.  Chenoweth,  was  born  in 
Shelby  county.  In  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
the  latter  married  Eliza  Ross,  and  when 
their  son  William  was  about  nine  months 
old  they  removed  to  Harrisburg,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  merchandising.  He  was 
a  prominent  citizen  of  his  native  state. 
His  wife  died  in  1836.  In  the  family  were 
five  children,  namely:  William  J.,  Martha 
A.,  Elizabeth,  Margaret  and  Thomas  J.  The 
sisters  are  all  now  deceased.  Thomas  is  a 
druggist  in  ^Maysville,  Kentucky. 

The  Doctor,  whose  birth  occurred  Decem- 
ber I,  1823,  acquired  his  education  in  pri- 
vate schools  in  Louisville  and  Harrodsburg, 
Kentucky.  When  he  was  about  twelve 
years  old  his  father  had  removed  to  the 
former  city,  where  he  did  business  as  a 
produce  commission  merchant  and  whole- 
sale cotton  dealer.  Young  William  worked 
in  his  father's  office  until  after  his  mother's 


death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  thirteen 
years  of  age.  He  then,  in  1836,  entered 
.Vugusta  College,  of  that  state,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1841,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  the  youngest  member  in  a  class 
of  thirteen.  After  his  graduation  he  as- 
sisted his  father  in  the  commission  business 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  but  in  the  meantime 
studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Nick  Marshall, 
of  that  city.  Subsequently  he  entered  the 
Ohio  Medical  College,  at  Cincinnati,  and 
remained  there  one  term,  after  which  he 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Hills- 
boro,  Kentucky,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years.  In  1853  he  was  graduated 
from  the  Kentucky  University,  of  Louis- 
ville, and  soon  after  went  to  Texas,  where 
he  commenced  to  build  up  a  good  practice, 
but  he  remained  there  for  only  a  few 
months.  He  was  in  favor  of  colonization, 
and  on  expressing  his  opinions  freely  his 
neighbors  disagreeing  with  him  made 
known  their  desire  that  he  should  leave  that 
community,  and  so  he  returned  to  the  north. 
At  the  urgent  request  of  William  Martin, 
one  of  Decatur's  well-known  pioneers,  he 
came  to  this  place  and  opened  an  office. 

In  Fleming  county,  Kentucky,  Dr.  Chen- 
oweth married  Miss  America  Leforgee,  a 
granddaughter  of  the  celebrated  Mike  Cas- 
sidy,  of  Kentucky,  who  was  a  companion 
of  Daniel  Boone.  Two  children  have  been 
born  unto  our  subject  and  his  wife,  Cassidy 
and  Eliza  R.  The  latter  is  the  widow  of 
Richard  Piper,  and  with  her  daughter,  Alice 
S.,  makes  her  home  in  Decatur  with  her 
father.  Cassidy  is  a  graduate  of  Rush  Med- 
ical College  of  Chicago,  and  is  the  junior 
partner  of  the  firm  of  Drs.  W.  J.  &  C.  Chen- 
oweth. He  has  a  high  reputation  as  a 
physician  and  enjoys  a  very  large  city 
practice. 

During  the  war  Dr.  Chenoweth  served  as 
a  .soldier  of  the  Thirty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry 
for  fifteen  months,  and  is  now  a  member 
of  the  Grand  Army  Post.   He  is  also  a  mem- 


J.  J.  IMBODEN 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


139 


ber  of  the  Illinois  Army  and  Navy  Medical 
Association  and  is  treasurer  of  iliat  organ- 
ization. He  and  his  wife  Imld  membership 
with  the  '"irst  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
of  this  city.  The  Doctor  is  well  and  favor- 
ably known  in  Decatur  and  for  a  railius  of 
twenty  miles  around  the  city.  He  has  ever 
been  a  close  student,  of  his  profession  and 
his  application  and  natural  ability  have 
gained  for  him  the  envial)le  position  which 
he   occupies   in   professional   circles. 


JOHN  G.  IMBODEN. 

Success  in  any  undertaking  comes 
through  a  thorough  mastery  of  the  business 
and  by  following  the  most  approved  busi- 
ness methods.  It  is  in  this  way  that  John 
G.  Imboden  has  attained  a  prominent  place 
among  the  substantial  citizens  of  .South 
Wheatland  township,  where  he  now  makes 
his  home.  lie  is  entitled  to  distinction  as 
one  of  the  most  progressive  and  enterpris- 
ing men  of  the  county. 

He  was  born  in  Decatur  on  the  25th  of 
March,  i8i^6,  and  is  the  seventh  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  nine  children,  all  boys, 
whose  parents  were  John  and  Sarah  (Mark) 
Imboden.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, born  in  1818,  and  spent  his  early 
life  in  the  east.  In  1855  he  came  to  Deca- 
tur, Illinois,  and  embarked  in  the  meat  busi- 
ness, opening  a  market  at  the  corner  of 
Main  and  Wood  streets,  which  is  now  con- 
ducted by  his  son,  C.  M.  Imboden.  He 
was  also  quite  extensively  engaged  in  the 
packing  and  slaughtering  business  until 
1880.  when  he  sold  out  to  his  two  sons,  C. 
M.  and  J.  G.  Imboden.  .\fter  a  useful  and 
well  spent  life  the  father  died  on  the  31st 
of   December.    1899. 

John  G.  Imboden  was  also  identified  with 
the  packing  business  in  connection  with 
his  father  during  his  minority  and  after  he 
reached   man's   estate,  but   in    1900  he   dis- 


posed of  his  interests  in  Decatur  and  re- 
moved to  his  farm  south  of  the  city  in 
South  Wheatland  township.  Here  he  has 
established  a  model  home,  known  as  Way- 
side Place,  where  he  can  enjoy  not  only  all 
the  beauties  of  country  life  but  also  has  all 
the  modern  conveniences  of  a  city  residence. 
-Mr.  Imboden  now  devotes  the  greater  part 
of  his  time  and  attention  to  the  raising  of 
stock,  lie  deals  in  all  of  the  choice  grades 
and  fattens  considerable  stock  for  market 
each  3^ear.  Being  an  expert  in  his  line,  he 
has  for  several  years  been  called  upon  to 
act  as  judge  of  live  stock  at  various  fairs 
and  expositions  throughout  the  United 
States,  serving  in  that  capacity  in  the  north- 
west, the  states  of  Iowa,  Illinois  and  New 
York,  in  fact  all  the  leading  shows  within 
the  last  quarter  of  a  century,  including 
the  World's  Fair  at  Chicago  in  1893.  He 
has  often  been  a  judge  at  the  Fat  Stock 
Shows  in  that  cit}'  and  there  he  exhibited 
in  1888  the  Angus  steer  Dot,  the  first  Angus 
steer  that  ever  won  grand  championship 
at  the  American  Fat  Stock  Show.  At  pres- 
ent he  is  engaged  specially  in  buying,  feed- 
ing and  shipping  choice  stock  to  various 
markets.  While  associated  with  his  father 
and  brother  in  the  butchering  business  at 
Decatur  he  met  with  success  and  in  all  his 
undertakings  he  has  steadily  prospered.  He 
did  all  the  buying  for  the  firm  for  twenty 
years.  Mr.  Imboden  is  operating  an  ex- 
tensive feed  plant  built  on  an  economical 
plan  and  was  the  first  in  Macon  county  to 
construct  a  concrete  tank  for  the  use  of  his 
stock,  now  having  one  in  his  barn  and  two 
in  liis  feed  lot.  In  addition  to  his  other 
stock  he  now  has  twenty-five  head  of  Texas 
calves,  which  he  is  fattening  for  market. 

Mr.  Imboden  was  married  in  1882  to  Miss 
Zclma  U.  Shaw,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Shaw,  of 
!\Iacon.  Illinois,  and  to  them  have  been  born 
three  children,  namely:  Nina  B.,  now  Mrs. 
J.  A.  Anderson,  of  Ravenswood,  Chicago: 
Edward  P.  and  Zada   Z.     The  parents  and 


740 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


children  are  members  of  the  I'irst  .Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  of  Decatur  and  are 
held  in  the  highest  regard  bj'  all  who  know 
them.  In  his  political  views  -Mr.  Imboden 
is  a  Republican,  but  at  local  elections  he 
usually  votes  for  whom  he  considers  the 
best  man  regardless  of  party  ties.  He  has 
contributed  many  articles  to  agricultural 
and  stock  papers,  especially  the  Breeders' 
Gazette,  and  has  done  much  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  farmer  in  this  section 
of  the  state.  He  is  justly  regarded  as  one 
of  the  leading  and  representative  citizens 
of  his  community  and  has  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in 
contact  either  in  business  or  social  life. 


WILLIAM   R.   SCHROEDER. 

William  R.  Schroeder  is  a  well  known 
business  man  of  Warrensburg,  dealing  in 
harness,  saddlery  and  sewing  machines,  and 
is  a  worthy  representative  of  an  honored 
family  of  this  place,  his  parents  being  Max 
R.  and  Marie  E.  (Hagely)  Schroeder,  whose 
sketch  appears  on  another  page  of  this 
volume.  His  father  w^is  the  first  post- 
master of  Warrensburg  and  was  long  and 
honorably  identified  with  the  business  inter- 
ests and  public  affairs  of  the  village. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in 
Monroe,  Wisconsin,  February  28,  1871,  but 
was  reared  and  educated  in  Warrensburg, 
Illinois,  whither  the  family  removed  when 
he  was  quite  young.  Under  the  able  direc- 
tion of  his  father  he  learned  the  harness- 
maker's  trade  and  commenced  work  at  four 
dollars  per  week,  being  employed  as  a  jour- 
neyman in  northern  Illinois  for  three  years. 
At  the  father's  death  he  was  succeeded  in 
business  by  his  son  Rudolph,  in  1885,  and 
the  latter  afterward  formed  a  partnership 
with  our  subject  under  the  firm  name  of 
Sclirocdcr   lirothcrs,  ihis  connection  contin- 


uing until  the  Stii  of  December.  i8ij_',  since 
which  lime  William  U.  has  been  alone  in 
business.  The  stock  which  he  carries  is 
mostly  home-made  and  he  is  able  to  furnish 
anything  needed  in  his  line,  lie  makes  a 
specialty  of  manufacturing  harness  to  order 
and  devotes  considerable  attention  to  pony 
harness.  He  keeps  in  stock  whips  and  all 
kinds  of  horse  goods  and  he  built  up  an 
extensive  trade,  which  extends  for  many 
miles  throughout  the  surrounding  country. 
Mr.  Schroeder  also  acts  as  local  agent  for 
the  Wheeler  &  Wilson  and  New  Home 
sewing  machines,  and  has  prospered  in  this 
branch  of  his  business.  He  is  an  expert 
mechanic  as  well  as  a  good  and  reliable 
business  man,  and  the  success  that  has  come 
to  liim  is  certainly  well  deserved.  He  now 
owns  his  place  of  business  and  also  a  nice 
home  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  vil- 
lage. 

Mr.  Schroeder  was  married  Februar}-  28, 
1893,  on  the  anniversary  of  his  birth,  to 
Miss  Eva  Raymond,  a  native  of  Henry, 
Marshall  county,  Illinois,  and  a  daughter 
of  F.  A.  and  Frances  (Tabor)  Raymond. 
Her  paternal  grandmother  is  still  living. at 
the  age  of  eighty-six  years  and  niakes  her 
home  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ed.  White,  in 
Warrensburg.  Mrs.  Schroeder  is  the  only 
surviving  child  of  her  father's  family,  and 
she  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
her  native  place.  She  is  now  receiving 
part  payments  of  French  spoliations  claims, 
her  great-grandfather.  Captain  Benjamin 
Tabor,  having  been  part  owner  of  the  ship 
Fox,  which  was  confiscated  by  the  French 
in  1798.  Mr.  and  Jilrs.  Schroeder  have  two 
children,  namely:  Lucy  Ellen,  born  De- 
cember 17,  1894;  and  William  Raymond, 
born  December  2,  1898.  The  wife  and 
mother  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  is  a  most  estimable  lady. 
Mr.  Schroeder  is  a  member  of  the  same 
church  and  is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow, 
ser\'ing  as  deputy  grand  master  in  his  lodge 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


741 


at  W'arrensburg.  He  also  belongs  to  the 
encampment  and  canton  at  Decatur,  and  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  in  which 
he  has  served  as  clerk  for  seven  years.  By 
his  ballot  he  supports  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Republican  party,  is  now  serving  his 
second  term  as  clerk  of  Illini  township,  and 
has  also  been  a  member  of  the  board  of 
village  trustees.  He  has  witnessed  almost 
the  entire  development  of  Warrensburg  and 
has  done  all  in  his  power  to  advance  its 
interests,  supporting  every  measure  which 
he  believed  calculated  to  promote  the  moral, 
educational  or  social  welfare  of  the  com- 
munitv. 


PHHJP   P.  H AMMAN. 

Philip  P.  Hamman,  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Hamman  P.rothers,  has  gained  for  him- 
self a  creditable  position  in  business  circles 
in  Decatur  and  associated  with  his  brother 
is  conducting  an  enterprise  which  is  prov- 
ing profitable.  He  was  born  in  Pike  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  in  the  year  1869,  and  came  to  Ma- 
con county  with  his  parents,  \\^illiam  and 
Mary  Hamman,  who  are  also  natives  of  the 
Buckeye  state,  whence  they  removed  to 
Illinois  in  1879.  The  father  became  identi- 
fied with  farming  interests  west  of  War- 
rensburg and  there  remained  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  July,  1899,  when  lie  was 
sixty  years  of  age. 

The  subject  of  this  review  was  a  yoiUh 
of  ten  sununers  when  he  arrived  in  Macon 
county  and  upon  the  home  farm  he  was 
reared  and  in  public  schools  of  the  neigh- 
borhood he  acquired  his  education.  To  his 
father  he  gave  the  benefit  of  his  services 
in  the  work  of  field  and  meadow  until  he 
was  twenty-three  years  of  age.  He  left 
home  with  a  tw^enty  dollar  gold  piece  in 
his  pocket  and  from  that  time  on  has  made 
his  way  unaided,  being  one  of  the  success- 
ful   business   men   of   Decatur.      Forming  a 


liartnorship  with  his  bmiluT,  John  \\'.,  they 
established  a  transfer  line  and  storage  w'are- 
house  and  ha\e  since  conducted  business 
umli'r  the  firm  style  of  llanunan  Brothers. 

Philip  Hamman  has  given  his  undivided 
attention  to  the  business  and  his  constant 
care  has  licen  an  important  elemcnl  in  its 
success.  He  regards  no  details  as  too  unim- 
portant to  claim  his  attention  and  his  unre- 
milling  diligence  and  well  directed  labors 
have  won  for  him  creditable  and  desirable 
success. 

In  .\ugust,  1895,  Mr.  llanunan  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Cora  B.  McGorray,  a 
daughter  of  Benedict  McGorray,  of  De- 
catur. The}-  now  have  two  children:  Arden 
and  Phillis.  Mr.  Hamman  is  a  member  of 
Coeur  de  Lion  Lodge,  No.  17,  K.  P.;  also 
of  Easterly  Camp,  No.  1626,  M.  W.  A. 
In  politics  he  votes  for  the  man  rather  than 
party  and  has  never  taken  an  active  part  in 
political  work,  preferring  to  devote  all  of 
bus  energies  to  his  business  aflfairs.  The 
firm  of  Hamman  Brothers  occupies  a  high 
place  in  public  regard  by  reason  of  the 
straightforward  mctho(Is  Ihcy  ha\e  e\er  fol- 
lowefl. 


CASPER    C.    ELWOOD. 

For  many  years  Casper  C.  Elwood  was  con- 
nected with  business  interests  in  Decatur  as  a 
clothing  merchant  and  manufacturer  and  his 
enterprise,  added  to  the  commercial  and  in- 
dustrial activity  of  the  city,  make  him  a  valued 
factor  in  trade  circles..  His  business  career 
was  at  all  times  characterized  by  straightfor- 
ward dealing  and  by  unfaltering  allegiance  to 
the  ethics  of  commercial  life  and  thus  he 
gained  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
men.  He  became  a  resident  of  Decatur  on  the 
loth  of  ATarch.  1857,  and  was  therefore 
among  the  first  representatives  of  its  business 
affairs. 

.\  native  of  Herkimer  county.  New  York, 
Mr.  Flwooil  was  born  May  26,  1827,  his  par- 


742 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


cms  being  Jonas  and  ^largaret  (Lipe)  El- 
wood,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Em- 
pire state  and  there  they  remained  until  called 
to  their  final  rest.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  in 
Herkimer  county,  New  York. 

It  was  in  that  county  that  Casper  C.  Elwood 
was  educated,  attending  the  public  schools. 
He  spent  his  boyhood  days  upon  his  father's 
farm  and  the  work  of  plowing,  planting  and 
harvesting  became  familiar  to  him.  He  con- 
tinued to  reside  with  his  parents  up  to  the 
time  of  his  marriage,  which  occurred  in  Her- 
kimer county  in  1854,  the  lady  of  his  choice 
being  Miss  Charlotte  Suits,  who  was  born  in 
that  county  a  daughter  of  David  and  Emma. 
(Hazen)  Suits,  also  of  Herkimer  county.  Mr. 
Suits  was  a  tailor  by  trade  and  always  fol- 
lowed that  occupation  in  order  to  provide  for 
the  needs  of  himself  and  family. 

Mr.  Elwood  was  the  only  representative  of 
his  father's  family  who  came  to  the  west.  In 
the  fall  of  1855  he  bade  adieu  to  the  Empire 
state  and  with  his  family  came  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling first  in  Sycamore,  where  he  engaged  in 
business  for  fifteen  months.  On  the  loth  of 
March,  1857,  he  arrived  in  Decatur  and  here 
began  working  for  James  William  Race  in 
the  clothing  business.  After  a  short  time  he 
was  admitted  to  a  partnership  by  his  em- 
ployer under  the  firm  style  of  the  Race  Cloth- 
ing Manufacturing  Company,  doing  business 
at  No.  135  North  Water  street.  This  is  now 
one  of  the  largest  clothing  manufacturing 
plants  in  this  part  of  the  state.  They  manu- 
facture all  kinds  of  men's  clothing  and  neck- 
wear. In  connection  with  this  they  own  and 
conduct  a  retail  store.  Mr.  Elwood  continued 
in  the  business  until  his  death  and  the  success 
of  the  concern  was  largely  attributable  to  his 
labors,  his  keen  business  sagacity,  his  enter- 
prise and  sound  judgment.  He  applied  him- 
self diligently  to  the  work  of  building  up  a 
profitable  business  and  his  labors  were  re- 
warded as  the  years  passed  by  with  a  hand- 
-some   competence.      He   made    for   himself   a 


Inisiness  record  that  any  might  envy.  He 
never  incurred  an  obligation  that  he  did  not 
meet  or  made  an  engagement  that  he  did  not 
fill  and  his  word  became  a  synonym  for  in- 
tegrity in  all  trade  transactions. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elwood  were  born  four 
children :  Cora  M.  and  Lula  R.,  who  reside 
with  their  mother;  Clifford,  at  home;  and 
Frank,  who  is  now  secretary  of  the  Race 
Clothing  Manufacturing  Company  of  De- 
catur. He,  too,  is  living  with  his  mother  so 
that  the  family  are  all  still  together. 

It  was  in  1892  that  they  were  called  upon 
to  mourn  the  loss  of  the  husband  and  father, 
who  on  the  21st  of  January  of  that  j'ear  passed 
away.  In  his  political  views  he  was  a  Repub- 
lican, always  exercising  his  right  of  franchise 
in  support  of  the  men  and  measures  of  that 
party,  yet  never  seeking  nor  desiring  office. 
He  held  membership  in  the  Masort'c  fraternity 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Universalist  church.  Long  he  was  recognized 
as  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the  city 
and  his  name  was  honored  in  commercial  and 
in  social  circles.  His  life  record  is  indeed 
commendable  and  he  left  to  his  family  an  un- 
tarnished name  as  well  as  a  handsome  com- 
petence. Mrs.  Elwood  owns  a  beautiful  brick 
residence  at  No.  270  West  North  street,  where 
she  and  her  children  reside  and  she  also  has 
an  interest  in  the  Race  Clothing  Manufactur- 
ing Company.  The  family  is  verv  prominent 
in  Decatur  society  and  no  history  of  the  city 
would  be  complete  without  mention  of  Mr. 
Elwood,  so  long  an  active  factor  here  in  manu- 
facturing and  mercantile  circles. 


SAMUEL  R.  GEPFORD. 
Samuel  R.  Gepford,  who  is  now  successfully 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising  on  sec- 
tion 36.  mini  township,  was  born  in  that  town- 
ship on  the  loth  of  November.  1870,  a  son  of 
George  and  Letitia  (Shepard)  Gepford,  the 
former  of  whom  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in 


MRS.  FANNIE  KEPLER 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


r45 


1825  ami  the  latter  in  Illinois  in  1834.  The 
father,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  came 
to  Macon  comity  at  an  early  day  and  pur- 
chased land  in  Decatur  township  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  Baker,  of  Decatur.  He  afterward 
ilisposed  of  that  property  and  in  the  early  '60s 
Ijought  the  farm  where  our  subject  now  Hves 
and  where  he  died  in  1885.  He  had  one 
brother  who  died  in  California  during  the  gold 
excitement  in  that  state.  The  mother  is  now 
living  witli  our  subject  on  the  old  homestead 
in  mini  township. 

Samuel  R.  Gepford  passed  his  boyhood  and 
youth  in  nuich  the  usual  manner  of  farmer 
lads,  aiding  in  the  labors  of  field  and  meadow 
during  the  summer  mouths  and  attending 
Childs  district  school  in  Illini  township 
through  the  winter  until  fifteen  years  of  age. 
He  then  worked  on  a  farm  until  he  attained 
his  majority,  when  he  went  to  Phelps  county, 
Nebraska,  where  he  spent  three  months  during 
the  winter.  On  his  return  to  Macon  county 
he  worked  for  one  year  in  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road car  shops  at  Decatur  and  for  six  months 
in  Doake's  livery  stable.  He  was  then  mar- 
ried and  engaged  in  the  draying  business  for 
one  year.  The  following  year  was  spent  upon 
his  present  farm  and  for  two  years  he  was  em- 
ployed on  a  farm  in  Piatt  county,  Illinois.  He 
then  resumed  draying  in  Decatur,  and  at  the 
end  of  a  year  again  accepted  a  position  in  the 
Wabash  Railroad  shops,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed two  years.  Since  that  he  has  resided 
on  the  old  home  farm,  being  one  of  the  heirs 
to  the  place  as  well  as  to  some  land  in  Decaitur 
township.  He  is  now^  successfully  operating 
eighty  acres  and  is  also  interested  in  stock- 
raising. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1892,  Mr.  Gep- 
ford was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Arietta 
Crow,  a  daughter  of  A.  J.  and  Margaret 
(Dobbs)  Crow,  who  were  born  in  Wheeling, 
West  Virginia,  and  are  now  living  in  Decatur, 
where  the  father  works  at  the  carpenter's 
trade.  Mrs.  Gepford  obtained  her  education 
in  the  schools  of  Elmwood,  Peoria  county,  Il- 


linois. Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
been  born  five  children  but  two  died  at  birth. 
The  others  were  Ethel  May,  who  was  born 
.-\ugust  6,  1893,  and  died  July  16,  1894,  being 
buried  in  Boiling  Springs  cemetery;  Sylvan 
Ray,  born  April  30,  1895 ;  and  Maude  Agnes, 
born  July  20,  1897.  In  his  political  views  Mr. 
Gepford  is  a  Republican  and  he  takes  consid- 
erable interest  in  public  affairs. 


.AIRS.  FANNIE  KEPLER. 
Mrs.  I'annie  Kepler,  a  well  known  and 
highly  esteemed  resident  of  Maroa,  is  a  na- 
tive of  Franklin  count)',  Ohio,  and  a  daugh- 
ter of  Hamilton  and  Carolina  W  illiams. 
By  occupation  her  father  was  a  school 
teacher.  .She  received  a  good  practical  edu- 
cation in  the  schools  of  her  native  county 
and  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until 
twenty-four  years  of  age,  when  she  gave 
her  hand  in  marriage  to  Gideon  Brintlinger, 
who  made  farming  his  life  work.  When 
the  Civil  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  for  three 
years  in  an  Ohio  regiment  and  was  stationed 
at  Camp  Chase,  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  some 
lime.  While  he  was  in  the  army  his  wife 
was  leit  with  the  care  of  five  small  chil- 
dren and  most  capably  did  she  perform  her 
duties  to  her  family.  By  that  union  seven 
children  were  born,  namely:  Daniel  Brint- 
linger, the  only  son,  is  a  resident  of  De- 
catur. He  had  four  children,  Elmer, 
Mahlon,  Austa  and  Abner,  who  died  at 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  Mrs.  Mina  Diller 
lives  in  Jacksonville,  Te.xas,  and  has  two 
children:  Mrs.  Fannie  Ross  and  Charles 
r.radeu.  Ixith  of  Decatur.  Mrs.  Mary  Bra- 
den  lives  in  Crowley,  Louisiana,  and  has 
five  children:  Mrs.  Stella  Wyckoft',  Dessie, 
Irene.  P>ernice  and  Eddie.  Mrs.  ,\nna  Ben- 
nett makes  her  home  in  Maroa,  this  county, 
and  has  three  children:  Florence,  Arthur 
and  Roy.  Airs.  Lizzie  Trowbridge,  also  a 
resident  of  Maroa,  had  six  children:    Chase, 


746 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Seward,  Vera,  Fay,  Russell  and  one  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Bessie  Kepler  lives 
in  Decatur  and  has  four  children :  Earl, 
Homer,  Ralph  and  Florence.  Mrs.  Belle 
Jones,  a  widow  living  in  Decatur,  had  one 
son,  Preston,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven 
years.  One  daughter  married  a  son  of  our 
subject's  second  husband  and  another  mar- 
ried a  son  of  her  third  husband. 

After  the  death  of  her  first  husband  Mrs. 
Brintlinger  married  Peter  Bennett,  who 
was  born  in  Mansfield,  Ohio,  and  came  to 
Illinois  with  his  family  in  early  life,  being 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Austin  township, 
Macon  county,  where  he  owned  and  oper- 
ated one  thousand  acres  of  land.  About 
twenty-eight  years  ago  he  removed  to  the 
village  of  ^laroa,  which  then  contained  but 
two  houses,  and  was  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  there  for  fifteen  years.  The  fol- 
lowing three  years  were  spent  in  Kenney, 
where  he  did  a  banking  business  in  part- 
nership with  Dr.  Axton,  but  at  the  end  of 
that  time  he  returned  to  Maroa  and  re- 
sumed business  with  Mr.  Smelz.  This  con- 
nection continued  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  nccurred  September  20,  1886. 
He  was  a  very  successful  and  reliable  busi- 
ness man  who  did  not  confine  his  attention 
wholly  to  one  line,  but  was  interested  in  a 
number  of  enterprises.  L'pon  his  farm  he 
raised  a  large  number  of  cattle  and  hogs. 
besides  great  quantities  of  grain,  and  in 
this  as  in  other  undertakings  he  prospered. 
The  Democratic  party  found  in  Mr.  Ben- 
nett a  stanch  supporter  of  its  principles  and 
he  efficiently  served  as  supervisor,  tax  col- 
lector and  road  commissioner  in  his  town- 
ship. He  belonged  to  the  liidependent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows,  and  was  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Alethodist  Episcopal  church, 
to  which  our  subject  also  belongs.  There 
were  seven  children  born  to  them,  as  fol- 
lows :  Katherine  is  now  the  wife  of  Charles 
Smith,  of  Crowley,  Louisiana,  and  has  two 
children    by   a    former    marriage,    Linn    and 


Dale.  Jennie  is  the  wife  of  C.  W.  Wyckofif, 
of  Decatur,  and  has  three  children:  Forrest, 
Preston  and  Savarre.  Jessie  married  J. 
Bradley  and  lives  in  Decatur.  Thomas 
Edwin  and  Grovie  are  at  home  with  their 
mother.  The  former  completed  his  educa- 
tion at  Bloomington.  Illinois,  and  is  now 
bookkeeper  for  Hitt  &  Company  of  Alaroa. 
Susie  and  Jessie  died  in  infancy. 

Mrs.  Bennett  was  again  married  Octo- 
ber 3,  1889,  her  third  union  being  with 
Samuel  Kepler,  who  was  born  in  Warren 
county,  Ohio,  and  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Dayton,  that  state, 
in  which  city  he  was  reared.  He  had  also 
been  married  twice  before  and  has  four 
children  living:  George  and  Horace,  both 
residents  of  Decatur ;  Elza  D.,  who  makes 
liis  home  in  Columbus,  Ohio;  and  Tentie, 
who  lives  in  Colorado. 

Mrs.  Kepler  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  this 
county,  which  she  rents,  besides  consid- 
eralile  rice  land  in  Louisiana.  Several  years 
ago  she  took  an  active  interest  in  real  estate 
and  did  a  good  business  in  that  line,  getting 
up  several  excursions  into  Louisiana  for 
the  purchase  and  sale  of  lands  in  that  state. 
In  addition  to  her  other  property  she  owns 
a  beautiful  home  in  Maroa,  which  was 
erected  by  her  two  years  ago.  She  is  a 
woman  of  exceptional  business  ability  and 
keen  discrimination  and  has  met  with  suc- 
cess in  the  conduct  of  her  business  aft'airs. 
Pleasant  and  ladylike  in  manner,  she  makes 
friends  wherever  she  goes  and  is  held  in 
hiuh  resjard  bv  all  who  know  her. 


J.  B.  CLARK. 
J.  r>.  Clark,  an  honored  veteran  of  the 
Civil  war  and  a  well  known  farmer  residing 
on  section  19,  Blue  Mound  township,  was 
born  on  the  loth  of  May,  1837,  in  the  state 
of   Tennessee,   a   son    of    Tames   and    Sarah 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


747 


(Gaines)  Clark,  botli  natives  of  Tennessee. 
I'.y  occupation  the  father  was  a  bhicksniitli. 
In  the  family  were  nine  children,  as  follows: 
Thomas,  who  married  and  lived  in  Tennes- 
see ;  .Martha,  wife  of  James  Hoover,  a  miller 
of  Kentucky;  Joseph,  who  married  Eliza- 
beth Smith,  and  follows  farming  in  Ran- 
dolph county,  Missouri:  Jane,  who  died 
when  a  young  lady :  J.  B.,  of  this  review ; 
-Martin,  a  machinist,  who  wedded  ?^lillie 
Morgan  and  died  in  August,  1901 ;  George, 
who  is  married  and  engaged  in  blacksmith- 
ing  in  Missouri. 

J.  H.  Clark  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Kentucky  and  Illinois. 
It  was  in  the  latter  '50s  that  he  came  to  this 
^tate  and  look  up  iiis  residence  in  Sangamon 
county,  where  he  worked  for  James  .Kn- 
thony  for  two  years,  and  was  then  with 
Charles  Sage  four  years.  Still  later  he  was 
in  the  employ  of  Coby  Smith,  in  Sangamon 
county. 

In  1861  Mr.  Clark  came  to  Macon  county 
and  here  he  enlisted  on  the  5th  of  .\ugust. 
that  year,  in  Company  E,  Forty-first  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infarttry,  under  Captain 
Armstrong  and  Colonel  Pugh.  The  regi- 
ment, which  was  assigned  to  the  Seven- 
teenth .\rmy  Corps,  was  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  Tuppcr.  The  first  engage- 
ment in  which  our  subject  participated  was 
at  Fort  Highman,  followed  by  the  battles 
of  Fort  Donelson.  Corinth,  Shiloh  and 
Vicksburg.  .After  the  battle  of  Corinth  lie 
was  in  the  hospital  at  Keokuk,  Iowa,  for 
seven  months,  and  then  went  to  St.  Louis, 
where  he  re-enlisted.  For  some  time  his 
command  guarded  the  river  from  that  city 
to  Natchez,  Tennessee.  .\t  length  Mr. 
Clark  received  an  honorable  discharge  at 
\'icksburg  in  February,  1865,  and  returned 
north.  At  Shiloh  he  was  struck  by  a  ball 
in  the  finger,  and  after  his  re-enlistment  he 
was  crippled  by  a  horse  falling  upon  him  in 
a  skirmish.  His  leg  was  badly  bruised  and 
broke  out  in  sores,  which  were  over  a  vear 


in  healing,  lie  now  draws  a  pension  of 
eight  dollars  per  month  as  a  compensation 
for  the  injuries  he  received  in  the  service. 
After  his  return  to  Macon  county  he  re- 
sumed farming  and  is  to-day  the  owner  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-four  acres  of  land 
on  sections  18  and  19,  Blue  Mound  town- 
ship, which  he  has  placed  under  a  high  state 
of  culti\alion. 

On   the    181I1   of    March,    i8()(),    .Mr.   Clark 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah   E. 
Hall,  a  daughter  of  Alfred  and  Jane  (Smith) 
Hall,  of    Macon   county.     Her  father  came 
from  Tennessee  to  Illinois  at  an  early  day 
and  entered  land  in  this  county.     Unto  Mr. 
and     Mrs.    Clark    ha\e    been    born    eleven 
children,   namely:     Charles,  born   February 
13,   1807,  married  Clara  Pearson  and  is  en- 
gaged in   farming  in   Macon  county.     Cora 
.Mice.  l)orn  January  26,   i86g,  was  married 
in    .March,    1898,    to    Charles   Johnson,   also 
a    farmer  of  this  county.     Jennie   Frances, 
1)1  irn   June    18,    1871.   married   Homer   Ping, 
who  died  January  14,  1897,  and  she  is  now 
living  at   home    with    her   parents.      Frank 
Leslie,    born    February     28,    1874,     married 
Lillie  Portwood,  and  is  engaged  in  farming 
in    Sullivan   county,   Illinois.     Nora   Agnes, 
born    June    18,    1876,    is   the    wife   of   John 
Crouch,  who  lives  on  a  farm  in  this  county, 
luigene,    born     January     18,    1879,    married 
Charlotte  Kissle  and  is  in  the  employ  of  the 
^^'abash     Railroad,     making    his    home     in 
lioody.     Liddia  Stella,  born  June  27.   1881, 
is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Harbarger,  a  sales- 
man   living    near     Blue     Alound.      Chester 
Luther,  born  December  12,  1883,  is  at  home. 
Anna  May,  born  August  3,  1886,  is  the  wife 
of   Archie   Vermillion,   a   farmer  of   Macon 
county.     Oscar  Bruce,  born   November  13, 
1888,  and  .Alfred  Merlin,  born  June  27,  1891, 
are  l)otli  at  home  with  their  parents. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Clark  is  a 
member  of  Blue  Mound  Post,  G.  A.  R., 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  hold  membership 
in    the    Baptist    church.      Their    lives    have 


748 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ever  been  in  harmony  witli  their  professions 
and  they  are  held  in  the  highest  regard  by 
all  who  know  Ihcm.  Mr.  Clark  has  always 
been  found  a  patriotic  and  loyal  citizen,  as 
true  to  his  country's  interests  in  days  of 
peace  as  in  time  of  war,  and  he  well  merits 
the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  held. 


FRANK  D.  TORRENCE. 
Frank  D.  Torrence,  who  has  charge  of  Fair- 
view  Park  in  Decatur  as  its  custodian,  was 
born  in  Sharpsville,  Mercer  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  the  1st  of  July,  1853.  The  family 
is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent  and  the  physical 
characteristic  of  the  family  is  large  stature. 
Patriotism  is  also  one  of  the  salient  features 
in  the  Torrence  history  and  at  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war  a  number  of  representatives  of  the 
name  were  loyal  defenders  of  the  Union  cause. 
Oscar  Torrence,  a  brother  of  our  subject, 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  \\'ilderness. 
John  Torrence,  the  grandfather  on  the  pa- 
ternal side,  was  a  colonel  of  the  war  of  1812. 
James  Torrence,  the  father  of  Frank  D.  Tor- 
rence, was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  was  a 
blacksmith  by  trade.  In  the  year  1858  he  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  where  he  spent  his  remaining 
days,  his  death  occurring  in  1872,  when  he 
was  sixty-six  years  of  age.  In  his  boyhood 
days  he  had  been  a  playmate  of  Governor 
Tod,  of  Ohio,  and  they  had  early  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  ^^'hig  part}-.  James  Torrence  was 
united  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Rebecca  Thatcher, 
a  daughter  of  John  Thatcher,  who  was  a  na- 
tive of  Philadelphia  and  belonged  to  the  So- 
ciety of  Friends.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Betsey  Inman  and  was  a  relative  of 
the  Inmans  who  own  the  steamship  line.  John 
Thatcher  became  a  man  of  great  wealth  and 
distinction.  His  daughter,  Mrs.  Torrence, 
passed  away  at  Bement,  Illinois,  in  1884,  when 
seventy-six  years  of  age.  Unto  the  parents  of 
our  subject  were  born  eight  children,  includ- 
ing General  Joseph  Thatcher  Torrence,  who 


died  on  the  4th  of  November,  1896.  He  was 
a  close  personal  friend  of  the  late  President 
McKinley. 

Frank  D.  Torrence,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  had  but  limited  school  privileges, 
for  at  the  early  age  of  nine  years  he  began 
to  work  in  a  blast  furnace  in  his  native  town 
in  connection  with  the  operation  of  an  engine. 
His  father  and  other  members  of  the  family 
were  at  that  time  at  the  front,  engaged  in  pro- 
tecting the  Union  during  the  Civil  war.  Thus 
it  was  necessar}-  that  the  boy  should  earn  his 
own  living.  He  followed  engineering  in  dif- 
ferent capacities  until  1901.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  became  a  fireman  on  the  Atlantic 
&  Great  Western  Railroad,  but  was  soon  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  engineer  and  in  1888  he 
became  engineer  on  the  Jacksonville  &  South- 
western Railroad.  He  at  one  time  was  engi- 
neer of  a  dredging  boat  engaged  in  the  ditch- 
ing of  Nigger  Wool  Swamp  in  Ogle  county,^ 
Illinois,  also  did  similar  work  in  Latham, 
Logan  county,  Illinois,  and  Daviess  county, 
Indiana.  For  three  years  prior  to  accepting 
his  present  position  he  had  charge  of  the  water 
works  at  Bement,  Piatt  county,  Illinois,  and 
also  served  as  city  marshal  for  two  years  of 
that  time. 

On  the  I2t1i  of  June.  1901,  he  took  charge 
of  Fairview  Park  in  Decatur  as  custodian.  It 
was  then  a  mere  field.  Nature  had  done  much 
for  the  place,  but  man  had  done  little  and 
much  of  the  Ijeauty  of  this  park  to-day  is  due 
to  the  ingenuity,  efforts  and  artistic  sense  of 
^Ir.  Torrence.  He  has  been  very  industrious 
and  unremitting  in  his  work  and  has  accom- 
plished nniclv  during  the  two  years  spent  here. 
He  established  the  greenhouse  in  which  are 
started  all  of  the  plants  that  are  used  in  the 
decoration  of  the  park.  Through  his  instru- 
mentality the  road  was  built  over  the  hill  and 
through  the  grove.  Bridges  have  been  built, 
cobble  and  brick  gutters  have  been  construct- 
ed, rope  and  pole  swings  have  been  put  up 
and  much  rustic  work  has  been  done,  adding 
largely  to  the  natural  beauty  of  the  place.  The 


J.  H.  BLACK 


MKS-  J.  H.  BLACK 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  COUNTY. 


753 


I)avilion  lias  l)een  painted,  cannon  has  been 
planted  and  the  park  has  been  cleared  of 
weeds,  over  one  hundred  trees  have  been  set 
out  and  the  nld  historic  log  courthouse  once 
used  by  Abraham  Lincoln  has  been  repaired. 
It  stands  near  the  south  border  of  the  park 
and  is  a  landmark  of  the  old  times  which 
should  be  greatly  cherished  by  the  people  of 
Decatm-  and  the  country. 

In  iSj,^  .Mr.  Torrence  was  united  in  mar- 
riat;;c  to  Miss  Emma  Phillips,  of  Cleveland, 
(  )hio,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Rebecca 
'i'hatcher  Torrence.  Socially  he  is  connected 
with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  and  he 
exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of 
the  men  and  measures  of  the  Republican 
party.  His  understanding  of  mechanical  prin- 
ciples together  with  his  eye  for  beauty  and  his 
recognition  of  possibilities  in  this  direction 
have  made  him  splendidly  qualified  for  the 
])osition  which  he  is  now  filling.  As  cus- 
ttxlian  of  the  park  he  has  certainly  added 
greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  park  system  of 
Decatur  and  deserves  high  commendation  for 
what  he  has  accomplished. 


joiix   11.  i;l.\ck. 

.\mong  the  highly  esteemed  citizens  of 
1  )ecatur  who  are  now  living  a  retired  life 
after  many  years  of  active  identificatii  m 
with  the  business  interests  of  the  city 
should  be  numbered  John  H.  Black,  who 
resides  at  No.  171  W'est  \\'ood  street,  that 
being  his  home  continuously  for  the  past 
forty  years.  He  was  born  in  .Mishawaka. 
St.  Joseph  comity.  Indiana,  on  the  7th  of 
February,  1842,  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Cath- 
erine (McCirath)  Black,  who  were  born 
near  Belfast  in  County  Down,  Ireland.  It 
was  in  1S20  that  the  father  left  his  native 
land  and  came  to  the  new  world  in  com- 
pany with  his  father,  John  Black,  and  sev- 
eral brothers,  among  them  being  Hugh, 
wdio  was  a  sailor  on   Lake   Michigan,  with 


headquarters  in  Chicago,  and  was  drowned 
during  a  storm  on  that  lake;  John,  who 
died  in  Canada  :  and  Frank,  who  was  the 
voungest  in  the  family  and  was  about  fif- 
teen years  of  age  when  he  came  to  this 
country.  The  family  took  passage  on  a  sail- 
ing vessel  which  weighed  anchor  at  I'lelfast 
and  alter  a  v'oyage  of  seven  weeks  they 
landed  in  (Juebec,  whence  they  made  their 
way  by  boat  uj)  the  .St.  Lawrence  river  to 
Lake  Ontario  and  located  at  Port  Del- 
housie,  Canada.  In  1833  they  made  their 
way  westward  to  Chicago  and  from  there 
removed  to  St.  Joseph,  Michigan,  and  later 
to  Mishaw^ika,  Indiana.  Our  subject's 
grandfather  died  there  in  i8()i.  The  only 
one  of  his  children  now  living  is  I'rank 
Black.  During  the  war  with  Mexico  he  en- 
tered the  United  States  army  from  Wiscon- 
sin and  for  \aliant  service  was  promoted 
to  lieutenant  of  his  company.  He  served 
under  General  Shields  and  General  Win- 
field  Scott.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  re- 
turned to  Mishawaka,  Indiana,  where  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  but  during 
the  gold  excitement  in  California,  he  crossed 
the  i)lains  with  ox  teams  in  the  spring  of 
1849,  it  re(|uiring  si.x  months  to  make  the 
trip,  and  he  remained  five  years  on  the  Pa- 
cific slojjc.  .\t  the  end  of  that  time  he  again 
retm-ned  to  Mishawaka,  where  he  married 
Ihiiinah  Ihiek  and  after  her  death  he  was 
married  again.  When  the  gold  fever  broke 
out  at  Pike's  Peak  he  again  went  west  but 
this  time  remained  only  (:)ne  year  in  the 
gold  fields  of  Colorado,  returning  to  his 
home  in  Indiana  at  the  end  of  that  time. 
\\  lien  llie  Civil  war  was  inaugurated  he 
once  more  entered  the  army  antl  for  four 
years  fought  for  the  ])reservation  of  the 
Union,  taking  part  in  many  important  1):U- 
tles.  lie  was  promoted  from  private  to 
captain  and  when  hostilities  ceased  was 
honorably  discharged.  Returning  to  Mish- 
awaka. he  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade 
for  some  years  and  later  followed  farming, 


r54 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


but   is    now   living  a   retired   life    in    ]\lish- 
awaka. 

On  coming  to  America  Samuel  Black,  the 
father  of  our  subject,  first  located  at  Port 
Dclhousie,  Canada,  where  he  was  employed 
as  a  mechanic  on  the  A\^elland  canal,  which 
was  then  in  course  of  construction.  About 
1834  he  went  to  Chicago,  but  as  he  found 
business  ver}-  dull  in  the  embryo  city  and 
being  unable  to  secure  work,  he  shortly 
afterward  went  to  Alishawaka,  Indiana, 
where  he  obtained  the  position  of  foreman 
of  the  blast  furnaces  of  a  large  iron  foundry. 
He  remained  there  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  loth  of  August,  1849.  He 
had  been  converted  from  the  church  of 
England  to  the  Catholic  faith,  and  he  gave 
his  political  support  to  the  Whig  party. 
His  wife,  who  survived  him  for  some  years, 
made  her  home  with  her  children  in 
Mishawaka  after  his  death  until  1862,  when 
she  came  to  Decatur  to  live  with  our  sub- 
ject and  died  here  in  April,  1865.  In  the 
family  of  this  worthy  couple  were  six  chil- 
dren, namely:  Eliza,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Ellen,  now  the  widow  of  Andrew  JNIulIegan 
and  a  resident  of  South  Bend,  Indiana ; 
John  H.,  of  this  review ;  James  Joseph,  who 
died  in  infancy :  Belle,  wife  of  John  Feiten, 
of  Mishav.-aka,  Indiana ;  and  Mary,  widow 
of  Peter  Haubert,  of  the  same  cit}-. 

John  H.  Black  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  subscription  schools  of  Mish- 
awaka and  later  attended  what  was  then 
termed  the  high  grade  school.  His  first 
work  was  on  a  farm,  driving  an  ox  team  to 
a  plow,  for  which  he  received  fifty  cents 
per  day  and  his  board.  Later  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  lumberyard  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years  commenced  learning  the 
shoemaker's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  in 
Mishawaka  until  the  fall  of  i860,  when  he 
went  to  Chicago  and  was  similarly  em- 
ployed there  until  the  9th  of  July,  1862, 
which  date  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Deca- 
tur.     Here   he   worked    for   W.    F.    Busher 


until  1870,  when  he  became  a  member  of 
the  firm,  a  partnership  that  continued  until 
1885.  They  enjoj'ed  a  wide  reputation 
throughout  the  county  and  as  a  result  built 
up  a  good  trade.  On  his  retirement  from 
that  business  Mr.  Black  opened  a  shoe  store 
in  partnership  with  his  son,  Frank  P.,  and 
they  carried  on  the  same  until  1887,  since 
which  time  our  subject  has  practically 
lived   retired. 

On  the  loth  of  August,  1863,  at  St.  Pat- 
rick's Catholic  church,  Mr.  Black  was  mar- 
ried by  Rev.  Father  Vogt  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth McDonald.  She  was  born  December 
28,  1842,  in  County  Kildare,  Ireland,  about 
nine  miles  from  the  city  of  Dublin,  and  is  a 
daughter  of  Patrick  and  Bridget  ^McDonald, 
also  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  It  was 
about  1850  that  her  father  brought  his  fam- 
ily to  America  and  shortly  after  his  arrival 
in  this  country  located  at  Decatur,  Illinois, 
where  he  and  his  wife  made  their  home  un- 
til their  deaths,  both  living  to  a  remarkably 
old  age.  They  were  consistent  members  of 
the  Catholic  church  and  most  estimable 
people.  In  their  family  were  four  sons  and 
two  daughters  but  onlj-  ilrs.  Black  and  her 
brother,  Peter  ^McDonald,  are  now  living. 
The  later  is  also .  a  resident  of  Decatur. 
Mrs.  Black  was  the  youngest  of  the  chil- 
dren that  came  to  America  with  the  parents 
and  she  distinctly  remembers  the  ocean 
voyage,  made  on  a  sailing  vessel. 

Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  were  born 
seven  children,  six  sons  and  one  daughter, 
as  follows:  Frank  P.,  born  August  30, 
1864,  is  now  with  the  S.  J.  Clarke  Publish- 
ing Company,  of  Chicago,  the  compilers  of 
this  volume.  He  first  married  Louisa  M. 
Dilley.  of  Shelbyville,  Illinois,  who  died 
November  28,  1898.  and  on  the  20th  of 
November,  1901,  he  wedded  Minnie  J. 
Schaefer,  of  Geneseo,  Illinois.  Of  the  five 
children  born  of  the  first  union  two  died 
in  infancy,  those  living  being  Ethal  M., 
Grace  E.  and  Ruth  F.     There  is  one  child 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


(00 


])y  the  second  marriage,  Lenora  Catherine. 
William  H.,  our  subject's  second  son,  was 
born  Jul)'  29,  1866,  and  died  in  infancy. 
Edward  J.,  born  December  29,  1868,  is  also 
connected  with  the  S.  J.  Clarke  Publishing- 
company  and  resides  with  his  parents  in 
Decatur.  John  S.,  born  February  22,  1872, 
is  an  engineer  on  the  Terminal  Railroad  at 
St.  Louis.  He  married  Mollie  Koepples,  of 
that  city,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Thompson  and  Jerome.  Louis  W.,  born 
November  2,  1874,  resides  in  Decatur  and 
is  bookkeeper  for  the  Model  Laundry  Com- 
]iany.  Flaubert  B.,  born  January  24,  1882, 
is  also  a  resident  of  Decatur  and  is  drafts- 
man for  the  II.  Mueller  Manufacturing  Com- 
jiany.  .Mary  V...  born  January  26,  1876,  is 
at  home  with  her  parents. 

Religiously  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Black  are 
devout  members  of  St.  Patrick's  Catholic 
church  of  Decatur.  The  former  was  hixp- 
tized  in  the  little  log  school  church,  which 
was  erected  by  the  Missionary  Fathers,  it 
being  the  first  building  to  occupy  the  site 
of  the  now  famous  Notre  Dame  University, 
and  when  a  boy  he  served  Rev.  Father  Gen- 
eral .Sorin,  the  founder  of  the  university, 
at  the  altar  as  acolyte  during  the  celebra- 
tion of  mass.  His  father  was  buried  in  the 
Notre  Dame  cemetery.  In  politics  Mr.  Black 
is  independent,  voting  for  the  men  and 
measures  which  he  believes  are  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  people.  Fraternally  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Decatur  Council,  Knights 
•of  Columbus.  He  deserves  classification 
among  the  self-made  men  of  this  locality, 
for  he  came  to  Macon  county  in  1862  with- 
out a  dollar  and  when  a  young  man  sup- 
l^orled  his  mother  and  sisters  until  the  lat- 
ter were  married.  After  that  his  mother 
lived  with  him  until  her  death.  He  deserves 
great  credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished 
in  life  and  justly  merits  the  confidence  and 
trust  .so  freely  accorded  him  by  his  fellow 
citizens.  He  has  ever  been  a  kind,  indul- 
j;;ent,    loving   husband    and     father     and     a 


friendship  that  he  once  gained  has  always 
been  retained.  He  is  widely  and  favorably 
known  throughout  his  adopted  count\'  and 
is  accounted  one  of  Decatur's  most  re- 
spected citizens. 


L.    E.    ROGERS. 

This  well  known  and  energetic  farmer  re- 
siding on  section  24,  Maroa  township,  has 
spent  his  entire  life  in  Macon  county,  his  birth 
occurring  here  on  the  8th  of  May,  1867.  His 
father,  R.  H.  Rogers,  was  also  born  in  this 
county  in  1837  and  was  a  representative  of  one 
of  its  honored  pioneer  families.  Amid  fron- 
tier scenes  he  grew  to  manhood  and  he  took 
an  active  part  in  the  early  development  and 
upbuilding  of  this  section  of  the  state.  He 
made  farming  his  life  work  and  after  a  useful 
and  well  spent  life  died  in  1901,  his  remains 
being  interred  in  Ridge  cemetery.  The  mother 
of  our  subject,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Rachel  .-\.  Demsey,  is  still  living  in  Macon 
county,  which  is  also  the  home  of  three  broth- 
ers and  one  sister  of  our  subject. 

L.  E.  Rogers  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth 
upon  the  home  farm  and  early  became  fa- 
miliar with  the  work  of  field  and  meadow, 
while  in  the  district  schools  of  the  neighbor- 
hood he  gained  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
branches  of  learning  therein  taught.  At  the 
age  of  twenty-one  he  began  farming  on  his 
own  account,  and  after  operating  rented  land 
for  five  years  he  was  able  to  purchase  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres,  which  he  afterward 
sold  and  then  purchased  his  present  farm  of 
one  hundrtcl  and  sixty  acres  on  section  24, 
Maroa  township.  Industrious,  enterprising 
and  progressive,  he  has  carried  on  his  work 
in  a  creditable  manner  atid  the  prosperity  that 
has  come  to  him  is  certainly  well  merited.  He 
raises  grain  mostly  but  gives  some  attention 
to  the  raising  of  cattle  and  hogs  for  market. 
His  farm  is  well  improved  and  its  neat  and 
thrifty   ajipearance   indicates   to  the   passerby 


756 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


that    the    owner   thoroughly   understands    the 
vocation  he  has  chosen  as  a  Hfe  work. 

In  1892  Mr.  Rogers  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Anna  Rau,  also  a  native  of  Macon 
county,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  chil- 
dren :  Clayton  R.  and  one  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. \lv.  and  Mrs.  Rogers  are  both  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Brethren  church  and  he  is 
also  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  His  political  support  is  given  the 
Republican  party. 


G.  FRED  OILMAN. 
Among  the  sturdy,  energetic  and  reliable 
citizens  of  ]\Iacon  count)'  whose  lives  have 
been  devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits  is  G. 
Fred  Gilman.  who  now  owns  and  operates  a 
good  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on 
section  29,  Illini  township.  A  native  of 
Illinois,  he  was  born  at  Long  Ridge,  IMarshall 
county,  August  14,  1857,  his  parents  being 
George  and  Sarah  H.  (Coding)  Gilman.  His 
father  was  born  on  the  4th  of  January,  1831, 
in  Parsonsfield,  Elaine,  of  English  ancestry, 
and  his  mother  was  also  a  native  of  the  Pine 
Tree  state,  her  birth  having  occurred  in  York 
county.  Alaine,  April  15,  1830.  She  was  of 
Welsh  descent.  Our  subject's  paternal  grand- 
father spent  his  last  days  in  Macon  county 
and  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  George  on 
section  29,  Illini  township.  ]\Iay  17.  1887,  his 
remains  being  interred  in  the  Illini  cemetery. 
He  was  born  May  9,  1802.  In  1846  the 
father  left  his  old  home  in  the  east  and  came 
to  Illinois,  locating  first  in  Marshall  county, 
where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land.  In  1865  he  removed  to  Bureau 
count}-  and  bought  an  eighty-acre  farm,  mak- 
ing his  home  thereon  until  coming  to  Macon 
county  in  1868.  Here  he  purchased  the  north 
half  of  section  29.  Illini  township,  where  our 
subject  now  resides,  and  afterward  added  to 
his  farm  an  eighty-acre  tract  on  section  20. 
Throughout  his  active  business  life  he  engaged 


in  farming  and  met  with  fair  success  in  his 
wiirk.  He  died  October  3,  1899,  and  his  wife 
August  24,  1892.  honored  and  respected  by 
all  who  knew  them,  and  tliey  were  laid  to  rest 
in  the  Illini  cemetery. 

This  worthy  couple  were  the  ])arents  of 
four  children,  of  whom  G.  Fred  is  the  oldest. 
Bessie  A.,  the  second  in  order  of  birth,  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  teaching  school  in  Macon 
coimty  for  a  time  and  is  now  living  on  the 
old  home  farm  in  Illini  township.  Richard 
E.  married  Addie  D.  Mills,  and  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Modesto,  California. 
Sadie  G.  is  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Tucker,  a  grain 
merchant  of  Morton,  Tazewell  county,  Illinois. 

G.  Fred  Gilman  is  indebted  to  the  district 
schools  of  Illini  township  for  the  early  edu- 
cational privileges  he  enjoyed  and  for  one  year 
he  was  a  student  at  the  University  of  Illinois. 
Leaving  school  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he 
gave  his  father  the  benefit  of  his  labors  on 
the  home  farm  until  he  attained  his  majority 
and  then  started  out  in  life  for  himself,  operat- 
ing the  farm  where  he  still  lives.  Here  he  has 
made  his  home  since  1879.  and  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  a  rich  and  arable  tract  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  on  section  29.  Illini  town- 
ship, on  which  he  has  made  many  useful  and 
valuable  improvements. 

On  the  23d  of  December,  1885,  at  Osceola, 
Clarke  county.  Iowa,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Gilman  and  Miss  Caroline  A. 
Young,  who  was  born  in  Trivoli,  Peoria  coun- 
ty. Illinois,  December  5.  1861,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  grammar  and  high  schools  of 
Osceola.  Iowa.  Her  father  was  born  in  Scitu- 
ate.  Massachusetts.  August  11.  1827.  and  is 
still  living.  He  traces  his  ancestry  on  both 
sides  back  to  the  Pilgrims  who  came  to  this 
country  in  the  INIayflower  and  the  entire  fam- 
ily history  appears  in  the  book  of  Hanover, 
Massachusetts.  Mrs.  Gilman's  paternal  great- 
grandfather, Levi  Young,  was  captain  of  a 
colonial  privateer  preying  on  English  com- 
merce in  American  waters  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary   war,    and    her    great-uncle,    George 


T.  C-  STONER 


MRS    T.  C  STONER 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


759 


Pratt,  served  as  a  private  soldier  in  the  Con- 
tinental army  during  the  entire  war,  never 
coming  home  until  peace  was  restored.  Mrs. 
(lilman's  maternal  granthnother,  who  was  a 
Bailey,  belonged  to  an  old  and  prominent  fam- 
ily, whose  coat  of  arms  were  Az.,  nine  estoiles. 
three,  three,  two  and  one.  ar.,  and  crest,  a 
morning  star  ppr. 

I'ntd  .Mr.  and  .Mrs.  (  iihnan  ha\e  hern  horn 
five  children:  deorge  .\.,  born  November  29, 
1886:  Harold  1!.,  born  FX-cember  6,  1888; 
Cdadys  E.,  born  July  2ii,  1891  ;  Adelaide  15., 
born  June  15,  1893;  and  Carol  D.,  who  was 
born  .March  28,  1898,  and  died  July  31,  1898. 
her  remains  being  interred  in  the  lllini  cem- 
etery. 

Politically  .Mr.  (iilman  affiliates  willi  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  socially  he  is  identified 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  .\merica.  Ijoth 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  lllini  Con- 
gregational church  and  are  widely  and  favora- 
bly known  in  the  community  where  they  re- 
side, having  a  host  of  warm  friends  through- 
out the  county.  Mrs.  (jilman  belongs  to  the 
Royal  Neighbors  of  America  at  \\'arrensburg, 
Illinois. 


THOMAS  C.  STONER. 
Tiiomas  C.  Stoner,  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  residents  of  Mount  Zion  township, 
was  born  on  the  24th  of  March,  1829,  in 
Bath  county,  Kentucky,  and  is  a  represen- 
tative of  one  of  the'  earliest  families  of  that 
state.  His  paternal  grandfather.  Michael 
Stoner,  was  a  native  of  Germany  and  on 
coming  to  America  first  located  in  Virginia 
but  went  to  Kentucky  with  Daniel  Boone, 
the  noted  Indian  fighter  and  pioneer.  There 
Michael  Stoner  died  at  the  age  of  fifty  years. 
He  was  once  wounded  in  battle  with  the 
Indians.  He  married  a  .Miss  Sarah  Tribble, 
who  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninety 
years,  and  to  them  were  born  the  following 


children;  Leonard,  W  ashingtnii,  Michael, 
I'eter,  Andrew,  .\ancy  and  Sallie.  Sarah 
Tribble  was  the  sister  of  Peter  Tribble,  who 
married  a  Miss  Boone,  the  daughter  of 
George  Boone,  who  was  a  brother  of  Daniel 

IJoiinr. 

(1.  Washington  .Stoner,  of  this  family, 
was  the  father  of  our  subject.  He  spent 
his  entire  lite  in  Kentucky  and  made  farm- 
ing his  ])rincipal  occupation,  though  he 
filled  tlu-  ntlice  of  sheriff  of  Madison  county 
tor  a  time  when  a  young  man.  He  married 
.Vancy  Tribble.  a  daughter  of  Peter  Tribble, 
who  was  a  ]>a|)list  minister  of  Kentucky 
and  ilied  near  Richmond.  .Madison  county, 
that  state.  .Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Stoner  spent  their 
last  days  in  Mount  .Sterling,  Montgomery 
county,  Kentucky,  where  he  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four  years  and  she  at  the  age  of 
seventy-seven.  They  were  the  parents  of 
twelve  children,  namely:  Clinton.  Sarah, 
Michael,  Mary  Ann,  Peter  and  Fannie,  all 
deceased;  Minerva,  who  first  married  John 
Grubbs  and  second  Richard  L.  W^illiams, 
and  died  in  New  Orleans;  Washington,  who 
is  now  living  at  Lake  Charles,  Louisiana ; 
Thomas  C,  of  this  review;  and  Nannie, 
Maria  and  Robert  G.,  all  three  deceased. 

Thomas  C.  Stoner  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  state  and  Mount 
Sterling  Academy.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  years  he  began  farming  on  his  own 
account  in  Bath  county,  Kentucky,  remain- 
ing there  three  years,  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  came  to  Macon  county.  Illinois, 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  In  1857 
he  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  acres  of  land  on  section  29,  Mount 
Zion  township,  and  to  the  improvement  and 
cultivation  of  that  place  he  continued  to 
devote  his  time  and  energies  until  his  re- 
tirement from  active  labor.  He  has  added 
fiftv  acres  to  the  original  tract  and  now  has 
a  place  one  mile  long  and  a  half  mile  wide. 
The  fields  are  well  tilled,  the  fences  are  in 
good  repair  and  the  buildings  are  substan- 


roo 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


tial.   Ihe    residence   liaving-   been    erecled    in 

1873- 

Born  and  reared  in  the  sonlli,  Mr.  Stoner's 
sympatliies  were  with  the  Confederacy  dur- 
ing the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war,  and  on 
the  I2th  of  October,  1861,  lie  joined  a  cav- 
alry company  at  Cumberland  Ford,  about 
twelve  miles  from  Cumberland  Gap.  This 
company  was  under  the  command  of  his 
brother  and  the  regyment  to  which  it  was 
assigned  was  under  General  Zollie  Cof¥er. 
Our  subject  participated  in  the  engagements 
at  Rock  Castle  river  and  Princeton,  Vir- 
ginia, and  Middle  Creek,  Kentucky,  besides 
numerous  skirmishes,  and  after  the  battle  of 
Middle  Creek  was  discharged  at  Abingdon, 
Virgina.  December  12,  1862,  but  he  subse- 
quently went  on  the  !\Iorgan  raid  with  Col- 
onel Roy  Clarke.  At  that  time  his  brother, 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Robert  Stoner,  and  Colo- 
nel P.reckenridge  were  at  McMinnville,  Ten- 
nessee. He  left  ^Torgan  at  Licking,  near 
Zanesville.  Ohio,  with  two  comrades,  Pen- 
dleton Ewing  and  John  Fessler,  who  went 
from  Cincinnati  to  Maysville,  Kentucky,  and 
then  on  foot  over  the  IMaysville  and  TMount 
Sterling  pike  to  his  father's  farm,  reaching 
home  on  the  ist  of  March,  1864. 

On  the  3d  of  September,  1851,  Mr.  Stoner 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nannie  J. 
Hathaway,  a  daughter  of  Philip  Hathaway, 
of  Montgomery  county,  Kentucky.  She 
died  April  28,  1900,  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine 
years.  By  this  union  were  born  eight  chil- 
dren as  follows :  William  Clinton,  who  died 
in  Texas,  had  three  children :  Hope  A., 
Royal  and  Clinton,  the  last  now  deceased. 
Andrew  was  scalded  to  death  at  the  age  of 
two  years.  Millard  is  also  deceased.  Mary 
P.  is  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Burt,  principal  of 
the  McLeonard  school  of  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, and  they  have  seven  children:  Price, 
Clinton  Miriam,  Margaret,  Robert,  James 
and  Hathaway.  Thomas  C.  is  a  resident  of 
Mount  Zion  township,  this  conuty,  Robert 
L.,  who  married  a  Miss  Glenn,  is  a  resident 


of  Macon  township.  Nannie  H.  is  the  wife 
of  Walter  S.  Bromley,  who  lives  on  our  sub- 
ject's farm,  and  they  had  three  children: 
Elva,  Wallace,  and  Vera,  deceased.  Mattie 
A.  is  the  wife  of  Thomas  Smith,  of  .South 
Wheatland  township.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren :  T.  Weaver,  Nannie  Hathaway  and 
Daniel  Boone  Michael  Stoner  Peter  Tribble. 
Mr.  Stoner  is  spending  his  declining  years 
on  his  farm,  looking  after  his  interests,  but 
he  leaves  the  operation  of  the  land  to  younger 
hands,  while  he  practically  lives  retired. 
Since  casting  his  first  vote  he  has  affiliated 
with  the  Democratic  party  and  has  always 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  public  aflfairs.  He 
is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  the  coun- 
ty where  he  has  now  made  his  home  for 
almost  a  half  century  and  he  has  the  respect 
and   confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


THOMAS  T.  ROBERTS. 
Thomas  T.  Roberts  was  born  on  a  farm 
near  Charleston,  Coles  county,  Illinois,  of 
Scotch-Irish  Presbyterian  parents,  who  emi- 
grated from  East  Tennessee  about  1830. 
He  is  the  ninth  child  of  a  family  of  three 
sisters  and  seven  brothers.  His  early  life 
was  spent  on  the  farm,  working  during  the 
summer  and  in  winter  attending  the  school 
which  was  then  held  in  a  log  schoolhouse 
near  the  farm.  The  Charleston  Academy 
was  afterward  established  and  he  took  ad- 
vantage of  this  better  opportunity  for  an 
education.  He  enlisted  in  Company  A,  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-third  Illinois  Volun- 
teers in  1862  and  continued  in  active  ser- 
vice with  his  regiment  until  the  close  of 
the  war,  being  mustered  out  in  July,  1865. 
He  was  once  wounded  in  a  battle  at  Selma, 
Alabama,  .'Vpril  2,  1865.  Immediately  upon 
his  return  from  the  war  he  came  to  Decatur 
and  associated  with  his  brother.  Dr.  J.  E. 
Roberts,  in  the  drug  business  and  continued 
in  the  same  until  1872.    He  then  entered  in- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


rtil 


to  co-partnership  with  Captain  R.  P.  L\tle 
and  O.  Z.  Green  and  built  up  what  was 
afterwards  known  as  the  Decatur  Coffin 
Company,  where  lie  has  continued  ever 
since. 

Mr.  Roberts  was  married  in  1870  to  .Miss 
Rachel  T.  Musgrave,  of  Cincinnati,  who 
died  in  1882.  In  1886  he  was  again  married 
to  ^liss  Anna  H.  Jack  of  Decatur.  Mr. 
Roberts  has  been  prominently  associated 
with  many  of  the  business  interests  of  De- 
catur, among  others  the  raising  of  the  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  by  the  citizens, 
which  secured  the  location  of  the  James 
Millikin  University.  Since  its  establish- 
ment, he  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of 
directors   of  this  university. 

Politically  Mr.  Roberts  is  a  i'rohibitive 
Republican,  and  was  one  of  the  six  alder- 
men, who,  ill  1883,  voted  the  city  anti- 
license.  He.  is  a  man  who  belie\es  and 
trusts  men,  and  thinks  success  is  always 
within  the  reach  of  all  who  are  willing  to 
pay  the  penalty  in  honest  effort.  He  does 
not  think  success  is  always  measured  by  the 
money  standard,  but  that  to  be  honest,  in- 
dustrious and  true  is  to  be  successful. 


FRANK   J.    ^HTTAN,  M.   D. 

One  of  the  recent  additions  to  the  citizen- 
ship of  Decatur  is  Dr.  Frank  J.  Mittan,  who 
removed  from  Colfax,  McLean  county,  Il- 
linois. He  has  already  won  favorable  atten- 
tion here  and  is  building  up  a  good  practice, 
for  he  is  recognized  as  a  thorough  student  of 
his  profession  who  keeps  abreast  of  the  times 
and  the  improvement  that  is  continually  being 
made  in  the  practice  of  medicine  and  surgery. 
He  was  born  in  DeWitt  county,  Illinois,  April 
13,  1865,  and  obtained  his  literary  education 
in  the  district  schools  and  in  the  high  school 
of  Farmer  City. 

His  father,  George  H.  Mittan,  was  born  in 
Scranton,  Pennsylvania,  September  12,  1837, 


and  when  twelve  years  of  age  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  Lee  county,  Il- 
linois, where  after  completing  a  course  in  the 
common  schools  he  learned  the  blacksmith's 
trade  and  later  conducted  a  shop  of  his  own. 
Subsequently  he  became  the  owner  of  a  farm 
which  he  operated  for  a  time  or  until  turning 
his  attention  into  mercantile  affairs.  He  is 
now  engaged  in  the  ice  business  in  Farmer 
City,  Illinois.  He  has  been  twice  married, 
having  on  the  24th  of  December,  1862,  wedded 
Miss  Eliza  Margaret  Erwin,  of  Farmer  City, 
by  whom  he  had  seven  children,  five  sons  and 
two  daughters,  namely :  Clara  B.,  Frank  J., 
Wesley  C,  Effie  J.,  Ira  C,  Elmer,  and  Ora  C. 
The  eldest  daughter  became  the  wife  of  John 
S.  Brandon  of  Bellflower,  Illinois,  and  they 
have  two  daughters.  Myrtle  and  Pearl.  They 
now  reside  in  Marshalltown,  Iowa.  Effie  J. 
is  the  wife  of  Frederick  D.  Rhea,  who  form- 
erly lived  in  Bellflower,  but  is  now  a  railroad 
agent,  living  at  Marion,  Illinois.  They  have 
three  living  children.  Mrs.  Eliza  Mittan  died 
August  31,  1888,  and  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject was  again  married  March  3,  1897,  his 
second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Fannie 
(Knight)  Wharton. 

After  completing  his  literary  education  Dr. 
Mittan  engaged  in  teaching  school  for  four 
years,  being  for  two  years  a  teacher  in  the 
country  schools  and  for  a  similar  period  in  the 
high  school  at  Bellflower,  Illinois.  During 
the  vacation  months  of  1883-4-5  he  studied 
medicine  with  Dr.  Godfrey  of  Bellflower  and 
in  the  fall  of  1887  he  entered  the  Miami  Medi- 
cal College  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
mained for  one  year.  He  then  taught  school 
as  principal  of  the  high  school  of  Bellflower 
and  in  1888  he  entered  the  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege of  Chicago,  in  which  he  was  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1891. 

Immediately  after  receiving  his  diploma  the 
Doctor  located  in  Colfax  and  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  in  which  he  has 
since  met  with  enviable  success.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  McLean  County  Medical  So- 


702 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


ciety  and  also  belongs  to  the  State  jMedical 
Society,  taking  an  active  interest  in  each  or- 
ganization. On  leaving  Colfax  he  came  to 
Decatur  and  has  already  won  prominence  as  a 
medical  practitioner  here. 

On  the  24th  of  November,  1896,  Dr.  Mittan 
was  nnitcd  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  L. 
Butcher,  of  Bellflower,  Illinois.  Her  father, 
James  C.  liutcher,  was  born  near  Crawfords- 
ville,  Indiana,  October  7,  1829.  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  schools  of  his  native  state.  He 
always  followed  the  occupation  of  farming. 
In  1852  he  wedded  Jane  C.  Emmett,  of  Craw- 
fordsville,  Indiana,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  but 
two  of  the  sons  died  in  infancy.  Those  now 
living  are :  Flora  E.,  Emma  L.,  John  A.  and 
Ida  A.  The  family  removed  to  McLean  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1850,  locating  in  Oldtown, 
where  Mr.  Butcher  resumed  farming  opera- 
tions. His  first  wife  died  November  3,  1870, 
and  he  afterward  wedded  Mrs.  Susan  Harris, 
nee  Fordyce,  this  marriage  being  solemnized 
October  2,  1871.  Three  children  have  been 
born  of  this  union :  Jay  A.,  Myron  H.  and 
Jessie  H.  Mr.  Butcher  is  now  living  a  retired 
life.  Flora  E.  Butcher,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Mit- 
tan, is  now  the  wife  of  Lincoln  P.  Goodhart, 
of  Chicago.  They  have  a  daughter,  Ina  L. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Mittan  was 
John  Butcher,  who  was  born  in  1799,  the  eld- 
est member  of  his  father's  family.  He  mar- 
ried Abigail  Monahan.  The  great-grand- 
father, James  Butcher,  was  born  in  1777  and 
he,  too,  was  the  oldef"  -riember  of  the  family 
to  which  he  belonged.  His  wife  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Mary  Patterson.  The  ma- 
ternal grandparents  of  Mrs.  Mittan  were  Peter 
and  Silence  (Shobe")  Monahan. 

Fraternally  Dr.  Mittan  is  a  member  of  Col- 
fax Lodge,  No.  799,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  Bloom- 
ington  Chapter,  No.  26,  R.  A.  M. ;  Blooming- 
ton  Council,  No.  43,  R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  DeMo- 
lay  Commandery,  No.  24,  K.  T.,  of  Blooming- 
ton.  While  in  Colfax  he  took  an  active  part 
in  evervthing  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the 


village.  He  was  especially  interested  in  edu- 
cational matters,  his  experience  as  a  teacher 
enabling  him  to  know  what  was  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  schools.  He  acted  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  education  for  eight  years 
and  for  five  years  was  its  president.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  board  of  aldermen  and 
acted  as  its  president  for  one  year.  He  like- 
wise served  as  chairman  of  the  board  of  health 
in  Colfax  and  in  all  his  oflficial  positions  dis- 
charged his  duties  with  marked  fairness,  capa- 
1)ility  and  for  the  best  interests  of  the  general 
])ul)lic.  His  political  support  has  ever  been 
given  to  the  Republican  party  and  he  is  a 
stanch  advocate  of  its  principles.  He  con- 
tinued an  active  worker  in  behalf  of  the  schools 
in  Colfax  until  1902.  when  he  left  for  Europe 
in  order  to  pursue  a  post-graduate  course  in 
medicine  and  surgery. 

Accompanied  by  his  wife  he  went  direct  to 
London,  England,  where  he  studied  in  the 
Associated  Medical  Colleges  of  London  for 
four  months,  pursuing  the  study  of  surgery 
under  Sir  A'ictor  Horsley,  Dr.  Barter,  Dr. 
Watson  Cheyne  and  Dr.  Corless.  He  also  at- 
tended a  polyclinic  held  at  night  in  the  hospi- 
tal for  the  diseases  of  women,  his  instructor 
there  being  Dr.  Fenwick.  He  also  did  special 
work  in  St.  Mark's  Hospital  in  connection 
with  the  treatment  of  rectal  diseases.  While 
abroad  Dr.  Mittan  and  his  wife  traveled  ex- 
tensively over  the  continent,  visiting  France, 
Holland,  Germany  and  other  European  coun- 
tries and  thus  broadening  their  general  knowl- 
edge and  gaining  that  culture  and  experience 
which  only  travel  can  bring.  In  the  spring  of 
the  present  year  (1903)  Dr.  Mittan  returned 
to  America  and  spent  several  months  in  the 
hospitals  of  Chicago.  He  then  came  to  De- 
catur, where  he  fitted  up  elegant  rooms  on  the 
fifth  floor  of  the  Powers  building,  where  he 
has  all  the  latest  and  modern  appliances  such 
as  the  X-ray  machine  and  other  devices  for 
the  treatment  of  disease.  He  is  making  a  spe- 
cialtv  of  surgerv  and  of  the  diseases  of  women 
and  his  thorough  preparation  has  made  him  a 


CHARLES  LAUX 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


7Ca 


practitioner  of  marked  ability.  He  has  gained 
a  place  of  distinctive  precedence  in  the  ranks 
of  the  medical  fraternity  in  this  part  of  the 
state  and  is  building  up  a  practice  commen- 
surate with  his  skill  and  learning. 


J.  r>.  STOUTEN  BOROUGH. 

The  expression  "the  dignity  of  labor  "  is 
exemplified  in  the  life  record  of  this  gentle- 
man, who  without  reserve  attributes  his  suc- 
cess to  earnest  work  as  he  has  never  engaged 
in  speculations  of  any  kind.  He  is  a  man  of 
strong  force  of  character,  purposeful  and 
energetic,  and  his  keen  discrimination  and 
sound  judgment  are  shown  in  his  capable 
management  of  business  affairs.  He  resides 
on  section  4.  .\laroa  townshiii,  where  he 
owns  and  operates  a  good  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred  and  sixty  acres. 

Mr.  Stoutenborough  was  born  in  Hutlcr 
county,  Ohio,  July  28,  1855,  and  in  1863  was 
brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents,  John  and 
Elizabeth  Stoutenborough,  the  family  locating 
in  Macon  county,  where  the  father  engaged 
in  farming  for  many  years,  but  he  and  his 
wife  are  now  living  retired  in  Maroa.  Our 
subject  attended  the  public  schools  of  this 
county  during  his  boyhood  and  youth  and  re- 
mained at  home  with  his  parents  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority.  For  ten  years  thereafter 
he  was  engaged  in  farming  on  rented  land, 
and  then  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  east  of  Maroa.  where  he  lived 
for  four  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
bought  a  one  hundred  and  sixty  acre  tract 
from  his  father  and  has  since  engaged  in  its 
cultivation.  There  is  a  fine  house  and  barn 
upon  the  place,  besides  a  good  set  of  farm 
buildings  of  all  kinds,  and  the  farm  is  one  of 
the  most  attractive  and  desirable  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  county.  Mr.  Stoutenborough  is 
engaged  in  both  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising. 

In  1881  was  celebrated  his  marriage  to  Miss 


Laura  llaird.  a  native  of  De  Witt  county, 
Illinois,  antl  a  daughter  of  Peter  Baird.  They 
have  two  children,  Norman,  the  older,  com- 
pleted the  proscribed  course  in  the  schools  of 
Maroa  and  later  attended  Brown's  Business 
College  at  DecaUir.  Two  years  ago  he  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  bookkeeper  in  the 
Crocker  &  Company's  Bank  of  Maroa,  where 
he  is  still  employed.  Ernest,  the  younger 
son.  is  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoutenbor- 
ough are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  occupy  a  prominent  position  in  social  cir- 
cles of  the  coinnumity.  lly  his  ballot  Mr. 
Stoutenborough  supports  ihe  Re]3ublican 
party  anil  its  principles. 


CHARLES  L.\UN. 

Charles  Laux,  proi)rietor  of  the  St.  Nich- 
cjlas,  has  had  as  strenuous  a  life  perhaps 
as  any  of  the  older  citizens  of  Decatur  and 
his  career  is  a  striking  e.xample  of  hard 
work  rewarded.  He  came  to  Decatur  when 
it  was  a  village  and  the  hotel  he  established 
here  has  kept  pace  with  the  progress  of  the 
city.  Three  times  when  the  growing  city 
demanded  it.  Mr.  Laux  built  a  new  St. 
Nicholas  and  the  present  one  is  in  every 
respect  all  that  a  larger  city  than  Decatur 
could  expect. 

Born  in  the  (jrand  1  )uchy  of  Luxemburg, 
November  17,  1842,  Mr.  Laux  came  to 
.America  in  1854  with  his  parents  and  fam- 
ily, lie  eauR-  direct  to  Decatur,  where  his 
motiicr  died  in  July  of  the  same  year  and 
his  father  died  in  1859.  Mr.  Laux  was  but 
eleven  years  old  when  he  arrived  with  his 
parents  in  this  country.  When  eighteen  he 
crossed  the  continent  to  California.  He  was 
attracted  to  the  west  Ijy  the  great  gold 
craze  and  while  there  he  worked  at  various 
hotels  on  the  Pacific  coast.  After  four 
\-cars  of  California  be  returned  to  Decatur 
and  the  firm  of  Laux  Brothers  was  estab- 
lished.     Mr.    Laux    and    his    brothers   pur- 


760 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


chased  llic  old  llarrcU  House,  which  was 
then  caUcd  the  Cloudas  House.  The  hi)stel- 
ry  was  re-named  the  St.  Nicholas,  in  1880 
the  partnership  was  dissolved  and  Mr. 
Laux's  brothers  went  west,  leaving  him  the 
sole  proprietor  of  the  hotel.  Since  that 
time,  he  has  made  his  hotel  very  popular 
with  the  traveling  public  and  has  gained 
the  approbation  of  the  Decatur  citizens.  In 
1892  the  present  St.  Nicholas  was  built  and 
ranks  today  as  one  of  the  handsomest 
buildings  in  the  city.  It  has  one  hundred 
and  fifty  guest  rooms,  a  home-like  office,  a 
beautiful  dining  room  and  parlor.  The 
house  was  built  at  an  outlay  of  one  hun- 
dred and  five  thousand  dollars. 

Many  bits  of  central  Illinois  and  even 
national  history  have  taken  place  in  the 
St.  Nicholas  hotel.  Since  the  days  of  Abra- 
liam  Lincoln  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  the 
St.  Nicholas  has  been  a  political  headquar- 
ters. The  framers  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  drew  up  the  original  code  of 
the  army  in  the  parlors  of  the  St.  Nicholas 
and  this  act  will  make  Decatur  famous  after 
the  last  veteran  of  the  Civil  war  has  gone 
to  join  his  fallen  comrades.  Mr.  Laux  held 
the  office  of  city  treasurer  for  a  term  of  two 
years. 


JAMES  A.  WILSON. 
James  A.  Wilson,  a  retired  farmer  and 
stock-raiser,  now  residing  at  No.  1067  West 
Main  street,  in  Decatur,  belongs  to  one  of  the 
oldest  families  of  the  county,  the  Wilson  home 
being  first  established  here  in  1830.  The  par- 
ents of  our  subject  were  Robert  and  Sarah 
(Lindsey)  Wilson,  both  natives  of  North  Car- 
olina. The  father  was  born  in  Mecklenburg 
and  resided  there  until  twenty  years  of  age, 
when  he  removed  with  his  parents  to  Wilson 
county,  Tennessee.  There  he  engaged  in 
farming  until  1829,  when  he  brought  his  fam- 
ily to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  settling  on 


a  farm  ahinit  fifteen  miles  from  Springfield. 
For  a  year  he  resided  on  what  was  called  the 
old  Bone  place,  and  in  December,  1830,  he  re- 
moved to  Macon  county.  This  was  the  win- 
ter of  the  famous  '"deep  snov/,"  so  memor- 
able in  the  early  history  of  the  state.  Mr. 
Wilson  purchased  a  tract  of  land  on  section 
6,  Mount  Zion  township,  the  deed  for  which 
was  made  on  a  piece  of  sheepskin.  There  he 
began  raising  stock,  for  which  there  was  a 
great  demand,  and  as  there  were  no  railroads 
to  provide  shipping  facilities  his  sons,  includ- 
ing our  subject,  drove  many  a  herd  of  cattle 
and  of  horses  across  the  country  to  the  markets 
of  \\'isconsin.  Mr.  Wilson  was  actively  con- 
nected with  general  fanning  and  stock-raising 
interests  in  Mount  Zion  township  until  his 
death.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  union 
being  with  Miss  Jane  Donnell,  of  Tennessee, 
wlio  died  in  that  state  in  1828.  He  then 
wedded  Sarah  (Lindsey)  Hodge,  widow  of 
Joseph  Hodge.  By  the  first  union  there  were 
seven  children,  but  all  are  now  deceased.  The 
three  children  born  of  the  second  marriage 
are :  Robert  D.,  now  deceased ;  Sarah  A., 
tiie  widow  of  John  H.  Davidson  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Mount  Zion;  and  James  A.,  of  this 
review. 

Our  subject  was  born  on  the  old  family 
homestead  in  Mount  Zion  township,  Septem- 
ber 5,  1835,  and  like  the  other  children  of  the 
household  he  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  the  locality,  while  later  he  entered 
a  college  at  Sullivan,  Illinois.  On  account  of 
his  eyesight,  however,  he  had  to  return  home 
and  again  he  attended  the  common  schools 
near  the  farm.  In  his  early  youth  he  began 
herding  stock  for  his  father  and  also  per- 
formed all  kinds  of  work  incident  to  the  culti- 
vation and  improvement  of  land.  After  his 
education  was  completed  he  returned  to  the 
old  homestead  and  there  continued  to  engage 
in  general  farming  and  stock-raising  until 
after  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  when  on 
the  5th  of  August,  1861,  he  enlisted,  becom- 
ing a  member  of  Company  E,  Forty-first  II- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


707 


linois  Regiment  under  Captain  J.  L.  Arm- 
strong and  Colonel  I.  C.  Pugh.  He  partici- 
pated in  a  number  of  important  engagements, 
including  the  battles  of  Fort  Donelson,  Pitts- 
burg Landing,  Jackson,  Vicksburg  and  Cor- 
inth and  was  in  numerous  skirmishes  in  con- 
nection with  the  Red  river  expedition  under 
General  Banks.  In  the  battle  of  Tupelo  he 
was  in  command  of  his  regiment  for  two  days, 
these  being  the  last  days  of  his  service,  and 
on  the  20th  of  August,  1864,  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged  at  Springfield.  He  was  first 
lieutenant  at  tliat  time,  being  promoted  imme- 
diately after  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing, 
being  commissioned  by  Governor  Yates. 

Returning  to  his  farm  he  resumed  agricul- 
tural pusuits  and  October  29,  1867,  he  won  a 
companion  and  helpmate  for  the  journey  of 
life,  being  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah 
E.  Jones,  also  a  native  of  this  county,  born  in 
1849,  ^^^  ^  daughter  of  Claybourn  and  Ma- 
tilda (Davis)  Jones.  Her  mother,  born  Sep- 
ternber  i,  1820,  is  now  deceased.  The  father, 
born  Augu.st  to,  181 1,  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Macon  county.  He  settled  in  Oak- 
ley township  and  later  removed  to  Mount 
Zion  township,  where  he  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising  until,  well  advanced  in 
years,  he  retired  from  business  life  and  is  now 
living  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson,  at  the  ripe 
old  age  of  ninety-two  years.  Six  children 
were  born  unto  Air.  and  Mrs.  Wilson :  Charles 
L-.,  who  went  to  Colgate  University,  Hamil- 
ton, New  York,  to  attend  school,  was  there 
taken  ill  and  returned  home,  dying  here  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1894,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six  years; 
Mabel  E.  is  now  a  teacher  in  the  Wood  street 
school  and  resides  with  her  parents ;  Sadie 
is  the  wife  of  Clarence  C.  Mills,  a  veterinary 
surgeon  of  Decatur ;  Robert  Roy,  who  mar- 
ried Fannie  Davenport,  is  employed  by  the 
Morehouse  &  Wells  Hardware  Company  of 
Decatur ;  Bessie  B.  and  James  Victor  are  at 
home. 

Mr.   Wilson   continued   to   engage   in   agri- 
cultural pursuits  until  1887,  when  he  removed 


to  Decatur.  He  first  bought  property  at  No. 
721  West  Wood  street  and  resided  there  until 
December,  1901,  when  he  purchased  his  pres- 
ent residence  at  No.  1067  West  Main  street, 
near  the  Alillikin  University.  This  is  in  one 
of  the  best  residence  portions  of  the  city  and 
the  Wilson  household  is  a  most  hospitable 
one.  lie  _\ct  owns  eighty  acres  of  fine  farm- 
ing land  in  Mount  Zion  township.  In  his 
politics  he  gives  a  stalwart  support  to  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  belongs  to  Dunham  Post, 
G.  .\.  R.,  of  Decatur,  and  for  four  years  he 
was  the  treasurer  of  the  Old  Settlers'  Associa- 
tion of  Alacon  county.  His  wife  is  a  member 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  of  De- 
catur. In  all  his  dealings  Mr.  Wilson  has 
been  successful  and  well  deserves  the  rest 
which  he  is  now  enjoying  among  all  the  com- 
forts of  an  attractive  home. 


WILLIAM  J.   MAGEE. 

j\mong  the  residents  of  Decatur  who  at 
one  time  were  identified  with  agricultural 
pursuits  and  therein  won  a  competence  suf- 
ficient to  enable  them  to  live  retired  surrounded 
by  all  the  comforts  of  life  is  William  J.  Magce, 
who  now  occupies  a  beautiful  residence  at 
^o-  J  595  North  Water  street.  He  has  made 
his  home  in  Macon  county  since  five  years 
of  age  and  is  a  native  son  of  Illinois,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Sangamon  county. 
May  31,  1844.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Elizabeth  (Norris)  Magee,  the  former  born 
in  Delaware,  September  18,  1808,  and  the 
latter  in  Ohio  on  the  12th  of  December, 
1816.  The  paternal  grandparents  of  our 
subject  were  James  T.  and  Sarah  (Adams) 
-Magee,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  the  east 
and  there  spent  their  entire  lives,  the  former 
dying  January  20.  1845,  and  the  latter  on 
the  17th  of  September,  1851. 

When  eighteen  j-ears  of  ago  Jnlm  Magee 
left  his  home  in  Delaware  and  made  his 
way  to  Ohio,  settling  in  Pickaway  county. 


768 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


where  he  became  acquainted  with  tlie  lady 
whose  hand  he  sought  in  marriage.  He 
there  engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  cattle 
and  also  followed  farming  until  about  1841, 
when  he  again  started  westward,  this  time 
taking  up  his  abode  in  Moultrie  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  carried  on  farming  for  a 
year.  In  J84.J  he  removed  to  Sangamon 
county,  settling  nine  miles  northeast  of 
Springfield,  where  he  engaged  in  general 
agricultural  jnirsuits  for  about  seven  years. 
In  1849  he  came  to  Macon  county  and  first 
rented  a  farm  in  Decatur  township,  but 
after  living  thereon  for  two  years  he  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  on  section  29,  Whit- 
more  township.  To  its  development  and 
cultivation  he  devoted  his  energies  through- 
out his  remaining  days.  He  served  as 
constable  and  deputy  sheriff  in  Macon 
county  for  about  thirty-six  years  and  at  his 
death  he  was  the  oldest  constable  in  the 
county.  He  passed  away  September  11, 
1890,  and  his  wife  died  October  31,  1895, 
and  they  were  held  in  high  regard  because 
of  their  allegiance  to  upright  principles  and 
as  a  public  official  Mr.  Magee  made  a  most 
creditable  record.  The  family  included  six 
children :  Sarah  Jane,  the  .wife  of  Samuel 
H.  Garver,  now  of  Jennings,  Louisiana; 
Samuel,  who  died  in  1861  ;  Samantha,  the 
wife  of  George  M.  Barnett,  of  Long  Creek 
township ;  William  J. ;  Angeline,  the  de- 
ceased wife  of  Benjamin  Mtisselman ;  and 
Marietta,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family. 
William  J.  Magee  received  but  a  common- 
school  education  and  theit  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  attending  for  only  about  two 
months  in  the  year,  as  his  services  were 
needed  on  his  father's  farm  in  the  cultiva- 
tion and  development  of  the  fields.  He  con- 
tinued to  follow  the  plow  until  twenty 
years  of  age,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  army, 
being  enrolled  on  the  4th  of  February,  1865, 
as  a  member  of  Company  K.  One  Hundred 


and  Fifty-second  Illinois  \'olunteer  In- 
fantry, tuider  Captain  Mattocks  and  Colonel 
Stephenson.  From  Springfield  the  regiment 
went  to  Tennessee  and  after  the  close  of  the 
war  Mr.  Magee  was  discharged  at  Memphis 
on  the  i8th  of  September,  1865.  Returning 
to  his  home  he  again  lived  with  his  parents 
and  assisted  in  the  operation  of  the  home 
farm  for  a  j^ear,  on  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  was  married. 

It  was  in  1866  that  Mr.  Magee  was  joined 
in  wedlock  to  Miss  Fannie  Alusselman,  a 
native  of  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  a  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Annie  Mus- 
selman,  who  removed  with  his  family  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  at  an  early  day,  and 
it  was  here  that  Mrs.  Magee  was  reared. 
The  yotmg  couple  began  their  domestic 
life  upon  a  farm  which  Mr.  Magee  pur- 
chased on  section  29,  Whitmore  township, 
and  there  he  engaged  in  the  work  of  plow- 
ing, planting  and  harvesting  until  1879, 
when  he  took  charge  of  the  Macon  county 
poor  farm,  of  which  he  was  made  superin- 
tendent for  fourteen  years.  On  retiring  from 
that  office  in  1893  he  removed  to  Decatur 
and  has  since  been  engaged  in  no  active 
business  pursuits.  He  is  still,  however, 
the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  acres 
of  fine  farming  land  in  Whitmore  town- 
ship, seventy  acres  in  Pleasant  View  town- 
ship and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Moul- 
trie county,  Illinois,  and  from  this  enter- 
prise he  derives  an  excellent  income,  for  the 
land  is  valuable  and  brings  a  good  rental. 

Unto  Mr.  and  ]^lrs.  Magee  have  been  born 
five  children :  John  J.,  who  married  Ella 
Waterman,  and  is  a  graduated  pharmacist, 
was  formerly  engaged  in  the  drug  business 
in  Chicago,  but  is  now  retired ;  A.  Mary,  a 
graduate  of  the  high  school  of  Decatur  and 
the  Normal  L^niversity  at  Normal,  Illinois, 
has  taught  school  in  this  city  for  three 
vears ;  Samuel  is  a  resident  of  Iowa  Falls. 
Iowa,  in  the  drug  business:  Marcus  D.  died 
at  the  age  of  three  months:  .\da  Estellc  is 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


rei) 


a  dressmaker  and  travels  most  of  the  time, 
but  makes  her  home  with  her  parents. 

In  the  fall  of  1899  Mr.  Magee  built  his 
present  tine  residence  at  Xo.  1595  North  Water 
street,  where  he  and  his  family  are  now  liv- 
ing. He  has  been  honored  with  a  number  of 
public  positions,  having  served  as  deputy 
sheriff  for  two  years,  as  assistant  supervisor 
for  si.K  years  and  as  tax  collector  for  one 
year.  He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest 
in  politics  as  every  true  American  citizen 
should  do  and  he  votes  with  the  Republican 
party  as  its  jilatform  embodies  his  ideas  con- 
cerning the  best  forms  of  go\ernmcnt.  His 
social  relations  connect  him  with  the  (jrand 
Army  Post  of  Decatur  and  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity iji  which  he  has  attained  the  Knight 
Templar  degree.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  church  of 
Whitmore  township.  \\'hile  recognized  as 
one  of  the  well-to-do  and  leading  citizens  of 
Decatur  he  is  also  a  self-made  man  for  with- 
out special  pecuniary  or  family  advantages 
in  his  youth  he  started  out  in  early  manhood 
to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world  and  over- 
coming all  obstacles  and  dif^culties  by  per- 
sistence of  purpose  and  indomitable  industry 
he  has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  to 
success. 


JAMES  H.  ALEXANDER. 
(  )ne  of  Whitmore  township's  most  promi- 
nent and  honored  citizens  is  James  H.  Alex- 
ander, who  for  almost  half  a  century  has  been 
identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of 
Macon  county  and  has  borne  his  part  in  the 
upbuilding  and  develo])mcnt  of  this  section 
of  the  state.  He  was  born  on  the  29th  of 
October,  183 1,  near  Franklin,  Johnson  county, 
Indiana,  a  son  of  James  R.  and  Rebecca  (Gay) 
Alexander.  The  father  was  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  born  in  1797,  and  was  of  Irish  de- 
scent, while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in 
Virginia  in  1794.  When  quite  young  the 
father  removed  with  his  parents  to  Tennessee 


and  from  there  to  Indiana  in  1828,  making 
the  journey  by  team.  He  secured  a  tract  of 
governmrnt  land  and  engaged  in  farming 
there  until  1842,  when  he  removed  to  St. 
Clair  county,  Illinois,  with  his  family  and 
household  gootls  in  a  prairie  schooner.  He 
died  near  Belleville,  that  comity,  in  May,  1847, 
honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  was  a  Prcsljyterian  in  religious  faith  and 
a  Democrat  in  politics.  A  quite  promi- 
nent and  influential  man  of  his  community, 
he  was  called  upon  to  serve  as  county  judge 
during  his  early  residence  in  Indiana.  His 
estimable  wife,  who  was  also  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  ilied  in  Decatur  in 
1868.  In  their  family  were  ten  children,  of 
whom  nine  reached  years  of  maturity. 

Our  subject  is  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth 
in  this  family  and  the  only  one  now  living. 
He  was  educated  in  an  old  log  school  house 
but  was  only  able  to  attend  school  for  about 
three  months  during  the  year  until  fifteen. 
'J'he  school  was  conducted  on  the  subscription 
plan  and  only  the  common  branches  were 
taught.  During  liis  niinority  he  remained  at 
home  with  his  nH)lher,  giving  her  the  benefit 
of  his  lalx)rs,  and  in  April,  1854,  accompan- 
ied her  (in  Iut  removal  to  Macon  county,  Illi- 
nois. He  anil  his  brother  took  charge  of  the 
farm  which  she  purchased  on  section  31, 
Whitmore  township,  and  operated  it  together 
until  1856,  when  our  subject  purchased  his 
brother's  interest.  Here  he  continued  to  re- 
side and  is  now  the  owner  of  one  hnndiXMl  and 
seventy-two  acres,  which  he  cultivated  for 
many  years  but  now  leaves  the  operation  of 
the  land  to  younger  hands,  while  he  practi- 
cally lives  retired  in  tlic  enjoyment  of  a  well 
earned  rest. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  i860.  Mr.  Alex- 
ander married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Crififen,  who 
was  born  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  March 
17.  183C).  and  was  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Mary  (Foulkes  Shepherd)  Griflfen,  natives 
of  New  York  and  pioneers  of  St.  Clair 
countv,   Illinois.     Three  children  blessed  this 


770 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


union,  namely:  Joseph,  a  musician,  who  is 
now  with  the  Andrews  Opera  Company ;  Ed- 
gar, a  resident  of  Oklahoma  City,  Oklahoma ; 
and  Ottie,  wife  of  William  Hays,  who  now 
operates  her  father's  farm.  They  have  three 
children.  Mrs.  Alexander,  who  was  a  most 
estimable  lady,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her, 
departed  this  life  on  the  15th  of  January, 
1893,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Decatur 
cemetery. 

■  The  Republican  party  finds  in  Mr.  Alex- 
ander a  stanch  supporter  of  its  principles  but 
he  has  never  cared  for  the  honors  or  emolu- 
ments of  public  office,  though  he  has  served 
as  commissioner  of  highways.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Old  Settlers  Association  and  has 
many  interesting  reminiscences  of  pioneer 
days.  The  first  winter  after  coming  to 
Illinois  the  Alexander  family,  consisting  of 
parents  and  ten  children,  lived  in  a  one  room 
log  cabin  with  a  loft  above,  and  they  under- 
went all  of  the  hardships  and  trials  incident  to 
life  on  the  frontier.  In  the  work  of  public 
improvement  our  subject  has  taken  an  active 
part  and  has  contributed  liberally  of  his  means 
to  the  building  of  churches  and  school  houses 
in  his  locality.  Success  has  attended  his  ef- 
forts toward  securing  a  competence  and  be- 
sides his  home  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-two  acres  in  Whitmore  township,  he 
has  a  half  section  just  across  the  wav  in  Hick- 
ory Point  township.  In  the  improvement  of 
these  places  he  has  materially  aided  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  county,  and  is  accounted 
one  of  the  most  useful  and  valued  citizens  of 
his  community,  as  well  as  a  man  honored  and 
respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


REV.  NATHAN  -AI.  BAKER. 
Rev.  Nathan  M.  Baker,  a  retired  minister 
ot  Decatur  and  one  whose  influence  has  been 
of  no  restricted  order  in  his  efforts  to  benefit 
mankind,  was  born  in  Macon  county  on  the 
22d    of    October,    1837.      His    parents    were 


William  D.  and  Marilla  Baker,  both  natives 
of   North   Carolina,   and  tlie  paternal   grand- 
parents of  our  subject  were  also  natives  of 
that  state.    The  maternal  grandfather  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  uncles 
of  our  subject  were  defenders  of  their  country 
in   the  war  of   1812.     Rev.   Baker  comes   of 
Scotch  and  Irish  ancestry  and  back  of  him  is 
a  family  record  creditable  and  honorable.     It 
was  in  the  year  1828  that  his  parents  came  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  first  settling  in  what 
is  now  South  Wheatland  township,  while  later 
they  took  up  their  abode  in  Long  Creek  town- 
ship, where  in   1829  the  father  and  an  uncle 
built  the  first  two  houses  within  its  borders. 
The  former  was  a  member  of  the  first  grand 
jury    organized    in    ^[acon    county    and    was 
closely  associated  with  other  early  events  of 
importance  that   left  their   impress   upon   the 
development  and  improvement  of  this  section 
of  the  state.     In   the    family  of  William  D. 
Baker  were  six  children,   four  sons  and  two 
daughters,  but  two  of  the  number  have  now 
passed  away.     One  brother  of  our  subject  re- 
sides   at    Hillsboro,    Illinois,    and    the    sisters 
are  Airs.  Dennis  and  ]Mrs.  Smith,  of  Decatur. 
The  former  is  the  widow  of  Andrew  Dennis 
and  resides  at  820  North  Union  street,  while 
the  latter  is  the  widow  of  William  C.  Smith 
and  is  living  at  No.  810  North  Union  street. 
Rev.  Nathan  il.  Baker  first  attended  school 
near    North    Fork    church    and    later    was    a 
student  in  the  academy  at  Mount  Zion.     In 
his  boyhood  days  he  assisted  his  father  on  the 
home  farm,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the 
work  of  the  fields  and  when  yet  a  young  man 
he   entered   the   ministry  of  the    Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church,  becoming  one  of  the  cir- 
cuit riders  in  this  county.     He  traveled  over 
a  radius  of  two  hundred  miles  in  two  weeks 
and   thus  covered  about  five   thousand  miles 
a   }ear.      ^^'hen  the   Civil  war  broke  out  he 
was  engaged  in  teaching  and '  preaching  and 
when  the  second  call  came  for  volunteers  he 
was  one  of  the  first  to  enhst,  becoming  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  C  of  the  One  Hundred  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


1 


Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry.  He  went  into 
camp  with  his  company  and  regiment  on  the 
15th  of  August,  1862,  and  while  still  in  camp 
he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  chaplain. 
After  a  short  time  the  command  proceeded  to 
Memphis,  Tennessee,  and  thence  to  \'icks- 
burg.  Rev.  Bai<er  served  through  the  Vicks- 
burg  campaign  and  was  with  General  Sher- 
man ill  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  He  heard 
the  booming  of  cannons  and  the  rattle  of 
musketry  at  the  battle  of  Lookout  Mount- 
ain and  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge.  On  account  of  illness  he  resigned 
his  position  as  chaplain  and  received  his  final 
discharge  in  1864,  having  served  for  two 
years. 

Rev.  Baker  then  came  to  Macon  county  and 
after  a  number  of  years  he,  in  1894,  removed 
to  Lincoln,  Illinois,  where  he  served  as  in- 
structor in  astronomy  and  physics  in  the  Lin- 
coln University  for  three  years.  He  then,  in 
1899,  returned  to  Decatur,  where  he  has  since 
lived,  now  occupying  a  beautiful  home  at  No. 
1019  North  Union  street.  He  has  retired 
from  active  church  work  as  a  minister,  but 
is  yet  a  devout  member  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church,  to  which  his  familv  also 
belong. 

It  was  in  the  fall  of  1864  that  Rev.  Raker 
was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony 
to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Price,  of  .Soutli  \\'lieat- 
land  townshi])  and  of  the  six  children  born 
unto  them  four  are  now  living,  namely :  Flor- 
ence F.,  the  wife  of  W.  T.  Burrill.  a  contract- 
ing engineer  for  the  Minneajxilis  Steel  Com- 
pany at  Seattle,  Washington ;  Mary  Ellen, 
who  is  living  at  Marshall,  Missouri,  and  is  a 
teacher  and  librarian  in  the  Missouri  Valley 
College  at  that  place ;  Emma  L.  and  Clara  M., 
at  home. 

Rev.  Baker  is  a  member  of  the  Veteran's 
Association  and  also  of  Tom  White  Post,  G. 
A.  R.,  at  Mount  Zion.  He  has  ever  been  a 
firm  believer  in  Republican  principles,  but  has 
never  been  active  in  political  work.  He  is  one 
of  IMacon  countv's  native  sons  and  can  remem- 


ber many  interesting  incidents  concerning  the 
early  days  here.  His  memory  goes  back  to 
the  time  when  there  were  two  stores  in  De- 
catur and  many  of  the  now  thriving  towns 
and  villages  of  the  county  had  not  then  sprung 
into  existence.  In  those  pioneer  days  he  lis- 
tened to  Abraham  Lincoln  as  he  argued  sev- 
eral law  cases  in  the  old  brick  courthouse  that 
stood  in  what  is  now  the  business  district  of 
the  city,  Judge  Treat  and  Judge  Davis  being 
then  the  circuit  judges.  He  also  remembers 
hearing  Stephen  A.  Douglas  speak  in  an  oH 
warehouse  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad, 
the  building  being  filled  with  sacks  of  wheat 
on  which  sat  the  audience.  Wolves  were 
numerous  in  the  county  and  Rev.  Baker's 
father  had  some  exciting  adventures  with 
those  animals.  Deer  were  also  plentiful  and 
often  went  across  the  prairies  in  droves. 
Pioneer  conditions  existed  on  every  hand  and 
the  work  of  improvement  and  progress  has 
resulted  from  the  efforts  of  such  worthy  pio- 
neer families  as  that  of  which  our  subject  is 
a  representative.  In  control  of  his  business 
affairs  and  investments  Rev.  Baker  has  ac- 
cunuilated  considerable  property  and  now  has 
an  elegant  home  and  other  real  estate  in  this 
city  and  also  a  tine  farm  in  Long  Creek  town- 
ship. 


ISAAC   F.    PITARO. 

Isaac  F.  Pharo,  who  is  general  foreman  of 
the  Wabash  telegraph  construction  depart- 
ment, was  born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
]\Iarch  27,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  Joel  II.  and 
Eunice  (Bi.shop)  Pharo,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  New  Jersey.  In  his  parent's  fam- 
ily were  four  children,  of  whom  he  is  the 
eldest.  The  others  are  Joseph  A.,  of  Oak- 
land, California;  Mrs.  Annie  E.  Hyde,  of 
-San  Francisco,  California;  and  James  E.,  who 
is  also  a  resident  of  San  Francisco.  The 
mother  died  on  the  nth  of  June,  1902. 

The  educational  privileges  which  Isaac  F. 
Pharo  received  were  verv  limited  for  he  left 


772 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACOX  CULXTY. 


the  schools  at  the  age  of  seven  years  and  went 
to  sea,  entering  the  merchants"  service.  He 
continued  as  a  sailor  until  1861,  when  the  war 
having  begun  he  enlisted  as  a  musician  in 
Company  F,  Ninety-seventh  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry, with  which  he  served  for  three  years, 
participating  in  numerous  engagements.  On 
the  expiration  of  his  first  term  he  re-enlisted, 
becoming  a  member  of  Company  C,  Third 
Regiment  of  the  United  States  Veteran  \'olun- 
teers  for  one  year  and  about  1866  he  was 
honorably  discharged  at  Camp  Butler,  Illinois. 
^Ir.  Pharo  then  again  went  to  sea  and  later 
turned  his  attention  to  mining  in  California. 
Subsequently  he  engaged  in  telegraph  con- 
struction work  and  in  this  capacity  he  has 
been  employed  by  various  corporations  and  in 
many  parts  of  the  Union.  He  has  practically 
worked  from  coast  to  coast,  having  stretched 
wires  almost  across  the  continent.  He  is  an 
expert  mechanic  in  this  line,  thoroughly  un- 
derstanding the  work  in  every  department 
and  his  service  is  valuable  because  so  faith- 
fully e.xecuted.  During  his  travels  he  has 
met  with  many  experiences  which  if  written 
in  detail  would  form  a  most  interesting  vol- 
ume. Possessing  an  observing  eye  and  reten- 
tive memorx'  he  has  stored  his  mind  with 
many  interesting  incidents  as  he  has  visited 
various  parts  of  the  country  and  he  has  also 
gathered  many  interesting  relics,  including 
beautiful  shells  and  a  fine  collection  of  miner- 
als, and  he  also  possesses  relics  from  the 
South  .Sea  Islands  and  various  parts  of  the 
globe,  which  he  has  visited  on  his  different 
voyages.  He  has  now  one  of  the  best  private 
collections  of  minerals  from  the  copper,  silver 
and  goKl  regions  to  be  seen,  many  of  the  uni- 
versities being  unable  to  show  such  a  display. 
He  also  has  a  magnificent  collection  of  Indian 
arrows,  some  of  which  are  of  rare  design.  He 
also  has  an  Indian  totem,  which  was  plowed 
up  on  West  Main  street  in  Decatur  just  east 
of  his  home,  and  is  a  charm  or  a  signet  of 
authority  to  those  carrying  messages.  He 
also  possesses  a  number  of  relics  of  the  Span- 


ish-American war  and  likewise  from  other 
wars  of  this  country.  Mr.  Pharo  is  a  natur- 
alist and  although  his  school  privileges  were 
limited  he  has  by  reading,  study  and  inves- 
tigation constantly  broadened  his  knowledge 
until  he  is  to-day  a  man  of  scientific  attain- 
ments. A  great  lover  of  beauty,  this  element  is 
verv  noticeable  in  his  finest  collections  and  in 
the  arrangement  and  care  of  his  curios.  In 
1881  he  ceased  traveling  in  various  parts  of  the 
country,  confining  his  attention  to  the  line  of 
the  Wabash  Railroad.  In  that  year  he  ac- 
cepted the  ]5osition  of  general  foreman  of  the 
telegraph  construction  for  this  road  and  in 
1885  he  took  up  his  abode  permanently  in 
!Macon  county. 

Mr.  Pharo  nas  been  twice  married.  He 
first  wedded  Annie  Cisco  Schrivers,  of  Phila- 
delphia, the  wedding  taking  place  in  that  city 
in  1865.  By  this  union  there  were  born  three 
children ;  Annie,  Florence  and  Joseph,  but  all 
are  now  deceased.  In  Decatur  on  the  i8th  of 
February,  1895,  -Mr.  Pharo  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Han- 
naretta  Perry,  the  widow  of  Robert  L. 
Perry,  late  general  roadmaster  of  the  Wabash 
Railroad.  Her  maiden  name  was  Dunham 
and  she  is  a  daughter  of  Dayton  Dunham, 
\vhose  birth  occurred  in  Essex  county.  New 
Jersey,  Xovember  12,  1814.  He  was  a  son 
of  Henry  Dunham,  a  tailor,  and  removed  to 
the  Empire  state  and  afterward  to  Richmond, 
Indiana,  where  he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty 
vears.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Sarah  Ellison  and  by  their  marriage  she  be- 
came the  mother  of  eleven  children,  Dayton 
Dunham  being  the  last  survivor  of  the  fam- 
ilv.  In  T836  he  emigrated  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  at  which  time  all  was  wild  and  un- 
improved, most  of  the  towns  which  are  now 
thriving,  enterprising  cities  having  not  then 
been  established,  and  Decatur  was  but  a  small 
hamlet.  While  a  young  man  he  learned  the 
hatter's  trade  in  Indiana  and  followed  that  in 
Decatur  at  the  same  time  carrying  on  farm- 
ing.    On  the  9th  of  July,   1837,  he  married 


N 


CHARLES  COUNAGHAN 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


77- 


Miss  Marilla  Robinson,  a  daughter  of  Amos 
and  Elizabeth  (Hughes)  Robinson,  both  of 
whom  wore  natives  of  N'ermont.  Unto,  this 
union  were  born  six  sons  and  four  daughters, 
as  follows :  Harry  D.,  who  is  married  and 
lives  in  Decatur;  Sarah  E.,  the  widow  of 
William  Dailey ;  Amos,  who  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Fort  Donelson  in  the  Civil  war; 
( )rvis  and  Orrin,  twins,  both  deceased ;  Car- 
oline E.,  the  wife  of  James  Bullard,  of  De- 
catur ;  Hannaretta,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Pharo ; 
Charles  E. ;  Marietta,  who  resides  on  the  old 
home  where  she  was  born ;  and  Plartwell. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunham  have  passed  away 
and  to  their  heirs  they  left  a  valuable  estate. 
He  was  one  of  the  honored  pioneer  settlers 
of  the  county  and  became  one  of  the  distin- 
guished and  influential  citizens.  At  the  time 
of  the  Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  Company  B, 
Fightli  Illinois  Infantry  under  Governor 
<  )gleshy  and  served  until  after  the  battle  of 
I'ort  Donelson,  in  which  he  was  seriously 
wounded.  For  three  years  thereafter  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  w^alk  on  crutches.  His 
health  improving,  he  began  gardening  and 
followed  that  pursuit  for  a  number  of  years, 
while  for  eleven  years  his  wife  conducted  a 
greenhouse.  In  May,  1886,  he  sustained  a 
paralytic  stroke  and  September  5,  1894.  he 
was  called  to  his  final  rest.  His  wife  died 
November  10,  1897,  and  both  were  buried  in 
Greenwood  cemetery,  Decatur.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dunham  were  devoted  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Their  lives  were 
in  consistent  harmony  with  their  professions. 
True  nobility  of  character  was  manifested 
throughout  their  entire  careers  and  the  world 
is  better  for  their  having  lived.  Dunham 
Post,  No.  141,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  the  father 
was  a  member,  was  named  in  honor  and  mem- 
ory of  his  son,  Amos  Dunham,  who  was  one 
of  the  first  soldiers  from  this  neighborhood 
killed  in  battle. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Pharo  is  a  stal- 
wart Republican  and  is  a  member  of  George 
Newell  Post,  G.  .\.  R.     He  likewise  belongs 


to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  holding  member- 
shi]i  in  the  lodge  in  Harrisburg,  Illinois,  and 
in  Beaumanoir  Commander}'  of  Decatur.  His 
wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  he  affiliates  with  the  Christian 
Science  church,  being  a  strong  believer  in  its 
faith,  having  had  clear  demonstration  in  his 
own  experience,  for  Christian  Science  restored 
to  him  his  eyesight.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pharo 
now  reside  on  the  oUl  family  homestead  of  the 
Dunhams  that  has  been  transferred  to  her 
sister  Marietta  Dunham.  This  land  was  pur- 
chased from  the  government  by  her  grand- 
father, afterward  it  fell  to  his  daughter,  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  Pharo.  It  was  originally  in 
a  farming  district,  but  to-day  the  home  stands 
in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  locations  in  De- 
catur, facing  the  Millikin  University.  Around 
the  house  are  magnificent  shade  trees  and  the 
residence  is  a  most  attractive  one,  its  very 
appearance  indicating  its  comfort  and  hos- 
]iitalily.  It  is  within  the  memory  of  the  old 
settlers,  however,  when  deer  and  other  wild 
game  were  killed  in  this  district  and  were 
often  seen. upon  the  old  Dunham  estate.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Pharo  have  many  warm  friends  in 
the  city  and  have  the  happy  faculty  of  drawing 
them  closer  to  them  as  the  years  passed  by. 


CHARLES  CONNAGHAN. 

For  many  years  Charles  Connaghan  was 
one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Niantic, 
Illinois,  and  was  widely  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Macon  county.  His  early  home 
was  on  tlie  other  side  of  the  Atlantic;  he 
was  born  in  Altadish,'  County  Donegal,  Ire- 
land, September  20,  1846,  and  was  a  son  of 
Charles  and  Sarah  Connaghan.  During  the 
childhood  of  our  subject,  the  family  removed 
to  Scotland,  where  the  father  died ;  the  mother 
subsequently  came  to  America  to  make  her 
home  with  her  son  Charles,  but  died  in  about 
a  month  after  her  arrival  in  this  country. 

In  the  family  were  eight  cliildren,  namely: 


36 


778 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Hugh,  who  is  still  living  in  Scotland,  his 
home  being  in  Glasgow ;  John,  deceased ; 
Charles,  of  this  review ;  James,  a  resident  of 
Niantic,  Illinois ;  Cornelius,  who  is  now  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Colorado;  Rose,  the 
widow  of  Thomas  Burns,  who  lives  four  miles 
northwest  of  Harristown,  this  county ;  Pat- 
rick, also  a  resident  of  Colorado;  and  Joseph, 
of  Bement,  Illinois. 

Charles  Connaghan  acquired  his  early  edu- 
cation in  Scotland.  He  was  seventeen  years 
of  age  when  he  first  came  to  the  United 
States.  On  landing  in  New  York  he  re- 
mained in  the  Empire  state,  where  he  worked 
for  a  few  years.  ^Managing  to  save  five 
hundred  dollars,  he  returned  to  Scotland, 
and  after  a  short  visit  again  came  to  America, 
accompaiiied  by  his  brother  James.  They 
traveled  about  considerably  together,  going 
southwest  to  Arkansas.  They  finally  returned 
to  Illinois  and  first  worked  on  a  farm  in  Illini 
township,  this  county.  Later  they  rented 
land,  which  they  operated  together.  After 
renting  a  few  years,  Charles  purchased  the 
Blackford  farm  in  Niantic  township  in  1874. 

At  St.  Patrick's  Catholic  church  in  De- 
catur Mr.  Connaghan  was  married,  March 
5,  1878,  to  Miss  Catharine  Phelan,  who  is  a 
daughter  of  Michael  Phelan,  of  this  city.  Un- 
to Mr.  and  Mrs.  Connaghan  si.x  children 
were  born,  namely :  Robert,  who  now  has 
charge  of  the  general  store  at  Niantic,  formerly 
conducted  by  his  father ;  Lucile,  who  is 
attending  the  James  Millikin  University,  of 
Decatur,  Illinois ;  Jeannette.  who  is  teaching 
school :  Mary,  at  home ;  Leo,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  nearly  five  years ;  and  one  who  died  in 
infancy. 

Mr.  Connaghan  and  family  resided  on  the 
farm  until  October,  1889,  when  they  removed 
to  the  village  of  Niantic,  where  he  had  previ- 
ously opened  a  general  store  and  meat  market. 
He  remained  in  business  there  until  his  death. 
which  occurred  on  the  3d  of  June,  1898,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-two  years. 


Mr.  Connaghan  was  a  member  of  St.  Ann's 
Catholic  church  of  Niantic.  Fraternally  he 
was  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
.\merica  and  politically  was  identified  with 
the  Democratic  party.  He  held  several  local 
offices,  and  the  duties  of  these  positions 
were  always  most  faithfully  and  satisfactorily 
performed.  He  was  a  good  husband,  a  kind 
and  loving  father.  Reliable  in  business  and 
trustworthy  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  he 
commanded  the  confidence  and  respect  of  those 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  in  his 
death  Xiantic  realized  that  it  had  lost  a  valued 
and  useful  citizen. 


MR.  AND  MRS.  MICHAEL  PHELAN. 

]\Ii'chael  Phelan  and  his  wife,  Margaret 
(Reid)  Phelan,  were  born,  reared  and  mar- 
ried in  the  County  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  com- 
ing to  America  in  1848.  They  sojourned 
for  a  short  time  in  Chicago,  Milwaukee  and 
Springfield,  respectiveh',  and  settled  in  De- 
catur in  1S49. 

This  worthy  couple  possessed  a  good  s'nare 
of  those  sturdy  qualities  so  essential  to  suc- 
cess in  those  pioneer  days ;  they  had  youth 
and  strength,  sterling  honest}'  and  persever- 
ance. Together  they  labored  cheerfully  to 
acquire  a  home.  Their  object  was  accom- 
plished in  1852,  when  they  purchased  a  piece 
of  land  in  the  west  part  of  town,  which  was 
at  that  time  almost  a  wilderness.  After  clear- 
ing it  of  timber  and  brush,  ^Ir.  Phelan  first 
built  a  log  house  of  four  rooms  and  as  their 
circvuTistances  permitted  they  enlarged  this 
dwelling. 

It  was  in  this  modest  home  that  the  first 
Catholic  services  were  held  in  Decatur.  Be- 
fore a  house  of  worship  was  erected,  mass 
was  often  celebrated  there  by  the  Rev.  Father 
Cusick. 

Mr.  Phelan  was  one  of  the  best  known  men 
in  Decatur  in  those  days.  In  business  affairs 
he  met  with  considerable  success,  accumulating 


MRS.  MARGARET  PHELAN 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


781 


quite  a  good  deal  of  property  in  what  has 
been  for  years  one  of  the  most  desirable  resi- 
dence districts  of  the  city. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phelan  ten  children  were 
born,  namely :  Elizabeth  and  Catharine, 
twins,  who  died  in  infancy;  Mary,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twelve  years;  Ellen,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty-four  years;  Joanna,  now 
the  wife  of  Jeremiah  Foley,  a  merchant  tailor 
of  Bloomington,  Illinois;  John,  who  is  now 
city  engineer  of  Independence,  Kansas ;  Cath- 
arine, now  Mrs.  Connaghan,  of  Niantic,  Illi- 
nois ;  James,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five ;  Mich- 
ael, who  lives  at  Niantic  and  is  now  engaged 
in  the  insurance  business ;  and  Miss  Margaret, 
who  is  now  a  resident  of  Chicago. 

Mrs.  Phelan  died  July  21,  1883,  her  age 
being  fifty-eight  years.  She  was  an  earnest 
Christian  woman  always  ready  to  aid  the  poor 
and  needy ;  in  her  funeral  sermon  Father 
Mackin  called  her  the  mother  of  the  church 
in  Decatur.  Her  life  was  one  of  noble  self- 
sacrifice  ;  her  deeds  of  charity  and  unselfish- 
ness caused  her  to  be  universally  respected ; 
and  she  was  mourned  by  all  classes  of  people. 
She  was  to  her  husband  and  children  a  de- 
voted wife  and  mother. 

After  her  death,  Mr.  Phelan  lived  in  quiet 
seclusion,  never  seeming  to  rally  from  his 
bereavement.  His  death  occurred  November 
21,  1901,  at  the  old  family  homestead  on  West 
Macon  street.  His  age  was  eighty-six  years. 
Together  they  rest,  with  their  deceased  chil- 
dren, in  the  family  burying-ground  in  Cal- 
vary cemetery.  Thus,  tersely  told,  is  the  his- 
tory of  one  of  our  oldest  families,  represent- 
ing a  type  of  good  citizenship,  who  have  con- 
tributed much  to  the  growth  and  development 
of  Decatur. 


WILL   SCHENCK. 
Will  Schcnck  is  one  of  the  public-spirit- 
ed  citizens   of   Maroa   to  whose   energy   and 
foresight   this   locality   is   indebted    for   many 


improvements.  While,  as  a  prosperous  busi- 
ness man,  he  gives  close  attention  to  his  own 
interests,  he  is  a  representative  of  that  class 
of  citizens  who  while  advancing  individual 
success  also  promote  the  public  welfare. 

Throughout  his  entire  life  he  has  made 
his  home  in  Maroa,  being  born  in  i860  in  the 
first  house  erected  in  the  village.  It  was  the 
home  of  his  parents,  G.  J.  and  Alice  Schenck 
and  was  built  by  the  father.  Our  subject  at- 
tended the  public  schools  here  and  later  pur- 
sued a  commercial  course  in  the  Bryant  & 
Stratton  Business  College  of  Chicago.  On 
leaving  that  institution  in  i'88o  he  returned  to 
Maroa  and  entered  the  dry  goods  store  of 
I'riedman  &  Son.  in  whose  employ  he  remained 
only  a  short  time,  however,  as  on  the  20th 
of  June,  1880,  he  embarked  in  the  insurance 
business  on  his  own  account.  He  now  repre- 
sents the  Forest  City  Company  of  Rockford ; 
'the  German  of  Freeport ;  the  Northwestern 
National  of  Milwaukee.  Wisconsin;  and  the 
Milwaukee  Mechanics  Insurance,  of  Milwau- 
kee. Although  Mr.  Schenck  makes  this  his 
principal  business,  he  is  also  interested  in  a 
number  of  other  enterprises,  some  of  which 
have  proved  quite  profitable.  He  is  secretary 
of  the  telephone  company  of  Maroa,  he  and 
Mr.  Crocker  having  put  in  the  exchange  in 
1900,  and  the  system  has  been  extended  from 
year  to  vear  until  it  now  has  many  lines  in 
operation.  He  is  also  secretary  of  the  elec- 
tric light  company  which  was  organized  in 
1892,  and  has  an  interest  in  the  manufacture 
of  the  Boss  car  loader  in  Maroa,  and  also  in 
the  Crocker  Elevator  Company. 

On  the  27th  of  July,  1880,  Mr.  Schenck  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Fannie  E.  Ross, 
a  daughter  of  Daniel  Ross.  She  was  born  in 
Missouri,  but  was  only  ten  years  old  when  she 
came  to  Maroa  and  has  since  been  a  resident 
here.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have  two 
children:  .Mice  E.,  who  is  now  the  w'ife  of 
J.  O.  Wyatt,  living  in  St.  Joseph.  Missouri; 
and  Edith  .\.,  who  is  at  home  witli  her  pa- 
rents.   Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schenck  are  prominent 


782 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  active  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
chtu'ch,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the 
trustees,  and  he  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge,  No. 
109,  of  Maroa.  He  has  a  nice  residence 
in  Maroa  and  a  good  ofifice  in  the  rear  of  the 
Crocker  &  Company  Bank.  As  a  business 
man  he  is  prompt,  energetic  and  notably  re- 
liable, and  is  entitled  to  distinction  among  the 
representative  and  prominent  citizens  of  his 
native  county.  He  has  always  taken  a  deep 
and  commendable  interest  in  public  affairs 
and  as  has  already  been  seen,  he  is  actively 
identified  with  many  interests  which  have 
been  of  erreat  benefit  to  Maroa. 


MAYWOOD  MAXON. 

Large  corporations  do  not  retain  in  their 
employ  men  of  limited  capacity,  unqualified 
for  the  conduct  of  important  business  duties, 
but  demand  of  their  representatives  marked 
capability,  faithfulness  and  diligence.  These 
qualities  have  been  manifested  in  the  business 
record  of  Maywood  Maxon,  who  is  to-day  one 
of  the  most  trusted  employes  of  the  Standard 
Oil  Company,  as  manager  of  the  Decatur 
division. 

He  was  born  in  ^Marietta,  Washington 
county,  Ohio,  in  April,  1857,  and  is  a  son  of 
H.  C.  and  Mary  A.  (Cooper)  Maxon.  The 
Maxon  family  came  originally  from  New 
England  and  the  Coopers  from  Orange 
countv,  New  York.  William  Maxon,  the 
great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  one  of 
the  original  forty-eight  men  who  removed 
from  New  England  in  1787  and  settled  at 
Marietta,  Ohio,  where  he  made  a  purchase  of 
land  and  took  an  active  part  .in  reclaiming 
the  wild  district  for  the  purposes  of  civilization. 
His  son.  John  Maxon,  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  the  block  house  at  Mari- 
etta, Ohio,  during  the  Indian  war  in  the  '90s 
— the  last  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
When  he  was  ten  vears  of  age  his  father  re- 


moved to  a  farm  about  twelve  miles  from 
Marietta,  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  wilderness, 
and  there  he  built  a  log  cabin  and  established  a 
home.  It  was  thus  that  John  Maxon  was 
reared  amid  the  wild  scenes  of  frontier  life 
in  a  district  which  had  already  become  his- 
toric as  the  early  home  of  the  Mound  Build- 
ers, whose  places  of  residence  and  of  burial 
are  still  to  be  seen  in  that  locality.  The 
maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
Jonah  Cooper,  a  native  of  Orange  county. 
New  York,  whence  he  removed  to  Ohio  by 
wagon  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  There  with  his  family  he  continued 
to  spend  his  remaining  days  and  at  length 
passed  away  in  his  Ohio  home.  His  daughter, 
Mary  A.,  in  making  her  first  trip  back  to  her 
native  place,  covered  the  entire  distance  on 
horseback. 

H.  C.  Maxon,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Ohio,  and  spent  his  entire  life 
in  that  state.  Pie  was  a  farmer  by  occupation, 
following  that  pursuit  in  order  to  provide  for 
the  needs  of  his  family.  At  the  time  of  the 
Civil  war  he  joined  the  Union  army,  enlist- 
ing first  for  one  hundred  days'  service  and 
afterward  becoming  a  member  of  the  Fifty- 
second  Ohio  Regiment  of  \^olunteers.  He 
died  in  (Jhio  in  1877,  at  the  age  of  fifty-two 
years,  and  is  still  survived  by  his  widow. 
They  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  five 
of  whom  are  living. 

Maywood  Maxon,  the  second  in  order  of 
birth,  obtained  a  common  school  education 
ami  was  afterward  employed  at  various  pur- 
suits until  187s,  when  he  entered  the  service 
of  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  with  which  he 
has  since  been  connected.  He  became  office 
boy  at  their  headquarters  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
and  gradually  worked  his  way  upward  until 
he  was  made  a  traveling  salesman.  In  t88o 
the  company  transferred  him  to  Peoria,  Illi- 
nois, and  lie  operated  from  that  city  as  a 
traveling  salesman  for  about  three  years.  In- 
18S3  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  man- 
ager of  the  office  in  Davenport.  Iowa,  and  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


7i.3 


Dcccinber,  1887.  was  put  in  charge  of  the 
■office  and  business  at  Decatur  as  managei: 
here  and  has  since  served  in  this  city  without 
interruption,  covering  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
He  has  been  most  loyal  and  capable  and  has 
had  the  supervision  of  as  high  as  seventy 
offices  from  this  point.  He  has  been  a  most 
indefatigable  worker  in  the  service  of  the 
company  throughout  all  these  years  never 
taking  exact  measure  of  the  hours  which  he 
has  devoted  to  the  business,  but  doing  all 
within  his  power  to  promote  the  success  of 
the  business  done  from  this  office  and  giving 
his  attention  to  the  work  whether  it  required 
the  hours  of  night  or  of  daytime.  He  never 
asked  or  demanded  vacations  and  in  recogni- 
tion of  his  faithful  service  in  1903  the  com- 
pany granted  him  an  indefinite  vacation  from 
active  duties  with  full  pay.  This  was  cer- 
tainlv  a  merited  tribute  to  his  worth  and  fidel- 
ity and  one  which  be  much  prizes  and  of 
which  he  might  be  justly  proud  as  it  is  an 
indication  of  his  honorable  service  and  the 
trust  reposed  in  him  by  the  corporation. 

In  1895  Mr.  Ma.Kon  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Emma  Custer,  of  Effingham,  Illinois. 
They  now  have  an  interesting  little  daughter, 
Helen  Ruth.  Mr.  Maxon  was  made  a  ^lason 
in  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  is  still  a  member  of 
the  Blue  Lodge  and  Gommandery  of  that  city. 
He  holds  membership  relations  with  the  Ben- 
evolent Protective  Order  of  Elks  in  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  and  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
fraternity  in  Cincinnati.  The  same  fidelity 
which  has  characterized  his  business  career 
has  been  manifested  in  bis  fraternal  and  in 
other  relations  of  life. 


FIELDING  NATHANIEL  EWING. 
Fielding  Nathaniel  Ewing  was  born  in 
Statcsville.  Iredell  county.  North  Carolina,  on 
the  29th  of  September,  i8ti.  He  was  a  son 
of  Adlai  Osborn  Ewing  and  Sophia  (Wallis) 
Ewing.  the  grandson  of  Nathaniel  Ewing  and 


Rebecca  (Osborn)  Ewing  and  of  John  Wallis 
and  Isabella  (Sharpe)  Wallis,  of  Scotch-Irish 
]jareiilagc  and  of  Presbyterian  faith.  His 
family  removed  to  Kentucky  when  he  was 
four  years  old  and  his  father  soon  died. 

Mr.  Ewing  received  his  preparatory  educa- 
tiiiii  at  the  academy  at  Elkton,  Todd  county, 
Kentucky,  and  was  graduated  from"  the  Uni- 
versity of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  in  1838  and 
from  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Princeton 
in  1843.  liis  first  ministerial  charge  was  at 
Morganficid,  Kentucky.  On  the  28th  of  Oc- 
tober, 1845,  he  married  Sarah  Ann  Powers 
at  her  brother's  home  in  Decatur.  In  1849 
he  accepted  a  call  to  the  church  in  Blooming- 
ton,  Illinois,  but  was  obliged  by  throat  trouble 
to  give  up  preaching  in  1859  and  moved  to 
Lake  View,  a  suburb  of  Chicago.  While  liv- 
ing there  he  performed  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant services  of  his  life  in  connection  with 
the  Theological  Seminary.  In  the  winter  of 
1862-63  the  seminary  was  without  any  per- 
manent building  and  by  reason  of  the  distress 
and  financial  panic  caused  by  the  war,  it  was 
in  danger  of  losing  its  landed  property.  This 
land  had  been  given  on  coiulition  that  a  build- 
ing should  be  erected  upon  it  within  three 
vears  and  the  requirement  liad  not  been  com- 
plied with.  The  board  of  directors  commis- 
sioned Mr.  Ewing.  and  sent  him  to  New  York 
to  raise  sixteen  thousand  dollars  and  to  per- 
suade the  donors  of  the  land  to  renew  their 
offer  in  case  the  building  shoukl  be  erected 
within  one  year.  His  success  was  complete. 
He  gave  liberally  himself,  secured  the  renewal 
of  the  offer,  obtained  the  necessary  money, 
and  the  main  building  was  erected,  paid  for 
and  ready  for  use  at  the  end  of  the  next 
season. 

Dr.  L.  J.  Halsey  in  his  history  of  the  Mc- 
Cormick  Theological  Seminary  says,  "  All 
honor  is  due  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Ewing  for 
the  zeal,  the  energy  and  the  admirable  skill 
and  the  complete  success  with  which,  under 
the  most  unpropitious  and  difficult  circum- 
stances, he  carried  tlirongb  the  work  of  raising 


7S4 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  large  sum  of  money  required  to  erect  this 
first  building  in  time  to  fulfill  the  conditions 
stipulated  by  the  donors  of  this  land.  It  may 
be  questioned  whether  any  other  man  then 
known  to  the  board  of  directors  could  have 
accomplished  the  work  then  assigned  Mr. 
Ewing,  or  have  done  it  with  a  success  so  com- 
plete. This  was  at  the  time  of  a  crisis  in  the 
life  of  the  nation,  and  there  was  a  crisis  too 
in  the  life  of  the  seminary  on  which  its  whole 
future  depended.  This  first  building  is  named 
Ewing  Hall  by  the  action  of  the  board  who 
said,  ■  It  seems  fitting  that  his  valuable  ser- 
vices should  be  commemorated  and  perpetu- 
ated by  the  edifice  whose  existence  is  due  to 
his  labors."  "  It  is  marked  by  a  tablet  suitably 
inscribed. 

In  1864  Mr.  Ewing  removed  to  Decatur, 
where  he  spent  the  remaining  years  of  his  life, 
his  health  never  permitting  him  to  resume  the 
ministry,  and  he  died  at  his  home  November 
18,  1880.  He  had  six  children,  three  sons 
who  died  in  infancy ;  Charles  Adlai  Ewing, 
who  died  November  6,  1896;  Edgar  Farris 
Ewing,  who  died  August  26,  1884,  when 
twenty-eight  years  of  age ;  and  one  daughter, 
Myra  Belle  Ewing. 

It  was  said  of  him  by  one  who  had  been  his 
teacher  in  college,  his  colleague  in  the  minis- 
try and  his  friend  and  associate  through  the 
closing  years  of  his  life:  "  In  his  public  char- 
acter as  a  minister  of  God,  as  a  member  of  the 
court  of  the  church,  the  presbytery  and  synod, 
and  especially  as  a  director  of  the  seminary, 
Mr.  Ewing  was  regarded  by  all  who  knew 
him,  as  a  man  of  wise  council,  sound  judg- 
ment, evangelical  spirit,  genial  manner,  in- 
flexible principle  and  that  consistency  and  up- 
rightness of  character  which  invariably  in- 
spired respect  and  confidence.  His  very 
presence  was  hailed  by  his  brethren  as  an 
assurance  of  sound  views  and  fraternal  feel- 
ing. He  was  always  one  of  the  leading  and 
working  members  of  the  presbytery,  synod 
and  board  of  directors.  His  sound  and  prac- 
tical judgment,  his  good  sense,  his  knowledge 


of  men  and  things,  together  with  his  modera- 
tion and  conciliatory  spirit,  often  enabled  him 
to  harmonize  conflicting  views  and  to  sug- 
gest a  plan  of  action  which  all  would  readily 
accept  as  the  best  thing  to  be  done.  He  en- 
tered no  assembly  of  men  to  which  his  pres- 
ence did  not  lend  the  added  charm  of  Christian 
courtesy,  ministerial  dignity  and  manly 
candor.  Along  with  these  solid  qualities  he 
carried  a  rich  fund  of  anecdote  and  a  glow  of 
genial  wit  and  humor,  chastened  by  reverence 
and  good  taste,  which  made  him  the  attraction 
of  the  social  circle,  and  which  in  the  earnest 
and  often  heated  debates  of  the  public  as- 
sembly was  like  pouring  oil  on  the  troubled 
waters.  Yet  with  all  this  conciliatory  good 
humor  there  was  no  firmer  and  truer  man — 
none  truer  to  his  principles,  truer  to  his 
friends,  truer  to  God  and  truth." 


:\IRS.    SARAH   ANN   EWING. 

Mrs.  Sarah  A,  Ewing  was  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Abigail  (Hendrix)  Powers,  the 
granddaughter  of  Andrew  Powers  and  Sally 
(Carter)  Powers  and  of  David  Hendrix  and 
Anne  (\\'estcott)  Hendri.x,  and  was  born 
October  31,  1820.  at  Qiarlton,  Saratoga 
county.  New  York,  the  youngest  of  eight 
children.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  four 
years  old  and  at  eighteen  she  and  her  mother 
removed  to  Alobile,  Alabama,  to  joi«i  the  old- 
est son,  William  L.  Powers,  a  banker  there. 
They  made  the  trip  in  a  sailing  vessel  from 
New  York.  In  1840  with  her  mother,  her 
brother,  George  Powers,  and  his  wife,  she 
drove  from  ]\Iobile  to  Decatur,  Illinois, .  the 
trip  taking  six  weeks,  and  they  resided  here 
on  what  is  known  as  the  Old  Farm  of  the 
Samuel  Power's  estate. 

On  the  28th  of  October,  1845,  she  married 
Rev.  Fielding  N.  Ewing  and  they  drove  to 
their  home  in  Morganfield,  Kentucky.  Four 
years  later  they  removed  to  Blooming^on,  Illi- 
nois, and  in  1859  to  Lake  View,  a  suburb  of 
Chicago.    The  lake  air  did  not  agree  with  her 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTV. 


785 


and  in  1864  they  removed  to  Decatur,  where 
two  of  her  brothers  were  Hving,  and  here 
made  their  permanent  home.  Her  husband 
died  November  18,  1880,  and  of  her  six 
children  three  sons  died  in  infancy;  Charles 
Adlai  Ewing  died  November  6,  1896;  Edgar 
Farris  Ewing  died  August  26,  1884;  and  her 
only  daughter,  'Slyra.  Belle  Ewing,  survives 
her. 

:\irs.  Ewing"s  health  for  the  last  thirty  years 
of  her  life  prevented  her  taking  an  active 
part  in  any  social  and  religious  matters,  but 
she  was  from  girlhood  a  devoted  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  She  died  on  the 
29th  of  January,  1902,  in  her  eighty-second 
year. 

It  has  been  very  justly  said  of  her:  "  Her 
life  was  marked  by  the  deepest  devotion 
to  her  husband  and  her  children.  In  them  she 
found  her  greatest  comfort  and  joy,  and  the 
strength  and  beauty  of  her  gentle,  kindly 
nature  left  its  imprint  u]5on  them  and  was 
exemplified  in  the  honorable  positions  they 
attained  in  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  their 
fellow  men.  Her  life  has  been  filled  with 
sadness  by  afflictions  that  have  fallen  upon 
her,  but  her  faith  and  reliance  in  the  wisdom 
of  an  all  seeing  God  have  borne  her  up  in  trib- 
ulations intensified  by  the  loss  of  husband  and 
children  to  whom  she  was  attached  by  ties  of 
love  that  grew  with  the  grow^th  of  the  family 
she  reared.  The  beauty  of  her  home  life, 
her  gracious  manner,  her  sympathy  with  all 
and  her  interest  in  the  welfare  of  her  family 
and  friends  have  enshrined  in  the  hearts  of 
all  who  were  privileged  to  know  her  the 
highest  regard  and  in  their  memory  a  monu- 
ment of  respect  and  love  never  to  be  effaced. 
The  influence  of  her  gentle  life  reaches  out 
and  beyond  the  family  circle  and  makes  the 
world  better  for  her  having  lived." 


OWEN   SCOTT. 
One    of    the    prominent    representatives    of 
the   journalistic   profession   in    Illinois   is   the 


gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  brief  notice, 
the  well  known  manager  of  the  Decatur  Her- 
ald. -America  owes  much  of  her  progress 
and  advancement  to  a  position  foremost 
among  the  nations  of  the  world  to  her  news- 
papers, and  in  no  line  has  the  incidental 
broadening  out  of  the  sphere  of  usefulness 
been  more  marked  than  in  this  same  line  of 
journalism.  Illinois  has  enlisted  in  its  news- 
paper field  some  of  the  strongest  intellects 
of  the  nation — men  of  broad  mental  grasp, 
cosmopolitan  ideas  and  notable  business 
sagacity.  Prominent  among  these  is  Owen 
Scott,  the  subject  of  this  review. 

A  native  of  Illinois,  he  was  born  in  Effing- 
ham county  on  the  6th  of  July,  1848,  and  is  a 
son  of  John  O.  and  Martha  B.  Scott,  who 
were  among  the  pioneers  of  that  county,  the 
father  having  located  there  in  1825  and  the 
mother  four  years  later.  John  O.  Scott  died 
in  1892,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  years,  but 
his  wife  is  still  living  and  has  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-seven. 

Owen  Scott  acquired  his  early  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  county  and 
later  attended  the  Illinois  State  Normal  Uni- 
versity at  Bloomington.  No  event  of  special 
importance  marked  his  boyhood  and  youth 
and  he  remained  upon  the  home  farm  until 
about  twenty  years  of  age.  On  starting  out 
in  life  for  himself  he  engaged  in  teaching  in 
the  public  schools  for  some  time  and  for  eight 
years  was  county  superintendent  of  schools  in 
Effingham  county.  Having  decided  to  enter 
the  legal  profession,  he  studied  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  187.^,  after  which  he 
engaged  in  practice  for  ten  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  entered  upon  his  journalistic 
career,  publishing  the  Effingham  Democrat 
for  three  years,  from  1881  to  1884.  In  the 
latter  year  he  left  his  native  county  and  re- 
moved to  Bloomington,  where  he  published 
the  Bloomington  Daily  Bulletin  tmtil  1891. 
For  several  years  he  has  taken  a  very  active 
and  influential  part  in  political  affairs  and  in 
1890  was  elected  to  congress,  being  the  only 


786 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Democrat  ever  elected  from  that  district.  He 
served  throughout  the  fifty-second  congress 
and  then  retired  to  private  life,  his  term  ex- 
piring on  the  4th  of  March,  1893.  In  1896 
and  1897  he  was  grand  master  of  the  Masons 
of  Illinois.  During  all  this  time  he  continued 
to  make  his  home  in  Bloomington  but  in  1899 
came  to  Decatur  and  has  since  had  charge  of 
the  Decatur  Herald,  which  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing papers  of  this  section  of  the  state. 

At  Effingham,  on  the  6th  of  November, 
1873,  Mr.  Scott  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Nora  Miser,  who  died  August  2,  1900, 
leaving  two  daughters :  Mrs.  Henrietta 
McNulta  and  Miss  Florence  Scott.  In  early 
life  Mr.  Scott  always  affiliated  with 
the  Democratic  party  but  was  unable 
to  endorse  the  party  platform  during 
the  Bryan  campaign  of  1896  and  in 
1900  he  declared  for  McKinley  and  now 
votes  the  Republican  ticket.  He  has  always 
taken  quite  a  prominent  part  in  public  af- 
fairs and  besides  the  offices  previously  re- 
ferred to  he  served  as  mayor  of  Effingham 
from  1883  until  October,  1884,  when  he  re- 
signed in  order  to  remove  to  Bloomington. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  and  other  societies  besides 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  stands 
high.  He  has  not  only  served  as  grand 
master  of  the  state  but  has  filled  other  posi- 
tions in  the  order  of  minor  importance.  Re- 
ligiously he  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  and  was  president  of  the  State  .\sso- 
ciation  for  four  years.  He  has  been  and  is 
distinctively  a  man  of  afifairs  and  one  who 
has  wielded  a  wide  influence.  A  strong  men- 
tality, an  invincible  courage,  a  most  deter- 
mined individuality  have  so  entered  into  his 
make-up  as  to  render  him  a  natural  leader 
of  men  and  a  director  of  opinion. 


JOHN  G.  SHANKLIN. 
Among  the  old  and  honored  residents  of 
Macon  county  none  stand  higher  in  public 


esteem  than  the  gentleman  whose  name  in- 
troduces this  sketch.  For  many  years  he 
was  actively  identified  with  the  farming  and 
stock-raising  interests  of  the  county  but 
is  now  living  retired  on  his  farm  on  section 
I,  South  Macon  township.  He  was  born 
near  Lexington,  Kentucky,  December  31, 
1822,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Jenett 
(Green)  Shanklin,  the  latter  a  relative  of 
General  Green,  of  Revolutionary  fame  and 
a  first  cousin  of  General  Thomas,  of  the 
Civil  war.  She  was  born  at  Crab  Orchard, 
Kentucky,  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent. 
The  father  of  our  subject  was  a  native  of 
Washington  county,  Virginia,  and  from  that 
state  removed  to  Kentucky,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  make  his  home  until  1828,  when 
with  his  family  he  came  to  Illinois,  making 
the  journey  on  horseback  with  his  house- 
hold goods  in  an  old  fashioned  steamboat 
wagon  drawn  by  five  horses.  He  arrived  in 
Greene  county  on  the  14th  of  October, 
1828,  and  purchased  eighty  acres  of  prairie 
land  near  XA'hitehall,  which  he  at  once  be- 
gan to  improve  and  cultivate,  but  he  was 
not  long  permitted  to  enjoy  his  new  home 
as  death  claimed  him  in  1832.  His  wife  died 
in  February,  1856.  Of  their  eight  children 
only  three  are  now  living,  these  being  Hen- 
rietta, widow  of  James  Doyle  and  a  resident 
of  Auburn,  Illinois;  William,  a  retired 
farmer  of  LaPlace,  Illinois ;  and  John  G.,  of 
this  review. 

Tlie  subject  of  this  sketch  was  only  six 
years  old  when  he  accompanied  his  father 
on  his  removal  to  Illinois,  and  he  was  reared 
and  educated  in  Greene  county,  this  state, 
pursuing  his  studies  in  an  old  log  school- 
house,  which  had  a  puncheon  floor,  greased 
paper  windows  and  a  large  fireplace  at  one 
end.  On  starting  out  in  life  for  himself  he 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  until  twenty-two ' 
years  of  age,  and  then  purchased  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  where  the  town 
of  Roodhouse  now  stands,  paying  eleven 
dollars   per  acre   for   it,   though   he   had   to 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


7fe7 


borrow  a  part  of  the  money.  Subsequeiuly 
he  purchased  another  one  hundred  and  si.xly 
acre  tract  adjoining,  a  part  of  which  was 
timber  and  the  remainder  prairie  land.  This 
he  placed  under  cultivation  and  continued 
to  operate  it  for  four  years.  Selling  out 
at  the  end  of  that  time  he  returned  to 
Greene  county,  where  he  bought  a  farm, 
making  it  his  home  for  about  four  years, 
and  then  removed  to  Macoupin  county, 
where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres,  selling  his  Greene  county  farm  soon 
afterward.  Three  years  later  he  went  to 
Scott  count)',  where  he  owned  and  oper- 
ated a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  for  five  years,  and  then  removed  to 
Sangamon  county,  where  the  following 
year  was  spent  upon  a  rented  farm.  .\t  the 
end  of  thai  lime  he  came  to  Macon^cuunty 
and  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  north  of  the  village  of  Macon,  lo- 
cating ihoreon  in  time  to  vote  for  General 
Grant  the  following  year.  That  farm  was 
all  wild  and  unimproved  when  it  came  into 
his  possession,  but  he  tiled,  ditched  and 
broke  the  land  and  erected  a  good  house 
thereon,  and  in  connection  with  the  oper- 
ation of  the  farm  he  also  cultivated  another 
one  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  which  he  rent- 
ed for  several  years,  at  the  same  time  feed- 
ing a  large  nunil)er  of  cattle  and  hogs  for 
market.  In  1881  he  bought  eighty  acres 
on  section  i,  South  Macon  township,  where 
he  now  lives,  remodeled  the  house  and 
made  other  good  improvements,  besides 
adding  to  his  land  until  he  now  owns  one 
hundred  and  ninety-six  acres.  A  few  years 
ago  he  sold  his  first  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  the  same  township.  Dur- 
ing the  long  years  of  his  residence  in  Illi- 
nois, he  has  bought  and  sold  much  prop- 
erty in  various  parts  of  the  state,  and  has 
materialy  aided  in  its  development  and  up- 
building. 

On  the  14th  of  October,  1847,  "^'ai"  ^^'llite- 
hall    in    Greene   county,   Mr.    Shanklin    was 


united  in  marriage'  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Hol- 
liday,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Matilda 
(Clark)  Holliday,  and  to  them  were  born 
si.x  children,  three  of  whom  are  still  liv- 
ing, namely:  Matilda,  the  wife  of  V.  W. 
Judd,  a  farmer  living  near  Nevada,  Iowa; 
jcnett.  wife  of  1).  T.  Hughes,  who  is  now 
operating  our  subject's  farm ;  and  Jonas, 
wife  of  William  Oberlin,  who  li\cs  in  Ma- 
con and  is  engaged  in  farming  and  thresh- 
ing. Mrs.  Shanklin  was  called  to  her  final 
rest  on  the  30th  of  October,  1888.  She  was 
a  life-long  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  took  an  active  part  in  its 
work  and  was  a  true  and  earnest  Christian 
woman,  loved  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  her.  Her  death  came  as  an  almost 
unbearable  loss  to  her  husband  and  time 
seems  rather  to  heighten  his  loneliness  than 
obliterate  it.  The  relations  between  them 
were  most  congenial,  each  deeply  enjoying 
the  companionsliip  of  the  other  and  Mrs. 
Shanklin  was  a  most  estimable  lady,  kindly 
and  sympathetic,  so  that  slie  won  not  only 
the  earnest  and  enduring  lo\'e  of  lu-r  hus- 
band but  also  of  many  friends. 

Mr.  .Shanklin  cast  his  first  presidential 
\ote  for  William  Henry  Harrison  and  now 
supports  the  Republican  ])arty.  During  the 
Civil  war  he  was  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  and  has  always  been  a  patriotic  and 
loyal  citizen,  taking  a  coinmendable  interest 
in  public  afifairs.  He  has  filled  the  offices 
of  school  director  and  road  commissioner, 
but  has  never  cared  for  political  prefer- 
ment. In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has 
been  foiniil  upright  and  honorable  and  he 
liolds  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of  his  fel- 
low citizens. 

D.  T.  Hughes,  who  now  has  charge  of  our 
subject's  farm,  was  btjrn  in  Defiance,  Ohio, 
July  31,  1850.  and  is  a  son  of  Andre  and 
Clarissa  (Blair)  Hughes,  who  were  also  na- 
tives of  the  Buckeye  state,  whence  they  re- 
moved to  Michigan,  where  botli  died.  The 
father  was  a  lawyer  of  considerable  promi- 


788 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


nencc  and  served  as  magistrate  many  \ears. 
D.  T.  Hughes  acquired  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  state,  and  on  coming 
to  Illinois  in  1876,  located  in  Macon  coun- 
ty, where  he  has  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits  ever  since.  He  now  has  charge 
of  Mr.  Shanklin's  estate,  but  owns  an  ad- 
joining farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
which  he  rents.  On  the  9th  of  July,  1881, 
at  the  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal  parsonage 
in  Decatur  he  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Jenett  Shanklin,  who  was  born  June 
5,  1856,  in  the  old  log  cabin  home  in  Scott 
count)',  Illinois,  and  they  have  become  the 
parents  of  five  children :  Elizabeth  H., 
John  S.,  Daisy  Clarissa,  D.  Roy  and  De 
Witt  T.  j\lr.  Hughes  is  a  Republican  in 
politics  but  has  never  cared  or  sought  for 
office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity and  also  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  ^facon. 


KILBURX   H.   ROBY. 

Enrolled  on  the  list  of  men  who  have 
been  the  builders  of  Decatur,  the  promoters 
of  its  business  life,  its  political  interests  and 
its  educational  welfare  is  the  name  of  Kil- 
burn  H.  Roby  and  an  investigation  into  the 
history  of  the  city  soon  convinces  the  stu- 
dent that  he  has  played  no  unimportant 
part  in  public  aitairs  here.  He  has  gained 
distinction  at  the  bar  and  although  now  re- 
tired from  the  active  practice  of  law,  is 
still  closely  associated  with  the  city  as  a 
representative  of  its  financial  interests,  be- 
ing now  the  president  of  The  National  Bank 
of  Decatur. 

His  life  span  thus  far  covers  two-thirds  of 
a  century,  for  he  was  born  on  the  2d  of 
September,  1837,  in  Hillsboro  county.  New 
Hampshire.  Back  to  an  early  epoch  in  the 
colonization  of  the  new  world  does  he  trace 
his  ancestry,  for  when  ^Massachusetts  was 
first  being  opened  up  to  the  civilization  of 


the  old  world  his  ancestors,  emigrating 
from  England,  established  their  home  in  the 
old  Bay  state.  Upon  the  first  settlement 
of  New  Hampshire  a  branch  of  the  family 
was  planted  there.  Soon  after  the  war 
which  brought  independence  to  the  nation, 
John  Roby,  the  great-grandfather  of  our 
subject,  removed  from  Chelmsford,  Massa- 
chusetts, to  Hillsboro  county.  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  what  was  then  a  frontier  district. 
Representatives  of  the  name  have  since  re- 
sided there.  The  Granite  state  was  the 
home  of  John  Roby,  the  grandfather  of  our 
subject,  throughout  his  entire  life  and  he 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years. 
His  traits  of  character  were  strongly  marked 
and  were  of  a  sterling  nature.  He  pos- 
sessed a  remarkable  memory  and  could  re- 
peat the  greater  portion  of  the  Bible.  His 
son,  Clinton  Rob}',  was  born  in  New  Hamp- 
shire in  1808,  and  in  1834  he  married  ^liss 
Lois  Harwood,  who  was  born  in  Hillsboro 
county.  New  Hampshire,  in  181 1,  and  was 
also  a  representative  of  an  old  Massachu- 
setts family  of  English  lineage.  Two  chil- 
dren were  born  of  this  union,  the  younger 
being  the  subject  of  this  review. 

On  the  home  farm  the  boyhood  days  of 
Kilburn  H.  Roby  were  passed  and  his  stud- 
ies were  largely  pursued  in  Appleton  Acad- 
emy, of  Mount  \^ernon,  although  later  he 
continued  his  education  in  Northfield  Sem- 
inary, which  was  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  was  located  at  North- 
field,  now  Tilton,  New  Hampshire.  He  has 
ever  remained  a  student  of  current  events, 
keeping  well  informed  on  the  issues  of  the 
day  and  their  bearing  upon  the  history  of 
the  country.  The  west  with  its  almost  lim- 
itless opportunities  attracted  the  ambitious 
young  man,  and  the  spring  of  1858  wit- 
nessed his  removal  from  New  Hampshire 
to  Illinois.  He  was  not  disappointed  in  the 
country  to  which  he  had  come  and  has  since 
remained  a   resident  of  this  state,  winning 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


189 


proniineiice  and  success  in  professional  and 
financial  circles.  He  spent  the  summer  of 
1858  in  Quincy  and  in  the  succeeding  au- 
tumn began  teaching  school  in  Marion  coun- 
ty where  he  remained  for  two  years, 
largely  engaged  in  following  that  profession. 
In  the  meantime,  however,  he  began  prepa- 
ration for  the  bar,  his  first  preceptor  being 
John  P.  Reynolds,  who  was  at  one  time  a 
distinguished  lawyer  of  Cincinnati  and  later 
of  Chicago.  Air.  Roby  continued  his  read- 
ing with  the  firm  of  Bryan  &  Schaeffer,  of 
Salem,  Illinois,  and  in  September,  i860,  he 
entered  the  law  office  of  Tupper  &  Nelson, 
of  Decatur,  as  a  student. 

The  next  step  of  importance  in  his  life 
record  was  his  enlistment  in  Company  A, 
Forty-first  Illinois  Infantry,  in  August, 
1861.  He  was  stationed  at  St.  Louis,  Cairo, 
and  I'aducah,  Kentucky,  but  after  four 
months  was  discharged  on  account  of  ill- 
ness. Returning  then  to  Decatur  he  re- 
sumed his  legal  studies  and  in  the  spring 
of  1862  was  admitted  to  practice.  Not  long 
after  this  his  former  preceptor,  Mr.  Tup- 
per, entered  the  army,  and  Mr.  Roby  then 
entered  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Nelson, 
an  association  that  was  maintained  for  fif- 
teen j'ears,  the  partnership  being  terminated 
by  the  election  of  Judge  Nelson  to  the 
bench  in  1S77.  For  many  years  Mr.  Roby 
was  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Roby, 
Outicn  &  \'ail,  but  in  recent  years  has  re- 
tired from  the  bar,  where  for  so  long  he 
was  an  eminent  and  leading  figure.  ■  Re- 
cause  of  the  ability  of  its  members  the  firm 
with  which  he  was  connected  maintained  a 
foremost  place  in  legal  circles  and  the  repu- 
tation of  Mr.  Roby  was  second  to  none  who 
argued  cases  in  the  courts  of  this  district. 
His  legal  learning  was  broad  and  accurate 
and  this  made  him  a  safe  adviser  and  able 
counsellor.  His  preparation  of  cases  was 
thorough  and  exhaustive  and  he  learned  to 
prepare  not  only  for  the  expected  but  also 
for    the    unexpected,    which    happens    quite 


as  frequently  in  courts  as  out  of  them.  He 
won  many  notable  cases  and  for  long  years 
had  a  distinctively  representative  clientage, 
which  was  an  indication  of  his  skill  and 
ability  in  his  chosen  profession.  In  1893 
he  became  connected  with  the  Decatur  Na- 
tional L5ank,  which  was  reorganized  in  that 
year,  at  which  time  he  was  chosen  president, 
in  which  position  he  still  continues  to  serve. 
The  other  officers  are  D.  S.  Shellabarger, 
vice  president;  B.  O.  McReynolds,  cashier; 
and  George  W.  Bright,  assistant  cashier. 
The  company  does  a  general  banking  busi- 
ness and  the  institution  is  capitalized  for 
one  hun.dred  thousand  dollars,  while  the  sur- 
plus is  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  the 
undixided  profits  twenty-five  thousand. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1863,  was  cele- 
brated the  marriage  of  Mr.  Roby  and  Miss 
Annie  Haworth,  a  native  of  Clinton  county, 
Ohio.  By  this  marriage  there  have  been 
born  seven  children,  of  whom  six  are  now 
living. 

Mr.  Roby  has  long  been  an  ardent  advo- 
cate of  Republican  principles  and  although 
never  seeking  office  he  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  the  work  and  success  of  the 
party.  The  only  public  office  he  ever  held 
was  the  dual  one  of  clerk  and  attorney  of 
Decatur,  in  which  capacity  he  acted  for  two 
years,  save  that  he  is  now  the  treasurer  of 
the  board  of  education,  to  which  position  he 
has  been  annually  appointed  since  Septem- 
ber, 1892.  The  public,  however,  recognizes 
his  devotion  to  the  welfare  of  the  city  be- 
cause of  the  active  co-operation,  which,  as 
a  private  citizen,  he  has  given  to  many 
measures  for  the  public  good.  His  labors 
and  induence  have  been  a  resultant  factor 
in  the  progress  of  the  cit)',  the  expansion  of 
its  business  affairs  and  its  substantial 
growth. 

MRS.   NANCY  J.   TTOUSLEY. 
This    well    known    and    highly    esteemed 
ladv   belongs   to   one   of    the   old    and    most 


(90 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


proniiiiL-nl  families  of  Decatur.  She  was 
born  in  KenUicky,  August  22,  1833,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Jolin  W.  and  Elvira  (Oxley) 
Tyler,  and  a  half-sister  of  Barton  S.  Tyler, 
whose  sketch  appears  on  another  page  of 
this  volume.  Her  father,  who  was  a  native 
of  Eayette  county,  Kentucky,  came  to  Illi- 
nois at  an  early  day  and  in  1836  located 
in  iMacon  county,  casting  in  his  lot  with  its 
pioneer  settlers.  lie  was  one  of  those  who 
laid  broad  anil  deep  the  foundation  for  the 
present  development  and  prosperity  of  the 
county  and  for  more  than  half  a  century 
he  made  his  home  within  its  borders,  taking 
a  deep  and  abiding  interest  in  whatever  per- 
tained to  the  general  good.  He  was  a  min- 
ister of  the  Christian  church  and  followed 
closely  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Master.  His 
first  wife  died  in  1836,  leaving  three  chil- 
dren: Theodore  M.,  who  died  about  1887; 
John,  a  resident  of  Decatur;  and  Nancy  J., 
of  this  review.  He  afterward  married  Mrs. 
Sarah  Roney,  who  passed  away  in  1892, 
and  his  death  occurred  in  1888.  By  the 
second  union  there  were  the  following  chil- 
dren, who  are  still  living :  Dr.  B.  B.  Tyler, 
a  prominent  divine  of  the  Christian  church 
now  located  in  Denver,  Colorado;  Rev.  J. 
Z.  Tyler,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Charles  Tyler, 
who  is  living  in  Oklahoma ;  Mrs.  Stephen 
Cook,  a  resident  of  Denver,  Colorado;  Miss 
Alice  Tyler,  whose  home  is  in  Des  Moines, 
Iowa;  Mrs.  Sue  Odor,  of  Decatur;  and  Mrs. 
J.  A.  Meriweather,  of  Decatur. 

On  reaching  womanhood  Miss  Nancy  J. 
Tyler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Rufus 
Housley,  and  to  them  were  born  seven  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Nellie,  the  eldest,  is  now 
the  widow  of  George  W.  Harris  and  resides 
in  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Mary  A.  is  the 
widow  of  C.  R.  Morrison  and  makes  her 
home  with  her  sister  in  Kansas  City ;  Fran- 
cis is  deceas.ed ;  Katie  is  the  widow  of  John 
A.  Rogers  and  lives  with  her  mother  in 
Decatur,  being  employed  in  the  millinery 
<le])arlment     of     I'.radley     Brothers     store; 


William  R.  is  a  painter  and  resides  in  Mon- 
tana ;  Edwin  L.  is  also  a  painter  and  is  now 
living  in  Robey,  Illinois ;  and  Elvira  died 
in  infancy.  Airs.  Housley  has  a  nice  home 
at  No.  846  East  Cantrell  street,  where  she 
and  her  daughter  now  reside.  They  stand 
high  in  social  circles  and  have  many  warm 
friends  throughout  the  city.  Mrs.  Housley 
is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  and  her 
daughter  belongs  to  the  First  Alethodist 
Episcopal   church   of   Decatur. 


LOUIS  KOEHLER. 
Louis  Koehler,  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful merchants  of  Decatur  and  one  whose 
business  activity,  enterprise  and  careful 
management  constitute  the  secret  of  his 
prosperity,  is  proprietor  of  a  fine  retail 
grocery  and  market.  He  was  born  in  this 
city  April  19,  1859,  his  parents  having  been 
Henry  and  Barbara  (Will)  Koehler,  who, 
as  the  name  indicates,  were  natives  of  Ger- 
many. The}'  came  to  the  United  States 
fifty-four  years  ago,  settling  in  Buffalo,  New 
York.  Later  they  established  their  home 
in  Decatur  and  here  the  father  died  as  the 
result  of  an  accident  in  April,  1885,  at  the 
age  of  fifty  years.  His  wife  died  when  her 
son  Louis  was  but  five  years  of  age,  leav- 
ing two  children,  the  subject  of  this  review 
and  a  daughter,  Emma,  who  is  now  the  wife 
of  John  Weglege,  of  Dayton,  Ohio.  The 
father  was  a  butcher  by  trade  and  for  some 
time  was  an  employe  of  Peter  \V.  AVycoft', 
of  Decatur. 

At  the  usual  age  Louis  Koehler  became 
a  student  in  the  public  schools  and  therein 
mastered  the  common  branches  of  learning, 
but  when  only  ten  years  of  age  he  began 
working  in  the  butcher  shop  with  his  father. 
He  afterward  went  to  Buffalo,  New  York, 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  years  1874-5 
and  in  1876  he  returned  to  his  native  city, 
lie  then  look  charge  of  the  cafe   in  the  St. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


(91 


Nicholas  Hotel,  where  he  remained  for  live 
years  and  in  the  spring  of  1888,  with  the 
capital  he  had  acquired  there  through  his 
own  energy  and  determination  he  estab- 
lished a  grocery  store  at  the  corner  of  Wood 
and  Broadway,  where  he  was  located  for 
five  years.  He  then  removed  to  the  corner 
of  East  Wood  and  Broadway,  and  after 
being  located  there  for  eleven  years  he 
erected  his  present  handsome  brick  build- 
ing known  as  the  Koehler  Block  at  Nos. 
632-638  East  Wood  street.  This  is  a  two- 
story  structure  forty  by  eighty  feet.  It  has 
excellent  timber  supports  and  is  splendidly 
equipped  for  the  carrying  on  of  the  business. 
His  establishment  is  the  largest  retail  gro- 
cery house  in  the  city  and  he  not  only 
deals  in  groceries  but  also  carries  a  large 
line  of  fruits  and  \egetables,  queensware, 
tinware  and  wooden  and  willow  ware.  He 
also  opened  a  butchering  department,  car- 
r\-ing  home  killed  meats  and  dealing  in  both 
fresh  and  salt  meats  and  fish  and  game  in 
season.  His  spacious  show  windows  are 
handsomely  decorated  with  foliage  plants 
and  his  goods  are  displayed  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage throughout  the  store,  which  is  neat 
and  attractive  in  appearance.  A  glance 
into  this  large  and  finel}^  kept  establishment 
often  solves  for  the  housekeeper  the  per- 
plexing problem  of  "what  to  eat."  Mr. 
Koehler  has  l)iiilt  up  a  splendid  trade  and 
is  now  one  of  the  most  prosperous  mer- 
chants of  the  city.  He  has  been  a  close  ob- 
server of  the  needs  and  wishes  of  the  people 
and  carefully  superintends  every  detail  of 
the  work  in  connection  with  his  store.  He 
has  been  eminently  successful  and  takes  just 
pride  in  the  perfection  of  his  establishment 
and  a  choice  of  goods  carried. 

Mr.  Koehler  has  been  twice  married.  He 
first  wedded  Miss  Mary  Troesch  of  Effing- 
ham. Illinois,  in  1880.  She  died  July  13, 
1890.  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  vears,  leaving 
three  children:  Lela  1\..  Willa  B.  aufl  Louis 
H.      In    iS(j4   'Sir.    Koehler   was   again   mar- 


ried, his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Mary 
Leach,  a  daughter  of  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  David 
Leach  of  Decatur.  He  belongs  to  Easterly 
Camp,  No.  1626,  M.  W.  A.,  is  also  con- 
nected with  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees, 
with  Decatur  Court,  No.  243,  Tribe  of  Ben 
linr  ;nul  with  Lincoln  Camp.  He  is  an 
honorable  man,  his  reputation  is  above  re- 
proach and  his  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond; 
he  is  also  a  progressive  man,  keeping  in 
touch  with  the  advancement  of  the  times  in 
business  life  as  well  as  in  other  affairs;  he 
is  also  liberal  and  generous,  whose  conduct 
with  bis  fellow  citizens  has  broadened  his 
nature  and  his  views  and  who  now  looks 
upon  life  from  a  broad  humanitarian  stand- 
point. His  friends  appreciate  his  sterling 
worth  and  all  who  know  him  have  admira- 
tion for  his  honorable  and  successful  ca- 
reer. 


CHRISTIAN  D.VMMEIl'.R. 
Christian  Dammeier,  who  is  now  living  a 
retiretl  life  on  section  26,  South  Macon 
township,  is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens  that 
Germany  has  furnished  to  the  new  world 
and  like  many  of  those  who  have  sought 
homes  on  this  side  of  the  .Atlantic  he  has 
risen  from  a  position  of  comparative  ob- 
scurity to  a  place  among  the  substantial  and 
prominent  citizen.s  of  his  community. 

Born  in  Germany  July  19,  1832,  he  is  a  son 
of  Casper  and  Sophia(Neimeier) Dammeier, 
who  were  life-long  residents  of  that  coun- 
try, but  his  maternal  grandfather,  Henry 
.N'eimeier,  came  from  Germany  to  America 
when  our  subject  was  about  seven  years  of 
age  and  located  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
where  he  continued  to  make  his  home 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  It 
was  in  1852  that  our  subject  came  to  the 
United  States,  making  the  voyage  on  a  sail- 
ing vessel,  the  .\usteina,  which  sailed  from 
Firemen.  .Mthough  they  were  ten  weeks 
in    crossing    the    Atlanlic.    the    trij)    was    a 


792 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


pleasant  one.  Two  deaths  occurred  during 
the  voyage  and  also  two  births.  There  were 
two  hundred  and  eighty-five  passengers  on 
board.  Landing  in  New  Orleans,  Mr.  Dam- 
meier  proceeded  up  the  Mississippi  river  to 
Cairo,  Illinois,  where  he  arrived  nine  days  , 
later — on  the  30th  of  December,  1852.  From 
there  he  walked  to  East  St.  Louis,  which 
was  then  a  village  of  only  three  houses. 
After  spending  a  few  days  with  an  uncle 
on  the  blufifs  near  Collinsville,  he  obtained 
employment  with  Henry  Peters,  for  whom 
he  worked  four  months,  receiving  nine  dol- 
lars per  month  for  the  first  two  months, 
and  eleven  dollars  per  month  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  time.  In  this  way  he  earned 
enough  to  send  his  father  the  money  which 
he  had  borrowed  to  pay  his  passage  to 
America.  He  continued  to  work  as  a  farm 
hand  by  tlie  month  until  after  the  Civil  war 
broke  out,  when  prompted  by  love  for  his 
adopted  country,  he  enlisted  at  Edwards- 
ville,  Illinois,  in  May,  1861,  becoming  a 
member  of  Company  I,  Ninth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  which  was  assigned  to  the 
Sixteenth  Army  Corps.  For  three  years 
and  three  months  he  remained  in  the  serv- 
ice, taking  part  in  the  battles  of  Fort  Donel- 
son,  Shiloh  and  many  other  important  en- 
gagements and  skirmishes,  one  hundred  and 
ten  in  all.  After  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was 
with  the  mounted  infantry.  He  was  finally 
discharged  at. Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  August 
21,  1864,  with  a  fine  military  record. 

After  his  return  from  the  army  ^Ir.  Dam- 
meier  continued  to  work  by  the  month  until 
his  marriage,  which  important  event  in  his 
life  was  celebrated  April  20,  1873,  ^liss 
Susan  I\l.  Bainter,  who  was  born  January 
17,  1846,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Elias  and 
Elizabeth  (Easter)  Bainter,  becoming  his 
wife.  Her  father,  who  was  a  minister  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  died  in  1858, 
and  her  mother  passed  away  when  Mrs. 
Dammeier  was  only  four  j^ears  old. 

Mr.  and  ^T^s.  Dammeier  began  their  mar- 


ried life  on  a  partially  improved  farm  of 
forty  acres  in  South  iNIacon  township,  where 
they  have  since  made  their  home.  There 
was  a  small  house,  fourteen  by  eighteen 
feet,  upon  the  place,  and  in  that  they  lived 
for  over  twenty  years  and  it  is  still  stand- 
ing but  about  ten  years  ago  a  more  com- 
modious and  substantial  residence  was 
erected  by  ^Mr.  Dammeier  as  a  place  of 
abode.  He  has  also  built  two  barns,  has 
laid  over  eight  thousand  tiles,  and  in  other 
ways  has  improved  the  place  until  it  is  now 
one  of  the  most  desirable  farms  of  its  size 
in  the  localit}-.  All  of  the  trees  and  shrubs 
which  now  adorn  it  were  planted  by  Mr. 
and  \lrs.  Dammeier.  Formerly  he  raised 
a  great  many  hogs  for  market  but  for  the 
past  thirteen  years  he  has  lived  retired  from 
active  labor,  renting  all  of  his  farm  with  the 
exception  of  about  eight  acres  and  the  house 
in  which  he  lives.  He  has  plowed  with  five 
voke  of  oxen  hitched  to  an  old  fashioned 
plow  and  has  used  other  primitive  farm  im- 
plements in  carrying  on  his  work  before 
modern  machinery  was  introduced.  Indus- 
trious, enterprising  and  honest,  he  met  with 
success  in  his  labors  and  is  to-day  able  to 
lav  aside  all  business  cares  and  enjoy  the 
fruits  of  former  toil. 

Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  i860,  Mr.  Dam- 
meier has  affiliated  with  the  Republican 
party,  but  has  always  refused  to  accept  of- 
fice of  any  kind.  He  is  an  honored  member 
of  Dunham  Post,  No.  141,  G.  A.  R.,  of  De- 
catur, and  both  he  and  his  wife  formerly 
held  membership  in  the  church  of  God  at 
Macon,  but  since  its  dissolution  they  have 
attended  the  Presbyterian  church.  They 
are  people  of  the  highest  respectability  and 
well  merit  the  regard  in  which  thev  are  held. 


JACOB   C.   HENDRICKS. 
Jacob  C.  Hendricks  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania,  August  21.    1828,   and   therefore  for 
more  than    three-fourths   of  a   century   has 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


793 


been  a  witness  of  the  world's  progress  and 
taken  a  deep  and  commendable  pride  in  the 
accomplishments  of  his  own  coimtry.  His 
parents  were  Samuel  and  Magdalene 
(Woodling)  Hendricks,  whose  family  num- 
bered six  cliildren,  the  eldest  of  whom,  John, 
died  in  1903,  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years. 

Jacob  C.  Hendricks  spent  his  youth  and 
acquired  his  education  in  Pennsylvania. 
For  many  years  thereafter  he  was  connected 
with  the  carriage-making  trade,  having 
learned  that  business  in  the  Keystone  state, 
where  he  followed  the  pursuit  for  nine 
years.  It  was  on  the  nth  of  April,  1865, 
that  he  arrived  in  Decatur  and  with  the  in- 
terests of  the  city  he  has  since  been  identi- 
fied. Here  he  secured  work  as  a  journey- 
man at  his  trade  and  was  thus  employed 
for  eighteen  years.  In  1883  he  built  a  car- 
riage repair  shop  on  West  Green  street, 
where  he  engaged  in  business  on  his  own 
account  until  1899.  Since  that  time  he  has 
given  his  attention  and  energies  to  the 
manufacture  of  bee  hives  and  to  the  sale 
of  bee  supplies.  He  also  keeps  on  hand  pure 
honey  which  he  sells  to  the  retail  trade. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  untiring  industry 
and  whatever  success  he  has  achieved  has 
come  to  him  as  a  direct  result  of  his  own 
labors. 

Mr.  Hendricks  was  married  in  I'eniisyl- 
vania,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Mary  J.  Orwig,  who  was  born  and  reared 
in  the  Kejstone  state,  where  the  wedding 
was  celebrated  in  1852.  They  traveled  life's 
journey  together  for  more  than  one-third 
of  a  century  and  then  Mrs.  Hendricks  was 
called  to  her  final  rest  in  Decatur  on  the 
14th  of  February,  1898,  leaving  her  husband 
and  several  children  to  mourn  her  loss.  She 
was  a  kind  and  loving  wife  and  a  devoted 
mother,  and  in  friendship  she  was  ever  faith- 
fid  and  true.  The  children  of  the  family 
are  as  follows :  Mary  Jane,  who  is  now 
living  in  New  York  city;  Helen,  who  for- 


merly engaged  in  teaching  school  in  Deca- 
tur and  is  now  a  popular  school  teacher  of 
Chicago;  Edith,  who  became  the  wife  of 
E.  W.  Smith  and  died  leaving  two  children ; 
Bertha,  who  conducts  a  china  decorating 
establishment  in  Denver,  Colorado;  A.  W., 
who  married  Alinta  Kcizer  and  is  now  dep- 
iit}'  sheritT  of  .Macon  county,  his  home  being 
in  Decatur ;  Harry,  who  is  living  in  Denver, 
Colorado;  Erankie,  who  died  in  childhood; 
and  Etta,  the  wife  of  George  Hart,  of  San 
Jose,  California.  All  of  the  children  were 
well  educated,  being  provided  with  school 
privileges  that  well  prepared  them  to  meet 
the  responsible  and  practical  duties  of  life. 
Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  John  C.  Fremont  Mr.  Hendricks  has  al- 
ways exercised  his  right  of  franchise  in  sup- 
port of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  but  otherwise  has  taken  no 
active  interest  in  political  aftairs.  He  owns 
his  own  shop,  house  and  lot  in  Decatur  and 
these  are  the  visible  evidence  of  his  life  of 
thrift  and  enterprise.  He  has  seen  Decatur 
grow  from  a  city  of  seven  thousand  to  its 
present  metropolitan  proportions  and  has 
been  actively  interested  in  much  of  its  de- 
velopment during  the  long  years  of  his  resi- 
dence here. 


JACOB  TROUTMAN. 

Alore  than  forty-eight  years  have  elapsed 
since  this  gentleman  arrived  in  Macon  coun- 
ty and  he  is  justly  numbered  among  her 
early  settlers  and  leading  citizens.  Through- 
out the  years  of  his  manhood  he  has  been 
identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of 
this  locality  and  is  today  the  owner  of  a 
fine  farm  on  section  7,  Decatur  township, 
which  he  has  placed  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  impro\'ed  in  a  worthy  man- 
ner. 

A  native  of  the  neighboring  state  of  Indi- 
ana, Mr.  Troutman  was  born  in  Fulton 
county,  October  2,  1848,  and  on  the  paternal 


794 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


side  is  of  Scotch  descent,  his  grandfather, 
Michael  Troutman,  being  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, whence  he  emigrated  to  America  in 
Colonial  days.  He  took  part  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war  under  the  command  of  Gen- 
eral Washington  and  valiantly  aided  the 
colonies  in  their  struggle  for  independence. 
Peter  Troutman,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Henry  county,  Kentucky, 
in  1816,  and  from  that  state  removed  to  In- 
diana in  1832,  settling  in  Fulton  county, 
where  in  the  midst  of  the  forest  he  hewed 
out  a  farm.  He  was  not  onlj-  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits  but  also  practiced  med- 
icine for  twenty-five  years  but  was  at  length 
forced  to  abandon  his  profession  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health.  He  became  one  of  the 
prominent  and  influential  citizens  of  Ful- 
ton county  and  as  a  self-made  man  he  ac- 
quired a  comfortable  competence  through 
his  own  well  directed  and  industrious  ef- 
forts. A  few  years  prior  to  his  death  he  re- 
moved to  Kansas,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  and  loan  business,  and  he  died 
near  Victor,  that  state,  on  the  4th  of  No- 
vember, 1900.  In  Indiana  he  wedded  Miss 
Mary  Bruce,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and 
a  daughter  of  Abraham  Bruce,  who  was 
born  in  Germany  and  -on  crossing  the  At- 
lantic to  the  new  world  settled  in  the  Kev- 
stone  state,  whence  he  removed  with  his 
family  to  Indiana,  becoming  one  of  its  early 
settlers.  He  was  a  farmer  and  millwright 
by  occupation  and  became  a  wealthy  man. 
-Mrs.  Troutman  died  in  J^Iacon  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1869.  When  a  young  man  the  father 
of  our  subject  united  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  served  as  a  class- 
leader  and  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school  for  many  years.  He  and  his  family 
were  the  principal  contributors  toward 
building  the  Sharon  church  and  he  was  a 
trustee  of  the  same.  Socially  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  and  in 
politics  was  a  Republican.  He  always  took 
an  active  interest  in  public  affairs  and  voted 


for   William   Henry   Harrison   and  also   for 
his  grandson,  Benjamin  Harrison. 

Unto  Peter  and  Mary  (Bruce)  Troutman 
were  born  the  following  children :  Eliza- 
beth Jane,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  J.  H. 
Cox,  a  farmer  of  Sumner  county,  Kansas. 
Joseph  served  throughout  the  Civil  war  as 
a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Six- 
teenth Illinois  \'olunteer  Infantr\',  partici- 
pating in  thirty-two  battles  and  in  the 
march  to  the  sea  with  Sherman,  and  after 
his  return  home  he  fell  from  an  apple  tree 
and  broke  his  leg,  which  superinduced  gen- 
eral debility  and  resulted  in  his  death. 
Samuel,  who  was  a  member  of  the  same 
regiment  as  his  brother  and  was  with  Sher- 
man on  his  celebrated  march  to  the  sea,  is 
now  living  in  Decatur.  Phoebe  is  the  wife 
of  Jeremiah  Miller,  of  Decatur.  Jacob  is 
the  next  in  order  of  birth.  Julia  is  the  wife 
of  Asa  Gulick,  a  resident  of  Harristown, 
township.  John  makes  his  home  in  Kan- 
sas. Levi  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  years. 
All  of  the  children  were  born  in  Indiana. 

Jacob  Troutman  was  onlj-  eight  years  old 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  the  jour- 
ney being  made  by  team,  and  on  reaching- 
their  destination  they  took  up  their  resi- 
dence in  a  two  room  log  cabin  with  punch- 
eon floor.  Our  subject  passed  his  boyhood 
and  youth  under  the  parental  roof  and  pur- 
sued his  studies  in  the  district  schools  of  the 
neighborhood  and  the  public  schools  of  De- 
catur. He  early  became  familiar  with  all 
the  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agri- 
culturist. He  could  swing  the  ax  and  cradle 
and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  began  following 
the  old  McCormick  reaper.  Later  he  en- 
gaged in  breaking  prairie  and  hauling  logs 
for  fences. 

<  )n  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Troutman 
started  out  in  life  for  himself,  his  property 
at  that  time  consisting  of  one  horse.  He 
purchased  the  farm  where  he  is  now  living, 
it  being  a   tract  of  sevent}^  acres  of  unim- 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


[95 


])rovo(l  land,  and  npon  the  place  he  erected 
a  good  resilience,  together  with  substantial 
barns  and  all  modern  equipments  and  con- 
veniences. He  is  not  only  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  but  also  carries  on  a  gen- 
eral store  and  deals  in  both  grain  and  stock. 

Mr.  Troutman  was  married.  September 
20,  1876,  to  IMiss  Sarah  Morrison,  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania.  Her  father.  Joel  Morri- 
son, was  born  in  Mifllin  county,  that  state, 
and  came  to  Illinois  in  1850.  when  Mrs. 
Troutman  was  about  fifteen  j-ears  of  age. 
He  lived  in  Decatur  for  some  time  and  was 
in  the  employ  of  John  Ullrich  and  George 
Danzeisen  &  Blenz,  butchers,  for  several 
years.  He  was  an  earnest  and  consistent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  died  in  that  faith  at  the  age  of  si.xty- 
four  years.  Some  of  his  earlv  ancestors 
were  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and 
were  killed  in  battle.  In  his  familv  were 
seven  children,  Mrs.  Troutman  being  the 
fourth  in  order  of  birth,  and  six  of  the  num- 
ber are  still  living,  nameh- :  ^^'ilson,  Amia, 
Sarah,  Joel,  Charles  and  Lydia.  David  is 
deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Troutman  are  the  parents 
of  five  children :  Fred  D.,  a  resident  of 
Shelby  county,  Illinois;  Carrie,  who  died  in 
infancy:  Nora,  the  wife  of  Otto  Church- 
man, who  has  charge  of  the  elevator  at 
Troutman  and  by  whom  she  has  one  child, 
Ellen  ;  and  Samuel  J.  and  Minnie  Jean,  both 
at  home.  The  ])arents  are  widely  known  in 
this  coiunuuiit}'  and  are  people  of  sterling 
worth,  well  deserving  the  high  regard  in 
which  they  are  beld.  Since  casting  his  first 
presidential  vote  for  General  Grant,  Mr. 
Troutman  has  affiliated  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  socially  he  is  connected  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the 
Royal  Circle,  the  Court  of  Honor  and  the 
Fraternal  .'vrmy.  During  his  long  residence 
in  the  counix'  he  has  witnessed  that  marvel- 


ous transformation  that  has  been  wrought 
and  as  a  generous,  liberal  minded  and  pro- 
gressive citizen  has  aided  in  its  development. 


IIL-STON   SINGLETON. 

liuslon  .Singleton,  one  of  the  oldest  repre- 
.^cntativcs  of  the  restaurant  business  in  De- 
catur, has  resided  in  this  city  for  the  past  thir- 
ty-eight years.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Shelbyville  in  Bedford  county.  Tennessee, 
.May  28,  1848,  a  son  of  Richard  II.  and  Min- 
erva (Porter)  Singleton,  who  were  likewise 
natives  of  that  state.  During  his  youth  his 
parents  removed  to  Keokuk.  Iowa,  and  he 
there  acquired  his  education,  but  his  school 
privileges  were  somewhat  limited.  In  1865 
he  came  to  Decatur  and  began  work  as  a  bell 
boy  and  later  as  jiortcr  in  the  old  Revere 
House,  where  he  remained  for  about  three 
years.  He  then  began  learning  the  barber's 
trade  and  after  mastering  it  opened  a  shop  of 
his  own,  continuing  in  the  business  until  1884, 
when  he  sold  out.  He  then  established  a  res- 
taurant in  Lincoln  Square,  where  he  has  since 
remained  in  business,  being  recognized  as  one 
of  the  most  capable  proprietors  and  extensive 
caterers  of  the  city.  He  has  served  some  of 
the  finest  banquets  that  have  been  held,  not 
onlv  in  Decatur,  but  also  in  central  Illinois, 
and  in  his  restaurant  he  receives  a  liberal  pat- 
ronage, daily  furnishing  meals  to  a  large 
number  of  people. 

C^n  the  29th  of  Deceiuber.  1886,  Mr.  Sin- 
gleton was  tinited  in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura 
Coussins,  who  was  born  in  Sandusky,  Ohio, 
September  2,  1866,  and  from  there  removed 
with  her  parents  to  Hanover,  Indiana,  and 
later  to  Gibson  City,  Illinois.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Singleton  is  connected  with  the  Decatur 
Lodge,  No.  17.  F.  S;  .\.  M..  and  with  Spring- 
field Commandery,  No.  3,  K.  T.,  and  is  a 
worthy  representative  of  the  craft.  He  has 
always  taken  an  active  part  in  politics,  being 
ati  earnest  Republican  and  has  been  prominent 


796 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


in  political  circles  throughovit  the  state.  In 
1890  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  from  this  dis- 
trict to  the  Republican  national  convention, 
which  convened  at  Nashville,  Tennessee.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  state  senate  com- 
mittee for  several  years,  while  in  1892  he 
served  as  a  member  of  the  state  executive  com- 
mittee and  was  chairman  of  the  Macon  county 
delegation  to  the  state  convention  of  the 
boards  of  supervisors  in  Peoria,  Illinois.  He 
has  labored  effectively  for  the  welfare  and  up- 
building of  his  party,  is  known  to  its  most 
prominent  members  and  is  recognized  as  one 
of  its  leaders  in  the  state.  For  several  terms 
he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  Macon 
county  board  of  supervisors  and  his  interest 
in  local  affairs  has  been  especially  helpful 
along  lines  tending  to  promote  the  upbuilding 
and  substantial  improvements  of  Decatur.  He 
has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  this  city  and 
enjoys  the  warm  friendship  of  the  great  ma- 
jority of  those  with  whom  he  has  been 
brought  in  contact. 


MRS.  LAMIRA  WILKINSON. 
Lamira  Powers  was  the  daughter  of  Will- 
iam and  Abigail  (Hendrix)  Powers,  the 
granddaughter  of  .'\ndrew  and  Sally  (Car- 
ter) Powers  and  of  David  and  Anne  (West- 
cott)  Hendrix.  She  was  born  April  29,  1807, 
in  Charlton,  Saratoga  county,  New  York,  and 
was  married  Feruary  14,  1829,  to  Chauncey 
W^ilkinson,  of  the  same  village.  After  living 
a  few  years  at  Ballston  Springs,  they  re- 
moved to  Alabama,  where  some  of  her  broth- 
ers were  then  in  business.  They  lived  suc- 
cessively in  Prairie  Bluff,  Tuskaloosa  and  Mo- 
bile. 

Mr.  Wilkinson  died  in  1844  and  his  widow 
with  her  three  children  came  to  Decatur,  Illi- 
nois, to  be  with  her  mother,  who  was  then  liv- 
ing on  the  Powers  farm  northeast  of  town. 
A  few  years  later  her  mother  went  to  Bloom- 
ington  to  live  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ew- 


ing,  whose  husband  was  a  minister  there.md 
Mrs.  Wilkinson  and  her  older  brother,  Mll- 
iam  L.  Powers,  a  retired  banker,  also  re- 
moved there  and  made  it  their  home  until, Ir. 
Powers  died.  In  1859  she  went  with  henne 
remaining  child  to  Chicago,  where  this  daijh- 
ter  soon  died.  In  1864  she  came  with  Ir. 
and  Mrs.  Ewing  to  Decatur,  where  she  ?pt 
house  during  the  remainder  of  her  life,  or 
the  last  few  years  she  and  her  sister,  zh  a 
willow,  made  their  home  together.  She  led 
.March  6,  1894,  in  her  eighty-seventh  ur, 
Jiaving  been  a  widow  for  fifty  years  and  ty- 
ing survived  the  last  of  her  six  children  inre 
than  thirty  years. 

A  woman  of  unusually  bright  intellect  of 
extensive  reading  and  having  led  a  varied  fe 
in  the  east,  south  and  west,  Mrs.  Wilkin>n 
was  an  interesting  conversationalist  and  to  he 
last  of  her  long  life  a  welcome  addition  to  ay 
circle  of  old,  middle-aged  or  young.  ]er 
lonely  home  was  made  attractive  to  her  mny 
friends  and  relatives  by  her  cordial  welcoie, 
her  gracious  hospitality  and  her  beautiful  crr- 
tesy  which  made  her  seem  to  all  who  knew  rr 
a  perfect  type  of  the  true  Christian  gene- 
woman. 

Her  quiet  tastes  made  her  shrink  from  ay 
public  deeds,  but  her  ample  means  were  spat 
in  many  acts  of  kindness.  To  the  Yous^ 
Men's  Christian  Association  she  was  a  f:- 
quent  and  generous  giver ;  to  the  library  in  s 
earlier  struggling  days  she  was  most  kind  ad 
to  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  she  W5 
a  life-long  and  consistent  member,  she  gai 
a  parsonage  called  by  the  trustees  the  Wilkin 
son  Manse.  Of  Mrs.  Wilkinson  it  might  triv 
have  been  said : 

"  Life  hath  its  regal  natures  yet, 
True,  tender,  brave  and  sweet." 


JEFFERSON  G.  WILLARD. 
Among  the  prominent  and  influential  cii 
zens  of  Harristown    township    is    nunibere 
Jefferson  G.  Willard.  who  was  for  a  numbc 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


797 


of  year<;onnected  with  the  agricultural  inter- 
ests of  \Iacon  county  but  is  now  practically 
living  .-retired  life  in  his  beautiful  home  near 
the  villae  of  Harristown.  For  five  years  he 
was  a  isident  of  Decatur,  owning  the  house 
at  No.  52  West  Macon  street,  now  occupied 
by  his -on,  but  in  1897  he  returned  to  the 
farm. 

Mr.  Villard  was  born  in  Overton  county, 
Tenne.'ije,  February  21,  1827,  and  is  a  son  of 
Williai  and  Martha  (Goodpasture)  Willard, 
natives  f  Tennessee  and  Virginia,  respective- 
ly. Oithe  paternal  side  he  is  of  English  and 
Scotch  Icscent,  and  his  grandfather,  William 
Willar.  a  native  of  Virginia,  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in!he  Revolutionary  war  and  was  after- 
ward ranted  a  pension  by  the  government. 
He  reohed  the  advanced  age  of  one  hundred 
and  fj-v  years  .and  retained  his  mental  and 
physicri  vigor  to  the  last,  riding  fifty  miles 
on  hojeback  in  the  spring  of  1830  when  a 
centenrian. 

Wilhm  Willard,  Jr.,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, ;moved  from  Tennessee  to  Morgan 
-count}  Illinois,  in  1829  and  entered  from 
the  goernment  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  c  land  nine  miles  west  of  Jacksonville, 
"wherehe  made  his  home  until  called  to  his 
final  Tit  in  1847,  ^^  the  age  of  forty-seven 
years.  His  death  resulted  from  an  attack  of 
congesve  fever.  His  wife,  who  long  sur- 
vived lim,  died  in  Macon  county,  on  the  8th 
of  N^iember,  1861.  They  were  consistent 
and  fahful  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal hurch  and  Mr.  Willard  served  as  one 
of  tlu  officers  of  the  local  congregation.  In 
the  faiily  of  this  worthy  couple  were  six  sons 
and  fur  daughters  but  only  two  are  now  liv- 
ing nniely :  Jei?erson  G.,  of  this  sketch  ;  and 
Abrai  Jasper,  who  is  living  near  Shelbyville 
in  Shiby  county,  Illinois. 

Thccarly  life  of  Jefiferson  G.  Willard  was 
main!  passed  in  Morgan  county,  Illinois,  and 
when  ic  had  attained  a  sufficient  age  he  be- 
gan Is  education  in  an  old  log  schoolhouse 
sittinion  a  rude  slab  bench.     At  the  end  of 


the  building  was  a  huge  fireplace  and  the  light 
was  admitted  through  greased  paper  win- 
dows. There  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
good  practical  education  which  has  been  ac- 
quired through  experience  and  observation. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1849,  Mr.  Willard 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alifif  C.  Aver- 
itt,  a  daughter  of  Nathan  G.  and  Mary 
(Cooper)  Averitt,  the  former  a  native  of 
Iventucky  and  the  latter  of  Tennessee.  They 
became  pioneer  settlers  of  Morgan  county, 
Illinois,  where  they  located  in  1830.  Two 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Willard 
but  one  died  in  infancy,  the  other  being  James 
Monroe,  who  is  now  living  in  Decatur.  He 
married  Miss  Florence  Dyke,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  who  died  on  the  24th  of  April, 
1892,  leaving  a  daughter,  Clara,  who  now 
makes  her  home  with  her  father,  and  is  at- 
tending the  James  Millikin  University  at  De- 
catur. For  his  second  wife,  James  M.  Wil- 
lard married  Miss  Mary  Kellington,  of  Mor- 
gan county,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two 
children,  Ruth  and  Alifif.  For  some  time  he 
was  connected  with  the  Municipal  Electric 
Light  Company  as  general  manager,  but  is 
now  living  retired. . 

Mr.  Willard,  of  this  review,  continued  to 
reside  in  Morgan  county  after  his  marriage 
until  1855,  when  he  sold  his  property  there 
and  came  to  Macon  county,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  three 
hundred  acres  on  section  9,  Harristown  town- 
ship, and  as  his  financial  resources  were  in- 
creased he  kept  adding  to  his  land  from  time 
to  time  until  he  now  has  seven  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  as  fine  farming  land  as  is  to  be 
found  anywhere  in  the  country.  His  place 
adjoins  the  village  of  Harristown  and  being 
well  improved  and  highly  cultivated  is  one 
of  the  most  desirable  farms  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  Its  beauty  is  enhanced  by  a  little 
lake  one-half  mile  in  circumference,  which  is 
stocked  with  all  kinds  of  fish.  In  connection 
with  general  farming  Mr.  Willard  has  en- 
gaged in  stock  raising  quite  extensively  and 


796 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


in  political  circles  throughout  the  state.  In 
1890  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  from  this  dis- 
trict to  the  Republican  national  convention, 
which  convened  at  Nashville,  Tennessee.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  state  senate  com- 
mittee for  several  years,  while  in  1892  he 
served  as  a  member  of  the  state  executive  com- 
mittee and  was  chairman  of  the  Alacon  county 
delegation  to  the  state  convention  of  the 
boards  of  supervisors  in  Peoria,  Illinois.  He 
has  labored  effectively  for  the  welfare  and  up- 
building of  his  party,  is  known  to  its  most 
prominent  members  and  is  recognized  as  one 
of  its  leaders  in  the  state.  For  several  terms 
he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  Macon 
county  board  of  supervisors  and  his  interest 
in  local  affairs  has  been  especially  helpful 
along  lines  tending  to  promote  the  upbuilding 
and  substantial  improvements  of  Decatur.  He 
has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  this  city  and 
enjoys  the  warm  friendship  of  the  great  ma- 
jority of  those  with  whom  he  has  been 
brought  in  contact. 


MRS.  LAMIRA  WILKINSON. 

Lamira  Powers  was  the  daughter  of  \^'ill- 
iam  and  Abigail  (Hendrix)  Powers,  the 
granddaughter  of  Andrew  and  Sally  (Car- 
ter) Powers  and  of  David  and  Anne  (West- 
cott)  Hendrix.  She  was  born  April  29,  1807, 
in  Qiarlton,  Saratoga  county.  New  York,  and 
was  married  Feruary  14,  1829,  to  Chauncey 
\\'ilkinson.  of  the  same  village.  After  living 
a  few  years  at  Ballston  Springs,  they  re- 
moved to  Alabama,  where  some  of  her  broth- 
ers were  then  in  business.  They  lived  suc- 
cessively in  Prairie  Bluff',  Tuskaloosa  and  Mo- 
bile.      '  ■ 

Mr.  Wilkinson  died  in  1844  and  his  widow 
with  her  three  children  came  to  Decatur,  Illi- 
nois, to  be  with  her  mother,  who  was  then  liv- 
ing on  the  Powers  farm  northeast  of  town. 
A  few  years  later  her  mother  went  to  Bloom- 
inerton  to  live  with  her  daughter,  Mrs.   Ew- 


ing,  whose  husband  was  a  minister  there,  and 
;\Irs.  Wilkinson  and  her  older  brother,  Will- 
iam L.  Powers,  a  retired  banker,  also  re- 
moved there  and  made  it  their  home  until  Mr. 
Powers  died.  In  1859  she  went  with  her  one 
remaining  child  to  Chicago,  where  this  daugh- 
ter soon  died.  In  1864  she  came  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ewing  to  Decatur,  where  she  kept 
house  during  the  remainder  of  her  life.  For 
the  last  few  years  she  and  her  sister,  also  a 
widow,  made  their  home  together.  She  died 
March  6,  1894,  in  her  eighty-seventh  year, 
having  been  a  widow  for  fifty  years  and  hav- 
ing survived  the  last  of  her  six  children  more 
than  thirty  years. 

A  woman  of  unusually  bright  intellect,  of 
extensive  reading  and  having  led  a  varied  life 
in  the  east,  south  and  west,  Mrs.  Wilkinson 
was  an  interesting  conversationalist  and  to  the 
last  of  her  long  life  a  welcome  addition  to  any 
circle  of  old,  middle-aged  or  young.  Her 
lonelv  home  was  made  attractive  to  her  many 
friends  and  relatives  by  her  cordial  welcome, 
her  gracious  hospitality  and  her  beautiful  cour- 
tesy which  made  her  seem  to  all  who  knew  her 
a  perfect  type  of  the  true  Christian  gentle- 
woman. 

Her  quiet  tastes  made  her  shrink  from  any 
public  deeds,  but  her  ample  means  were  spent 
in  many  acts  of  kindness.  To  the  Young 
^Nlen's  Christian  Association  she  was  a  fre- 
quent and  generous  giver ;  to  the  library  in  its 
earlier  struggling  days  she  was  most  kind  and 
to  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  she  was 
a  life-long  and  consistent  member,  she  gave 
a  parsonage  called  by  the  trustees  the  Wilkin- 
son ]\Ianse.  Of  Mrs.  Wilkinson  it  might  truly 
have  been  said : 

"  Life  hath  its  regal  natures  yet. 
True,  tender,  brave  and  sweet." 


JEFFERSON  G.  WILLARD. 
Among  the  prominent  and  influential  citi- 
zens of  Harristown    township    is    numbered 
Jefferson  G.  \^'illar(l,  who  was  for  a  number 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


797 


of  years  connected  with  the  agricultural  inter- 
ests of  Macon  county  but  is  now  practically 
living  a  retired  life  in  his  beautiful  home  near 
the  village  of  Harristown.  For  five  years  he 
was  a  resident  of  Decatur,  owning  the  house 
at  No.  752  West  Macon  street,  now  occupied 
by  his  son,  but  in  1897  he  returned  to  the 
farm. 

Mr.  Willartl  was  born  in  Overton  count}', 
Tennessee,  February  21,  1827,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Martha  (Goodpasture)  Willard, 
natives  of  Tennessee  and  Virginia,  respective- 
ly. On  the  paternal  side  he  is  of  English  and 
Scotch  descent,  and  his  grandfather,  William 
Willard,  a  native  of  \irginia,  served  as  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  was  after- 
ward granted  a  pension  by  the  government. 
He  reached  the  advanced  age  of  one  hundred 
and  five  years  and  retained  his  mental  and 
physical  vigor  to  the  last,  riding  fifty  miles 
on  horseback  in  the  spring  of  1830  when  a 
centenarian. 

William  \\'illard,  Jr.,  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, removed  from  Tennessee  to  Alorgan 
•county,  Illinois,  in  1829  and  entered  from 
the  government  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  nine  miles  west  of  Jacksonville, 
■where  he  made  his  home  until  called  to  his 
final  rest  in  1847,  '^^  tlic  age  of  forty-seven 
years.  His  death  resulted  from  an  attack  of 
congestive  fever.  His  wife,  who  long  sur- 
vived him,  died  in  Macon  county,  on  the  8th 
of  November,  1861.  They  were  consistent 
and  failliful  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  Mr.  Willard  served  as  one 
of  the  officers  of  the  local  congregation.  In 
the  family  of  this  worthy  couple  were  six  sons 
and  four  daughters  but  only  two  are  now  liv- 
ing namely :  Jefferson  G.,  of  this  sketch  ;  and 
Abram  Jasper,  who  is  living  near  Shelbyville 
in  .Shelby  county,  Illinois. 

The  early  life  of  Jefferson  G.  Willard  was 
mainly  passed  in  ^lorgan  county,  Illinois,  and 
wInn  he  had  attained  a  sufficient  age  he  be- 
gan his  education  in  an  old  log  .schoolhouse 
sitting  on  a  rude  slab  bench.     .'Xt  the  end  of 


the  building  was  a  huge  fireplace  and  the  light 
was  admitted  through  greased  paper  win- 
dows. There  he  laid  the  foundation  of  a 
good  practical  education  which  has  been  ac- 
quired through  experience  and  observation. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1849,  Mr.  Willard 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Aliff  C.  Aver- 
itt,  a  daughter  of  Nathan  G.  and  Mary 
(Cooper)  Averitt,  the  former  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Tennessee.  They 
became  pioneer  settlers  of  Morgan  county, 
Illinois,  where  they  located  in  1830.  Two 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W'illard 
but  one  died  in  infancy,  the  other  being  James 
Alonroe,  who  is  now  living  in  Decatur.  He 
married  Aliss  Florence  Dyke,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  who  died  on  the  24th  of  April, 
1892,  leaving  a  daughter,  Clara,  who  now 
makes  her  home  with  her  father,  and  is  at- 
tending the  James  Millikin  University  at  De- 
catur. For  his  second  wife,  James  M.  Wil- 
lard married  Miss  Mary  Kellington,  of  Mor- 
gan count)',  and  to  them  have  been  born  two 
children,  Ruth  and  Aliff.  For  some  time  he 
was  connected  with  the  .Municipal  Electric 
Light  Company  as  general  manager,  but  is 
now  living  retired. . 

Mr.  Willard,  of  this  review,  continued  to 
reside  in  Morgan  county  after  his  marriage 
until  1855,  when  he  sold  his  property  there 
and  came  to  Macon  county,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  three 
hundred  acres  on  section  9,  Harristown  town- 
ship, and  as  his  financial  resources  were  in- 
creased he  kept  adding  to  his  land  from  time 
to  time  until  he  now  has  seven  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  as  fine  farming  land  as  is  to  be 
found  anywhere  in  the  country.  His  place 
adjoins  the  village  of  Harristown  and  being 
well  improved  and  highly  cultivated  is  one 
of  the  most  desirable  farms  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  Its  beauty  is  enhanced  by  a  little 
lake  one-half  mile  in  circumference,  which  is 
stocked  with  all  kinds  of  fish.  In  connection 
with  general  farming  Mr.  Willard  has  en- 
gaged in  stock  raising  quite  extensively  and 


798 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


has  fouiul  this  branch  of  his  business  quite 
profitable.  Although  nearly  seventy-seven 
years  of  age  he  still  enjoys  robust  health  and 
is  able  to  do  a  good  day's  work  on  the  farm. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W'illard  are  active  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  at  Harristown 
and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  served  as 
one  of  its  elders.  In  early  life  he  supported 
the  Democratic  party  but  in  1888  voted  for 
Fiske  and  Brooks  and  has  since  been  an  ar- 
dent Prohibitionist.-  He  served  as  road  com- 
missioner for  twelve  years,  but  has  never 
cared  for  political  honors.  He  was  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  the  Macon  County  Agricul- 
tural Society  and  was  president  of  the  same 
for  three  years.  A  friend  of  temperance  and 
morality,  he  does  all  in  his  power  to  advance 
the  best  interests  of  his  township  and  county 
and  as  a  citizen  ever  stands  ready  to  dis- 
charge any  duty  that  devolves  upon  him.  He 
is  a  man  of  recognized  ability  and  stands  high 
in  the  community  where  he  has  so  long  made 
his  home.  Those  who  know  him  best  are 
numbered  among  his  warmest  friends  and  no 
citizen  in  Macon  county  is  more  highly  re- 
spected than  Jefiferson  G.  Willard. 


JOSIAH  A.  JNIOORE. 
Josiah  A.  Moore,  deceased,  was  for  over 
thirty  years  a  resident  of  Decatur  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  was  engaged  in  contracting 
and  building.  He  was  born  on  the  9th  of 
February,  1855,  in  Orange  county.  North 
Carolina,  of  which  state  his  parents,  Samuel 
and  Susan  Moore,  were  also  natives.  Prior 
to  the  Civil  war  the  father  was  a  slaveholder 
and  w^as  a  man  of  prominence  in  his  commun- 
ity, serving  as  sherifT  and  deputy  of  Orange 
county  for  over  thirty  years  before  coming 
to  Illinois  in  1870.  Deciding  to  locate  in  Ma- 
con count\-,  he  took  up  his  residence  near  the 
village  of  Macon,  where  he  lived  a  retired 
life  until  his  deadi,  which  occurred  January 
6,  1893.     His  wife  died  at  the  same  place  on 


the  6th  of  April,  1902.  He  was  a  prominent 
Mason  and  was  very  active  in  the  order  in  his 
native  state. 

Josiah  A.  Moore  was  indebted  to  the  com- 
mon schools  of  his  native  county  for  the  edu- 
cational privileges  he  enjoyed  during  his  boy- 
hood. He  was  about  twelve  years  of  age  when 
he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal 
to  this  state  and  he  made  Macon  county  his 
home  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
On  starting  out  for  himself,  he  obtained  a  po- 
sition as  brakeman  on  the  Wabash  Railroad 
and  was  afterward  fireman  for  the  same  com- 
pany, running  out  of  Decatur  on  all  the  divi- 
sions of  their  road  for  several  years. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  ^loore  was'  married 
November  18,  1892,  to  Miss  Mary  Downey, 
who  was  born  in  Clark  county,  Illinois,  on 
the  29th  of  March,  1871,  a  daughter  of  Cyrus 
and  Catherine  Downey.  In  1857  her  parents 
removed  from  Ohio  to  Westfield,  Clark  coun- 
ty, this  state,  and  afterward  located  in  Tus- 
cola, Illinois,  where  they  made  their  home  un- 
til 1883,  wdiich  year  witnessed  their  arrival  in 
Decatur.  Here  Mr.  Downey,  wdio  was  a  car- 
penter, worked  at  his  trade  for  several  years 
but  w^as  living  a  retired  life  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  February  14,  1893,  His 
widow  now  makes  her  home  with  Mrs.  Moore 
in  Decatur.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moore  were 
born  four  children,  namely :  Clarinda  Ruth, 
Myrtle  Grace,  Cyrus  P.  and  Samuel  A. 

Resigning  his  position  on  the  road  in  1890 
Mr.  Moore  began  learning  the  carpenter's 
trade  and  after  he  had  thoroughly  mastered 
that  occupation  he  worked  at  general  carpen- 
tering around  Decatur  until  1899,  ^\li*-'"  '1^ 
commenced  contracting  and  building  on  his 
own  account  and  was  thus  engaged  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  1st  of  Oc- 
tober, 1901.  He  was  a  stanch  Democrat  and 
always  took  an  active  interest  in  his  (the  fifth) 
ward.  Fraternallv  he  was  a  member 'of  Roe 
Camp,  Xo.  720T,  Modem  Woodmen,  of  De- 
catur, wliilc  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Mutual 
Protective  League  and  Bav  Leaf  Lodge,  No, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


799 


29,  Royal  Neighbors.  Both  held  membership 
in  the  North  Main  street  Methodist  Episcopal 
■church.  Industrious,  trustworthy  and  re- 
liable, he  won  the  confidence  of  those  with 
whom  he  was  brought  in  contact  either  in 
business  or  social  life,  and  he  was  held  in 
high  regard  b\-  all  who  knew  him.  Mrs. 
Moore  now  owns  a  nice  residence  at  No.  1545 
North  Calhoun  street,  where  she  and  her  chil- 
dren now  reside.  She  has  many  friends 
throughout  the  citw 


HIERONYMUS  MUELLER. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  what  De- 
catur would  have  been  without  Mr.  Mueller, 
so  largely  is  its  commercial  growth  and  de- 
velopment due  to  his  labor  and  yet  it  is  not  be- 
cause he  controlled  industrial  interests  sur- 
passing those  of  any  other  resident  of  Decatur 
that  his  memory  is  revered  in  this  city;  it  is 
because  of  his  character — his  fearless  opposi- 
tion to  the  wrong,  his  exemplification  of  all 
that  is  fair  and  just  in  the  treatment  of  em- 
ployes, his  deep  sympathy  and  his  kindly  spirit. 
Such  were  the  qualities  that  made  him  loved 
and  respected  in  a  community  that  is  deeply 
indebted  to  him  for  its  progress  and  upbuild- 
ing and  in  which  he  made  his  home  for  so 
many  years. 

In  the  village  of  Monhcim,  Germany,  on  the 
i6th  of  July,  1833,  Mr.  Mueller  was  born  and 
reared,  obtaining  a  good  education  in  his  na- 
tive tongue.  He  seemed  to  have  excellent 
business  foresight  and  sagacity  and  it  was  his 
recognition  of  the  business  possibilities  of  the 
new  world  that  led  him  to  seek  a  home  in 
America  in  1850.  He  had  previously  learned 
the  machinist's  trade  and,  going  to  Chicago, 
he  was  there  employed  in  that  capacity.  Later 
he  removed  to  Freeport,  Illinois,  where  he 
opened  a  gunshop.  but  the  discovery  of  gold 
at  Pike's  Peak  drew  him  to  Colorado.  He  did 
not  remain  long,  however,  among  the  moun- 
tains of  the  west  and  when  he  again  came  to 
Illinois  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Decatur,  which 


remained  his  place  of  residence  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death.  He  began  business  here  in  a 
humhlc  way  and  those  who  visited  the  little 
gun  repair  shop  of  which  he  was  proprietor 
little  dreamed  that  he  would  one  day  be  the 
])roprietor  of  the  leading  industrial  enterprise 
of  the  city,  employing  five  hundred  workmen. 
Indeed  no  such  idea  was  in  his  own  mind,  but 
he  had  resolved  to  win  success  if  honorable 
effort  could  accomplish  it  and  to  make  the 
most  of  the  oijportunities  which  surrounded 
him.  His  little  establishment  was  on  the  south 
side  of  Main  street,  about  halt  way  between 
Lincoln  Square  and  Church  streets,  and  later 
he  removed  to  a  little  frame  building,  which 
then  stood  at  the  southeast  corner  of  State 
and  East  Main  streets.  His  work  was  mostly 
that  of  repairing  guns,  but  he  also  had  a  few 
guns  for  sale.  His  thoughts,  however,  were 
directed  into  other  channels,  and  a  latent  in- 
ventive power  was  supplemented  by  study,  ex- 
periment and  investigation  until  1870,  when  he 
gave  to  the  world  his  perfected  machine  for 
ta])ping  a  water  main  under  pressure.  It  was 
among  the  first  practical  machines  put  upon 
the  market  and  in  fact  its  utility  and  value 
were  so  readily  recognized  that  it  came  almost 
at  once  into  wide  use  and  though  later  he 
[ilaced  tipon  the  market  many  other  inventions, 
none  ever  excelled  in  popularity  and  sale  this 
first  work  -of  his  creative  mechanical  genius. 
His  growing  business  enabled  him.  in  1872, 
to  erect  a  building  on  the  site  nOw 
occupied  by  the  Herald  office,  and  he 
there  continued  the  manufacture  of  his 
tapping  machine  on  an  enlarged  scale 
and  at  the  same  time  conducted  a  plumb- 
ing business  in  addition  to  carrying  a  stock  of 
guns  and  continuing  his  gun-repair  work.  The 
growth  of  the  business  was  extensive  and  cer- 
tainly gratifying  and  justified  the  enlargement 
and  remodeling  of  his  building  from  a  two- 
story  to  a  three-story  structure,  all  of  which, 
however,  was  soon  utilized  for  factory  pur- 
poses, and  in  1885,  because  of  the  growth  of 
his  trade  and  the  need  of  the  factorv  for  all  of 


800 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  lloor  space  tliere,  he  made  his  gun  store 
a  separate  enterprise,  locating  it  on  Merchant 
street  and  afterward  on  Prairie  street,  where 
he  continued  in  the  trade  until  1897,  when  he 
sold  out  in  that  line.  The  growth  of  the  man- 
ufacturing interests  also  necessitated  the  re- 
moval of  the  plumbing  business  to  other  quar- 
ters, which  was  done  in  1887,  the  new  place 
of  the  plumbing  enterprise  being  on  the  south 
side  of  East  Main  street.  This  w-as  incorpo- 
rated in  1 89 1  under  the  name  of  The  H.  Muel- 
ler Plumbing  &  Heating  Company,  and  moved 
to  247  North  Main  street,  where  a  building 
was  erected  for  that  business,  but  was  sold  in 
1896. 

More  and  more  Mr.  Mueller  centered  his 
interest  upon  his  manufacturing  plant  and  the 
disposal  of  its  products,  and  in  1893  this  busi- 
ness was  incorporated,  while  two  years  later, 
in  order  to  provide  more  commodious  quar- 
ters, he  erected  the  brick  building  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Mueller  Company,  at  the  corner 
of  Cerro  Gordo  and  College  streets.  These 
statements  but  suggest  the  growth  of  a  busi- 
ness now  unequalled  in  extent  and  importance 
in  the  city  of  Decatur.  It  furnishes  employ- 
ment to  five  hundred  workmen  and  its  output 
goes  to  every  part  of  the  civilized  world.  Mr. 
Mueller  placed  upon  the  market  many  other 
inventions  in  conection  with  plumbing,  the 
conveying  of  water  and  work  of  that  char- 
acter, among  the  most  notable  being  the  water 
pressure  regulator.  He  was  continually  study- 
ing to  bring  work  of  that  character  to  a  higher 
grade  of  perfection  through  implements  and 
devices  of  greater  utility,  and  that  he  suc- 
ceeded is  a  matter  of  industrial  history  of  the 
country.  He  adopted  his  initials  H-M  as  his 
trade  mark  and  upon  the  millions  of  pieces  of 
brass  goods  which  are  annually  shipped  to  all 
parts  of  this  country  and  abroad  that  dis- 
tinctive mark  of  Decatur's  greatest  industry 
is  seen. 

Mr.  Mueller's  last  work,  in  the  line  of  in- 
vention, was  in  connection  with  automobiles. 
For  several  years  he  worked  in  the  hope  of 


perfecting  such  a  machine.  About  1895  he 
purchased  in  Germany  an  automobile  known 
as  the  Benz  motor  wagon,  one  of  the  first  used 
in  this  country,  and  it  attracted  much  atten- 
tion throughout  leading  cities  of  the  United 
States  wherever  shown.  This  Mr.  Mueller 
rebuilt  and  materially  improved,  but  he  de- 
sired still  greater  perfection  and  shortly  prior 
to  his  death  he  completed  what  he  believed  to 
be  a  practical  gasoline  engine  for  the  use  of 
automobiles,  and  it  was  while  experimenting 
with  that  that  the  accident  occurred  which 
terminated  his  early  career.  Five  or  six  years 
before  his  was  one  of  only  two  machines  which 
successfully  competed  in  an  automobile  race 
in  Chicago.  One  day  while  experimenting 
upon  the  engine  he  had  devised,  he  filled  his 
reservoir  with  gasoline  and  some  of  the  liquid 
ran  upon  his  clothing.  A  few  moments  later 
he  lighted  a  cigar  and  the  gases  arising  from 
his  clothing  ignited  and  he  was  fatally  burned, 
on  the  14th  of  February,  before  the  flames 
could  be  extinguished,  death  resulting  on  the 
I  St  of  March,  1900. 

Mr.  Mueller's  home  life  had  been  a  most 
happy  and  congenial  one.  While  in  Chicago, 
in  1856,  he  had  married  Miss  Frederica  Bern- 
hardt, also  a  native  of  the  fatherland,  in  which 
a  part  of  her  girlhood  was  passed.  For  forty- 
four  years  they  traveled  hfe's  journey  together 
and  the  relation  which  existed  between  them 
was  an  ideal  one.  They  became  the  parents 
of  nine  children  and  the  seven  still  living  are 
all  residents  of  Decatur,  namely :  Henry, 
Phillip,  Fred  B.,  Robert,  Adolph,  Oscar  and 
Mrs.  Frank  Cruikshank.  To  his  children  Mr. 
Mueller  w-as  both  adviser  and  friend,  and  as 
his  sons  became  old  enough  he  admitted  them 
to  a  share  in  his  business  interests  and  trained 
them  for  its  responsible  duties.  .-Ml  six  of  his 
sons  were  associated  with  him  in  the  H.  Muel- 
ler Manufacturing  Company,  and  there  were  at 
different  times  three  other  Mueller  companies, 
all  incorporated,  and  in  all  the  members  of 
the  family  were  the  only  stockholders.  In  her 
wav  the  mother's  influence  has  been  no  less 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  AL\CON  COUNTY. 


801 


potent.  Her  interest  centering  in  her  family, 
she  has  put  forth  every  effort  in  her  power 
to  make  her  home  attractive  to  her  children 
with  the  result  that  the  sons,  now  practical 
men  of  business,  entertain  for  her  the  greatest 
veneration  and  filial  regard  and  each  one  in 
sentiment,  it  not  in  words,  has  echoed  the 
speech  of  a  distinguished  statesman  who.  in 
speaking  of  his  mother,  said:  "She  is  the  first 
lady  of  the  land." 

Aside  from  his  home  relations  H.  Mueller 
was  widely  known  for  his  charity  and  benevo- 
lence. His  were  generous  deeds,  quietly  and 
unostentatiously  performed,  for  he  never 
sought  praise  for  what  he  did  for  his  fellow- 
men.  He  voted  with  the  Democracy  and  in 
the  early  days  he  was  a  member  of  the  volun- 
teer fire  department  of  Decatur,  and  in  his 
late  years  greatly  enjoyed  meeting  his  old  com- 
rades of  that  organization.  IMovements  for 
the  benefit  of  the  city  and  the  promotion  of  its 
welfare  never  sought  his  co-operation  in  vain, 
but  outside  of  the  family  circle  there  was  no 
place  where  Mr.  Mueller  was  so  greatly  loved 
and  respected  as  in  his  place  of  business.  His 
justice,  leading  to  reasonable  hours  and  good 
pay,  and  the  kindly  interest  which  he  took  in 
his  fellow  men  were  the  secret  of  this.  An 
employe  said  of  him :  "He  worked  in  the  ma- 
chine shop  with  his  men  and  was  in  closer 
touch  with  his  employes  than  any  man  I  ever 
knew.  I  think  he  never  said  a  disagreeable 
word  and  I  have  known  hjm  for  many  years 
to  be  always  the  same."  No  need  of  a  monu- 
ment of  granite  or  stone  to  perpetuate  his 
memory,  for  he  lives  enshrined  in  the  hearts 
of  all  who  came  into  close  touch  with  him 
and  most  of  all  was  he  dear  to  his  employes 
and  his  family,  where  his  true  life  was  best 
known. 


WALLER  PRITCHETT. 
Waller  Pritchett  is  one  of  the  leading  busi- 
ness men  of  Niantic  and  is  rapidly  working  his 
way  to  a  foremost  position  among  the  promi- 


nent financiers  of  the  county.  He  is  now 
giving  his  time  and  attention  to  the  banking 
business  and,  being  a  man  of  sound  judg- 
ment, keen  discrimination  and  good  executive 
ability,  is  bringing  success  to  the  concern  with 
which  he  is  connected.  The  success  of  the 
bank  is  certainly  due  in  a  large  measure  to  him 
and  through  it  he  has  promoted  the  welfare  of 
the  town. 

Mr.  Pritchett  was  born  in  the  central  part  of 
Kentucky  on  the  27th  of  July,  1861,  and  is 
a  representative  of  an  old  and  prominent  fam- 
ily of  that  state,  the  first  to  locate  there  being 
his  great-grandparents  and  also  his  grand- 
parents, who  were  from  \'irginia.  In  1895  a 
family  reunion  was  held  at  Madisonville,  Hop- 
kins county,  Kentucky,  where  the  great-grand- 
parents located  on  their  removal  to  that  state, 
and  there  were  five  hundred  present.  Since 
then  reunions  have  been  held  every  year  on 
the  last  Thursday  in  August  at  Halls  Grove 
near  Niantic,  Illinois.  The.  family  came  orig- 
inally from  Germany.  Our  subject's  parents, 
James  W.  and  Sarah  J.  (Ingles)  Pritchett, 
were  born  in  Kentucky  and  continued  to  make 
their  home  there  until  the  fall  of  1864,  when 
they  came  to  Macon  county.  Illinois,  and  set- 
tled in  Niantic  township,  where  the  father  en- 
gaged in  farming  until  called  to  his  final  rest 
in  1886.  The  mother  is  still  living  and  now 
reside's  in  the  village  of  Niantic.  Of  the  nine 
children  born  to  them  three  died  in  infancy, 
those  still  living  being  as  follows:  William, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Decatur,  married  Hen- 
rietta Milligan,  of  Mount  .Vnburn,  Illinois, 
and  has  one  daughter,  Lena;  Horace,  who 
follows  farming  in  Xiantic  township,  married 
Amanda  Turner,  of  this  county,  and  has  five 
children,  James  W.,  Ella,  Charles  W.,  Elmer 
and  Elsie;  Charles,  who  is  engaged  in  the 
hardware  business  in  Latham,  Illinois,  married 
Anna  Nottelmann  and  has  one  child;  Arthur 
is  a  hardware  dealer  of  Niantic;  Mary  E.  is 
llic  wife  fif  J.  A.  Cussins  who  is  conducting  a 
general  store  in  Niantic  and  also  has  charge  of 
the  Macon  county  telephone  exchange  at  that 


802 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY 


place,  and  they  have  five  children,  Pearl, 
Mabel,  J.  H.,  Laura  and  Ruth ;  Waller,  of  this 
review,  and  Arthur  complete  the  family. 

Waller  Pritchett  was  only  three  years  of 
age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  this  county  and  he  procured  his 
education  in  the  Niantic  schools.  After  com- 
pleting his  education  he  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business  at  that  place  for  four  years  and 
on  his  retirement  became  connected  with  his 
brother  Arthur  in  the  hardware  business,  in 
which  he  is  still  interested.  He  also  has  a  half 
interest  in  the  Bank  of  Niantic  in  partnership 
with  George  Well.  A  wide-awake,  energetic 
business  man,  he  has  prospered  in  his  under- 
takings and  to-day  occupies  an  enviable  posi- 
tion in  business  circles.  He  has  a  beautiful 
home  in  Niantic  and  besides  his  town  property 
he  owns  some  fine  farming  land  near  the  vil- 
lage. 

In  January,  1891,  Mr.  Pritchett  was  united 
in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Effie  Gepford,  of  Harris- 
town.  From  this  county  her  parents  removed 
to  IMissouri.  Mr.  and  IMrs.  Pritchett  have  had 
two  children,  Carl  Willard  and  Helen.  Helen 
died  at  the  age  of  seven  years.  They  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  of  Niantic  and 
our  subject  is  also  connected  with  the  Camp  of 
Modern  Woodmen  at  that  place.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat.  While  as  a  prosperous 
business  man  he  has  given  close  attention  to 
his  private  affairs,  he  has  never  forgotten  or 
ignored  the  bond  of  common  interest  which 
should  unite  the  people  of  every  community 
and  he  has  always  been  ready  to  promote  prog- 
ress in  every  line.  Genial  and  pleasant  in 
manner  he  makes  many  friends  and  is  popu- 
lar in  social  as  well  as  business  circles. 


CHARLES  ADAMS. 
For  a  third   of  a  century   Charles   Adams 
was   identified   with  the   railroad  interests   of 
Illinois  and  was  one  of  the  most  popular  en- 
gineers on  the  Wabash  road  running  out  of 


Decatur.  On  first  coming  to  this  state  in  i85o 
he  located  in  Centralia  and  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  when  that 
compan\-  did  their  switching  in  the  railroad 
yards  with  oxen.  He  witnessed  almost  the 
entire  development  of  the  railroad  interests  of 
this  state. 

Mr.  Adams  was  a  native  of  Lynn,  Alassa- 
chusetts,  born  July  17,  1829,  and  was  a  son 
of  Ezekiel  and  Mary  (Carter)  Adams,  who 
spent  their  entire  lives  in  the  old  Bay  state. 
Our  subject  had  a  brother  who  came  with  him 
to  the  west  but  is  now  deceased.  Charles 
Adams  attended  the  common  schools  of  ]\Ias- 
sachusetts,  but  at  the  age  of  fourteen  he  laid 
aside  his  text  books  and  went  to  sea,  six  years 
being  spent  before  the  mast,  during  which 
time  he  made  one  trip  around  the  world.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  he  returned  to  Lynn,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  obtained  employment  as  a  shoe- 
maker in  one  of  the  large  shoe  factories  of 
that  place. 

While  there  1s,It.  Adams  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  INIiss  Elizabeth  Swan,  who  was  born 
in  ]\larble  Head,  Alassachusetts,  on  the  29th 
of  January.  183 1.  Her  father,  Thomas  Swan, 
was  a  retail  dealer  in  boots  and  shoes  at  Mar- 
ble Head  and  Lynn,  and  died  at  the  latter 
place.  L'nto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adams  were  born 
nine  children,  as  follows :  John,  deceased ; 
Thomas,  who  is  general  master  mechanic  for 
the  Cotton  Belt  Railroad  and  is  a  resident  of 
Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas ;  Sophia,  wife  of  William 
Cherry,  who  makes  his  home  in  Texas ;  Ade- 
laide, now  deceased;  Grace,  wife  of  Henry 
Burkett,  of  Springfield.  Illinois ;  Laura,  wife 
of  Charles  Huff,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts ; 
Frank,  an  engineer  living  in  West  Superior, 
Wisconsin :  Hattie.  wife  of  Edgar  W.  Brown 
and  a  resident  of  Connecticut ;  and  Alfred, 
who  is  now  living  in  North  Dakota. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Adams  continued 
to  follow,  shoemaking  in  Lynn,  Massachusetts, 
until  i860,  when  he  removed  to  Centralia,  Il- 
linois, as  previously  stated  and  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  engineer  on  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


803 


road.  He  was  wilh  that-  company  ami  the 
Wabash  Railroad  there  until  1863,  when  he 
was  transferred  to  Decatur.  For  several  years 
he  was  an  engineer  on  the  former  road,  and  in 
the  same  capacity  was  in  both  the  freight  and 
passenger  service  on  the  Wabash  Railroad, 
running  between  Decatur  and  St.  Louis  until  a 
wreck  in  the  early  part  of  1893.  '^^'  ^''^-'^ 
retired  froin  the  road  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life  in  ease  and  quiet  at  his  pleasant 
home  in  Decatur.  Here  he  died  on  the  loth 
of  September,  1901.  honored  and  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  Iiy  his  ballot  supported 
the  men  and  measures  of  the  Republican 
party.  His  life  was  honorable  and  upright 
and  he  won  and  retained  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  was  brought 
in  contact. 

Mrs.  Adams  has  a  nice  home  at  No.  857 
North  Clayton  street,  where  she  has  resided 
for  thirty-six  years,  and  also  owns  .property 
at  1045  East  Marietta  street.  Her  grand- 
daughter. Miss  Grace  Hoflf,  resided  with  her 
until  the  latter's  death  in  September,  1903. 
Mrs.  Adams  belongs  to  the  Baptist  church  of 
Decatur  and  is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who 
know  her,  her  many  admirable  traits  of  mind 
and  heart  having  gained  for  her  a  large  circle 
of  friends. 


JAMES  L.  GRAY,  M.  D. 
For  several  years  during  the  evening  of  his 
life  Dr.  Gray  resided  in  the  city  of  Decatur 
and  previous  to  that  time  was  a  resident  of 
the  village  of  Macon,  where  he  located  about 
1859.  He  was,  therefore,  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  the  county  and  well  does  he  deserve 
representation  in  this  volume  because  of  his 
active  connection  with  the  work  that  is  so 
valuable  to  mankind.  Many  accord  to  the 
medical  profession  the  highest  place  in  the 
world's  activities  and  Dr.  Gray  was  one  who 
was  ever  faithful  to  the  duties  of  his  profes- 
sion, excrtinsr  his  efforts  in  the  utmost  to  re- 


store to  man  liis  most  cherished  possession — 
health. 

The  Doctor  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  on 
the  7th  of  jul\-,  1832,  his  parents  being  Joseph 
and  Gertrude  Gray,  both  of  whom  were  na- 
tives of  the  Old  North  state.  The  father  was 
a  minister  in  the  Presbyterian  church  and  at 
an  early  day  removed  to  Illinois,  settling  in 
Monmouth,  where  he  engaged  in  preaching 
for  many  years.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
in  gospel  work  in  that  locdity  and  established 
the  First  Presbyterian  church  in  the  city  where 
he  made  his  home,  building  the  church  with 
his  own  means.  His  wife  died  dining  their 
residence  in  Monmouth  and  he  afterward  re- 
moved to  Greene  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
engaged  in  farming.  He  was  there  married 
to  Mrs.  Sallie  Capps  and  in  (jreene  county 
he  continued  to  carry  on  agricultural  pursuits 
imlil  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in  death. 
There  were  five  children  born  of  the  first  mar- 
riage, namely:  James  L..  our  subject;  Ed- 
ward; Howard;  William;  and  John,  who  also 
came  to  this  county  but  now  lives  in  Kansas. 

In  the  common  schools  of  Monmouth,  Illi- 
nois, Dr.  James  L.  Gray  acquired  his  early 
education  and  afterward  attended  school  in 
Greene  county,  this  state,  where  he  also  took 
tip  the  study  of  medicine.  His  choice  of  a 
life  work  fell  upon  the  healing  art.  He  be- 
lieved it  would  prove  a  congenial  as  well  as 
profitable  occupation  and  thought  he  might  be 
of  benefit  to  his  fellow  men  by  following  this 
calling.  After  his  preliminary  reading  he  went 
to  Chicago,  where  he  matriculated  in  the  Rush 
Medical  College,  and  afterward  received  his 
certificate  to  practice.  Dr.  Gray  first  located 
in  Greenfield.  Illinois,  and  there  he  engaged  in 
teaching  school  for  a  short  time,  following 
which  he  opened  his  office  and  entered  upon 
his  cho.sen  calling.  He  later  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  village  of  Greenfield,  where  he  and  his 
brother  Howard  engaged  in  conducting  a  drug 
store  for  several  years,  while  he  also  devoted 
much  of  his  time  to  the  work  of  his  profession. 
He  remained  there  until   1851),  when  he  estab- 


804 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lislicd  his  home  in  the  village  of  Macon,  Ma- 
con county,  where  he  practiced  continuously 
until  1880,  when  his  health  became  impaired 
and  he  removed  to  Benson,  Illinois.  There  he 
engaged  in  the  dry  goods  and  notions  business 
for  a  few  years  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  he 
came  to  Decatur  and  spent  his  remaining  days 
in  retirement  from  further  business  cares,  en- 
joying a  rest  which  he  had  truly  earned  and 
richly  deserved.  He  possessed  skill  and  zeal 
in  his  practice  and  by  reading  and  investiga- 
tion kept  thoroughly  informed  concerning  the 
progress  and  discoveries  made  by  the  medical 
fraternity.  Because  of  his  cheery  manner  and 
helpful  disposition  his  presence  was  like  a  ray 
of  sunshine  in  the  sick  room  and  this  undoubt- 
edly proved  a  strong  element  in  his  success. 

Dr.  Gray  was  first  married  in  Greene  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Mary  A.  Twyman,  a  native  of  Kentucky  and 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  J-  T.  and  Matilda  (Robert- 
son) Twyman.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Kentucky  where  the  mother  died.  The  father 
lived  in  Macon  county  for  a  short  time,  whence 
he  removed  to  Springfield,  Illinois,  there 
spending  his  remaining  days.  Dr.  Gray  was 
called  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  first  wife  in 
1866  and  he  later  married  Miss  Julia  A.  Tw\'- 
man,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife.  There  were 
two  children  by  the  first  marriage :  Howard 
L.,  who  wedded  Nora  E.  Owens,  of  Kentucky, 
and  now  lives  in  California ;  and  Arthur,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Unto  Dr.  James  L.  and  Julia 
(Twyman)  Gray  was  born  one  son,  Fred  W., 
who  is  now  a  clerk  in  the  postoffice  of  Decatur 
and  resides  with  his  mother. 

At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  the  Doctor 
offered  his  services  to  the  government  in  de- 
fense of  the  Union,  being  most  loyal  in  his 
advocacy  of  the  cause  which  he  espoused.  He 
joined  the  army  as  a  surgeon  and  for  three 
years  was  at  the  front,  faithfully  doing  his 
duty  whether  it  called  him  into  the  thickest 
of  the  fight  or  stationed  him  on  the  lonely 
picket  line.  He  was  never  injured  or  ill  dur- 
ing his  entire  service  and  at  length  was  hon- 


orably discharged.  He  always  espoused  the 
Republican  party,  which  stood  as  the  defender 
of  the  Union  in  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil 
war,  and  he  held  several  local  offices  in  the 
village  of  Macon.  He  belonged  to  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Decatur  and 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  in  Macon,  while  his  widow  belongs  to 
the  Christian  church  of  Decatur.  With  her 
son  she  now^  resides  at  her  pleasant  home  at 
No.  555  East  Herkimer  street.  The  Doctor 
continued  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion until  he  was  forced  to  abandon  it  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health.  His  last  years  were  spent 
in  retirement  from  labor  in  Decatur  and  here 
he  passed  away  on  the  19th  of  July,  1896.  His 
life  was  one  of  exceptional  activity  and  useful- 
ness and  was  characterized  by  the  most  un- 
swerving integrity  and  honor.  He  left  to  his 
family  an  example  well  worthy  of  emulation 
and  his  life  history  might  well  be  compared 
to  a  clear,  limpid  stream,  wherein  you  can  see 
the  form  and  color  of  the  pebbles  at  the  bot- 
tom and  through  whose  meandering  course  no 
sediment  appears. 


J.  L.  STOUTENBOROUGH. 
This  well  known  farmer  of  Maroa  town- 
ship was  born  in  the  neighboring  county  of 
De  Witt,  on  the  14th  of  September,  1856,  and 
is  a  son  of  Garrett  and  Margaret  Stouten- 
borough,  whose  sketch  appears  on  another 
page  of  this  volume'.  He  received  a  good 
practical  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  county  and  for  one  term  attended  busi- 
ness college  at  Lebanon.  Ohio.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-one  he  commenced  farming  on  his  own 
account  and  operated  the  old  home  place  in 
De  Witt  county  until  1885,  when  he  removed 
to  the  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
in  Maroa  township,  Macon  county,  where  he 
now  resides,  it  being  a  part  of  his  father's 
land.  Our  subject  erected  thereon  a  good 
house  and  barn,  set  out  all  the  trees,  and  has 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


805 


converted  the  tract  into  a  well  improved  farm. 
In  addition  to  the  raising  of  the  grain  best 
adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate  of  this  section 
of  the  state,  he  raises  horses,  cattle  and  hogs, 
and  is  meeting  with  good  success  in  business 
affairs.  He  has  invented  and  patented  a  gate, 
known  as  the  King  tilting  gate,  which  he  has 
had  on  exhibition  at  several  state  fairs  and 
which  is  becoming  very  popular. 

Mr.  Stoutenlx)rough  was  married  in  1881 
to  Miss  Luella  Miller,  a  daughter  of  W.  C. 
Miller,  of  Barnett  township,  De  Witt  county, 
and  to  them  were  born  six  children,  as  fol- 
lows :  Ralph,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten 
years ;  William  A.  and  Garrett  Earl,  twins ; 
Fannie ;  Helen ;  and  Robert.  The  children 
are  now  attending  high  school  in  Maroa  and 
are  still  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stoutenborough  are  active  and  promi- 
nent members  of  the  Christian  church  at 
Maroa,  in  which  he  is  serving  as  deacon,  and 
they  are  held  in  the  highest  regard  by  all  who 
know  them.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Stout- 
enborough is  an  ardent  Republican. 


JAMES  HOLLINGER. 
James  Hollinger,  who  is  one  of  the  most 
prominent  colored  men  not  only  of  Macon 
county  but  of  the  state  of  Illinois,  has  resided 
in  Decatur  for  the  past  thirty-three  years,  com- 
ing here  in  1870  from  Pennsylvania.  He  was 
born  on  the  plantation  of  T.  O.  B.  Carter  in 
Fauquier  county,  Virginia,  nine  miles  from 
Warrenton,  the  county  seat.  His  parents  were 
James  H.  and  Elizabeth  Hollinger.  In  1819 
there  was  a  law  that  passed  the  general  as- 
sembly of  the  state  of  Virginia  which  com- 
pelled all  free  negroes  to  emigrate  to  a  free 
state  and  in  1849  when  this  law  was  enforced 
the  father  and  mother  of  our  subject  were 
compelled  to  leave  the  Old  Dominion  on  ac- 
count of  having  been  born  free.  They  accord- 
ingly went  to  Pennsylvania,  settling  in  Bed- 
ford countv,   wlicre   thcv   remained   until   the 


time  of  the  Civil  war,  when  they  removed  to 
Altoona,  that  state,  and  there  spent  their  re- 
maining days,  their  remains  being  interred  in 
the  cemetery  at  that  place. 

When  eighteen  years  of  age  James  Hol- 
linger began  to  learn  the  barber's  trade,  work- 
ing in  Altoona  for  some  time  and  afterward 
traveling  to  a  considerable  extent,  following 
his  pursuit  in  various  places.  At  one  time  he 
was  a  barber  on  a  steamboat  on  the  Ohio  river 
and  finally  he  came  to  Decatur  in  1870.  He 
was  first  employed  by  Huston  Singleton  in  a 
shop  under  the  dry  goods  store  of  Linn  & 
Scruggs  and  later  he  purchased  his  employer's 
interest,  remaining  there  for  nineteen  years. 
He  did  a  very  successful  business,  having  an 
extensive  patronage  and  his  gains  were  judi- 
ciously invested  in  real  estate  so  that  he  be- 
came the  owner  of  seven  houses  and  lots. 
From  his  first  location  he  removed  to  the  Cen- 
tral block,  where  he  remained  for  seven  years, 
always  enjoying  a  successful  business  and 
adding  continually  to  his  wealth.  His  next 
location  was  on  East  Eldorado  street,  where 
he  conducted  a  Turkish  bath  establishment  for 
several  months.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
sold  out  and  removed  to  what  is  known  as  the 
Chenowcth  building  on  West  Main  street,  this 
building  being  his  own  property.  Here  he  still 
conducts  his  business  and  he  makes  his  home 
in  a  part  of  the  building. 

Mr.  Hollinger  is  a  member  of  Decatur 
Lodge,  No.  17,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  was  its  first 
worshipful  master  when  the  lodge  was  organ- 
ized thirty  years  ago.  He  has  made  an  earnest 
study  of  Masonry  and  because  of  his  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  the  order  and  his  capability 
he  was  elected  most  worshipful  grand  master 
of  the  state  of  Illinois  in  1880,  serving  in 
that  capacity  for  two  terms.  The  grand  lodge 
was  over  eight  hundred  dollars  in  debt  when 
he  took  the  office,  but  by  his  good  financiering 
he  was  able  to  wipe  out  this  indebtedness 
within  one  year.  He  also  established  the  wid- 
ows and  orphans'  association  in  connection 
with    the    fraternity    and    located    the    grand 


«06 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lodyv  in  Sijring'fickl  and  had  it  incorporated. 
There  was  manifested  a  strong  desire  to  elect 
Mr.  HoUiiiger  for  a  third  term,  but  he  de- 
clined the  honor,  believing  that  no  man  should 
hold  the  office  for  more  than  two  terms. 

His  political  career  began  when  he  was 
eighteen  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  was 
initiated  into  the  Loyal  League  at  Altoona, 
Pennsylvania.  He  has  always  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  political  affairs  and  is  a  stanch 
Republican  known  to  leading  men  of  the  party 
throughout  the  state.  He  acted  as  policeman 
of  the  state  senate  in  Springfield  during  the 
thirty-third  and  the  thirty-fifth  general  assem- 
blies and  thus  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of 
many  of  the  most  prominent  men  in  political 
circles.  He  has  had  ofTers  to  fill  appointments 
of  a  similar  nature,  but  has  always  refused 
to  serve.  In  1880  he  was  the  candidate  for 
coroner  of  Macon  county,  being  nominated  by 
the  Republican  county  convention,  being  put 
in  nomination  by  the  Rev.  Jesse  H.  Moore", 
wdio  was  then  congressman  from  the  district 
and  who  spoke  on  the  good  qualities  of  the 
colored  citizens.  Mr.  Hollinger  was  the  first 
colored  man  who  ever  ran  for  an  office  in 
Macon  county.  There  were  many  people  at 
that  time  who  openly  declared  that  they  would 
not  vote  for  one  of  his  race.  He  was  upon 
the  ticket  with  Judge  Greer,  a  candidate  for 
county  judge;  W.  C.  Johns,  for  state's  attor- 
ney; E.  McClelland,  for  circuit  clerk;  W.  W. 
Foster,  for  sheriff:  G.  ]\[.  Wood,  for  treas- 
urer ;  and  George  Loring,  for  surveyor.  Con- 
siderable discussion  arose  among  the  people 
concerning  the  possible  election  of  Mr.  Hol- 
linger. He.  however,  foretold  the  result  from 
the  beginning.  He  was  sent  for  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  Macon  county  to  come  and  meet 
the  people,  but  declined  to  do  this,  as  he  said 
that  they  had  no  faith  in  his  election.  His 
own  prophecy  proved  true  and  he  was  defeated 
by  John  Dinneen,  the  Democratic  candidate. 
However,  he  has  since  been  elected  to  public 
office,  being  chosen  in  1893  for  the  position  of 
assistant  supervisor,  at  which  time  he  led  the 


ticket  over  five  candidates.  At  each  biennial 
election  since  that  time  he  has  been  again 
chosen  and  is  now  serving  m  his  tenth  year. 
On  the  28th  of  February,  1871,  Mr.  Hol- 
linger was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Cor- 
nelia Barber,  of  Decatur.  Her  mother  is  liv- 
ing with  them,  her  father  having  died.  Mr. 
Hollinger  made  for  himself  a  record  that  is 
creditable  and  honorable.  His  business  career 
has  been  most  commendable,  characterized  by 
fidelity  to  duty  and  straightforward  dealing. 
In  matters  of  citizenship  he  is  progressive  and 
public-spirited  and  his  labors  have  been  ef- 
fective in  advancing  Decatur's  welfare.  He 
has  been  a  close  and  earnest  student  of  the 
questions  of  the  day  and  is  ever  able  to  support 
his  position  by  intelligent  argument. 


HUSTON  J.  BANTON. 
Huston  J.  Banton,  who  is  now  successfully 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  section  4, 
Mount  Zion  township,  was  born  March  21, 
1849,  in  Garrard  county,  Kentucky,  of  which 
state  his  parents,  Oliver  T.  and  Susannah  W. 
(Walker)  Banton,  were  also  natives.  The 
father  was  born  on  the  7th  of  March,  1826, 
and  was  a  son  of  George  Banton,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  a  veteran  of  the 
Mexican  war.  The  latter  had  three  sons,  all 
of  whom  are  now  deceased,  James  having 
died  in  the  army  during  the  Civil  war  and 
John  in  Chicago.  Oliver  T.  came  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  in  1868  and  settled  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Mount  Zion.  His  last  days  were  spent 
with  our  subject  on  his  home  in  Mount  Zion 
township,  where  he  passed  away  October  9, 
1897,  in  the  seventy-third  year  of  his  age. 
He  was  married  June  15,  1848,  to  Airs.  Su- 
sannah ^^^  Conn,  who  was  born  May  7,  1819, 
and  died  February  20.  1884.  Her  parents 
were  Kemp  P.  and  Sarah  Walker,  who  were 
married  August  i,  181 1.  The  former  was 
born  October  12,  1787,  and  died  June  22,  1861, 
while  his  wife  was  born  March  27,  1793.  and 


PAST  AXn  PRKSF.XT  OF  MACOX  CorXTV. 


807 


died  July  22,  1863.  Mr.  Walker  was  a  son 
of  Elijah  and  Dorcas  Walker,  who  were  also 
Kentuckians  by  birth,  and  the  former  died 
March  23,  1833,  and  the  latter  December  7, 
1844.  By  her  first  marriage  to  John  Conn, 
the  mother  of  our  subject  had  two  children, 
namely:  Alex  and  Kemp  W.  Conn.  The 
children  by  her  second  marriage  were  Huston 
J.,  of  this  review ;  John  W.,  who  died  Febru- 
'ary  14,  1853 ;  Edmund  W.,  who  died  January 
29,  1853:  and  Sarah  C,  who  died  March  18, 
1858. 

During  his  boyhood  Huston  J.  Banton  had 
but  limited  school  advantages.  In  1874  he 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  fol- 
lowed in  connection  with  farming  until  llie 
pa.st  three  years,  when  he  has  given  his  atten- 
tion entirely  to  farming  and  stock-raising.  He 
is  now  the  owner  of  two  good  farms,  the  one 
on  which  he  resides  being  on  section  4,  Mount 
Zion  township.  Here  he  built  with  his  own 
hands  a  fine  modern  residence  in  1893,  it  being 
finished  in  various  kinds  of  woods,  the  wood- 
work in  some  of  the  rooms  being  walnut,  while 
others  are  in  white  pine  and  sycamore  and  em- 
bellished with  bcautifiU  ornamentations.  The 
house  is  a  monument  to  his  skill  and  ability 
in  the  line  of  his  trade.  For  twenty-nine  years 
Mr.  Banton  followed  carpentering,  during 
which  period  he  erected  many  substantial 
buildings  in  his  locality,  including  the  resi- 
dence of  J.  F.  Rucker  of  Long  Creek  town- 
ship and  the  h:irn  of  Walter  Hodge' in  Mount 
Zion  townsliip. 

On  the  27th  of  January.  1876,  Mr.  Banton 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Alice 
Sheldon,  a  daughter  of  Seth  and  Sallie  Ann 
Sheldon,  of  Areola,  Illinois.  She  was  born 
December  6,  1851,  and  died  in  March,  1888, 
leaving  four  children,  namely:  Edmund,  now 
a  resident  of  the  village  of  ]\Iount  Zion :  John, 
at  home;  Curtis,  of  Mount  Zion  township: 
and  Arthur,  deceased.  Mr.  Banton  was  again 
married  in  1891,  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  Mary  A.  .\rm.strong,  of  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  bv  whom  he  hail  five  children  :    Oliver 


and  Huston,  both  living;  antl  three  who  died 
in  infancy. 

Mr.  Banton  is  a  member  of  the  .\ntioch 
Christian  church  and  is  a  supporter  of  the  Re- 
publican i)arty  and  its  principles.  He  is  a 
liberal  minded,  public-spirited  man,  of  pro- 
gressive ideas,  and  is  nuniberetl  among  the 
valued  citizens  of  his  comnumity,  as  he  gives 
an  earnest  support  to  all  measures  which  he 
believes  will  advance  the  moral  or  material 
welfare  of  his  township  and  county. 


J.  FRED  GIVEN. 
J.  r'red  Given,  who  is  now  manager  of  the 
Powers  Opera  House,  of  Decatur,  was  born 
on  the  loth  of  April,  1862,  in  Darbyville,  Ohio, 
his  parents  being  the  Rev.  James  F.  and  Lottie 
(Geren)  Given.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Paducah,  Kentucky,  and  came  of  an  old  south- 
ern family  of  German  and  English  lineage, 
while  the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Marietta, 
Ohio,  and  she  was  of  Scotch-Irish  and  English 
ancestry.  Rev.  Given  was  the  pastor  of  the 
Christian  V'nion  clun-ch.  originally  called 
(nvenites  and  which  has  a  large  membership 
in  Ohio.  He  was  a  'Methodist  luinister  in 
carlv  life,  but  on  account  of  his  political  and 
religious  views  during  the  Civil  war  he  was 
ostracized  by  his  denomination  and  in  1864 
he  founded  this  sect  which  became  known 
as  Givenites.  He  was  a  man  of  scholarly  at- 
tainments and  broad  general  learning  and  at 
the  same  time  had  a  most  comprehensive 
knowledge  of  the  people.  He  acted  as  pro- 
fessor of  languages  for  some  years  in  the 
Ohio  Wesleyan  University  and  also  in  Athens 
College  of  Athens,  Ohio.  He  possessed  su- 
perior abililv  as  a  linguist  and  was  master  of 
seven  languages.  Rev.  Given  was  a  man  of 
strong  personality  and  wonderful  magnetism 
in  holding  and  swaying  an  audience.  During 
the  Civil  war  a  mob  attacked  him,  but  he 
bn night  his  wonderful  persuasive  power  into 
plav   in   his   own   behalf.      Standing   with    his 


808 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


bible  in  his  hand  he  spoke  to  the  crowd  until 
his  eloquence  enabled  him  to  disperse  the  riot- 
ers and  harmony  prevailed.  He  left  his  influ- 
ence for  good  upon  a  great  majority  of  those 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  his  forceful 
utterance,  his  strong  logic  and  his  wonderful 
power  never  failing  to  make  a  deep  impresion 
upon  his  audiences.  He  died  in  1868,  after 
which  his  widow  became  the  wife  of  W.  H. 
Bishop  and  with  her  family  and  her  second 
husband  she  then  removed  to  a  farm  near 
Grovesport,  Ohio.  She  is  still  living,  her 
home  being  in   Columbus,  Ohio. 

J.  Fred  Given  had  two  sisters,  jMattie  and 
Mary,  and  two  brothers,  John  and  Joseph, 
but  at  this  time  (1903)  the  only  surviving 
children  in  his  parents'  family  are  his  brother 
John  and  himself,  his  sisters  having  died  of 
consumption  and  his  brother  Joseph  of  heart 
failure.  Our  subject  was  only  seven  years  of 
age  at  the  time  of  the  family's  removal  to 
Grovesport,  where  he  remained  until  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  being  engaged  in  the  active 
duties  of  farm  life  during  that  period.  He 
attended  the  country  schools  and  also  spent 
some  time  in  the  high  school,  after  which  he 
engaged  in  teaching  for  a  year.  Later  he  pur- 
sued a  post-graduate  course  in  the  Lithopolis 
Normal  School  and  after  spending  a  short 
time  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  he  went  to  Chicago, 
Illinois.  Going  from  there  to  Jacksonville, 
IlHnois,  for  a  time  he  there  pursued  a  theo- 
logical course,  but  his  health  made  it  necessary 
that  he  should  give  up  his  studies  as  he  could 
not  stand  the  close  confinement  of  the  school- 
room. 

With  the  family  of  his  uncle  Orlando  Pow- 
ers he  came  to  Decatur  in  1883  and  for  a 
short  time  was  employed  in  the  drug  store  of 
H.  B.  Cole.  Soon  afterward  he  entered  the 
service  of  R.  W.  Weld  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness and  afterward  was  engaged  in  a  manu- 
facturing enterprise  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  a 
few  months.  He  next  went  to  Olathe,  Kansas, 
where  he  took  charge  of  a  bank  and  also  su- 
perintended  a  grocery  and  queensware  busi- 


ness for  eight  months.  For  a  year  he  was  a 
salesman  in  the  wholesale  grocery  house  of 
Woodson,  Todd  &  Company  and  when  that 
firm  dissolved  partnership  his  employers  se- 
cured for  him  a  position  with  the  Riley,  Wil- 
son Company,  wholesale  grocers,  with  whom 
he  remained  for  two  years.  He  next  went  to 
Los  Angeles,  California,  where  he  was  asso- 
ciated with  Meyberg  Brothers,  wholesale  and 
retail  dealers  in  queensware,  having  charge  of 
their  art  department  for  several  months.  Sub- 
sequently he  was  employed  by  H.  Jevne,  as 
bookkeeper,  and  afterward  went  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  where  he  acted  as  a  tea 
salesman  for  the  firm  of  A.  Schilling  &  Com- 
pany. Upon  receiving  word  of  the  death  of 
his  step-father  and  sister  Mary  he  returned  to 
Ohio  and  assisted  his  mother  in  selling  the 
farm  and  closing  out  the  affairs  of  the  estate. 
His  mother  then  removed  to  Columbus,  Ohio, 
and  Mr.  Given  of  this  review  entered  the  cm- 
ploy  of  the  Eldridge  &  Higgins  Company, 
wholesale  fancy  grocers  of  that  city,  where 
he  remained  until  1895.  He  then  came  to  De- 
catur and  took  charge  of  Powers  Opera  House 
in  September  of  that  year.  The  theater  was 
burned  in  the  following  October,  but  was  at 
once  rebuilt  and  was  again  open  for  business 
on  the  loth  of  February,  1896.  Mr.  Given 
has  since  had  the  management  of  the  theater 
and  of  the  bill-posting  plant  and  is  also  gen- 
eral overseer  of  the  Orlando  Powers  estate 
during  the  absence  of  the  members  of  the 
family.  He  has  furnished  the  people  of  De- 
catur with  the  highest  class  of  plays  and  en- 
tertainments to  be  obtained,  the  best  attrac- 
tions known  to  the  stage  being  here  seen 
during  the  season. 

On  the  9th  of  January,  1892,  Mr.  Given 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Jones, 
a  daughter  of  Eben  Jones,  of  Jackson,  Ohio, 
a  prominent  business  man  there  who  is  now 
president  of  the  Commercial  Bank  and  is  also 
identified  with  the  coal  and  iron  furnace  indus- 
tries. Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Given  have  been 
born  two  children  :    Frederick  Eben  and  Thel- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


SOit 


ma  Mary.  Socially  Mr.  Given  is  connected 
with  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
has  attained  the  Knight  Templar  degree  in 
Beaumanoir  Commandery.  He  likewise  be- 
longs to  the  Benevolent  Protective  Order  of 
Elks.  Few  men  are  more  prominent  or  more 
widely  known  in  the  enterprising  city  of  De- 
catur than  Mr.  Given.  He  is  now  an  import- 
ant factor  in  business  circles  and  in  private 
life  he  has  gained  that  warm  personal  regard 
which  arises  from  geniality  and  deference  for 
the  opinions  of  others. 


STEPHEN  G.  WASHBURN. 
For  many  years  Stephen  G.  Washburn  was 
one  of  the  most  active  and  progressive  men 
of  Macon  county,  as  well  as  one  of  its  most  re- 
liable and  honored  citizens,  and  now  in  his 
declining  years  he  is  enjoying  a  well  earned 
rest,  free  from  the  cares  and  responsibilities 
of  business  life.  He  makes  his  home  in  the 
village  of  Macon. 

Mr.  Washburn  was  born  in  Jefferson  coun- 
ty. New  York,  July  17,  1832.  a  son  of  Isaac 
and  Brittania  (Britton)  Washburn,  of  that 
state.  He  cannot  remember  his  mother,  who 
died  when  he  was  quite  small,  and  at  the  age 
of  twelve  years  he  was  left  an  orphan  by  the 
death  of  his  father.  He  then  worked  as  a 
farm  hand  for  several  years  and  his  educa- 
tional privileges  were  limited.  He  came  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  in  i860  and  was  in 
the  employ  of  John  Hatfield  when  the  Civil 
war  broke  out. 

Mr.  Washburn  then  entered  tlie  service  of 
his  country  as  a  private  in  Company  I,  Sev- 
enth Illinois  Cavalry,  under  Pitt  Kellogg  and 
Judge  Gallagher,  as  captain,  and  was  in  the 
army  for  three  years  and  two  months,  taking 
part  in  the  siege  of  Corinth  and  the  hard- 
fought  battle  at  that  place  in  1862.  He  was 
under  fire  about  seventy-five  times  and  was 
honorably  discharged  on  the  20th  of  October, 
1864,  with  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant. 


On  his  return  home,  Mr.  Washburn  bought 
a  small  farm  of  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land, 
which   he   improved  and  which  continued  to 
be  his  home  until  1873,  when  he  removed  to 
the  village  of  Macon  and  was  engaged  in  the 
butchering  business  for  three  years.    He  then 
bought  a  store  building  and  embarked  in  gen- 
eral merchandising,  which  he  carried  on  for 
eighteen  years.     From  1882  until  1886  busi- 
ness was  carried  on  under  the  firm  name  of 
S.  G.  Washburn  &  Company,  his  partner  be- 
ing William  Lawley,  and  on  the  latter's  death 
William  Towson  bought  out  his  heirs.     Dur- 
ing the  years  of  his  residence  here  Mr.  Wash- 
burn has  acquired  considerable  property,   in- 
cluding one  hundred  and  eight  acres  of  land 
in  Pleasant  View  township,  this  county,  and 
forty-five  acres  adjoining  the  village  of  Ma- 
con, besides  a  half  section  of  land  in  Texas.' 
He   is   a   man   of   good   business   ability   and 
sound  judgment,  and  to  these  qualities,  com- 
bined with  industrious  habits,  is  due  his  suc- 
cess in  life. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1865,  in  Macon 
county,  Mr.  Washburn  married  Miss  Emma 
Jordan,  a  half  sister  of  John  Hatfield  and 
a  daughter  of  William  and  Paulina  (Harris) 
Jordan.  Three  children  blessed  this  union: 
Minnie  L..  the  oldest,  is  the  wife  of  R.  B. 
Richmond,  a  jeweler  of  Decatur,  and  they 
have  three  children,  Ralph,  Hazel  and  Edna. 
Edna  H.,  the  second  daughter  of  our  subject, 
is  the  wife  of  George  E.  Pollard,  of  Pleasant 
View  township,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Stc])licn  and  Robert.  Robert  A.,  the  only  son 
of  Mr.  Washburn,  was  drowned  in  a  cistern 
at  the  age  of  two  and  one-half  years.  The 
wife  and  mother,  who  was  a  consistent  and 
faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  died  on  the  loth  of  November,  1900. 
and  her  death  was  deeply  mourned  by  all  who 
knew  her. 

For  some  time  after  his  wife's  death  Mr. 
Washburn  lived  with  his  daughter  on  a  farm 
in  Pleasant  View  township,  but  is  now  board- 
ing at  a  hotel  in  Macon.     He  is  a  prominent 


810 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


member  of  the  Masonic  Lodge,  No.  467,  and 
Jordan  Post,  No.  535,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Macon, 
and  was  elected  the  first  commander  of  the 
post  on  its  organization.  He  served  as  alder- 
man in  ]\Iacon  for  several  years  and  has  al- 
ways been  prominently  identified  with  those 
interests  calculated  to  promote  public  welfare 
along  social,  moral  or  material  lines,  being  as 
true  to  his  duties  of  citizenship  in  times  of 
peace  as  when  following  the  old  flag  to  vic- 
tory on  southern  battle-fields.  He  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  and  well  merits  the  high 
regard  in  which  he  is  uniformlv  held. 


EDWARD  WADE. 

Edward  Wade,  a  well  known  nurservnian 
residing  on  section  4.  Decatur  township  and 
one  of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens  of 
his  community,  was  born  in  Somersetshire, 
England,  on  the  i6th  of  August,  1831,  his 
ancestors  having  for  generations  lived  on  the 
same  farm.  His  father,  Abraham  Wade,  was 
an  agriculturist  in  comfortable  circumstances 
and  was  also  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  He  heard  John  Wesley  preach 
and  in  the  early  history  of  the  church  became 
one  of  its  members.  He  was  active  in  estab- 
lishing churches  and  did  all  in  his  power  to 
promote  the  cause  of  Christianity  in  his  neigh- 
borhood. Being  a  man  of  considerable  prom- 
inence he  was  also  called  upon  to  fill  a  num- 
ber of  local  offices  in  his  native  land.  In  1867 
he  came  to  the  United  States  with  his  son 
and  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  lived 
retired,  dying  in  De  Witt  county,  Illinois,  at 
the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-three  years.  His 
wife  died  in  the  same  county.  She  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Martha  Harding  and  was 
born  and  reared  in  the  parish  adjoining  that 
in    which   her   husband   lived. 

Unto  this  worthy  couple  were  born  twelve 
children,  nine  of  whom  reached  man  and 
womanhood  and  three  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters came  to  America.     Abram  died  in  Eng- 


land ;  Samuel  is  now  living  near  Qinton,  De 
Witt  county,  Illinois ;  Josiali  was  accidentally 
killed  in  England;  Mrs.  Martha  Haverfield  is 
a  resident  of  Coflfeeville,  Kansas;  Edward  is 
the  next  younger;  Francis  is  a  farmer  of  De 
Witt  county;  and  Thomas  H.,  now  deceased, 
was  engaged  in  farming  in  Austin  township, 
Macon  county,  for  some  years. 

Edward  Wade  was  reared  upon  the  home 
farm  in  his  native  land,  remaining  under  the 
parental  roof  until  twenty-three  years  of  age, 
and  he  acquired  a  good  practical  education  in 
the  local  schools.  He  early  became  familiar 
with  the  work  of  the  farm  and  during  his 
vouth  learned  the  nurserv  business  being  em- 
ployed  by  one  of  the  largest  nursery  com- 
panies in  England,  that  of  Garney,  Na)a  & 
Company,  in  Durhamdown.  After  coming  to 
this  country  he  was  also  with  a  nursery  firm 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  for  a  time. 

Reading  the  pamphlets  sent  out  by  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  Company  concerning  the 
almost  fabulous  productions  of  this  state  and 
hearing  of  other  opportunities  afforded  young 
men  in  America,  he  determined  to  test  the 
truth  of  these  reports  by  trying  his  fortune  in 
the  United  States,  and  in  1854  sailed  from 
Liverpool  to  New  Orleans.  After  a  voyage 
of  six  weeks  he  reached  the  Crescent  City  and 
proceeded  up  the  Mississippi  river  to  St. 
Louis.  He  stopped  first  at  Greenville,  Bond 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  spent  two  years,  and 
then  went  to  Michigan,  where  the  following 
two  years  were  passed.  In  1857  he  arrived 
in  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  has  since  made  his 
home  in  Macon  county  as  a  representative  of 
her  agricultural  interest.  In  1862  he  pur- 
chased si.\ty-five  acres  of  land  in  Decatur 
township  and  has  since  given  the  greater  part 
of  his  attention  to  the  nursery  business,  de- 
voting ten  acres  of  his  land  to  choice  fruits. 
In  1900  he  erected  a  nice  residence  and  other 
buildings  on  the  section  adjoining  the  one  on 
which  he  first  located  and  here  he  now  makes 
his  home. 

In  1859  ^Ir.  Wade  was  united  in  marriage 


PAST  AXD  TRESEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


811 


to  Miss  Susanna  Dement,  a  native  of  Dc  Witt 
county,  Illinois,  who  died  on  the  3d  of  Febru- 
ary, 1869,  Icavinsj  three  children:  Martha  F., 
now  deceased ;  Eva  Laura,  wife  of  Frank 
Hamlin,  of  Dc  Witt  county:  and  Francis  Ells- 
worth, a  resident  of  Aurora,  Illinois.  For  his 
second  wife  Mr.  Wade  chose  Miss  Anna  M. 
Granger,  who  had  formerly  been  a  teacher  in 
the  public  schools  of  Decatur.  She  died  at 
the  birth  of  her  only  son.  ]\Ir.  Wade  was 
again  married  in  Union  county,  Ohio,  in  1875, 
this  third  marriage  being  with  Miss  Louisa 
Gill,  a  native  of  that  county  and  a  daughter 
of  Mason  and  Harriet  Gill.  Her  father  died 
in  1864  and  her  mother  passed  away  in  1865, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  The  only 
other  member  of  her  family  now  living  is  Hon. 
John  S.  Gill,  of  Columbus.  Ohio.  Unto  Mr. 
Wade  and  his  present  wife  have  been  born 
four  children,  as  follows:  Jessie  M..  now  the 
wife  of  Charles  Peck,  of  Decatur :  Albert  Ed- 
ward, a  farmer  of  Michigan,  who  is  devoting 
his  attention  principally  to  bee  culture ;  TIarry 
Gill,  who  is  in  the  employ  of  the  Decatur 
Coffin  Company ;  and  John  Ralph,  at  home. 

In  religious  faith  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade 
are  Methodists  and  they  take  a  very  promi- 
nent and  active  part  in  church  work.  The  pos- 
sibilities that  America  oilers  to  her  citizens  he 
has  utilized  and  though  he  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  limited  circumstances  he  has  steadily 
and  perseveringly  worked  his  way  upward  and 
is  to-day  quite  well-to-do.  By  untiring  indus- 
try and  sound  business  judgment  he  has  won 
merited  success  and  is  worthy  the  high  regard 
in  which  he  is  held  bv  his  fellow  citizens. 


WILLIAM  J.  HOOPER. 
One  of  the  most  progressive  and  up-to-date 
farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  South  Wheatland 
township  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  sketch.  In  carrying  on  his  farm 
work  he  uses  the  latest  improved  machinery 
and  appliances  and  follows  only  the  most  ap- 


proved methods,  and  he  has  thoroughly  dem- 
onstrated the  fact  that  high  class  farming  can 
be  made  profitalile  as  well  as  pleasant. 

Mr.  Hooper  was  born  on  the  14th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1862,  in  this  county,  his  parents  being 
William  and  Mary  E.  (Goodman)  Hooper, 
who  now  make  their  home  in  Decatur.  His 
father  is  a  native  of  Washington  county,  Ken- 
tucky, which  was  also  the  birthplace  of  his 
paternal  grandfather.  Fountain  Hooper,  and 
his  maternal  grandfather,  John  Goodman,  was 
born  in  the  same  state.  Fountain  Hooper  was 
a  prominent  clergyman  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  spent  his  entire  life  in  Ken- 
tucky. There  our  subject's  father  grew  to 
manhood  and  married,  and  at  an  early  day 
he  and  his  wife  came  to  Macon  county,  Il- 
linois, where  they  still  reside.  They  are  the 
parents  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  William 
J.  is  the  third  in  order  of  birth,  and  those 
living  at  the  present  writing  in  1903,  are  Mat- 
tie,  wife  of  John  Gouchman :  Sarah  E.,  wife 
of  James  Saudaros ;  W' illiam  J. :  Fountain  L. ; 
and  Ilasker  H. 

William  J.  Hooper  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm,  where  he  remained  until  twentj'  years  of 
age,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  the  neighborhood.  On  leaving  the  parental 
roof,  he  took  charge  of  the  farm  of  A.  G.  Rob- 
erts in  Mount  Zion  township,  where  he  re- 
mained for  two  years,  and  then  removed  to 
the  farm  of  A.  C.  Traughber,  where  the  fol- 
lowing eight  years  were  passed.  In  1892, 
while  residing  upon  the  latter  farm,  he  pur- 
chased his  present  place  near  the  northeast 
corner  of  South  Wheatland  township,  to  which 
he  removed  two  years  later  on  the  expiration 
of  his  lease  to  the  Traughber  fatm.  As  he 
prospered  in  his  farming  operations  he  has 
added  to  his  property  from  time  to  time  until 
he  now  owns  two  hundred  and  seventy-five 
acres  of  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation 
and  well  improved.  On  starting  in  life  for 
himself  his  first  earnings  came  from  fattening 
stock  for  market  and  in  the  raising  of  colts 
and  calves.     In  this  wav  he  was  soon  able  to 


812 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


purchase  sixty  acres  of  land,  stock  and  im- 
prove it,  and  in  connection  with  its  cultiva- 
tion he  operated  a  one  hundred  and  sixty  acre 
tract  wliich  he  rented.  In  1892  he  hought 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  additional,  as 
previously  stated.  Cpon  his  place  he  has  laid 
seven  thousand  feet  of  tiling,  has  set  out  an 
orchard  covering  five  acres,  and  has  added 
drill  wells  and  wind  pumps,  besides  erecting 
a  good  modern  residence  in  1891  antl  a  barn 
and  other  outbuildings  since  that  time.  He  is 
a  breeder  of  pure  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle,  has 
made  some  sales  and  still  has  twenty  head  of 
registered  stock  upon  his  place.  As  an  agri- 
culturist he  has  thoroughly  demonstrated  the 
fact  that  he  understands  fully  the  vocation  he 
follows  and  believes  that  a  man  should  put 
into  use  his  business  qualifications  in  all  that 
he  undertakes.  In  the  year  1889  he  produced 
fourteen  thousand  bushels  of  corn  on  a  quarter 
section  of  land.  Mr.  Hooper's  success  as  an 
up-to-date  farmer  has  been  frequently  men- 
tioned in  the  leading  agricidtural  journals,  of 
which  he  has  been  a  most  valued  correspon- 
dent. 

On  the  14th  of  September,  1892.  Mr. 
Hooper  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice 
B.  Scott,  who  was  born  April  8,  1861,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  Charles  W.  and  Martha  (Trent) 
Scott,  both  natives  of  Kentucky.  Her  father 
died  on  the  30th  of  April,  1900,  and  her  mother 
is  now  living  in  Davis  City,  Iowa.  Mrs. 
Hooper  is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth  in  their 
family  of  ten  children,  two  of  whom  are  now 
deceased.  The  others  still  living  are  D.  P., 
a  resident  of  Topeka,  Kansas ;  J.  W.,  of  De- 
catur, Iowa;  Mary,  wife  of  Merritt  Gritten, 
of  Macon  county,  Illinois ;  C.  D.,  of  Portland, 
Oregon ;  Nannie,  wife  of  Charles  Tillier,  of 
Christian  county,  Illinois ;  and  P.  M.  and 
Sophronia,  who  are  with  their  mother.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hooper  have  two  children  :  Cl\de 
Chester,  born  July  17.  1891  ;  and  Fay,  born 
February  10,  1896. 

By  his  ballot  Mr.  Hooper  supports  the  men 
and   measures  of  the  Democratic  party.     So- 


cially he  is  a  member  of  Mount  Zion  Lodge, 
No.  300,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  religiously  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  to  which  his 
wife  also  lielongs.  His  influence  and  labors 
have  done  much  toward  promoting  the  inter- 
ests of  his  community  along  various  lines  of 
jirogress  and  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leading  and  valued  citizens  of  .South  Wheat- 
land township. 


HENNING  JACOBSEN. 

Success  is  determined  by  one's  ability  to 
recognize  opportunity  and  to  pursue  this  with 
a  resolute  and  unflagging  energy.  It  results 
from  continued  labor  and  the  man  who  thus 
accomplishes  his  purpose  usually  becomes  a 
prominent  factor  in  the  business  circles  of  the 
community  with  which  he  is  connected. 
Through  such  means  Mr.  Jacobsen  has  at- 
tained a  leading  place  among  the  represen- 
tative men  of  Macon  county  and  his  well 
spent  and  honorable  life  commands  the  respect 
of  all  who  know  him. 

The  Jacobsen  family  is  of  German  origin 
and  our  subject  is  a  native  of  Schleswig,  born 
January  6,  1846.  His  parents,  Henning  and 
Augusta  Jacobsen,  were  born  in  the  same 
country  and  there  made  their  home  for  many 
years  but  finally  came  to  America.  The  father 
emigrated  two  years  later  than  our  subject 
and  landed  in  New  York  in  1863  and  came 
direct  to  Niantic,  Illinois.  Here  he  purchased 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  in  Nian- 
tic township  and  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  life  engaged  in  farming  here.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  now  deceased. 

In  the  family  of  this  worthy  couple  were 
four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter, 
namely :  Anna  is  the  wife  of  Herman  Nottel- 
mann.  who  is  our  subject's  partner  in  business, 
and  they  have  six  children ;  Augusta,  wife 
of  Frank  Beall,  of  Niantic ;  Juergcn,  of 
Macon  county;  Amia.  wife  of  Charles  Pritch- 
ett,  of  Latham,  lllinnis;  Henning,  also  of 
Latham;   Dora  at  home:   and  Tohn  in  Chicago. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COLXTV. 


813 


Hcnr\.  who  is  now  living  retired  in  Tuscola, 
Illinois,  was  formerly  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  brick.  He  married  Jennie  Paris,  of 
Niantic.  a  sister  of  J.  P.  Paris,  and  they  have 
four  children,  May,  Ollie,  Lula  and  John. 
George,  who  conducts  an  elevator  at  Niantic, 
married  Hattie  Pord,  a  daughter  of  Elias 
Pord,  and  they  have  three  children,  .\ugusta, 
Bessie  and  George. 

Henning  Jacobsen,  of  this  review,  completes 
the  family.  He  began  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  land  and  after  coming  to 
this  country  he  began  his  business  career  as 
clerk  in  a  store  in  the  village  of  Niantic  and 
later  was  employed  in  a  similar  capacity  at 
Jacksonville.  Illinois,  for  two  years.  .\t  the 
end  of  that  time  he  went  to  Springfield,  where 
he  clerked  in  a  dry  goods  store  for  three  years, 
and  ne.xt  found  employment  in  Chicago,  where 
he  remaiiu'd  until  1870.  He  subsequently 
spent  a  short  time  in  Grand  Rapids.  Michigan. 
and  from  there  returned  to  Xiantic  with  his 
present  partner.  Herman  Xottelni.inii.  1  Kre 
they  opened  a  general  store,  which  they  still 
carry  on,  having  built  up  a  good  trade.  In 
1889  Mr.  Jacobsen  became  interested  in  the 
banking  business  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
P.  Well,  Jacobsen  &  Company,  but  sold  his 
interest  to  Waller  Pritchett  in  1893  so  that  he 
could  give  more  attention  to  his  store.  He 
and  Mr.  Xottelmann  were  at  one  time  en- 
gaged in  the  milling  business  and  to  some  e.K- 
tent  he  is  interested  in  farming.  P>esides  his 
■  business  property  he  owns  a  beautiful  home 
in  Niantic  and  has  farming  land  in  this  coun- 
ty. In  business  affairs  he  is  prompt,  energetic 
and  notably  reliable,  and  he  usually  carries 
forward  to  successful '  completion  whatever 
he  undertakes. 

Mr.  Jacobsen  has  been  twice  married.  In 
1874  he  wedded  Miss  Lucy  Hall,  of  Xiantic, 
who  died  a  year  later  anil  the  only  child  born 
of  that  union  died  in  infancy.  He  was  again 
married  in  1880,  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  Laura  Boone,  of  Paris,  Kentucky,  who 
is   a   lineal   descendant   of   Daniel    Boone,    the 


great  pioneer  of  that  state.  Her  parents  were 
natives  of  Kentucky  and  are  now  deceased. 
By  occupation  her  father  was  a  farmer.  Lhito 
Mr.  and  Mrs,  Jacobsen  have  been  Ixirn  si.x 
children,  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  namely : 
Perdinand.  who  died  in  infancy ;  Noah,  who 
is  now  taking  a  course  in  civil  engineering  at 
the  State  L'niversity  in  Champaign ;  Eda,  at 
home ;  Robert,  who  is  attending  Brown's  Bus- 
iness College  at  Decatur;  Henry  and  Herman 
at  home. 

Mr,  Jacobsen  and  his  family  hold  member- 
ship in  the  Christian  church  at  Niantic  and  he 
takes  a  very  active  and  prominent  part  in  its 
work,  serving  as  one  of  the  elders  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  He  is  one  of  the  best  known  men 
in  Macon  county  and  has  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought 
in  contact  either  in  business  or  social  life. 
By  mUiring  industry  and  sound  judgment 
he  has  won  a  merited  success  in  all  of  his  un- 
dertakings and  is  well  worthy  the  high  regard 
in  which  he  is  held  bv  his  fellow  men. 


COLONEL  PRANK  P.  WELLS, 
The  unostentatious  routine  of  private  life, 
although  of  vast  importance  to  the  welfare 
of  the  community,  has  not  figured  to  any  great 
extent  on  the  images  of  history.  But  the  names 
of  men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  by 
the  possession  of  these  qualities  of  character 
wdiich  mainly  contribute  to  the  success  of 
private  life  and  to  the  ])ublic  stability  and  who 
have  enjoyed  the  res])ect  and  confidence  of 
those  around  them  should  not  be  permitted 
to  perish.  Their  example  is  more  valuable 
to  the  majorilx-  of  readers  than  that  of  heroes, 
statesmen  and  v,Titers  as  they  furnish  means 
of  sulisistence  for  the  multitude  whom  they, 
in  their  useful  careers,  have  employed.  Col- 
onel b'rank  P,  \\'ells  is  to-day  accounted  one 
of  the  representative  business  men  of  Decatur 
and  his  efforts  have  been  an  important  factor 
in  gaining   for   the  city   its   ]:)rominence  as   a 


814 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


commercial  and  industrial  center.  He  is  now 
the  vice  president  of  the  Morehouse  &  Wells 
Company,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in 
hardware,  stoves,  furnaces,  mantels,  guns  and 
sporting  goods. 

Colonel  Wells  is  one  of  the  native  sons  of 
Decatur,  his  birth  having  occurred  here  in 
1863.  His  father,  William  T.  Wells,  now  de- 
ceased, was  the  founder  of  the  business  with 
which  the  son  is  connected  and  which  has 
grown  to  be  a  most  extensive  enterprise.  He 
was  identified  therewith  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  ist  of  March,  1898.  He  had 
married  Helen  Parsons  and  of  the  children 
born  of  this  union  Colonel  Wells  is  one. 

Reared  in  the  city  of  his  nativity  Frank 
P.  Wells  spent  his  life  in  the  manner  of  most 
lads  of  the  period.  He  enjoyed  the  pleasures 
of  the  play-ground  and  performed  the  duties 
of  the  schoolroom,  and  after  putting  aside 
his  text  books  he  became  interested  in  his 
father's  business  and  following  the  father's 
demise  took  charge  of  the  estate.  He  had  pre- 
viously, however,  became  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  business  in  all  of  its  de- 
partments and  therefore  entered  upon  the 
work  of  supervision  well  qualified  to  perform 
the  important  duties  devolving  upon  him. 
The  father  with  George  Morehouse  founded 
the  house  in  1859.  In  1896  the  pres- 
ent business  block  was  erected  and  is  now 
one  of  the  large  and  substantial  buildings  in 
the  trade  center  of  the  city.  It  is  built  in  an 
attractive  style  of  architecture,  a  brick  struct- 
ure forty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  and 
seven  stories  in  height  with  the  basement. 
It  would  be  a  credit  to  a  city  much  larger  than 
Decatur  and  stands  as  a  monument  to  the 
enterprise  and  business  capacity  of  the  owners. 
In  addition  they  have  a  warehouse  fifty  by 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  used  for  storing 
the  surplus  stock.  In  1894  the  company  was 
incorporated  with  a  capital  stock  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  thousand  dollars.  Its  pres- 
ent officers  are  George  W.  Morehouse,  presi- 


dent ;  Frank  P.  Wells,  vice  president ;  Charles 
M.  Hurst,  secretary ;  and  E.  P.  Bishop,  treas- 
urer. All  of  these  gentlemen  occupy  credit- 
able positions  in  the  business  world  and  are 
continually  enlarging  the  enterprise  with 
which  they  are  connected.  On  October  5, 
1903,  the  stock  was  increased  to  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  Several  traveling  salesmen 
represent  the  house  upon  the  road,  covering 
the  state  of  Illinois  and  a  part  of  Indiana. 
The  business  methods  of  the  company  have 
always  been  such  as  would  bear  the  closest 
investigation,  being  shaped  in  accordance  with 
the  strictest  commercial  ethics.  In  connection 
with  his  other  interests  Colonel  Wells  is  a 
director  and  treasurer  of  the  United  States 
Wire  Mat  Company. 

In  1893  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Frank  P.  Wells  and  Miss  Mary  F.  Hanson, 
of  Michigan,  and  they  occupy  a  pleasant  home 
in  Decatur  where  their  circle  of  friends  is 
very  extensive.  Mr.  Wells  belongs  to  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  is  at  pres- 
ent lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Fifth  Illinois  In- 
fantry. For  a  time  he  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Spanish-American  war,  being  commissioned 
lieutenant  colonel  under  J.  S.  Culver  of 
Springfield.  Illinois.  He  is  a  true  type  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  and  of  those  men  who 
build  cities  and  lay  the  foundation  of  com- 
monwealths. He  is  a  young  man,  yet  he  has 
attained  prominence  in  the  business  world. 
His  integrity  is  above  question  and  this,  com- 
bined with  his  clear,  sound  judgment  makes 
the  people  rely  upon  him  and  follow  his  lead- 
ership. The  social  qualities  of  the  man  are 
indicated  by  his  large  circle  of  friends.  He  is 
alwavs  pleasant  and  genial,  characteristics  that 
arise  from  his  kindly  nature,  and  his  friend- 
ship is  most  prized  by  those  who  know  him 
best.  Already  he  has  attained  a  very  enviable 
position  in  commercial  circles  in  Decatur  and 
one  need  not  have  the  gift  of  prophecy  to 
understand  that  his  will  be  a  successful  future. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


81i 


HARRISON  S.  BAKER. 

In  the  history  of  tlie  Past  and  Present  of 
Decatur  it  is  meet  that  we  make  reference  to 
Harrison  S.  Baker  for  he  was  closeh-  associ- 
ated with  business  affairs  in  this  city  for  a 
number  of  years  and  his  efforts  proved  of 
material  benefit  to  Decatur.  Tie  was  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  leading  contractors  here 
and  built  many  of  the  best  business  blocks. 
He  also  represented  one  of  the  early  families 
of  the  city,  having  come  here  witli  his  parents 
in  1855  when  the  now  flourishing  metropol- 
itan center  was  a  small  town  of  but  limited 
business  capacity  yet  giving  promise  of  future 
growth  because  of  the  enterprise  and  activity 
■of  its  citizens. 

Mr.  Baker  was  born  in  South  Bend,  Indi- 
ana, on  the  28th  of  September,  1844,  his  par- 
ents being  Joshua  and  Rebecca  (Sumtion) 
Baker,  both  of  whom  were  also  natives  of 
Indiana  and  resided  in  South  Bend  until  1855, 
when  they  came  with  their  family  to  Decatur. 
The  father  purchased  land  now  included  in 
what  is  known  as  the  Millikin  estate  in  this 
city.  Upon  that  tract  he  engaged  in  farming, 
gardening  and  horticultural  pursuits  for  many 
years  and  the  products  of  his  land  brought  to 
him  good  return  for  his  labor,  so  that  having 
acquired  a  handsome  competence,  he  was  at 
length  enabled  to  retire  from  business  life  and 
enjoy  the  comforts  and  conveniences  that  his 
former  labor  had  brought  to  him.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  died  in  the  home  which  is  now 
occupied  by  the  widow  of  Harrison  S.  Baker. 

The  subject  of  this  review  was  a  lad  of 
about  eleven  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  to  this  city.  He  con- 
tinued his  education  in  the  public  schools 
here  and  after  putting  aside  his  text  books 
he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  then 
worked  as  a  journeyman  for  a  number  of 
years.  Becoming  proficient  in  his  chosen  field 
of  labor  and  feeling  that  he  was  competent  to 
take  charge  of  important  building  operations 
he  then  began  contracting  on  his  own  account. 
The  public  recognized  his  capability  and  ac- 


corded him  a  liberal  patronage  and  as  the 
years  passed  his  business  grew  in  volume  and 
importance.  He  erected  many  of  the  best 
business  blocks  of  the  city,  including  the  De- 
catur Herald  block,  the  -Mueller  block,  the 
Morehouse  &  Wells  block  and  many  of  the 
other  large  business  structures  and  store 
buildings  of. this  city.  He  also  took  and  exe- 
cuted the  contracts  for  five  of  the  leading 
churches  of  Decatur  and  many  of  the  fine  resi- 
dences of  the  city  stand  as  monuments  to  his 
skill  and  handiwork.  He  was  always  thor- 
ough and  jiainstaking  in  his  work  and  his 
careful  supervision  of  the  labors  of  those 
whom  he  employed  insured  accuracy  and  good 
workmanship.  Faithfully  living  up  to  the 
terms  of  a  contract  he  won  the  unqualified 
confidence  of  the  public  and  his  business  career 
was  therefore  attended  with  a  gratifying 
measure  of  success. 

It  was  in  Decatur  that  Mr.  Baker  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  J.  Dan  forth, 
a  native  of  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  and  a 
daughter  of  William  F.  and  Elizabeth  Dan- 
forth,  who  removed  from  St.  Clair  county  to 
Fayette  county,  this  state,  where  they  spent 
their  remaining  days.  Mr.  Danfortli  followed 
farming  throughout  his  entire  life.  By  the 
marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker  were  born 
four  children:  Louis  S.,  the  eldest,  who  re- 
sides with  his  mother,  is  a  contractor  and 
builder  carrying  on  business  in  partnership 
with  his  brother,  George  W.  The  latter  mar- 
ried Miss  Dora  Thiels  and  they  have  a  pleas- 
ant home  in  Decatur.  Irene  May,  the  third 
member  of  the  family,  is  the  wife  of  Bruce 
B.  Manning,  a  resident  of  this  city.  Qiarles, 
the  youngest,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
months. 

Mr.  Baker  met  his  death  in  an  electric  street 
railway  accident,  being  killed  on  the  15th  of 
October,  1902.  This  was  a  great  blow  not 
only  to  his  family,  but  to  many  friends  and 
the  coiumunity  thereby  lost  a  valued  citizen. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Republican,  giving  an 
intelligent    support    to    the    party    and    in    all 


816 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


matters  of  citizenship  he  was  public-spirited 
and  ])rogressive,  co-operating  in  many  meas- 
ures for  the  general  good.  He  was  very  suc- 
cessful in  all  his  building  undertakings  and 
was  an  intelligent,  honest,  upright  man,  widely 
known  and  held  in  the  highest  regard  in  the 
city  in  which  he  lived  from  boyhood  times 
until  his  death.  ]\lrs.  P^aker  and  her  son, 
Louis,  reside  at  her  beautiful  home  at  No.  709 
West  Main  street.  The  family  is  one  of  the 
oldest  on  this  street  and  its  representatives  are 
prominent  and  influential  people  of  Decatur. 
Mrs.  Baker  is  a  valued  member  of  the  First 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  this  city.  Her 
sons  are  now  leading  contractors,  being  worthy 
successors  of  their  father  in  business  life, 
and  already  they  have  an  extensive  patronage 
which   is  constantly  growing. 


ROSS  A.  NICHOLLS. 
Ross  A.  Nicholls,  who  owns  and  operates 
a  nice  farm  in  Decatur  township,  was  born 
in  Medina  county,  Ohio,  on  the  19th  of  April, 
1858,  and  is  a  son  of  Washington  S.  and  l^lary 
(House)  Nicholls.  also  natives  of  the  Buckeye 
state.  The  father  was  one  of  a  family  of  five 
children,  the  others  being  Charlotte,  wife  of 
Mitchell  Elson  ;  R.  Frazier  :  Albert ;  and  one 
who  died  in  early  life.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  had  three  brothers  and  two  sisters, 
namely :  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Nicholls,  now  de- 
ceased :  Joseph :  Eli :  Eleazer :  and  Kate, 
wife  of  Charles  Crocker  of  Ohio.  In  1867 
Washington  S.  Nicholls  brought  his  family 
to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Macon  county  east 
of  where  the  village  of  Blue  Mound  is  now 
located.  Here  he  died  on  the  23d  of  April, 
1877.  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  widow  is  still  living  and  now 
makes  her  home  near  Blue  Mound.  In  the 
family  of  this  worthy  couple  were  nine  chil- 
dren :  Albert,  who  is  now  living  in  Nebraska : 
Eleazer,  who  resides  near  the  old  homestead 
in    this    county :     Sarah,    who   married    D.    I. 


Baughman  and  died  leaving  one  son  and  three 
daughters ;  George,  who  makes  his  home  near 
Moweaqua,  Illinois;  Ross  A.,  of  this  review; 
Elton,  who  lives  one  mile  west  of  Blue 
]\lound  :  Naomi,  wife  of  J.  Damery ;  Alpha, 
wife  of  Thomas  Wright,  who  resides  near 
Macon ;  and  Oren,  who  is  married  and  lives 
on  the  old  homestead. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  1881,  Ross  A. 
Nicholls  was  united  in  marriage  to  ^liss  Sarah 
Ribelin,  who  was  born  April  13.  1861,  a 
daughter  of  G.  W.  and  Elizabeth  Ribelin.  She 
is  one  of  a  family  of  three  children,  the  others 
being  Ella,  the  widow  of  Harry  Bohannon, 
of  Decatur ;  and  Mary,  wife  of  A.  Sackett, 
who  resides  near  Blue  IMound.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs. 
Nicholls  have  become  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Arza  Washington,  born 
March  29,  1882;  Verna,  who  was  born  Octo- 
ber 8,  1883,  and  died  October  16,  1884;  Stella, 
born  February  2.  1885;  Earl,  born.  October 
3.  1892 ;  and  Ray,  born  November  22,  1894. 
All  are  at  home. 

In  1902  Mr.  Nicholls  purchased  his  present 
fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in 
Decatur ,  tovvuship  and  in  its  operation  he  is 
now  lueeting  with  good  success,  being  a  prac- 
tical and  painstaking  agriculturist  who  thor- 
oughly understands  the  vocation  he  follows. 
His  political  support  is  given  the  Democratic 
party,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  His  wife,  however,  be- 
longs to  the  Christian  church  and  is  also  con- 
nected with  the  Royal  Neighbors.  They  are 
people  of  prominence  in  the  community  where 
they  reside  and  are  held  in  high  regard  by 
all  who  know  them. 


CHARLES  K.  GUTHRIDGE. 

Charles  K.   Guthridge,  now   deceased,  was 

a  native  of  Martin  county,  Indiana,  born  on 

the  nth  of  February.  1861.    When  he  was  five 

years  of  age   his   parents   removed   from  In- 


PAST  AXD  TRESEXT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


S17 


(liana  to  I-'axctlc  county,  Illinois,  and  he  was 
rearetl  upon  a  farm  there,  early  becoming;  fa- 
miliar with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to 
the  lot   of  the  agriculturist  as  he  assisted  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  fields.     His  educational 
privileges  were  those  afforded  by  the  district 
schools  and   he   continued   in   Fayette  county 
until  1881,  when  he  removed  to  Piatt  county, 
Illinois,   where   he   was  engaged   in   farming. 
Mr.  Guthridge  first  married  Lasella  Woot- 
ers  bv  whom  he  had  four  children,  three  still 
living,  namely :     Cloyd,  Arthur  and  Geneva, 
who  are  living  with  an  aunt  near  Bement.  Piatt 
county.     It  was  during  his  residence  in  that 
county  that  Mr.  Guthridge  was  again  married. 
August  10.  1892.  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss   Cora  Trabue  Monroe,  a  native  of  Be- 
ment. born  on  the  20th  of  January.  1871.    The 
lady  is  a  daughter  of  Newton  A.  Trahue,  who 
is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Decatur.     She 
was.    however,    adopted    by    jNIr.    Monroe,    of 
Bement.  Piatt  county,  who  is  a  retired  farmer 
living    in    that    town.       Unto    ]\Ir.    and    yiTS. 
Guthridge  were  born  two  children  :  Ruth,  who 
was   born   July   23,    1893.  and  is   living  with 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Monroe  in  Bement :  and  Ruliy. 
who  was  born  .\ugust  30,  1895.  and  is  living 
with   her  mother  in  Decatur. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Mr.  Guthridge 
took  his  bride  to  his  farm  in  Piatt  county, 
Illinois,  and  there  successfully  engaged  in  gen- 
eral agricultural  pursuits  until  his  health  be- 
came impaircfl.  On  account  of  this  he  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Riverside,  California. 
on  the  13th  of  December,  1895,  and  they  were 
residents  of  that  beautiful  city  until  the  death 
of  the  husband  and  father  on  the  9th  of  June, 
1896.  After  his  death  Mrs.  Guthridge  and 
her  children  remained  in  California  for  only  a 
brief  period  and  then  returned  to  Bement,  Il- 
linois, where  she  made  her  home  until  1899. 
when  she  came  to  Decatur. 

In  this  city  on  the  6th  of  August,  1901,  Mrs. 
Guthridge  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  her 
present  husband.  C.  S.  Christian.  He  is  a 
native   of   Marion,    Linn   countv,   Iowa,   born 


September  24.  1855,  and  is  a  son  of  James 
T.  and  Malinda  J.  (Moore)  Christian,  the 
former  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of 
.Vmherst,  Virginia.  After  the  Mexican  war 
Mr.  Christian,  the  father,  removed  to  Iowa, 
where  he  resided  continually  until  1861.  He 
then  put  aside  all  business  and  personal  con- 
siderations in  order  that  he  might  aid  his 
country  in  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  en- 
listing in  the  Union  army  as  a  captain  of  the 
Eighteenth  Iowa  Infantry  under  Colonel  Bis- 
scll.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  Mount 
\'ernon,  Iowa,  and  subsequently  he  traveled 
all  over  the  country.  He  was  for  some  time 
enga.ged  in  the  hotel  business  and  finally  he 
settled  in  Pinkneyville,  Illinois,  where  he 
owned  and  operated  a  mill,  remaining  at  that 
place  for  several  years.  His  wife  died  there 
in  1876  and  he  afterward  married  Malissa 
Stoker.  Later  he  removed  to  Lithia  Springs, 
Missouri,  where  he  died  and  where  his  widow 
yet  resides. 

C.  S.  Christian  acquired  a  good  college  edu- 
cation in  Oberlin.  Ohio,  and  in  1877  he  went 
to  Tilden,  Illinois,  where  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  station  agent  and  telegraph  operator 
lor  the  Big  Four  Railroad  Company,  acting 
in  that  capacity  for  four  years.  He  was  then 
transferred  to  LaSalle,  Illinois,  as  agent  and 
telegra]5h  operator  for  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company,  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected for  thirteen  years.  On  the  exiiiration 
of  that  period  he  came  to  Decatur  and  occu- 
pied a  position  in  the  office  of  county  treasurer 
for  two  years,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the 
life  iiTsurance  business  in  this  city  for  a  .short 
time.  He  next  became  connected  with  the 
music  trade  and  is  now  engaged  in  dealing 
extensively  in  pianos,  graphophones,  music 
and  musical  specialties,  keeping  a  stock  at  his 
residence  and  selling  throughout  the  surround- 
ing country.  He  handles  all  standard  makes 
of  pianos,  including  the  Story,  Clark,  the 
.Steinway,  Farraud  and  others. 

Mr.    Christian    was   first    married   to    Irene 
O.  ^Iclroy  of  Du  Quoin,  Illinois,  a  daughter 


818 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  MACOX  COUNTY. 


of  J.  G.  and  Mary  (J.  Melroy.  Her  father 
was  a  tailor  of  Du  Quoin,  and  both  he  and  his 
wife  are  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Irene  Christian 
died  leaving  ten  children,  namely :  Edith 
Belle;  Egbert  J.,  an  engineer  on  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad;  Frances;  Calvin  S.,  who 
is  a  soldier  in  the  regular  army  at  Vancouver, 
Washington ;  John  Melroy  ;  Hazel ;  Beulah  ; 
and  Edith.  The  two  who  are  now  deceased 
are  Eugene  and  Harry  C. 

Mr.  Christian  has  held  no  political  posi- 
tions in  Decatur,  his  attention  being  fully  oc- 
cupied by  his  business  affairs.  He  votes,  how- 
ever, with  the  Democracy  and  is  a  stanch  ad- 
vocate of  its  principles.  Fraternally  he  is 
connected  with  the  Masonic  Lodge,  the  An- 
cient Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the  Court 
of  Honor,  all  of  Decatur.  Mrs.  Christian  is 
a  member  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Decatur.  She  now  owns  the  resi- 
dence which  she  occupies  at  No.  1043  West 
Decatur  street  and  she  also  has  two  good 
farms,  one  of  eighty  acres  near  Rinard  and 
another  of  eighty  acres  near  Pierson,  Piatt 
county.  Her  daughter,  Ruby,  resides  with  her 
and  Ruth,  a  child  of  Air.  Christian's  first  mar- 
riage, is  also  a  member  of  the  household. 


G.  F.  ALBERT. 
One  of  the  representative  and  prominent 
farmers  of  lllini  township  is  G.  F.  Albert, 
whose  home  is  on  section  14.  He  was  burn 
in  Clark  county,  Ohio,  August  28,  1844,  and 
is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Louisa  (Lehman)  Al- 
bert, both  of  whom  w'ere  of  German  descent. 
The  father  was  born  in  Maryland  in  1814  and 
in  1828  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  learned 
the  blacksmith's  trade  in  the  shop  of  his  step- 
father. He  continued  to  make  his  home  in 
that  state  until  1881,  when  he  came  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  and  purchased  a  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  three  miles  north 
of  Warrensburg,  where  he  lived  for  several 
years.     At  present  he  is  a  resident  of  Decatur 


and  although  eighty-nine  years  of  age  he  en- 
joys good  health.  The  mother  of  our  subject, 
who  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  died  in 
Ohio  before  the  removal  of  the  father  to  Il- 
linois. 

The  primary  education  of  G.  F.  Albert  was 
obtained  in  the  Good  Intent  district  school  in 
Clark  county,  Ohio,  and  later  he  attended  the 
Southwestern  Normal,  then  known  as  the  Hol- 
brook  school,  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  where  he 
completed  his  studies  in  1867.  During  the 
following  summer  he  worked  at  the  carpenter's 
trade  in  that  state  and  then  started  on  horse- 
back for  Illinois,  arriving  in  Macon  county 
on  Thursday.  He  took  the  teacher's  exam- 
ination under  Edward  Park  immediately  after- 
ward, and  passing,  he  began  teaching  the  fol- 
lowing Monday  at  the  Mount  Pleasant  school 
in  Hickory  Point  township.  He  taught  for 
seven  winters  and  during  the  summer  worked 
on  a  farm.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  set- 
tled down  to  farming  on  section  2,  lllini  town- 
ship and  in  1874  purchased  his  present  farm 
on  section  14,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  acres  adjoining  the  corporation 
of  Warrensburg.  He  also  owns  an  eighty 
acre  tract  which  lies  to  the  east  of  his  house. 
He  is  a  wide-awake,  progressive  farmer  and 
his  efforts  have  been  attended  with  well  mer- 
ited success. 

On  the  24th  of  September,  1872,  Mr.  Albert 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mattie  S. 
Ritchie,  who  was  educated  at  the  State  Nor- 
mal School  at  Normal,  Illinois,  and  was  mar- 
ried soon  after  leaving  that  institution.  Her 
parents  were  Samuel  and  Susan  (Hinzie) 
Ritchie,  who  were  born  in  Pennsylvania,  the 
former  of  Scotch-Irish  and  the  latter  of  Ger- 
man lineage.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albert  were 
born  five  children  but  the  second  is  deceased. 
The  living  are  as  follows :  Leslie  is  engaged 
in  farming  on  the  eighty  acres  belonging  to 
his  father  and  also  on  a  rented  tract.  Bertha 
has  taught  four  terms  at  Warrensburg  and  is 
now  living  at  home  with  her  father.  Edna 
attended   the   State  Normal   School  until  her 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


819 


mother's  death,  which  occurred  August  i, 
1899,  and  has  since  remained  at  home  to  keep 
house  for  her  father.  Chester,  who  completes 
the  family,  was  for  two  terms  a  student  at 
Brown's  Business  College  in  Decatur  and  for 
the  same  length  of  time  at  the  Gem  City  Busi- 
ness College  in  Quincy.  He  is  now  living  in 
Colorado.  The  daughters  have  both  given 
considerable  attention  to  the  study  of  music 
and  have  become  quite  proficient  on  the  piano. 
Since  casting  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
Seymour,  JMr.  Albert  has  affiliated  with  the 
Democratic  party,  and  for  several  terms  he 
served  as  assessor  of  his  township.  Pleasant 
and  genial  in  manner,  he  makes  many  friends 
and  is  held  in  the  highest  regard  by  all  who 
know  him.  His  home  is  noted  for  its  hos- 
pitality and  good  cheer. 


JOSEPH  B.  EHRHART. 

Joseph  B.  Ehrhart,  who  for  many  years  has 
been  engaged  in  business  in  Decatur  as  a 
painter  and  decorator  and  who  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  this 
line  of  industrial  activity,  was  born  in 
York  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  i6th  of 
June,  1838,  a  son  of  John  Ehrhart.  Both  his 
father  and  mother  spent  their  entire  lives  in 
Pennsylvania  and  the  former  carried  on  black- 
smithing  there.  ^  He  was  three  times  married, 
our  subject  being  one  of  the  six  chidren  of 
the  last  union.  Two  of  the  number  are  now 
living,  the  brother  being  Samuel  Ehrhart.  The 
four  who  have  passed  away  all  reached  years 
of  maturity. 

Mr.  Ehrhart  of  this  review  received  but 
limited  educational  privileges.  He  attended 
school  to  some  extent  in  Newbury  township, 
York  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1855  when 
but  seventeen  years  of  age  he  came  to  Illinois. 
He  settled  in  Macon  county  and  began  work- 
ing as  a  farm  hand  near  what  is  now  East 
Eldorado  street,  a  corn  field  at  that  time  cover- 
ing the  district,  and  he  plowed  corn  at  what 


is  now  the  leading  thoroughfare  of  the  city. 
He  also  broke  prairie  within  the  present  cor- 
poration limits  of  Decatur  and  was  thus  identi- 
fied with  ihc  early  development  of  the  county. 
Later  he  was  emi^loyed  as  a  brakesman  on  the 
construction  train  when  the  railroad  track  was 
laid  to  Bement,  Illinois.  Subsequently  he  was 
apprenticed  to  the  painting  and  decorating 
trade  under  S.  -S.  Dellahunt,  with  whom  he 
served  for  a  year.  On  the  expiration  of  that 
period,  although  but  a  young  man,  he  began 
contracting  on  his  own  account.  His  first 
shop  was  located  where  the  office  of  the  Shell- 
abargcr  Mill  now  stands-.  There  was  then  a 
two  story  building  there,  the  lower  floor  being 
occupied  by  Solomon  Epler  &  Gamen,  car- 
riage and  wagon  makers,  and  Mr.  Ehrhart 
utilized  the  second  floor  for  his  paint  shop. 
In  connection  with  the  painting  of  wagons 
and  carriages  he  also  did  house  painting  and 
in  those  days  he  had  to  carry  all  of  his  supplies 
to  his  place  of  work  as  he  had  no  conveyance 
for  transporting  them.  In  the  winter  of  1864 
he  superintended  a  crew  of  eleven  men  and 
in  this  way  executed  a  contract  for  painting 
eleven  hundred  cultivators  for  the  firm  of 
Barnes  &  Lintner.  He  has  been  continuously 
engaged  at  his  trade  since  entering  upon  his 
apprenticeship  with  the  exception  of  a  period 
of  three  years  when  ill  health  caused  by 
blood  poisoning  forced  him  to  rest  from  his 
labors.  He  has  built  up  a  very  large  trade 
and  is  now  the  oldest  painter  and  decorator 
of  the  city.  His  business  has  grown  as  the 
years  have  passed  by  and  the  patronage  now 
accorded  him  brings  to  him  a  very  gratifying 
financial  return.  In  the  fall  of  1864  he  joined 
the  band  known  as  Elijah  Howes  Band  of 
Boston  and  was  identified  therewith  for  thirty 
years.  Later  it  was  under  the  instruction  and 
supervision  of  Professor  Goodman  and  is  now 
known  as  Goodman's  Band.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  famous  bands  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Ehrhart  has  been  twice  married  and  by 
his  first  union  had  three  children :  John  and 
George,  who  arc  married  and  live  in  Decatur; 


820 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  Ellsworth,  who  died  in  1883.  On  the 
22d  of  April,  1883,  Mr.  Ehrhart  was  joined  in 
wedlock  to  Annette  Songer  and  they  had  two 
children :  Alma  and  Abigail,  but  the  former 
died  in  infancy.  IMr.  Ehrhart  has  given  his 
children  good  educational  privileges,  thus  pre- 
paring them  for  the  practical  and  respon- 
sible duties  of  life.  He  and  his  wife  are  de- 
voted members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Their  hospitable  home  is  located  at 
No.  1275  North  Union  street  and  in  addition 
to  this  valuable  property  ^Ir.  Ehrhart  owns 
other  realty  in  Decatur,  all  of  which  has  been 
acciuired  entirely  through  his  own  energy  and 
capable  management.  He  is  one  of  the  worthy 
pioneer  settlers  of  this  city  and  has  aided  in 
developing  Decatur  from  the  hazel  brush  to 
a  citv  of  metropolitan  proportions,  having 
within  its  borders  all  of  the  equipments  and 
improvements  of  the  older  east.  He  remem- 
bers to  have  seen  Lincoln  Square  when  it 
was  covered  with  straw  and  used  as  a  feeding 
place  for  the  teams  of  the  farmers  who  drove 
into  town.  The  open  prairie  was  the  feeding 
ground  of  many  deer  and  other  wild  game  and 
the  surface  of  the  country  was  dotted  here 
and  there  with  ponds  or  crossed  with  sloughs. 
During  his  boyhood  days  ;\Ir.  Ehrhart  was 
dressed  in  home-made  clothing.  In  his 
father's  familv  they  would  shear  the  sheep 
and  have  the  wool  sent  to  the  factory  where 
it  was  spun  into  clothing.  Pioneer  life  as 
it  %\-as  a  half  century  ago  was  well  known  to 
him  and  he  retains  vivid  recollections  of  De- 
catur when  it  was  a  very  primitive  town, 
giving  little  promise  of  its  present  develop- 
ment and  progress. 


HENRY  L.  HIGHLY. 
Henry  L.  Highly  is  one  of  Macon's  repre- 
sentative citizens,  whose  useful  and  well  spent 
life  has  not  only  gained  him  the  confidence 
of  his  fellow  men  but  has  also  secured  for 
him  a  comfortable  competence  which  enables 


him  to  lay  aside  all  business  cares  and  spend 
his  declining  days  in  case  and  retirement. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  Mr.  Highly  was  born  near 
Zanesville  on  the  12th  of  June,  1835,  and  is 
a  son  of  Thomas  and  Susan  (Gist)  Highly, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania 
antl  of  German  descent.  Leaving  the  Key- 
stone state  they  removed  to  Ohio  at  an  early 
day  and  settled  ten  miles  east  of  Zanesville, 
becoming  pioneers  of  that  section.  There  the 
father  secured  forty  acres  of  timberland,  which 
he  cleared,  improved  and  cidtivated,  and  in 
addition  to  the  operation  of  his  farm  he  con- 
ducted a  saw  and  grist  mill  for  many  years, 
being  a  miller  by  trade.  Selling  out  in  1850. 
he  removed  to  Hocking  county,  Ohio,  and 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  four  miles  from 
Logan,  where  he  made  his  home  until  his 
death.  In  his  family  were  eleven  children, 
but  only  four  are  now  living,  namely : 
Thomas,  a  retired  farmer  living  in  Oregon ; 
Henrv  L..  of  this  review:  Samuel  and  Eliza- 
beth, twins,  the  former  of  whom  is  now  jan- 
itor of  the  courthouse  at  Logan,  Ohio,  while 
the  latter  is  the  wife  of  John  Coon,  a  retired 
farmer  living  near  Lancaster,  Ohio. 

Henry  L.  Highly  was  educated  in  an  old 
log  school  house  w'hich  had  a  puncheon  floor, 
slab  benches  and  other  rude  furniture,  but 
he  was  only  able  to  attend  school  for  about 
three  months  during  the  winter  season  as  his 
services  were  needed  on  the  home  farm  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  tlie  >ear.  At  the  age  of 
fifteen  he  started  out  to  make  his  own  way 
in  the  world  and  was  told  by  his  father,  if  he 
would  pay  off  the  mortgage  on  a  forty  acre 
farm  he  could  have  the  place,  only  one  pay- 
ment having  previously  been  made.  To  earn 
the  money  for  this  purpose  Mr.  Highly 
worked  by  the  month  for  five  years.  He 
then  cleared  his  land,  which  was  a  timber 
tract,  and  split  the  rails  to  fence  it  with. 

In  the  spring  of  1861  he  came  to  Macon 
coimty,  Illinois,  and  commenced  work  on  the 
Allison  farm.  About  a  year  later  he  returned 
to  his  old  home  in  Ohio,  and  was  there  mar- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


821 


rietl  on  the  6th  of  ilarch,  1862,  to  Miss  Jane 
Gibson,  a  daughter  of  Patrick  and  Margaret 
(Flanigan)  Gibson.  The  wedding  journey  of 
the  young  couple  was  from  Ohio  to  Illinois 
and  was  made  in  an  old  fashioned  covered 
wagon.  After  making  a  short  visit  at  Col- 
umbus, Ohio,  tho\  proceeded  on  their  way, 
pa.ssing  through  Springfield,  Ohio;  Indianap- 
olis and  Terre  Haute,  Indiana:  and  Areola 
and  Mount  Zion,  Illinois,  finally  reaching 
Macon  after  fourteen  days  upon  the  road. 

For  two  years  Mr.  Highly  was  engaged 
in  farming  upon  the  Allison  place,  and  then 
purchased  eighty  acres  of  railroad  land  east 
of  Macon,  for  which  he  paid  twelve  dollars 
and  a  half  per  acre.  Upon  the  place  was  an 
old  log  house,  fourteen  feet  square  and  a 
kitchen  made  of  slabs,  twelve  by  fourteen  feet. 
Here  Mr.  Highly  and  his  wife  lived  for  ten 
years  and  then  erected  a  fine  home  at  a  cost 
of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  while  a  new 
barn  was  built  at  a  cost  of  twelve  hundred. 
The  farm  was  all  wild  prairie  land  when  they 
took  up  their  residence  thereon,  but  Mr. 
Highly  soon  placed  it  under  cultivation  and 
at  the  end  of  ten  years  was  able  to  purchase 
an  adjoining  eighty  acres.  As  time  passed  he 
kept  adding  to  his  property  at  intervals  until 
he  had  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  con- 
stituting one  of  the  finest  farms  in  Macon 
township.  The  last  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  purchased  by  Mr.  Highly  cost  sixty 
dollars  per  acre.  The  farm  is  now  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  with  valuable  im- 
provements, the  buildings  alone  having  cost 
ten  thousand  dollars,  while  the  ditching,  deep 
wells,  wind  pumps,  etc.,  have  cost  fifteen 
thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Highly  continued 
fanning  operations  with  marked  success  until 
1899.  when  he  retired  from  active  labor  and 
removed  to  Macon,  where  he  now  owns  and 
occupies  a  nice  modern  residence. 

He  has  two  children,  Olna  S..  who  is  the 
older,  now  has  charge  of  one  of  his  father's 
farms.  He  married  Gladys  Combs  and  has 
three    children,    Lena.    Llovd    and     Pauline. 


James  II..  tlu-  younger  son,  married  Minnie 
Wise  and  is  living  upon  the  old  homestead 
farm.  Mr.  Highly  is  a  charter  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Macon,  has  ever  taken 
an  active  part  in  its  work,  and  has  served  as 
elder  for  over  twenty  years.  His  wife  is  also 
a  member  of  that  church.  Socially  he  belongs 
to  the  blue  lodge  of  Masons,  No.  467,  at 
Macon,  having  been  made  a  Mason  about  1856 
in  Columbia  Lodge,  at  Cumberland,  Ohio, 
and  politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Prohi- 
bition party  as  he  is  a  strong  temperance 
man  and  believes  that  question  to  be  the  most 
imi)orlant  now  before  the  American  people. 
For  over  twenty  years  he  acceptably  served 
as  school  director  in  his  district  and  for  one 
term  was  road  commissioner  but  always  re- 
fused to  accept  other  official  positions,  pre- 
ferring to  give  his  undivided  attention  to  his 
business  interests.  On  his  removal  to  this 
state  he  had  but  forty  dollars  in  money  and 
the  horses  and  wagon  in  which  he  and  his 
wife  tnivele<I,  but  he  has  always  made  the 
most  of  his  advantages  and  by  industry,  per- 
severance and  good  management  he  worked 
his  way  steadily  u])war<I  until  he  is  to-day  one 
of  the  well-to-do  and  sul)stanlial  men  of  his 
communnity,  as  well  as  one  of  its  most  highly 
esteemed  citizens. 


CHARLES  M.  HURST. 
Charles  M.  Hurst  is  connected  with  mer- 
cantile interests  in  Decatur  as  the  secretary 
of  the  Morehouse  &  Wells  Company,  whole- 
sale and  retail  dealers  in  hardware.  He  was 
born  in  this  city  in  February,  1859,  and  is  a 
son  of  E.  W.  and  Sarah  E.  (Miller)  Hurst, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania, 
having  been  born  in  York  county,  that  state. 
In  the  schools  of  his  native  state  Charles  M. 
Hurst  pursued  his  early  education  and  after- 
ward liccame  a  student  in  a  college  of  Penn- 
sylvania. When  he  had  completed  his  school 
life   he   entered   upon    bis  business   career  in 


822 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


connection  with  nicrcanlile  interests.  His  first 
employment  was  with  the  hardware  estab- 
hshnicnt  of  Morehonsc  &  Wells  with  whom 
he  continued  as  an  employe  nntil  1894,  at 
which  time  the  company  was  incorporated 
under  the  style  of  the  Morehouse  &  Wells 
Compan\-,  with  Mr.  Hurst  as  its  secretary. 
He  has  since  acted  in  this  capacity  and  has 
been  very  active  in  the  control  of  what  is  now 
a  most  important  mercantile  concern,  doing  a 
large  business  both  along  wholesale  and  retail 
lines.  He  is  well  versed  in  every  department 
and  his  energy  and  sound  business  judgment 
have  been  salient  features  in  its  success.  He 
is  also  connected  with  the  United  States  Wire 
Mat  Company,  of  which  he  is  a  director  and 
the  secretary,  and  he  is  now  president  of  the 
Central  Malleable  Iron  Company  of  Decatur. 
His  activity  touching  many  lines  of  business 
enterprise,  causes  him  to  be  classed  among  the 
leading  men  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Hurst  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Rella  Shockley,  a  daughter  of  DeWitt  C. 
Shockley,  a  prominent  and  much  respected 
citizen  of  Decatur.  In  matters  pertaining  to 
the  general  progress  Mr.  Hurst  is  public  spir- 
ited and  progressive  and  keeps  in  touch  with 
public  thought  and  eiTort.  In  the  business 
world  he  has  won  the  trust  and  confidence  of 
those  with  whom  he  has  been  associated.  His 
social  qualities,  too,  render  him  popular  with  a 
large  circle  of  friends  and  he  is  a  genial  gen- 
tleman without  ostentation  or  display,  who 
holds  friendship  sacred  and  is  as  true  to  the 
duties  and  obligations  of  citizenship  and  of 
private  life  as  to  those  to  which  he  is  pledged 
through  business  connections. 


DAVID  SKILLMAN  ALLEN. 
Only  those  lives  are  worthy  of  record  that 
have  been  potential  factors  in  the  public  prog- 
ress in  promoting  the  general  welfare  or  ad- 
vancing the  educational  or  moral  interests  of 
the  communitv.     Mr.  Allen  was  ever  faithful 


to  all  the  duties  of  life  and  by  the  successful 
conduct  of  his  business  affairs  not  only  pro- 
moted his  individual  success  but  also  advanced 
the  general  prosperity.  In  his  life  span  of 
almost  sixty  years  he  accomplished  much  and 
left  behind  an  honorable  record  well  worthy 
of  perpetuation. 

Mr.  Allen  was  born  in  Scott  county,  Ken- 
tucky, on  the  8th  of  February,  1822,  and  was 
a  son  of  Joseph  and  Katherine  (Skillman) 
Allen.  The  Allen  family  originated  in  Scot- 
land and  from  that  country  ancestors  of  our 
subject  removed  to  Ireland,  where  the  old 
Allen  homestead  is  now  in  possession  of  Pat- 
rick Allen.  In  early  life  our  subject's  father 
removed  from  Loudoun  coimty,  \'irginia,  to 
Kentucky,  and  in  Bourbon  county,  of  that  lat- 
ter state,  he  married  Katherine  Skillman. 
they  located  in  Scott  county,  Kentucky, 
where  they  reared  their  family,  and  where 
the  father'  died  in  March,  1846.  His  wife, 
long  surviving  him,  passed  away  a  few  years 
ago. 

During  his  boyhood  David  S.  Allen  pursued 
his  studies  in  a  log  school  house  in  his  native 
county,  the  school  being  conducted  on  the 
subscription  plan  as  this  was  before  the  day 
of  free  schools,  and  after  putting  aside  his 
text  books  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
until  twenty-five  years  of  age,  when  he  es- 
tablished a  home  of  his  own.  On  the  i6th 
of  September,  1845,  'ic  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Amanda  D.  Risk,  who  was  also 
born  in  Scott  county,  Kentucky,  December 
29,  1829,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ann 
(Daugherty)  Risk.  Her  mother  was  a  native 
of  the  same  county  and  there  she  gave  her 
hand  in  marriage  to  John  Risk,  the  name 
being  originally  spelled  Risque.  They  contin- 
ued to  make  their  home  there  throughout  the 
remainder  of  their  lives.  In  religious  faith 
they  were  Presbyterians  and  in  politics  Mr. 
Risk  was  a  Whig.  Of  their  ten  children,  Mrs. 
Allen  is  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth  and  the 
only  one  now  living. 

After  his  marriaec  Mr.  Allen  located  on  a 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


823- 


farm  luur  miles  from  Georgetown,  Kentucky, 
and  from  there  removed  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  in  January,  1855,  settling  one  mile 
north  of  Harristown,  where  he  purchased  a 
section  of  land  at  sixteen  dollars  per  acre  but 
the  property  is  now  valued  at  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre.  When  the 
family  located  on  this  farm  Decatur  was  the 
nearest  town  and  there  were  no  railroads 
through  the  county,  much  of  this  region  being 
still  wild  and  unimproved.  With  the  develop- 
ment and  upbuilding  of  his  adopted  county 
Mr.  Allen  bore  an  important  part  and  through- 
out life  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  with 
good  success.  He  died  upon  his  farm  on  the 
2 1  St  of  August,  1880,  honored  and  respected 
by  all  who  knew  him,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest 
in  the  Harristown  cemetery.  His  political 
support  was  always  given  the  Republican 
jKirty  hill  he  never  cared  for  the  honors  or 
emoluments  of  public  office.  He  took  an  active 
part  in  church  work,  being  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  denomination  and  served 
as  steward  from  the  age  of  twenty-five  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  also  a  strong 
advocate  of  temperance  and  his  life  was  ever 
in  b.armony  with  his  professions. 

Since  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Allen  has 
made  her  home  with  her  children  but  is  now 
living  with  her  brother-in-law,  William  J. 
Quinlan.  at  222  West  William  street,  Decatur. 
She  is  a  lady  of  ciiUure  and  refijiement,  who 
has  traxelecl  extensively  both  in  this  country 
and  in  Europe  and  she  possesses  literary  talent 
of  a  high  order.  She  has  contributed  several 
interesting  articles  on  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
Illinois  to  different  periodicals  and  also  wrote 
an  article  which  was  read  at  the  last  meeting 
of  the  Old  Settlers  of  Macon  county,  who 
each  year  hold  a  reunion  at  Fairview  Park 
in  Decatur.  She  is  a  lady  of  many  excellent 
traits  of  character  which  have  endeared  her 
to  all  with  whom  she  has  been  Ijrought  in  con- 
tact. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  were  born  six 
children,  five  sons  and  one  daughter,  as  fol- 


lows :  Rhodes  C.  married  Miss  Emma  Levett 
and  resided  near  Harristown  for  some  time, 
but  finally  removed  lo  Hot  Springs,  Arkan- 
sas, where  he  died.  Of  liis  three  children  only 
one  is  now  living,  Roy  S.,  a  resident  of  Los- 
Angeles,  California.  Louisa  C.  married  Dr. 
John  M.  Gregory,  who  was  for  thirteen  years 
president  of  the  State  L'niversity  at  Champaign 
and  also  president  of  the  University  of  Michi- 
gan at  Ann  Arbor.  Mrs.  Gregory  introduced 
domestic  science  into  the  former  institution 
and  was  made  professor  of  the  same.  The 
Doctor  served  as  civil  service  commissioner 
under  President  Arthur  and  was  one  of  the 
first  to  advocate  free  mail  delivery  and  also  the 
fir.st  to  introduce  work  reading  in  the  public 
schools.  He  died  in  Washington,  D.  C,  Oc- 
tober 19,  1898,  and  was  buried  in  the  Cham- 
paign University  grounds.  His  widow  and 
daughter  AUene  are  still  residents  of  the  cap- 
ital city.  Henry  C,  Mrs.  Allen's  second  son, 
is  engaged  in  farming  in  Scott  county,  Ken- 
tucky. He  married  ]Miss  Fannie  ]Moore,  of 
Georgetown,  Kentucky,  and  has  two  children : 
Harvey  M.  and  Evcl\n.  Charles  Wesley,  the 
third  son,  died  July  6,  1880.  He  studied  law 
at  the  State  University  and  was  graduated  in 
1877,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  two  years  later. 
Joseph  Bascom,  the  next  of  the  family,  married 
IMiss  Sena  Talbott  and  lives  near  Ottawa,  Kan- 
sas, where  he  is  engaged  in  farming.  They 
have  two  sons,  Louis  and  Arthur.  E.  Wright 
Allen,  the  youngest  child,  was  born  October  20, 
i8(ji,  on  the  olil  homestead  in  Harristown 
township,  where  he  now  resides.  He  began 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
this  county  and  later  attended  the  State 
University  at  Champaign  for  three  years. 
Throughout  his  active  business  life  he 
has  followed  farming  and  has  met  with 
good  success,  being  the  owner  of  con- 
siderable farming  land  near  Harristown. 
He  is  interested  in  the  breeding  of  polled  An- 
gus cattle  and  is  quite  extensively  engaged 
in  that  business,  which  he  finds  quite  profitable. 
On  the  1st  of  September,  1887,  he  was  united 


S24 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


in  iiiarriagc  to  Miss  Minnie  H.  ]\Ioft'ett,  who 
was  born  on  the  old  Mofifett  homestead  near 
Boody,  December  28,  1868.  Her  father,  Will- 
iam T.  Moffett,  was  a  native  of  Bcardstown, 
Illinois,  and  was  a  very  prominent  man  of  his 
community,  serving  as  state  senator  for  a  time. 
Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  W.  Allen  were  born 
four  children,  but  Skillman  died  November  29, 
1896,  at  the  age  of  seven  years.  Those  still 
living  are  Leonora,  Marie  A.  and  Moflfett  B. 
E.  W.  Allen  gives  his  political  support  to  the 
men  and  measures  of  the  Republican  party 
and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  public  affairs.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  Summit  Lodge  No.  431,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
and  stands  high  in  both  business  and  social  cir- 
cles. Success  has  attended  his  well  directed 
efforts  and  he  has  become  one  of  the  most 
prosperous  agriculturists  of  his  community. 
Besides  his  valuable  property  in  Harristown 
township  he  owns  a  half  section  of  land  in 
Texas. 


CLARENCE  J.  VAN  DEVENTER. 

Clarence  J-  Van  Deventer  is  widely  known 
throughout  Illinois  and  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent throughout  the  covmtry  in  photographic 
circles.  He  is  the  president  of  the  Photog- 
raphers' Association  of  the  state  and.  although 
one  of  the  more  recent  acquisitions  to  the  busi- 
ness life  of  Decatur,  he  has  already  gained  a 
large  patronage,  being  connected  with  a  pro- 
fession where  merit  is  easily  discernible  and 
in  which  success  cannot  be  won  without  this 
quality. 

Mr.  Van  Deventer  was  born  in  Mount  Pul- 
aski. Logan  county,  Illinois,  on  the  15th  of 
April,  1865,  and  is  a  son  of  James  C.  and  Car- 
oline (Nicholson)  \'an  Deventer.  The  father. 
a  resident  of  Lee  county,  Virginia,  in  his 
earlv  life,  removed  from  the  Old  Dominion 
to  Illinois  in  the  '50s,  and  in  this  state  engaged 
in  stock-raising  and  dealing.  He  is  a  son  of 
Abraham  Van  Deventer.  When  Clarence  J. 
Van   Deventer   was   but  two  months   old   the 


father  died,  but  the  mother  is  yet   li\ing  and 
still  makes  her  home  in  Logan  comity. 

To  the  public  school  system  of  this  state 
Mr.  \'an  Deventer  is  indebted  for  the  edu- 
cational ])rivileges  he  received  in  his  youth. 
In  early  life  he  began  earning  his  own  live- 
lihood and  when  a  youth  of  sixteen  he  secured 
a  clerkship  in  a  hardware  store,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years,  proving  a  capable 
and  trustworthy  employe  who  won  the  un- 
qualified confidence  of  those  whom  he  served. 
In  1883  he  removed  to  Bloomington,  Illinois, 
where  he  was  employed  by  T.  P.  Garrett,  a 
photographer.  Thus  he  was  initiated  into  the 
business  which  has  become  his  life  work.  He 
continued  to  serve  ^Ir.  Garrett  until  1866, 
gradnallv  acquiring  a  comprehensive  knowl- 
edge of  the  art  and  the  methods  pursued  in 
the  conduct  of  a  photographic  gallery.  In  the 
year  mentioned  he  went  to  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  was  employed  in  the  Anderson 
Art  Gallery  until  1888.  He  next  located  in 
Alpena.  Michigan,  where  he  purchased  an  art 
gallery  in  coimection  with  A.  R.  Nicholson, 
the  studio  being  conducted  under  the  firm 
style  of  Nicholson  &  \"an  Deventer  until  1891. 
Our  suliject  has  also  been  employed  by  lead- 
ing artists  of  Chicago.  In  1892  he  opened  two 
galleries,  one  in  Carlinsville  and  the  other  in 
Litchfield,  Illinois.  These  he  conducted  until 
1898.  when  he  sold  both  and  came  to  Decatur, 
establishing  his  present  studio  in  the  Powers 
block.  Here  he  soon  became  recognized  as  a 
leading  artist  of  this  city,  his  ability  placing 
him  in  the  ranks  of  the  most  prominent  and 
capable  representatives  of  his  calling.  His 
suite  of  rooms  are  decorated  with  some  of  the 
most  beautiful  specimens  of  photographic 
work.  He  is  a  member  of  the  National  Pho- 
tographers' Association  and  his  exhibits  at  its 
meetings  have  won  medals  because  of  their 
merit.  He  also  belongs  to  the  State  Photog- 
raphers' Association  and  has  won  its  prizes. 
He  likewise  holds  membership  in  the  New 
England  Photographers  Association  and  at- 
tended its  last   meeting  held  in  Boston.     For 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AlACON  COUNTY. 


S'25 


five  years  lie  has  been  the  treasurer  of  the 
state  association  and  in  the  year  1903  is  serv- 
ing as  its  president.  He  has  taken  a  deep  and 
zealous  interest  in  his  work,  doing  everything 
in  his  power  for  advancement  along  artistic 
lines  and  his  studio  is  equipped  with  every 
facility  for  producing  work  of  the  highest 
grades.  He  has  advanced  steadily  to  a  front 
rank  among  photographic  artists  in  Illinois 
through  persistent  effort  and  because  of  his 
special  adaptability  to  his  chosen  calling.  He 
has  real  artistic  skill  for  executing  the  labor 
of  the  mechanic,  who  by  means  of  certain 
devices  can  transfer  a  likeness  to  paper.  His 
appreciation  for  the  effects  of  light  and  shade 
is  great  and  in  his  posing  he  shows  true  ar- 
tistic skill. 

In  1893  Mr.  \'an  Deventer  was  joined  in 
wedlock  to  Miss  Martha  F.  Macknet,  a  daugh- 
ter of  1).  .'^.  and  Rhoda  (Clark)  Macknct. 
Their  children  are  Florence  A.,  Clarence  J. 
and  Macknet  F.  Mr.  \'an  Deventer  belongs 
to  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8,  F.  &  .\.  M..  Macnn 
Chapter,  N'o.  21,  R.  .\.  M.  and  BL-aunianoir 
Commandery,  No.  9,  K.  T. ;  to  the  Benevolent 
Protective  Order  of  Elks ;  to  Easterly  Camp, 
No.  1626,  M.  W.  A.;  and  in  Decatur  District 
Court,  No.  39,  Court  of  Honor.  He  is  a 
genial,  courteous  gentleman,  a  pleasant,  enter- 
taining companion  and  has  many  s]ilendid  and 
admiring  friends  among  all  classes  of  people. 
As  a  man  of  genuine  worth  of  character  and 
a  gentleman  of  attractive  social  qualities  he 
stands  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  entire 
conimunitv. 


YONG  P.  JONES. 
Yong  P.  Jones,  a  retired  farmer  residing 
at  No.  1084  East  Wood  street  in  Decatur, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Macon  coiiiitv  for 
more  than  half  a  century,  dating  his  arrival 
in  1 85 1.  One  of  Illinois'  native  sons,  his 
l)irth  occurred  in  Marion  county  on  the  2d 
•ot  June.  1842.  so  that  he  was  only  about  nine 


years  of  age  when  brought  by  his  jiareiits  to 
Decatur.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  E.  and  Sarah 
(Neel)  Jones,  the  former  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  They  were 
married  very  young.  Mr.  Jones  being  but 
eighteen  years  of  age  when  with  his  bride  he 
came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Decatur,  here  act- 
ing as  fireman  and  also  as  engineer  in  some 
of  the  lumber  mills  of  this  city.  Subsequent- 
ly he  was  given  charge  of  the  county  poor 
farm  and  acted  as  its  superintendent  for  eleven 
years,  discharging  his  duties  in  a  most 
capable  manner  so  that  he  won  the  confidence 
and  approval  of  the  entire  public.  He  then 
purchased  the  old  county  farm  and  there  car- 
ried on  general  agricultural  pursuits  until  his 
life's  labors  were  ended  in  death  on  the  26th 
of  March,  1866.  His  widow  afterward  sold 
the  farm  and  removed  to  Mount  Zion  town- 
ship, where  she  inirchased  a  tract  of  land 
and  resided  there  until  her  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  17th  of  July.  18Q4.  This  wor- 
tliy  couple  were  the  parents  of  ti\e  children, 
the  youngest  being  Yong  P.  of  this  review. 
The  others  are  Thomas,  a  retired  farmer  now 
living  on  West  Wood  street  in  Decatur;  Ozro, 
a  resident  farmer  of  Traverse  City,  Illinois; 
William  Columbus,  who  is  residing  on  the 
old  farm  in  .Mount  /.ion  township;  and 
Amanda,  the  wife  of  Martin  Cooper,  who  is 
living  in  Decatur.  .\ll  were  educated  in  the 
common   schools  of  Macon  county. 

Like  the  other  members  of  the  family  Yong 
I'.  Jones  ]Mirsued  a  ]niblic  school  course  and 
in  his  youth  he  aideil  in  the  labors  of  the 
fields  upon  the  home  farm.  His  practical 
training  well  qualified  him  for  carrying  on 
farm  work  on  his  own  account  after  he  had 
attained  his  majority. 

In  1861  in  Decatur,  Mr.  Jones  married  Miss 
Emma  May,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  died 
six  years  after  Ibeir  marriage,  leaving  two 
children :  Joseph  T..  who  wedded  Anna 
Briner  and  lives  on  a  farm  in  South  WHieat- 
land  township;  and  Ida,  the  wife  of  A.  J. 
.\nderson,  telegrajjli  operator  for  the   Illinois 


826 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Central  Railroad  at  Decatur.  'Sir.  Jones  was 
again  married  in  Decatur,  on  the  9th  of  De- 
cember, 1869,  his  second  union  being  with 
IMiss  Sarah  Malissa  Bordman,  who  was  born 
in  Columbus,  Indiana,  September  19,  1840, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Captain  Isaac  Bordman, 
one  of  the  early  settlers  and  a  very  prominent 
citizen  of  Decatur.  For  several  years  he 
served  as  county  clerk  of  Macon  county  and 
was  influential  in  public  affairs.  His  death 
occurred  in  this  city  and  the  community  there- 
by lost  one  of  its  valued   representatives. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Jones  purchased  a 
farm  on  section  35,  South  Wheatland  town- 
ship, comprising  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  acres,  and  to  the  improvement  of  this 
property  he  gave  his  attention,  making  it  a 
valuable  and  productive  place.  He  still  owns 
It  and  thereon  he  engaged  in  general  farming 
and  stock-rasing  until  1892.  when  he  removed 
to  the  city  and,  jnitting  aside  business  cares, 
has  since  enjoyed  a  well  earned  rest.  His 
home  is  at  No.  1084  East  Wood  street,  where 
he  and  his  wife  are  now  living.  She  is  a 
member  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  Decatur. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Jones  has  always 
been  a  Democrat.  His  life  has  been  one  of 
activity  and  usefulness  and  it  seems  almost 
impossible  for  him  to  put  aside  business 
cares  altogether.  Indolence  and  idleness  have 
ever  been  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature  and 
now  he  makes  daily  trips  to  his  farm  to  super- 
vise its  cultivation,  but  the  active  work  of 
field  and  meadow  he  leaves  to  others.  He 
owes  his  success  not  to  any  fortunate  combi- 
nation of  circumstances,  but  to  his  persistency 
and  diligence  and  his  prosperity  is  therefore 
well  deserved. 


HILLORY  BEALL. 
After  years  of  active   labor,   mainly  along 
agricultural  lines,  the  subject  of  this  review 
is  now  living  a  retired  life  enjoying  the  com- 
petence   which    he    acquired    through    former 


toil.  He  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  born  Jan- 
uary 29,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Hillory  and 
Jane  (Newland)  Beall,  who  were  born,  reared 
and  married  in  Pennsylvania,  and  from  that 
state  removed  to  the  Old  Dominion  in  1830. 
By  occupation  the  father  was  a  farmer.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased.  Our  sub- 
ject's great-gfandfather  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolutionary  war. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, five  sons  and  four  daughters,  the  others- 
being  Nancy,  who  is  the  wife  of.  Uriah  Bar- 
rett and  lives  in  Oklahoma ;  Sarah  Jane,  de- 
ceased ;  John,  who  is  proprietor  of  the  Beall 
Improvement  Company  of  Decatur  and  is  one 
of  the  old  settlers  of  Macon  county ;  Parker, 
who  makes  his  home  in  Warrensburg,  and  is 
engaged  in  farming;  Hilary,  the  wife  of  David 
Schroll.  of  ^^'arrensburg ;  \\'illiam,  also  a  res- 
ident of  that  place;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Andrew 
J.  Widick ;    and  Frank,  deceased. 

During  his  boyhood  Hillory  Beall,  Jr.,  went 
to  Ohio,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated^ 
pursuing  his  early  studies  in  an  old  log  school- 
house,  but  his  educational  advantages  were 
rather  limited.  After  leaving  school  he  learned 
the  millwright's  trade,  which  he  followed  for 
ten  years,  being  thus  employed  in  Springfield, 
Bloomington.  Decatur  and  Clinton,  Illinois. 
In  1856  he  came  to  Macon  county  and  for 
some  time  engaged  in  farming  in  Illini  town- 
ship, where  he  made  his  first  purchase  of  land. 
About  twenty-seven  years  ago  he  removed 
to  Niantic  township  and  bought  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  the  nucleus  of  his  present 
farm.  As  time  passed  and  his  financial  re- 
sources increased  he  kept  adding  to  his  prop- 
erty until  he  now  has  several  hundred  acres 
besides  a  beautiful  home  in  Niantic.  where  he 
is  now  living  retired. 

At  Springfield.  Illinois,  in  1867,  ;Mr.  Beall 
was  united  in  marriage  to  IMiss  Honora 
Hingey,  of  Riverton,  this  state.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Canada  and  are  both  now  de- 
ceased. Three  sons  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.   Beall.   namelv;      Tohn  Franklin,  a  resi- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


8-27 


dent  of  Niantic ;  Egbert  Lawrence,  who 
makes  his  home  in  Lovington ;  and  Edward 
Parker,  who  is  Hying  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Niantic  township.  Mrs.  Beall  is  a  member  of 
the  Cathohc  church  of  Niantic  and  is  a  most 
estimable  lady.  Being  a  strong  temperance 
man  our  subject  votes  with  the  Prohibition 
party.  A  man  of  natural  ability,  his  success 
in  business  is  but  the  just  reward  of  honor- 
able dealing,  good  management  and  unremit- 
ting industry,  and  the  prosperity  that  has 
come  to  him  is  certainly  well  merited.  His 
course  in  life  has  ever  been  such  as  to  com- 
mand respect  and  he  stands  hish  in  the  es- 
teem of  his   fellow  citizens. 


WILLIAM  Gl'SHARD. 

The  life  record  of  a  representative  of 
American  citizenship  frequently  contains  much 
that  is  of  value  to  the  student  of  biography 
who  wishes  to  judge  of  the  elements  and 
qualities  that  enter  into  a  successful  career. 
The  life  record  of  William  Gushard  has  been 
an  open  scroll  inviting  closest  scrutiny.  His 
achievements  represent  the  result  of  honest 
endeavor  along  lines  where  mature  judgment 
has  led  the  way.  He  possesses  a  weight  of 
character,  a  native  sagacity  and  di.scriminat- 
mg  judgment  and  a  fidelity  to  purpose  that 
command  the  respect  of  all.  lie  has  led  an 
honorable  career  and  is  recognized  as  one  of 
the  leading  merchants  of  Decatur,  being  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Gushard  &  Com- 
pany, dealers  in  dry-goods  and  millinery. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  William  Gushard  was 
born  in  Stark  county,  that  state,  on  the  5th 
of  March,  1862.  For  many  years  his  father, 
George  Gushard,  carried  on  merchandising 
there  and  his  death  occurred  in  Stark  county, 
in  1892.  For  his  second  wife  he  married  Mrs. 
Hannah  Rorabaugh.  who  died  on  the  25th  of 
May,  1865.  She  was  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject. 

\\'iniam  Gushard  spent  the  first  eight  years 


of  his  boyhood  in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  and  at 
the  usual  age  entered  the  public  schools.  He 
afterward  accompanied  his  father  on  his  re- 
moval to  Wabash  county,  Indiana,  where  he 
continued  to  pursue  his  studies  until  his  fif- 
teenth year.  He  then  returned  to  Ohio,  estab- 
lishing his  homo  in  Akron,  where  he  resided 
for  nine  year's  and  during  that  period  he  en- 
tered upon  his  business  career  as  a  salesman 
in  a  dry-gods  establishment.  His  endeavors 
to  master  the  business  both  in  principle  and 
detail  gained  him  a  broad  knowledge  of  the 
methods  employed  in  mercantile  circles. 
When  thus  well  equipped  for  further  advance- 
ment along  that  line  he  became  a  trusted  em- 
ploye in  the  dry-goods  house  of  G.  Y.  Smith 
&  Company  upon  his  removal  to  Kansas  City, 
^lissouri.  For  two  and  a  half  years  he  con- 
tinued with  that  firm  and  then  with  the  money 
he  had  acquired  through  his  own  industry 
and  economy  he  began  merchandising  on  his 
own  account  in  Excelsior  Springs,  Missouri. 
He  was  afterward  numbered  among  the  mer- 
chants of  Topeka,  Kansas,  and  was  there  very 
successful  in  his  business  operations. 

In  1895  he  arrived  in  Decatur,  Illinois, 
where  he  established  a  dry-goods  and  mil- 
linery store  as  the  senior  member  of  the  firm 
of  Gushard  &  Company,  his  partner  in  this 
enterprise  being  Walter  Buck.  Their  store 
is  located  at  No.  207-211  North  Water  street 
and  is  fifty  feet  in  breadth  b\"  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  in  depth,  the  building  is 
three  stories  in  height  and  all  three  floors  arc 
utilized  for  the  accommodation  of  their  large 
stock  of  millinery  and  dry-gods.  Between 
forty  and  fifty  clerks  are  employed  which  in- 
dicates to  some  extent  the  volume  of  business 
transacted.  Every  department  is  complete  and 
is  now  in  a  thriving  condition.  The  firm 
also  has  a  branch  store  at  Burlington.  Towa, 
which  is  a  general  cstalilisliment  managed  by 
John  J.  Summersby. 

In  1895  Mr.  Gushard  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Delia  Perkins,  of  Topeka,  Kan- 
sas,   and    their   union   has   been    blessed   with 


828 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


th.-cc  children :  Geraldine,  Hannah  Louise 
antl  Ruth  EHzabeth.  The  family  residence  is 
situated  on  North  Dunham  street  and  the 
attractive  home  is  surrounded  by  a  large  lawn, 
ornamented  with  beautiful  trees  many  of 
which  being  pine,  the  place  is  called  Pine 
Hurst.  This  home  is  celebrated  for  its 
gracious  hospitality  which  is  greatly  enjoyed 
by  the  many  friends  of  the  family.  i\lr.  Giish- 
ard  has  a  business  career  which  any  man 
might  be  proud  to  possess.  Starting  out  in 
life  empty-handed  and  brooking  no  obstacles 
that  could  be  overcome  by  determination  and 
honorable  effort  he  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  upward.  The  difficulties  he  has  encoun- 
tered have  seemed  to  serve  as  an  impetus  for 
renewed  effort  and  he  has  kept  apace  with  the 
universal  progress  along  business  lines,  adapt- 
ing himself  to  meet  conditions  and  making  the 
most  of  every  opportunity  until  he  now  occu- 
pies a  creditable  and  honorable  position  in 
trade  circles.  He  stands  to-day  strong  in  his 
credit  and  his  good  name  and  his  example  is 
one  well  worthy-  of  emulation. 


TA]\IES  FREEMAN. 
In  commercial  circles  in  Decatur  James 
Freeman  was  long  an  active  and  prominent 
factor,  having  established  and  conducted  one 
of  the  large  mercantile  enterprises  of  the  citv. 
Indolence  was  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature  and 
his  activity,  keen  discernment  in  business  af- 
fairs and  indefatigable  energy  enabled  him 
lO  develop  an  enterprise  of  importance  to  the 
city  and  which  at  the  same  time  proved  an  ex- 
cellent source  of  revenue  for  himself  and  fam- 
ily. 

Mr.  Freeman  was  a  native  of  Boston,  his 
birth  there  occurring  on  the  6th  of  April,  1836. 
He  was  a  representative  of  one  of  the  old 
families  of  New  England,  his  ancestors  hav- 
ing emigrated  to  America  in  1632,  only  twelve 
years  after  the  Pilgrims  landed  on  the  shores 
of  Massachusetts  from  the  Mavflower.     Ben- 


jamin F'reeman,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  New  England  and  during  the 
bo\liood  of  his  son  James  brought  his  family 
to  Illinois,  settling  in  Hillsboro,  where  he  en- 
tered land,  but  as  he  died  a  few  years  later 
the  family  returned  to  Boston,  where  our  sub- 
ject resided  for  a  number  of  years. 

It  was  on  the  L6th  of  November,  1865,  that 
Mr.  Freeman  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss 
May  L.  Wilson,  of  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  the 
second  daughter  of  Andrew  F.  and  Louisa 
(\Mieadon)  \\'ilson.  Mrs.  Freeman  was  born 
in  the  city  of  Jacksonville,  her  parents  having 
settled  there  in  1838.  Subsequently  they  re- 
moved to  Moweaqua,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  died  in  1901,  in  the  ninety-first  year 
of  his  age.  His  political  allegiance  was  given 
to  the  Republican  party  and  he  never  failed  to 
cast  his  ballot  for  its  men  and  measures.  For 
many  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church  and  his  life  was  in  consistent  harmony 
with  his  professions.  Mrs.  Freeman,  like  her 
husband,  comes  of  good  old  Revolutionary 
stock,  the  grandfathers  on  both  sides  having 
been  patriots  in  the  Continental  Army  in  the 
war   for   American   independence. 

Mr.  and  JMrs.  Freeman  began  their  domes- 
tic life  upon  a  farm  near  Moweaqua  and  there 
he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  until  1879, 
when  he  retired  from  that  field  of  labor  and 
removed  to  Decatur,  making  his  home  in  this 
city  until  his  death.  Here  he  opened  a  large 
boot  and  shoe  store,  the  first  extensive  one 
here,  and  was  thus  connected  with  the  mer- 
cantile interests  of  the  cit}'  until  his  life's 
labors  were  ended.  For  a  long  period  he  was 
associated  in  business  with  his  brother,  John 
Freeman,  but  for  the  last  few  years  was  sole 
proprietor  of  what  was  one  of  the  leading 
commercial  institutions  of  the  cit_\-.  He  car- 
ried a  large  and  well  selected  line  of  boots  and 
shoes  and  received  an  extensive  patronage, 
which  he  well  merited  because  of  his  progress- 
ive business  methods,  his  straightforward 
dealing  and  his  earnest  efforts  to  please  his 
customers. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


829 


In  early  life  Air.  Freeman  took  an  active 
part  in  polities  and  served  for  a  number  of 
terms  as  supervisor  in  a  manner  which  re- 
flected credit  upon  the  county  and  his  con- 
stituents. He  was  also  deputy  United  States 
marshal  under  his  uncle,  Watson  Freeman, 
and  was  ever  conscientious  and  prompt  in  the 
performance  of  any  public  duty  or  the  exe- 
cution of  any  public  trust.  Of  the  Decatur 
Club  he  was  a  valued  and  popular  member 
and  he  was  past  grand  director  and  a  member 
of  the  supreme  lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Honor. 
Pleasant  and  genial  in  manner,  he  was  ad- 
mired and  respected  by  all.  He  appreciated 
friendship  and  therefore  won  it,  and  he  was 
quick  to  recognize  the  good  in  others  and 
render  them  his  regard  because  of  this.  It 
is  a  well  known  truth  that  we  sec  about  us 
that  which  we  have  in  ourselves  and  this  trait 
of  character  in  Mr.  I'rccman  showed  that  he 
was  the  ])ossessor  of  all  the  sterling  (|ualities 
which  he  res]X'cted  in  his  f-ellowmen. 


LAWRENCE  R.  PROVOST. 

This  well  known  citizen  of  Decatur  town- 
ship is  devoting  his  attention  principally  to 
the  raising  of  small  fruits  and  has  become  an 
expert  in  his  line.  He  was  born  in  New 
Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  on  the  i6th  of  No- 
vember, 1835,  and  comes  of  a  family  of  French 
Huguenot  origin,  which  was  founded  in  Amer- 
ica by  three  brothers,  one  of  whom  settled  in 
New  York,  another  on  Staten  Island,  while 
the  third,  James  H.  Provost,  located  in  New 
Jersey.  It  is  to  the  last  branch  that  our  sub- 
ject belongs.  His  paternal  grandfather  took 
part  in  the  war  of  181 2  as  a  fifer. 

James  Provost,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  New  P.runswick,  New  Jersey, 
March  27,  1808.  and  was  reared  and  educated 
at  that  jilace.  In  early  life  he  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade  and  became  an  expert  car- 
riage maker.  He  was  married  at  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  in  1836.  to  Miss  Lavisa  A.  Baker, 
and  for  some  vears  thev  made  their  home  at 


New  lirunswick  and  Rahway,  New  Jersey, 
but  in  1862  removed  to  Port  Royal,  North 
Carolina,  where  they  remained  until  the  latter 
jjart  of  1864.  While  there  Mr.  Provost  was 
the  master  mechanic  for  the  United  States 
quartermaster  in  charge  of  the  government 
shops.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  New 
Jersey,  and  in  1871  came  to  Decatur,  where 
he  continued  to  make  his  home  until  called  to 
his  final  rest  on  the  24th  of  April,  1891,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-four  years.  His  wife  died  May 
10,  1887.  They  were  faithful  members  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  and  had  the  respect 
of  all  who  knew  them.  Unto  them  were  born 
eight  children,  namely  :  P.  B. ;  Lawrence  R. ; 
Abraham  P.;  Isaac  S.;  Isabella,  wife  of  Fred 
Boyer;  Phoebe,  deceased  wife  of  William  Z. 
P>rown  ;  Mary  B.,  deceased  wife  of  Jefl'erson 
Main  ;    and  James,  who  died  in  infancy. 

The  eduo.-uiinial  achanlages  afforded  Law- 
rence R.  Provost  during  his  boyhood  were 
limited  as  he  was  only  able  to  attend  school 
for  three  months  during  the  winter  season. 
At  an  early  age  he  served  an  apprenticeship 
to  the  blacksmith's  trade  at  Rahway,  New 
Jersey,  and  received  thirty  dollars  per  year 
in  compensation  for  his  services.  He  next 
went  south  and  was  engaged  in  the  carriage 
business  at  Suffolk,  Virginia,  for  three  years, 
being  at  that  place  when  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  elected  president.  When  the  war  broke 
out  he  came  to  Illinois  and  for  ten  years  was 
engaged  in  farming  in  Green  \'alley,  Taze- 
well county.  He  then  removed  to  Lawrence, 
Kansas,  where  he  followed  the  same  pursuit, 
and  thu^  became  identified  with  the  early  de- 
velopment of  that  slate  but  becoming  discour- 
aged with  the  outlook  there  he  returned  to 
Illinois  in  1867  and  has  since  made  his  home 
m  Decatur  township.  Macon  county,  where  he 
raises  small  friuts  of  different  kinds,  though 
his  specialty  is  strawberries.  He  has  seven- 
teen acres  devoted  to  the  culture  of  small 
fruits  and  has  become  a  leader  in  his  line, 
taking  pride  in  producing  the  best  found  on 
the  market. 


830 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


In  1855  Mr.  Provost  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Caroline  M.  High,  of  Rahway,  New 
Jersey,  who  died  in  Kansas  at  the  age  of 
thirty-one  years.  The  children  born  of  this 
union  are  James  H.,  now  a  resident  of  Okla- 
homa ;  Emma,  wife  of  George  Bush,  of  New- 
ton, Kansas ;  Jasper  L.,  of  Osage  county, 
Kansas;  George  L.,  of  Burlingame,  Kansas; 
William,  also  a  resident  of  Burlingame;  Mel- 
vin,  a  resident  of  Oklahoma ;  and  Mary,  wife 
of  L.  O.  Green,  of  Peabody,  Kansas. 

On  the  3d  of  December,  1872,  ^Ir.  Provost 
was  again  married,  his  second  union  being 
with  Miss  Nancy  Scroggs,  of  Goshen,  Ind- 
iana, by  whom  he  has  two  children :  Sadie ; 
and  Daisy,  wife  of  Harmon  Tuttle,  of  De- 
catur. Mrs.  Provost  was  born  in  Beaver 
county,  Pennsylvania,  September  30,  1836,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Jane  (Moore) 
Scroggs,  who  were  also  natives  of  Beaver 
county  and  were  of  Scotch  and  Welsh  de- 
scent. The  mother  died  at  the  early  age  of 
thirty-two,  when  Mrs.  Provost  was  only  four 
years  old.  Leaving  Pennsylvania,  the  father 
removed  to  Goshen,  Indiana,  where  his  death 
occurred  on  the  25th  of  April,  1877.  By  trade 
he  was  a  tanner  and  carriage  trimmer  and  in 
politics  was  a  Republican.  For  several  gen- 
erations the  family  has  been  connected  with 
the  United  Presbyterian  church  and  several 
of  its  members  have  been  ministers  of  that 
denomination. 

In  religious  faith  Mr.  Provost  is  a  Presby- 
terian and  in  politics  is  an  ardent  Republican. 
He  has  efficiently  served  as  school  director  and 
does  all  in  his  power  to  promote  the  moral, 
educational  and  social  interests  of  his  com- 
munity. He  is  a  wide-awake  and  progressive 
business  man  and  endeavors  to  accomplish 
whatever  he  undertakes. 


TRAVIS  BROWN. 
Travis  Brown  is  the  junior  member  of  the 
firm  of  Brown  &  Son,  who  are  engaged  in  the 
monument  business  in  Decatur.    He  was  born 


near  Boody  in  Blue  Mound  township,  Macon 
county,  on  the  8th  of  February,  1871,  and  is  a 
son  of  Nelson  F.  and  Mildred  (Pasley) 
Brown.  The  father,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was 
born  in  1843  ^^'^  for  many  years  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits  in  Blue  Mound  town- 
ship. On  the  1st  of  September,  1896,  how- 
ever, having  retired  from  farm  work,  he  joined 
his  son,  Travis,  in  the  establishment  of  the 
present  firm  of  Brown  &  Son.  His  wife  was 
born  in  Kentucky  and  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view is  their  only  child.  He  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  in  his  early  life  and  supplemented 
his  preliminary  knowledge  by  study  in  the 
Baker  University  of  Baldwin,  Kansas.  He 
also  pursued  a  course  of  study  in  Brown's 
Business  College  and  in  1892  he  returned  to 
the  home  fann,  whereon  he  resided,  assisting 
in  its  cultivation  and  further  improvement  un- 
til 1895,  when  he  became  a  resident  of  De- 
catur. Joining  his  father  in  the  establishment 
of  the  firm  of  Brown  &  Son  they  purchased 
a  part  interest  in  the  Decatur  Monument  Com- 
pany, with  which  they  were  associated  until 
1898,  when  they  became  sole  proprietors,  buy- 
mg  out  their  partners  in  that  business.  They 
make  a  specialty  of  Barre  granite  and  Mis- 
souri red  stone  in  their  monument  work.  The 
business  methods  which  they  employ,  the 
skilled  labor  and  the  product  of  the  workmen 
makes  the  output  of  this  house  of  a  most 
pleasing  character  and  the  patronage  is  there- 
by constantly  increasing.  Alreadv  the  busi- 
ness is  large  and  important,  having  become 
one  of  the  strong  industrial  interests  of  the 
city.  There  has  been  nothing  sensational  in 
the  career  of  either  father  and  son,  their 
lives  having  been  devoted  to  business  cares, 
and  untiring  industry,  perseverance  and  good 
business  judgment  have  formed  the  founda- 
tion upon  which  they  have  builded  their  suc- 
cess. 

On  the  nth  of  October.  1894.  Travis 
Brown  v.^as  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Ida 
M.  Wiegand.  a  daughter  of  J.  H.  and  Min- 
nie Wiegand,  of  Boody,  Illinois.     They  are 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


831 


well  known  young  people  of  this  city  and  the 
hospitality  of  many  of  the  best  homes  here 
is  extended  to  them.  Mr.  Brown  is  a  member 
of  Easterly  Camp,  No.  1626,  M.  W.  A.,  and 
for  two  }-ears  he  has  served  as  a  member  of 
the  board  of  managers  of  this  camp.  He  has 
also  been  recorder  of  Decatur  Circle,  No.  49, 
American  Home  Circle.  His  success  has  been 
the  result  of  persistent  effort  in  the  line  of 
honorable  and  earnest  toil ;  his  aims  have 
always  been  to  attain  the  best  and  his  life  has 
marked  a  steady  growth. 


DAVID  B.  BATCHELDER. 

David  B.  Batchelder,  who  is  a  retired  far- 
mer of  Decatur,  was  born  in  Pittsfield,  New- 
Hampshire,  September  5,  1834,  a  son  of  Col- 
onel Nathaniel  and  Abigail  (Jenness)  Batch- 
elder.  The  ancestry  can  be  traced  back  to 
Rev.  Stephen  Bachilir,  who  was  a  leading  non- 
conformist and  founded  the  town  of  New 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire.  As  will  be  seen 
there  has  occurred  a  change  in  the  spelling 
of  the  surname  since  his  day.  The  grand- 
father of  our  subject  was  Elijah  David  Batch- 
elder,  who  married  a  Miss  Lane,  of  English 
lineage.  The  father  of  our  subject  was  born 
in  Pittsfield,  New  Hampshire,  November  25, 
1 79 1,  and  became  a  colonel  of  militia  in  the 
old  training  days.  He  was  married  May  10, 
1820,  to  Abigail  Jenness,  a  daughter  of  John 
Jenness,  and,  devoting  his  life  to  agricultural 
pursuits,  he  became  a  prominent  and  prosper- 
ous farmer.  His  death  occurred  December  3, 
1858,  and  his  wife,  who  was  born  in  1792, 
passed  away  February  5,  1851.  The  subject 
of  this  review  has  a  sister,  who  is  the  widow 
of  J.  C.  Clough  and  now  resides  in  Chicago. 

David  B.  Batchelder  acquired  his  education 
in  his  native*  county,  attending  the  schools  of 
Pittsfield,  New  Hampshire.  In  1853,  when 
about  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  went  to  Ala- 
bama, where  he  remained  until  1857  and  in 
connection  with  his  brother,  J.  J.  Batchelder, 


he  engaged  in  building  bridges  for  the  Mem- 
phis &  Charleston  Railroad  Company.  The 
}ear  1857  witnessed  their  arrival  in  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  and  here  the  brother  re- 
mained, but  our  subject  afterward  went  to 
California,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  until 
1868.  He  then  returned  to  Macon  county  and 
purchased  a  half  section  of  prairie  land  in 
mini  township",  which  he  broke  and  improved, 
transforming  it  from  a  wild  state  into  fertile 
fields.  Subsc(|uenlly  he  sold  this  property 
and  bought  another  half  section  of  improved 
land  which  he  still  owns.  Thereon  he  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  was  also  an  ex- 
tensive stock-raiser,  making  a  specialty  of 
polled  Angus  cattle.  He  bought  and  sold  con- 
siderable stock  and  this  branch  of  his  business 
returns  to  him  a  good  income.  In  1875  he 
erected  a  substantial  modern  liarn  on  his  place 
and  in  1881  erected  a  nice  house.  The  farm 
has  about  eight  miles  of  tiling  on  it  and  is 
splendidly  improved.  The  walnut  grove  is 
noted  as  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county  and 
is  very  valuable.  It  is  frequently  visited  by 
people  from  the  east  and  the  farm  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  best  in  Illini  township. 

Mr.  Batchelder  has  been  twice  married.  He 
first  wedded  Abbie  M.  Bailey,  a  daughter  of 
John  Bailey  of  Lawrence,  Massachusetts.  She 
was  born  March  27,  1849,  '^^^^  the  wedding 
occurred  February  7,  1870.  She  died  Febru- 
ary 23,  1898.  Five  children  were  born  of  this 
union:  George  Grant,  born  January  19,  1871, 
ilied  of  diphtheria,  November  25,  1878;  Ad- 
die  Marilla,  born  November  2,  1872,  died 
August  27,  1873;  Lizzie  Bailey,  born  July  18, 
1874,  died  of  diphflieria  November  29,  1878; 
Laura  Esther,  born  October  18,  1877,  is  the 
wife  of  Oliver  Batchelder:  and  Wilber  Rich- 
ard, born  June  6,  1880.  is  secretary  and  a 
member  of  the  Field  &  Shorb  Company,  of 
Decatur.  On  the  loth  of  April,  1900,  Mr. 
Batchelder  was  again  married,  his  second 
union  being  with  Gertrude  Wardwell,  a 
cousin  of  his  first  wife.  She  was  born  in 
Andovcr,  Massachusetts,  December  18,  fc855. 


832 


PAST  AND  I'KESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY, 


a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Franklin  and  Han- 
nah E.  (Wells)  Wardwcll,  who  were  natives 
of  Massachusetts  and  were  of  English  line- 
age. 

Mr.  Batcheldcr  continued  to  engage  in 
farming  until  1899,  when  he  retired  to  De- 
catur and  is  now  li\-ing  at  No.  1533  North 
Church  street.  He  always  did  his  share  for 
the  upbuilding  of  the  count}'  and  assisted  in 
organizing  the  public  schools  and  also  the 
Congregational  church  of  Illini  township. 
He  holds  niembershij)  in  a  church  of  that 
denomination  in  Decatur  and  is  now  one  of 
its  trustees.  His  wife  is  a  lady  of  true  refine- 
ment and  culture,  coming  of  a  prominent  east- 
ern family  and  both  ]\Ir.  and  ]Mrs.  Batcheldcr 
have  the  warm  regard  of  manv  friends. 


THOMAS  W.  TOMLINSON. 
Thomas  W.  Tomlinson,  who  is  now  carry- 
ing on  farming  on  section  5,  South  Macon 
township,  was  born  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illi- 
nois, November  20,  1847,  '^is  parents  being 
John  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Cotton)  Tomlinson, 
who  were  married  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  England  and  was  a 
butcher  by  trade.  Emigrating  to  America  in 
1833,  he  first  located  in  St.  Lotiis,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  until  1845  and  then  re- 
moved to  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
purchased  a  farm  the  following  year  and 
turned  his  attention  to  agricultttral  pursuits. 
Later  he  sold  his  property  there  and  came  to 
Macon  county,  accomjianied  by  his  family. 
He  bought  a  farm  east  of  Macon,  which  was 
then  all  wild  prairie  covered  with  ponds  and 
slough,  and  to  its  improvement  and  cultiva- 
tion he  devoted  his  energies  until  called  to  his 
final  rest  on  the  31st  of  December,  1881.  In 
early  life  he  was  a  Whig  and  later  a  Repub- 
lican but  during  Grant's  administration  he 
became  a  Democrat,  although  he  was  a  great 
friend  of  the  General.  Of  his  twelve  children 
only  six  are  now  living:    Mrs.  Elizabeth  Car- 


roll, Aliss  Agnes  Tomlinson,  Thomas  W., 
Mrs.  Rachel  Bradley,  Miss  Mary  Tomlinson 
and  l-'rank,  all  residents  of  Macon  county 
with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  Bradley,  wdio 
makes  her  home  in  Alabama. 

Thomas  W.  Tomlinson  received  his  educa- 
tion in  a  log  school  house  which  stood  on  the 
boundary  line  between  St.  Clair  and  Monroe 
counties,  the  boys,  who  sat  on  one  side  of  the 
room  being  in  Monroe  county  and  the  girls 
on  the  other  side  in  St.  Clair  county.  He  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age  and  in  1874  went  to  Cali- 
tornia,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  for  two 
years.  He  then  returned  east  to  visit  the  Cen- 
tennial Exposition  in  Philadelphia  and  did  not 
go  back  to  the  Pacific  coast  for  some  time  but 
came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
married  May  12,  1878,  to  Miss  Ellen  Brad- 
ley, a  daughter  of  William  and  Mary  Bradley. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Tomlinson  went  to 
\\'ashington  Territory,  where  he  remained 
three  years,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  re- 
turned to  Macon  county  on  account  of  the  ill- 
ness of  his  father  and  staid  with  him  until  his 
death.  A  year  later  our  subject  removed  to 
Nebraska,  where  he  spent  three  years,  and 
from  there  went  to  Kansas,  but  during  the 
drouth  of  1893  and  1894,  he  moved  back  to 
Illinois  and  then  went  to  Texas,  living  for  two 
years  in  Houston.  He  still  owns  his  farm  of 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  Kansas.  In 
the  fall  of  1896  we  again  find  him  in  Macon 
county,  where  he  bought  his  present  farm  of 
ninety  acres  on  section  5,  South  Macon  town- 
ship, and  has  since  engaged  in  its  operation. 
The  place  is  supplied  with  modern  machinery 
and  the  fences  and  buildings  are  in  good  re- 
pair, in  fact  everything  about  the  farm  pre- 
sents a  neat  and  thrifty  appearance.  In  con- 
nection with  general  farming  Mr.  Tomlin- 
son is  engaged  in  dairying  to  some  extent. 
Politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Democratic 
party,  and  religiously  he  and  his  family  are 
communicants  of  the  Catholic  church. 

L^nto  Mr.  and   Mrs.  Tomlinson  were  born 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  iMACON  COUNTY. 


833 


the  following  cliildren :  Mary,  who  was  born 
in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  is  now  the 
wife  of  William  Riley,  a  farmer  of  South 
Macon  townshij);  Rachel,  who  was  born  in 
Illinois  and  is  now  living  with  her  aunt,  Mrs. 
John  Bradley,  in  Iluntsville,  Alabama ;  John 
B.,  who  wiis  born  in  Illinois  and  is  now  nine- 
teen years  of  age ;  Agnes,  who  was  born  in 
Nebraska,  and  is  now  seventeen ;  Ella,  who 
was  born  in  Kansas  and  is  fourteen  years  old ; 
Frank,  who  was  born  in  Kansas  and  is  eleven 
years  of  age;  and  Thomas,  who  was  born  in 
Illinois  and  is  seven  years  old.  ^\'ith  excep- 
tion of  the  two  oldest  all  are  at  home  with 
their  parents  and  the  family  is  one  of  promi- 
nence in  the  comnnmitx'  where  ihev  reside. 


OTTO  C.  ADAMS. 

Among  the  younger  representatives  of  the 
legal  profession  in  Macon  county  none  stands 
higher  than  the  gentleman  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  review.  His  prominence  is  by  no 
means  measured  by  his  years  for  he  has  al- 
ready attained  a  success  that  many  an  older 
practitioner  might  w^ell  envy. 

Mr.  .Vdams  was  born  in  Neosho  county, 
Kansas,  in  1872,  and  being  reared  upon  his 
father's  farm  he  assisted  in  the  labors  of 
field  and  meadow  during  his  boyhood  and 
youth.  In  1881  the  family  went  to  Piatt  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farm- 
ing for  several  years  and  then  removed  to 
Cerro  Gordo,  this  state,  where  he  and  his  wife 
now  reside. 

Otto  C.  Adams  attended  the  Central  Nor- 
mal School  at  Danville.  Indiana,  and  later  en- 
tered the  State  University  at  Champaign,  Ill- 
inois, where  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  and 
was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1900.  He  then 
came  to  Decatur  and  entered  the  law  office  of 
C.  C.  Le  Forgee  and  by  assisting  that  gentle- 
man in  several  important  cases  he  gained  a 
good  practical  knowledge  of  the  profession 
which  he  has  chosen  as  a  life  work.     On  his 


admission  to  the  bar  he  began  practice,  (,)pen- 
ing  an  office  of  his  own  in  the  Millikin  block, 
where  he  is  still  located,  and  he  is  already 
doing  a  good  business. 

Mr.  Adams  has  always  taken  a  very  active 
part  in  politics.  He  is  also  a  great  supporter 
of  labor  unions,  being  a  member  of  the  Sta- 
tionary Engineers'  Union,  and  he  does  all 
within  his  power  to  promote  the  interests  of  the 
laboring  classes.  Fie  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Txlasonic  fraternity  and  is  one  of  the  promi- 
nent Ncnmir  men  of  Decatur. 


EZRA  W.  CROW. 

One  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Blue 
Mound  is  Ezra  W.  Crow,  a  well  known  grain 
dealer.  He  has  won  success  by  his  well  di- 
rected, energetic  efforts  and  the  prosperity 
that  has  come  to  him  is  certainly  well  merited. 
Fie  stands  high  in  public  esteem  and  is  thor- 
oughly interested  in  whatever  tends  to  promote 
the  moral,  intellectual  and  material  welfare 
of  the  community. 

Mr.  Crow'  claims  Ohio  as  his  native  state, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  New  London, 
Huron  county,  on  the  19th  of  November,  1850. 
His  parents  were  John  T.  and  Elizabeth  Crow, 
farming  people.  The  family  came  to  Illinois 
in  1857  and  in  the  common  schools  of  Macon 
county  our  subject  acquired  a  good  practical 
education.  Fie  early  became  familiar  with 
the  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agri- 
culturist and  continued  to  follow  farming  until 
1881,  when  he  removed  to  Blue  Mound,  where 
he  has  since  made  his  home.  During  his  resi- 
dence here  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  grain 
business  and  has  met  with  success  in  this  un- 
dertaking. 

On  the  i8tli  of  February,  1874,  Mr.  Crow 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  J.  De 
Atley,  and  to  them  have  been  born  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  sons  are  now  deceased, 
those  living  being  Myrtle  M.,  Grace,  Eva  E., 
Qiarles  F.,  Oliver  L.,  Earl  and  Roy.     Two  of 


834 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


the  sons  are  now  married,  Charles  having 
wedded  Bell  Howard,  and  Oliver  L.  married 
Ida  Kester. 

Religiously  Mr.  Crow  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  politically  is  identified 
with  the  Republican  party.  He  takes  an  ac- 
tive interest  in  public  affairs  and  for  eight 
years  efficiently  filled  the  office  of  tax  collector. 
In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has  been  found 
true  to  any  trust  reposed  in  him  and  he  well 
merits  the  respect  so  freely  accorded  him  by 
his  fellow  citizens. 


JOSEPH  T.  TUCKER. 

Joseph  T.  Tucker,  who  resides  on  section 
17,  mini  township,  is  successfully  engaged  in 
general  fanning  and  stock-raising.  He  was 
born  on  the  farm  where  he  now  makes  his 
home,  January  25,  1872,  a  son  of  J.  C.  and 
Emma  (Ferree)  Tucker,  of  whom  extended 
mention  is  made  in  the  sketch  of  Cyrus  J. 
Tucker  on  another  page  of  this  volume. 

Our  subject  attended  school  in  Warrens- 
burg  and  completed  the  course  at  the  age  of 
eighteen  years.  He  began  his  business  career 
as  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  G.  W.  Thompson, 
at  that  place,  where  he  \vas  employed  for  fif- 
teen months,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  com- 
menced farming  on  his  father's  old  homestead 
on  section  17,  lUini  township,  where  he  was 
born.  He  operates  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres,  employing  one  man  all  the  }-ear  round 
and  others  as  they  are  needed.  Wheat  has 
been  his  specialty,  devoting  from  forty  to 
eighty  acres  each  year  to  that  crop.  In  con- 
nection with  general  farming  he  is  -engaged 
in  the  fattening  of  cattle  for  market,  mostly 
the  white  faced  breed,  and  he  also  handles 
about  a  carload  of  hogs  annually.  He  has 
previously  bought  the  stock  which  he  has  fat- 
tened for  market  but  is  now  contemplating 
raising  his  own  cattle. 

On  the  I2th  of  October,  1898,  Mr.  Tucker 
was   united   in   marriage   to   Miss    Bessie    I. 


Batchelder  who  was  born  August  16,  1874, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  J.  J.  and  Mary  ( Thorn- 
dike  j  Batchelder.  She  completed  the  scien- 
tific course  at  Knox  College  and  was  graduated 
in  1895.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker  have  a  little 
daughter,  Ruth  E.,  born  February  17,  1901. 
They  arc  active  and  prominent  members  of  the 
Congregational  church  of  lllini  township. 
Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Dove  Lodge,  No. 
600,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  which  he  is  past  grand, 
and  politically  he  is  identified  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  the 
county  conventions  of  his  party,  has  served 
as  town  clerk  two  years,  and  is  now  serving 
his  second  term  as  road  commissioner.  He  is 
a  wide-awake,  energetic  and  progressive 
young  man  and  takes  a  commendable  interest 
in  public  affairs,  as  every  true  American  citi- 
zen should. 


GEORGE   W.   BETZER. 

George  W.  Betzer,  whose  valuable  landed 
interests  have  come  to  him  as  the  reward  of  a 
life  of  earnest  labor  and  unfaltering  perse- 
verance, is  now  practically  living  a  retired  life 
in  Decatur,  but  for  many  years  was  a  leading 
agriculturist  of  Macon  county.  His  home  is 
now  at  No.  956  W.  Pugh  street.  He  repre- 
sents one  of  the  pioneer  families  of  the  coun- 
ty, established  here  when  land  was  wild,  the 
prairies  uncultivated  and  the  work  of  improve- 
ment scarcely  begun.  That  was  in  1841  when 
Mr.  Betzer  was  an  infant  of  less  than  a  year. 
The  Indians  still  lived  in  the  neighborhood 
and  wild  game  of  many  kinds  was  plentiful. 

Mr.  Betzer  was  born  in  Ross  county,  Ohio, 
January  22,  1841,  a  son  of  Benjamin  and 
Rebecca  (Long)  Betzer,  both  of  whom  were 
natives  of  the  Buckeye  state.  The  paternal 
grandfather,  Anthony  Betzer,  was  of  Irish 
descent,  his  father  having  been  born  on  the 
Emerald  Isle.  The  former  followed  farming 
and  spent  his  entire  life  in  Pickaway  county, 
Ohio.  Benjamin  Betzer,  the  father  of  our 
subject,   was  born   in   Pickaway   county  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


835 


after  attaining  adult  age  determined  to  make 
liie  cultivation  of  the  soil  his  life  work.  He 
resided  upon  a  farm  in  tiie  county  of  his  nativ- 
ity until  1841,  when  he  removed  westward, 
his  destination  being  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
— then  a  frontier  district.  Securing  a  tract  of 
land  in  Whitmore  township,  he  there  engaged 
in  general  farming  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred about  1882,  while  his  wife  passed  away 
in  the  same  township  in  1884.  They  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  five  are  yet 
living,  as  follows:  ^lary  jane,  the  wife  of 
John  Likens,  a  resident  farmer  of  Oakley 
township,  Macon  county ;  Anthony,  who  re- 
sides upon  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  in 
Whitmore  township;  Henry  11.,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Missouri;  George  W.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  and  William  Y.,  whose  home  is 
in  Britten,  Soutii  Dakota.  Those  deceased  are 
Elizabeth,  Maria,  Sarah  and  Peter. 

George  W.  Betzcr  had  but  limited  school 
privileges,  pursuing  studies  in  Whitmore  town- 
ship, in  one  of  the  primitive  school  houses — a 
log  structure  with  a  dirt  floor,  paper  windows 
and  split  log  benches.  His  training  at  farm 
labor,  however,  was  not  meager  as  he  early 
took  his  place  behind  the  plow  and  continued 
to  assist  his  father  upon  the  old  homestead 
up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage.  Pie  first 
wedded  Miss  Catherine  Coleman,  also  a  native 
of  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of 
John  Coleman,  who  from  early  pioneer  days 
in  this  county  until  his  death,  was  a  farmer 
here.  Mr.  Betzer  lost  his  first  wife  July  12, 
1898.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren :  Louis  E.,  who  married  Lena  Griffin  and 
resides  on  the  old  home  farm  in  Whitmore 
township ;  Francis  Carl,  who  wedded  Lilly 
Crothers  and  also  resides  on  the  home  place ; 
Alfred  J.,  who  is  a  conductor  on  a  street  car 
in  St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  and  Chester  A.,  on 
the  home  farm.  For  his  second  wife  Mr.  Bet- 
zer chose  Miss  Daisy  Kinney,  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Jennie  (Holt)  Kinney.  Her 
father  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina  and 
there  spent  his  early  manhood  upon  a   farm, 


but  afterward  removed  to  Kansas,  where  he 
remained  until  1895,  when  he  came  to  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  settling  in  Friends  Creek 
township.  For  several  years  he  was  there  en- 
gaged in  farming  but  now  resides  in  Indiana. 
After  his  first  marriage  Mr.  Betzer  resided 
upon  the  home  farm  until  the  Civil  war  be- 
gan, when  his  patriotic  spirit  was  aroused  and 
he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  Forty-first  Regi- 
ment of  Illinois  \'olunteers  under  Captain 
John  II.  Nail  and  Colonel  Isaac  C.  Pugh,  of 
Decatur.  His  company  took  part  in  the  en- 
gagements at  Fort  IIenr_\-,  Fort  Donelson  and 
Shiloh,  and  while  in  the  last  named,  on  the 
6th  of  April,  1862,  Mr.  Betzer  was  wounded 
by  a  bullet  in  his  right  leg  and  was  badly  in- 
jured. He  lay  in  bed  in  Savannah  for  twenty- 
nine  days  and  was  then  taken  to  Cincinnati  for 
treatment.  Some  time  later  he  was  sent  to 
Camp  Dcnison,  Ohio,  where  he  was  under  the 
doctor's  care  until  he  received  an  honorable 
discharge  on  the  28th  of  September,  1862,  and 
was  then  sent  home. 

Mr.  Betzer  then  took  charge  of  the  old  hoine 
farm  which  his  father  had  secured  and  which 
lie  now  owns.  There  he  engaged  in  general 
farming  for  over  sixty  years.  For  the  past 
fifteen  years  he  has  traveled  quite  extensively, 
visiting  many  points  of  scenic  and  of  historic 
interest  in  this  country  and  he  intends  to  visit 
Europe  in  the  near  future.  In  1901  he  decided 
to  retire  from  farm  work  and  removed  to 
Decatur,  but  indolence  and  idleness  are  utterly 
foreign  to  his  nature  and  he  could  not  be  con- 
tent to  remain  entirely  without  business  in- 
terests so  he  purchased  two  acres  of  land  near 
his  present  residence  and  engages  to  some  ex- 
tent in  gardening.  His  landed  possessions  are 
extensive  and  valuable.  He  still  owns  the  old 
Betzcr  homestead,  of  three  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-nine acres  on  sections  12  and  13,  Whit- 
more township ;  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
in  Pocahontas  count)-.  Iowa,  which  he  rents 
and  bis  nice  home  in  Decatur. 

For  twenty  years  Mr.  Betzer  was  a  member 
of   the   school   board    in    ^Vhitmore   township 


830 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


and  was  also  commissioner  there  for  several 
years,  lie  takes  a  very  active  interest  in  politics 
and  has  always  voted  the  Republican  ticket, 
while  his  social  relations  connect  him  with  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  If  his  personal 
recollection  of  people  and  events  in  Macon 
county  were  recorded  it  would  be  a  picture 
of  the  county  from  pioneer  times  to  the  pres- 
ent and  a  history  of  its  development  to  its 
splendid  state  of  progress  from  a  frontier  dis- 
trict, often  visited  by  the  Indians.  Through 
six  decades  his  was  an  active  and  honorable 
business  career  and  his  success  was  most 
worthilv  won. 


WALDEMAR  F.  HILVETY. 

Starting  out  in  life  in  Illinois  as  a  farm 
hand  when  but  seventeen  years  of  age,  Mr. 
Hilvety  has  steadily  progressed  until  he  is  now 
accounted  one  of  the  men  of  atfluence  of  the 
city  of  Decatur,  where  at  the  present  time  he 
is  living  retired,  the  fruits  of  his  former  earn- 
est and  persistent  toil  supplying  him  with  all 
the  necessities  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of 
life.  His  home  is  at  No.  1801  N.  Edward 
street,  and  he  first  came  to  Macon  county  in 
1873,  although  his  residence  here  has  not  been 
continuous. 

Mr.  Hilvety  was  born  in  Ijreslau,  Prussia, 
September  7,  J840,  and  is  a  son  of  Felix 
Gabriel  Hilvety,  who,  though  of  French  de- 
scent, was  born  in  Troppan,  Austria,  on  the 
24th  of  November,  1814.  In  early  life 
the  father  went  to  Germany  and  was  married 
in  Niebusch,  Prussia,  November  28,  1837,  to 
Sophia  Caroline  Ernestine  Adelheid  Beyrich, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  Wrietzen,  Prussia, 
May  16,  1817.  About  1847  the  family  came 
to  America  and  located  in  New  Jersey,  where 
the  father,  who  was  a  draftsman  by  occupa- 
tion, spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  al- 
though he  traveled  quite  extensively  in  dif- 
ferent cities  of  the  east,  working  at  his  pro- 
fession.    He  is  now  deceased.     A  brother  of 


our  subject.  Meter  !■'.  Hilvety,  is  now  a  re- 
tired farmer  and  a  near  neighbor  of  Walde- 
mar  Hilvety.  He  came  to  Macon  county  in 
1872  and  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  M. 
McKinnie,  a  cousin  of  his  brother's  wife.  At 
the  time  of  the  Civil  war  Victor  Hilvety  loy- 
ally served  the  country  as  a  Union  soldier. 
Throughout  his  residence  in  Macon  county 
he  has  followed  farming  until  the  last  few 
years  when,  removing  to  Decatur,  he  put  aside 
business  cares  and  responsibilities  and  is  now 
living  retired. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  state  W'aldemar 
Hilvety  pursued  his  studies  but  his  educational 
privileges  were  somewhat  limited  as  it  was 
necessary  that  he  begin  to  earn  his  own  living 
at  an  early  age.  He  was  only  seventeen  years 
of  age  when  he  came  to  Illinois,  arriving  in 
November,  1857.  Making  his  way  to  Spring- 
field he  secured  a  position  as  a  farm  laborer 
near  that  city,  and  in  the  summer  months 
worked  in  the  fields  while  in  the  winter  sea- 
sons he  attended  the  public  schools,  desirous 
of  gaining  more  advanced  knowledge.  He 
there  remained  for  two  years  and  then  began 
farming  on  his  own  account,  renting  a  tract 
of  land  in  Springfield  township,  Sangamon 
county,  on  which  he  continued  to  live  during 
his  stay  in  that  county. 

Mr.  Hilvety  was  married  there  February 
2;^,  1865  to  ]Miss  Mary  McKinnie,  a  native  of 
that  county,  born  November  27,  1841,  and  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sarah  (Jones)  Mc- 
Kinnie, who  were  native  of  Kentucky  and  Vir- 
ginia, respectively.  Her  father  was  an  early 
settler  of  Sangamon  county  and  engaged  in 
farming  in  Springfield  township  until  his 
death.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Hilvety  began  their 
domestic  life  upon  the  rented  farm  and  there 
continued  to  reside  until  1873,  when  they  re- 
moved to  Macon  county,  settling  on  a  farm 
on  section  2,  Whitmore  township,  where  Mr. 
Hilvety  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for 
nineteen  years.  He  placed  his  field  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  annually  har- 
vested good  crops  as  the  result  of  his  labors. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


837 


Removing  to  Piatl  county,  he  purchased  a 
tract  of  land  in  Ccrro  Gordo  township  and 
was  there  engaged  in  general  farming  for  ten 
years.  (Jn  the  expiration  of  that  period  he 
came  to  Decatur  and  purchased  his  present 
residence,  which  he  and  his  wife  have  since 
occupied,  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest. 

Mr.  Hilvety  has  always  taken  a  deep  and 
commendable  interest  in  politics — as  every 
true  American  citizen  should  do — and  has 
kept  well  informed  on  the  questions  of  the 
day.  He  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  in  early 
life  knew  Abraham  Lincoln  and  was  a  Sun- 
day school  classmate  of  Robert  Lincoln,  in 
the  Second  Presbyterian  church  of  Spring- 
field. Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hilvety  hold  mem- 
bership in  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of 
Decatur  and  are  deeply  interested  in  the  prog- 
ress and  upbuilding  of  the  organization.  Li  his 
business  undertakings  Mr.  Hilvety  has  pros- 
pered. When  a  young  man  he  realized  that 
there  is  no  royal  road  to  wealth  and  that  the 
acquisition  of  a  competence  is  always  the  result 
of  some  one's  labor.  In  his  case  the  labor  has 
been  his  own,  and  his  energy,  determination 
and  lumorable  dealing  have  been  salient  fea- 
tures  in  his  ]jrosi)erity. 


CHARLES  H.  DEETZ. 
Charles  H.  Deetz  is  a  well  known  con- 
tractor of  Decatur  and  evidences  of  his  handi- 
work are  seen  in  some  of  the  fine  buildings 
of  this  city.  He  was  born  in  Cumberland, 
Maryland,  on  the  26th  of  Julv,  1849,  ^nd 
comes  of  one  of  the  old  families  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, his  paternal  grandfather,  Thomas 
Deetz,  having  been  a  native  of  Chambcrsburg, 
that  state.  He  had  six  children :  Margaret, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Robert  Laney ;  Samuel ; 
Catherine,  who  is  the  wife  of  James  McCol- 
loch :  Mary,  the  wife  of  John  W.  Morris; 
John,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican  war 
and  died  from  the  effects  of  his  wounds  in 
1862;    and  Belle,  the   wife  of  William  Peck. 


-Ml  are  now  deceased.  Samuel  Deetz,  the 
lather  of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Maryland 
and  there  spent  his  entire  life  engaged  in  busi- 
ness as  a  contractor  and  luiilder.  He  erected 
many  of  the  best  buildings  in  the  city  of 
Cumberland  and  continued  in  active  connection 
will)  that  work  there  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  fifty-six 
years  of  age.  In  early  manhood  he  had 
wedded  Rachel  Beltz,  also  a  native  of  Mary- 
land and  a  daughter  of  Adam  Beltz,  who 
spent  his  early  life  in  Bedford  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  a  locality  known  as  Harmon's 
Bottoms.  He  afterward  removed  to  North 
Carolina,  where  he  lived  the  life  of  a  planter 
and  later  he  became  a  resident  of  Maryland. 
It  was  in  the  last  named  state  that  his  daugh- 
ter Rachel  was  reared  and  married. 

In  a  private  school  Charles  H.  Deetz  began 
his  education  anti  advanced  to  academic  work/ 
pursuing  his  studies  in  an  academy  until  he 
attained  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  when  he 
started  out  upon  his  business  career.  He  be- 
gan to  learn  the  mason's  trade  with  his  father 
and  wilii  him  continued  until  1880,  during 
wliieh  linu'  he  mastered  the  business,  becoming 
an  expert  workman.  He  assisted  in  the  erec- 
tion of  some  of  the  largest  and  best  buildings 
in  his  native  town.  The  father  died  in  1880 
and  in  that  year  Charles  H.  Deetz  received  an 
ap]ininiment  as  a  clerk  in  the  postoffice  in 
L'uniliirland,  where  he  remained  until  May, 
1883.  when  he  severed  the  business  connections 
that  1)111111(1  him  to  liis  native  city  and  sought  a 
home  ill  Decalur.  believing  that  he  might  have 
better  o])])ortunities  in  the  west.  He  worked 
at  his  trade  in  this  city  for  two  years,  being 
employed  first  as  a  brick-layer  and  then  he 
Ijegan  contracting  and  building  on  his  own 
account  in  1885.  Since  that  time  many  im- 
portant contracts  have  been  awarded  him  and 
he  has  erected  many  fine  and  substantial  build- 
ings in  Decatur,  including  the  Pugh  street 
school  Iniilding,  the  north  addition  to  the  high 
school  building,  the  F.  T?.  Tait  building,  the 
Deck  building  and  many  of  the  best  residences 


.S3S 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


here.  He  has  a  thorough  and  comprehensive 
understanding  of  the  builder's  art  and  the 
mechanicar  principles  which  underlie  construc- 
tion and  his  practical  knowledge  enables  him 
to  direct  in  a  capable  manner  the  efforts  of 
those  whom  he  employs.  His  business  has 
now  reached  such  extensive  proportions  that 
It  is  very  profitable  and  Mr.  Deetz  is  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  leaders  in  this  line  of 
activity  in  the  city. 

In  February,  1870,  was  celebrated  the  mar- 
riage of  Charles  H.  Deetz  and  Miss  Maggie 
Yantz,  of  Cumberland,  Maryland.  Their 
happy  married  life  was  of  short  duration  for 
she  died  in  1874,  leaving  two  children,  Chaun- 
cey  H.  and  Edward  E.  For  his  second  wife 
Mr.  Deetz  chose  Miss  Mary  E.  Turner,  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Margaret  (Faro) 
Turner,  of  Cumberland,  INIaryland.  Their 
children  are  Samuel  F.,  Ruth,  Irene  M.,  Ber- 
tha I.  and  Guy  W. 

Mr.  Deetz  votes  with  the  Republican  party, 
with  which  he  has  long  been  identified,  having 
firm  faith  in  its  principles  and  in  their  ulti- 
mate adoption  for  the  good  of  the  country. 
He  is  a  member  of  Decatur  Post,  of  the  Fra- 
ternal Army  and  is  a  man  of  generous  im- 
pulses, whose  kindly  spirit,  beneficences  and 
genial  disposition  have  gained  for  him  the 
respect,  confidence,  good  will  and  warm  friend- 
ship of  many.  He  has  been  in  the  fullest  sense 
the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes  and  that  he 
stands  to-day  among  the  prosperous  citizens  of 
Decatur  is  another  proof  of  the  saying  that 
success  is  not  a  matter  of  genius,  but  the  out- 
come of  clear  judgment  and  experience. 


CHARLES  C.  LeFORGEE. 
One  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Decatur 
is  Charles  C.  LeForgee,  whose  history  is  in 
contradistinction  to  the  old  adage  that  a 
prophet  is  never  without  honor  save  in  his 
own  country,  for  in  the  city  of  liis  birth  Mr. 
LeForgee  has  so  directed  liis  energies  as  to 


gain  recognition  as  a  capable  representative 
of  his  chosen  calling.  He  was  born  in  De- 
catur in  1867,  his  parents  being  Jesse  and 
Julia  A.  E.  LeForgee.  The  father,  who  is  a 
prominent  real  estate  dealer  of  this  city,  was 
born  in  Fleming  county,  Kentucky,  on  the  ist 
of  January,  1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Ayers  and 
Dorinda  (Cassidy)  LeForgee,  who  were  like- 
wise natives  of  the  Blue  Grass  state.  The 
grandfather  was  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade  and 
died  in  the  eighty-fourth  year  of  his  age.  The 
great-grandfather  of  our  subject  was  Abner 
LeForgee.  Jesse  LeForgee  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  from  Fleming  county 
to  Illinois.  Prior  to  this  time  he  had  acquired 
his  education  in  a  private  school  in  Kentucky. 
Since  1856  he  has  resided  continuously  in  this 
city  and  has  been  prominently  and  actively 
identified  with  its  improvement  and  upbuild- 
ing, watching  its  growth  from  pioneer  times 
down  to  the  present'.  It  is  one  of  the  best 
sections  of  the  state  and  is  noted  for  its  varied 
and  important  industrial  interests.  In  1857 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Julia  Small- 
wood,  who  was  born,  reared  and  educated  in 
this  city,  a  daughter  of  James  M.  and  Ida 
Smallwood.  Mr.  and  Mrs,  LeForgee  became 
the  parents  of  two  children.  The  daughter, 
Dorinda,  is  now  the  wife  of  John  E.  Patterson, 
a  real-estate  dealer  of  Decatur. 

The  only  son  is  Charles  C.  LeForgee,  who, 
having  obtained  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Decatur,  entered  his  father's  office 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  and  was  thus  initi- 
ated into  the  real  estate  business.  He  con- 
tinued with  liis  father  mitil  almost  twenty-one 
vears  of  age,  at  which  time  he  took  up  the 
studv  of  law  in  the  office  and  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Judge  William  E.  Nelson.  Later  he 
entered  the  Northwestern  University  at  Fvans- 
lon,  Illinois,  and  was  graduated  on  the  com- 
pletion of  the  law  course  in  1889.  Returning 
to  his  native  city,  he  th.en  opened  an  office  here 
and  has  since  continued  in  practice  in  Decatur. 
Professional  advancement  is  proverbially  slow 
and   yet   in   a   comparatively   short    time   Mr. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


S3!> 


LeForgee  obtained  a  practice  which  was 
notable  both  by  reason  of  its  extent  and  its 
character.  He  has  been  retained  either  as 
counsel  for  the  defense  or  for  the  prosecution 
in  a  number  of  important  cases,  both  civil  and 
criminal,  and  is  to-day  recognized  as  one  of 
the  best  trial  lawyers  in  central  Illinois.  He 
masters  his  points  in  every  particular  and 
marshals  the  facts  with  military  precision, 
being  strong  in  argument,  logical  in  his  deduc- 
tions and  clear  in  the  presentation  of  his  cases 
before  judge  or  jury.  It  was  in  1890  that  he 
was  admitted  to  the  Decatur  bar  and  in  No- 
vember, 1895,  was  admitted  to  practice  before 
the  supreme  court  at  Springfield. 

Mr.  LeForgee  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Isabel  V'ennigcrholz,  a  daughter  of  Julius 
H.  and  Isabel  Vennigerholz.  They  now  have 
two  interesting  children :  Isabel  Vallctte  and 
Charles  G.  In  the  city  where  his  entire  life 
has  been  passed  Mr.  LeForgee  is  well  known 
and  has  gained  for  himself  an  enviable  place 
at  the  bar.  He  possesses  laudable  ambition  and 
strong  determination  to  win  success  and  he 
realizes  that  it  must  be  gained  through  capa- 
bility and  merit,  for  in  no  profession  does 
advancement  depend  so  largely  upon  the  indi- 
vidual as  in  the  law. 


A.  S.  NESBITT,  D.  V.  S. 
Dr.  A.  S.  NesLitt  has  won  success  and 
prominence  as  a  veterinary  surgeon  and  is  now 
practicing  his  profession  in  the  city  of  Decatur. 
He  was  bom  in  Texas  township,  Macon 
county,  Illinois,  on  the  24th  of  June,  1867, 
and  is  a  son  of  W.  W.  and  Malissa  (Moore) 
Nesbitt.  The  father  is  a  native  of  Ohio  and 
in  early  life  came  to  Macon  county.  The  fam- 
ilv  is  of  German  lineage.  In  the  first  part  of 
his  business  career  the  father  carried  on  car- 
pentering. At  the  time  of  the  Civil  war  he 
responded  to  the  country's  call  for  aid,  enlist- 
ing in  the  Union  army  as  a  member  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Seventh  Illinois  \'olunteer 


Regiment.     He  is  now  living  in  Maroa,  this 
county. 

Dr.  Nesbitt  pursued  his  literary  education  in 
the  public  schools  and  afterward  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  veterinary  surgery,  having  ac- 
quired considerable  knowledge  of  the  business, 
although  he  had  not  at  that  time  been  a  student 
in  any  veterinary  college.     When   two  years 
had   passed,   desiring   to   still    further   perfect 
himself   in  this   work  by   promoting  his  effi- 
cienc)-  through  a  collegiate  course,  he  entered 
the  Chicago  X'eterinary  College  in  the  fall  of 
1892  and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1894. 
He   has   always    been   an   admirer   of  horses, 
having  great   love  for  the  noble  steed  and  it 
seems  that  nature  intended  that  he  should  en- 
gage in  this   line  of   work,   in   which  he  has 
been  verv  successful.      Having  completed  all 
of  the  work  that  constitutes  the  curriculum  as 
prescribed   by   the   board   of   trustees   of   that 
school  he  passed  an  examination,  graduating 
with  honors.     He  then  entered  upon  a  coun- 
try   practice    in    Maroa    and    his    work    there 
proved  very  lucrative  and  successful.     After 
three  years  he  accepted  a  position  as  assistant 
to  the  chair  of  theory  and  practice  in  Chicago 
Veterinary  College  in  1898,  his  excellent  quali- 
fications enabling  him  to  take  this  position,    -^t 
the   end   of  twelve   months,   however,   he    re- 
signed and  resumed  his  country  practice,  which 
steadily  grew  in  volume  and  importance,  show- 
ing that  his  ability  was  recognized  by  the  gen- 
eral   public.      He   has    still    further   perfected 
himself  in  the  work  by  pursuing  two  courses 
in  the  science  and  art  of  orchotomy  of  crypt- 
orchids,   pursuing  one  course  in   Minneapolis 
in  1893,  after  which  he  was  given  a  diploma 
there.    The  first  course  was  pursued  at  Saylor 
Si)rings,  Illinois,  in  the  practical  demonstration 
of  rigling  castration  and   spaying,  under  the 
direction  of  Dr.   F.  M.  Smith.     In   1902  Dr. 
Nesbitt  came  to  Decatur,  locating  in  this  city 
in  the  month  of  October  and  he  now  has  a 
large  professional  business.     He  is  a  man  of 
excellent    judgment   and   very    skillful   in   his 
-practice.     In    1887  the  Doctor  was  united  in 


840 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


marriage  to  Miss  Henrietta  L'.utler,  of  T.onnie- 
ville.  Kentucky.  Three  children  have  been 
born  of  this  union :  Pansy  E.,  Rose  A.  and 
Daisy  I.  Tlie  Doctor  is  a  member  of  Maroa 
Lodge,  No.  314,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  in  the  Hne 
of  his  profession  he  is  connected  with  the  Chi- 
cago X'eterinary  College  and  Association  and 
was  formerh-  a  member  of  the  Chicago  \  eteri- 
nar\-  Medical  Association. 


DR.  CHARLES  JONES. 
Dr.  Charles  Jones,  a  well  known  veterinary 
surgeon  and  breeder  of  fine  horses,  making 
his  home  in  Macon,  Illinois,  was  born  on  the 
1 2th  of  July,  1852,  in  Muscatine  county,  Iowa, 
between  Atalissa  and  West  Liberty.  His 
parents  were  Peter  and  Martha  (Allen)  Jones, 
natives  of  North  Carolina  and  Ohio,  respec- 
tively. He  received  a  good  common  school 
education  in  this  state  and  passed  the  state 
board  examination  on  the  30th  of  December, 
1892.  qualifying  him  to  practice  veterinary  sur- 
gery, to  which  profession  he  now  devotes  the 
greater  part  of  his  time  and  attention. 

Dr.  Tones  began  his  business  career  as  a 
farmer  upon  his  father's  land  and  continued 
to  engage  in  agricultural  pursuits  from  1876 
until  1889,  when  he  established  himself  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  at  Macon,  being  the 
oldest  veterinary  in  continuous  service  in  that 
village.  His  practice  now  extends  from  Xian- 
tic  through  the  surrounding  counties,  north, 
cast,  south  and  west.  The  Doctor  is  also  in- 
terested in  breeding  horses,  the  first  stallion 
that  he  owned  being  Henry  Pickrell.  No.  4165, 
which  he  purchased  in  1882.  He  is  now  a 
member  of  the  well  known  firm  of  Jones  & 
Pavne,  breeders  of  roadster  and  draft  hor.ses, 
owning  several  fine  stallions,  including  Bashaw 
Chief  50.  Joe  Scot,  Belford  Chief,  Lepento, 
and  King  Jones.  The  firm  also  raises  thor- 
oughbred Partridge  Cochin  chickens  and  have 
both  chickens  and  eggs  for  sale. 

At  Tavlorville.  Christian  countv.  Illinois.  Dr. 


[ones  was  uniled  in  marriage  to  Miss  Arella 
Hall,  a  daughter  of  John  A.  Hall,  who  was 
one  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  county.  Four 
children  blessed  this  union,  but  two  died  in 
infancy.  Those  still  living  are  Delia,  now  the 
wife  of  \V.  .A.  Owen,  of  Decatur,  by  whom  she 
has  two  children ;  and  Mrs.  Otis  Daniels,  of 
I\Iacon.     She  also  has  two  children. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Dr.  Jones  is  a 
stalwart  Democrat,  and  socially  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
He  also  belongs  to  the  State  \'eterinary  Asso- 
ciation and  is  a  progressive  member  of  the 
profession  to  which  he  belongs.  As  a  business 
man  he  is  reliable,  energetic  and  successful  and 
he  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow 
citizens. 


WILLIAM  A.  WALLACE. 

William  A.  Wallace,  of  Decatur  township, 
is  to-dav  one  of  the  most  successful  dealers 
in  fine  horses  in  this  section  of  the  state.  Suc- 
cess is  determined  by  one's  ability  to  recognize 
opportunity  and  to  pursue  this  with  a  resolute 
and  unflagging  energy.  It  results  from  con- 
tinued labor,  and  the  man  who  thus  accom- 
plishes his  purpose  usually  becomes  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  business  circles  of  the 
community  with  which  he  is  connected. 
Through  such  means  Mr.  Wallace  has  at- 
tained a  prominent  place  among  the  representa- 
tive men  of  Macon  county. 

He  was  born  in  Mount  Zion  township,  this 
county,  on  the  2d  of  October,  1868,  and  is  a 
son  of  A.  J.  and  Mary  E.  (Gulick)  Wallace. 
The  family  came  to  this  state  from  Missouri 
and  the  father  is  now  engaged  in  the  station- 
ery business  in  Decatur.  The  mother  of  our 
subject  died  when  he  was  only  four  years  and 
a  half  old,  leaving  two  children,  the  other 
being  ^^ictoria,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  Heniala, 
of  Onarga,  Illinois. 

During  his  boyhood  and  youth  William  A. 
Wallace   attended   the   public   schools    of   this 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


8-H 


county  and  larly  became  interested  in  choice 
stock,  which  hi-  handled  on  his  lather's  farm 
east  of  the  city  of  Decatur.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  years  he  had  developed  a  special  pref- 
erence for  fine  horses  and  in  iS88  began  rais- 
ing the  same.  In  1891  he  removed  to  his  pres- 
ent location  north  of  the  city.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged in  buying  initling  horses  of  the  coach 
type  and  training  and  educating  them  for  the 
liigh  class  trade.  These  he  has  furnished  to 
such  people  as  Mrs.  Potter  Palmer,  of  Chi- 
cago; Harold  and  Stanley  McCormick ;  Wat- 
son Blair:  P.  A.  X'alcntine;  Ogden  Armour; 
Edwin  D.  Butler ;  Russell  Harding,  of  the 
Iron  Mountain  Railway:  Messrs.  Brown,  of 
the  Brown  Shoe  Company :  and  many  leading 
horse  fanciers  of  St.  Louis.  Mr.  Wallace  has 
trained  and  sold  more  high  grade  horses  than 
any  similar  dealer  in  central  Illinois  beyond 
doubt.  He  attends  personally  "to  all  buying 
and  gives  the  business  the  careftil  supervision 
that  it  requires.  He  has  been  an  expert  judge 
at  the  State  Fair  on  light  horses. 

On  the  22d  of  October,  1889.  .Mr.  Wallace 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lilly  Klett,  a 
daughter  of  John  Klett,  of  Decatur,  and  to 
them  has  been  born  one  child.  William  J.  As 
a  business  man  Mr.  Wallace  stands  deservedly 
high  and  is  very  popular  among  his  associates 
and  many  friends  throughout  his  native 
conntv. 


D.WID  HENSHIE. 
.Although  not  an  old  resident  of  Macon 
county,  David  Henshie  was  well  known  in 
Decatur,  where  he  made  his  home  for  ten 
years  prior  to  his  death.  He  was,  however, 
an  early  settler  of  Christian  county,  having 
located  there  in  1855.  His  early  home  was  in 
Ohio,  for  he  was  born  in  Medina  county,  that 
state,  on  the  nth  of  September.  1826.  his 
parents  being  Henry  and  Mary  (Brouse) 
Henshie.  In  early  life  the  father  engaged 
in  teaching  school  and  later  turned  his  atten- 
tion   to    farming,    which    occupation    he   con- 


tinued to  follow  in  Ohio  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  After  his  death  his  widow 
came  west  and  settled  in  Blue  Mound  town- 
ship, Macon  coimty,  where  some  of  her  chil- 
dren are  still  living.  Here  she  made  her  home 
luitil  called  to  her  final  rest. 

Reared  in  his  native  state,  David  Henshie 
received  a  good  common-school  education,  at- 
tending at  first  and  when  (juite  young  the 
schools  taught  by  his  father  in  Stark  county, 
and  subsequently  the  public  schools,  and  after 
laying  aside  his  textbooks  he  opened  a  wagon 
shop  of  his  own,  which  he  conducted  for  ten 
years.  In  1875  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Martha 
(Brodess)  Thompson. 

Coming  west  in  1855,  Mr.  Henshie  located 
near  Grove  City  in  Mount  .\uburn  township, 
(."hristian  countv,  Illinois,  where  he  jnirchased 
a  farm  and  to  its  cultivation  and  im])rovcment 
he  devoted  his  energies  for  thirty-seven  years. 
He  erected  thereon  a  good  house  and  made 
nianv  other  improvements,  hut  finally  sold  the 
jilace  in  1892  and  purchased  a  farm  of  two 
himdred  and  fifteen  acres  near  Morrisonville, 
that  same  county.  He  never  lived  on  the  lat- 
ter place,  however,  but  on  selling  his  first  farm 
in  1892  removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  pur- 
chased a  lot  and  built  the  nice  residence  now 
occupied  by  his  widow  at  No.  1104  North  Col- 
lege street.  Throughout  the  remainder  of  his 
life  he  lived  retired.  On  coming  to  this  .state 
he  was  in  limited  circumstances,  but  his  tire- 
less energy,  industry  and  perseverance  brought 
to  him  a  well  merited  success  and  he  was  able 
to  leave  his  wife  in  comfortable  circumstances. 
Resides  the  city  home  the  estate  comprises 
the  farm  of  two  hundred  and  fifteen  acres 
near  Morri-sonville  and  another  farm  of  eighty 
acres  near  Stonington  in  Christian  county. 

Politically  Mr.  Henshie  was  unswerving  in 
his  allegiance  to  the  Democratic  party  and  its 
princijiles,  but  he  was  never  a  politician  in  the 
sense  of  office  seeking,  although  he  held  sev- 
eral township  offices  in  Christian  county  and 
his  public  duties  were  always  faithfully  and 
satisfactorily  performed.     Fraternally  he  was 


842 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge  at  Mount 
Auburn,  and  at  one  time  was  also  connected 
with  the  j\Iasonic  order.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
held  membership  in  the  First  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  of  Decatur.  He  always  took 
great  interest  in  church  work,  as  does  also  his 
wife,  and  at  his  death,  which  occurred  October 
12,  1902,  the  community  realized  that  it  had 
lost  a  valued  and  useful  citizen.  He  left  many 
friends  to  moum  his  loss  and  he  was  held  in 
the  highest  regard  bv  all  who  knew  him. 


WILLIAM  JOHNSTON. 

William  Johnston,  who  is  now  living  a  re- 
tired life  in  JNIacon,  Illinois,  has  the  distinc- 
tion of  having  won  the  proud  American  title 
of  a  self-made  man  and  his  successful  struggle 
with  adverse  circumstances  in  early  life  shows 
what  can  be  accomplished  by  industry,  econ- 
omy and  good  management.  He  was  born  in 
Ireland  on  the  28th  of  January,  1841,  but  the 
same  year  was  brought  to  America  by  his 
parents,  John  and  ^lary  (Dukey)  Johnston, 
who  settled  in  Coshocton  county,  Ohio.  For 
five  years  the  father  was  engaged  in  operating 
a  rented  farm  and  then  bought  twent)-  acres 
of  land,  which  he  began  to  clear  and  improve, 
but  shortly  after  locating  thereon  he  burst  a 
blood  vessel  in  lifting  and  died  from  the  effects 
of  the  same  in  1847.  His  wife  survived  him 
for  many  years,  dying  in  1863.  Unto  this 
worthy  couple  were  born  six  children,  but  only 
three  of  the  number  are  now  living,  namely : 
John,  a  retired  farmer  living  in  .\ssumption, 
Illinois :  William,  of  this  review ;  and  Mar- 
garet, wife  of  George  Oxley,  a  farmer  of 
Coshocton  county.  Ohio. 

His  father  having  died  during  his  boyhood, 
William  Johnston  was  early  called  upon  to  as- 
sist his  mother  in  the  support  of  the  family 
and  for  fifteen  years  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand. 
He  then  commenced  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count and  continued  to  follow  that  pursuit 
throughout  the  greater  part  of  his  active  busi- 


ness life.  Before  leaving  Ohio,  he  was  mar- 
ried in  Licking  county,  that  state,  October  28,. 
1868,  to  Miss  Carrie  A.  Connard,  a  daughter 
of  C.  M.  Connard,  of  Utica,  Ohio,  and  to  them 
were  born  three  children :  Mary  E.,  the  wife 
of  Ira  S.  Keogy,  a  retired  farmer  living  in 
Decatur ;  Phoebe  L.,  wife  of  E.  O.  Willoughby, 
a  farmer  of  South  Macon  township ;  and 
Allie,  wife  of  O.  N.  Walker,  a  grain  dealer 
of  Assumption,  Illinois. 

Coming  to  Illinois  in  1872  Mr.  Johnston 
located  near  Macon  in  Macon  county,  where 
he  operated  rented  farms  for  ten  years  and 
then  bought  eighty  acres  a  half  mile  northwest 
of  ^lacon.  There  was  not  a  tree  or  a  bush 
upon  the  place,  it  being  prairie  land,  and  the 
only  improvement  was  a  small  house,  which 
he  remodeled.  He  planted  trees,  which  are 
now  very  large  and  furnish  a  fine  shade  around 
his  country  h^me.  He  also  set  out  an  orchard, 
did  a  large  amount  of  tiling  and'  placed  his 
land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  For 
fourteen  years  he  continued  to  engage  in  the 
cultivation  of  his  land  and  then  removed  to 
]\Iacon,  where  he  carried  on  business  as  an 
implement  dealer  for  six  years,  selling  out  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1903,  to  W.  H.  Brooks  & 
Son.  He  now  lives  a  retired  life,  enjoying  a 
well  earned  rest  and  the  competence  which 
he  has  secured  through  his  own  well  directed 
efforts.  Four  years  ago  he  purchased  a  small 
house  in  Macon,  but  has  recently  erected  a 
modern  and  commodious  residence,  which  is 
surrounded  by  a  fine  large  lawn  and  shade 
trees. 

Politically  Mr.  Johnston  is  a  strong  Republi- 
can and  he  has  been  called  upon  to  serve  his 
fellow  citizens  as  commissioner  of  highways 
in  Macon  for  nine  years ;  school  director  in  the 
country  for  eighteen  years;  and  pathmaster 
twelve  years.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of 
Macon  Lodge,  No.  467,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  an 
exceedingly  strong  and  healthy  man  for  one 
of  his  age  and  up  to  within  two  years  ago  he 
was  never  ill  for  a  day  in  his  life.  He  is  a 
self-educated  as  well  as  a  self-made  man.  hav- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  ^[ACON  COUNTY. 


843 


iiig  paid  his  way  while  attending  the  common 
schools  of  Coshocton  county,  Ohio,  by  grinding 
tanbark.  Throughout  life  he  has  labored 
early  and  late  to  make  for  himself  and  family 
a  home  and  he  deserves  great  credit  for  the 
success  he  has  achieved. 


FRED  SPITTLER. 

I'Ved  Spittler,  who  is  a  successful  gardener, 
conducting  a  large  and  constantly  growing 
business  in  Uccatur.  was  horn  in  P>aclen,  Ger- 
many, in  1873,  and  is  a  son  of  Frederick  and 
Catherine  Spittler,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  the  fatherland.  In  the  year  1888  they  left 
that  country  and  witli  their  children  came  to 
the  new  world,  arriving  in  Decatur  on  the  2d 
of  May  of  that  year.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  followed  that  calling 
throughout  his  business  career.  '  He  died  in 
1891  at  the  age  of  fifty-four  years  and  his 
widow  still  survives  him.  They  were  the 
parents  of  five  children,  of  whom  two  are  liv- 
ing, the  sister  of  our  subject  being  Carrie,  the 
wife  of  John  Madden,  who  is  living  in  Mis- 
souri. 

The  subject  of  this  review  was  a  lad  of 
fifteen  years  at  the  time  of  the  emigration  and 
in  order  to  provide  for  his  own  supjwrt  he 
enternl  the  employ  of  Theodore  Steiner,  a 
gardener,  with  whom  he  remained  for  five 
years,  gaining  an  excellent  knowledge  of  the 
business  both  in  principle  and  detail.  His 
practical  work  enabled  him  to  conduct  his  own 
business  successfully  when  in  1894  he  started 
out  on  his  own  account  at  his  jiresent  location 
at  No.  538  South  Peake  .street.  Here  he  has 
fine  gardens  with  adjoining  hot  houses,  there 
being  fourteen  thousand  square  feet  under 
glass.  Pie  has  recently  enlarged  his  plant  in 
order  to  meet  the  growing  demands  of  his 
trade  and  has  introduced  a  hot  water  system. 
He  raises  from  four  to  five  crops  in  his  hot 
houses  between  October  and  May  and  in  the 
summer  seasons  produces  excellent  products 


in  his  gardens,  their  quality,  size  and  flavor  en- 
abling him  to  find  a  ready  sale  on  the  market. 
He  is  indeed  the  leader  in  his  line  and  has 
attained  recognition  as  such  throughout  this 
part  of  the  state.  He  makes  a  study  of  the 
soil  and  its  adaptation  to  the  needs  of  various 
plants  and  he  is  always  enriching  and  pre- 
jiaring  the  soil  by  the  judicious  use  of  elements 
necessary  for  the  production  of  various  veg- 
etables and  plants.  He  buys  supplies  in  New 
York  and  Chicago  and  by  reason  of  this  he 
is  able  to  raise  the  largest  amount  possible 
from  a  given  amount  of  soil.  He  is  thoroughly 
qualified  for  his  work,  continually  broadening 
his  knowledge  concerning  his  chosen  pursuits 
and  his  opinions  are  regarded  as  authority  in 
this  section  of  the  state  concerning  everything 
connected  with  gardening.  Recently  he  has 
purchased  a  fine  farm  in  Decatur  township, 
comprising  eight}-two  acres,  and  has  placed 
this  midcr  a  very  high  state  of  cullivalion  for 
the  production  of  choice  fruits. 

Mr.  Spittler  is  very  enterprising  and  with 
quick  recognition  of  the  business  possibilities 
of  the  new  world  he  has  steadily  worked  his 
way  upward  until  he  is  now  one  of  the  leading 
German-American  citizens  of  Macon  county, 
who  in  his  undertakings  has  prospered  and 
who  by  his  diligence,  enterprise  and  honorable 
efforts,  has  won  for  himself  a  creditable  posi- 
tion in  the  business  world.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  German  Aid  Society  and  also  of  the 
Turin  Society. 


WILLIAM  P..  NEWELL. 
William  P..  Newell,  who  is  now  living  a  re- 
tired life  in  Decatur,  was  born  in  Fulton 
county,  Ohio,  near  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  on 
the  14th  of  August,  1843.  His  paternal  gran<l- 
father  was  Richard  Newell,  a  soldier  of  the 
Mexican  war.  His  parents  w^ere  Richard  A. 
and  Jane  (Wilson)  Newell,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  born  in  1800,  while  the  latter's 
birth  occurred  in  tlie  Pnckeye  state  in    1805. 


844 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Tor  some  years  after  their  marriage  the\-  eon- 
tinued  to  reside  in  Ohio  and  in  1856  they 
started  westward,  establishing  tlicir  liome  in 
Decatur,  llhnois.  Here  the  father  resided 
until  his  death,  wliich  occurred  in  1897.  For 
several  years  he  had  filled  the  office  of  super- 
visor and  was  also  the  superintendent  of  the 
poor  farm.  His  official  duties  were  discharged 
with  conscientious  fidelity  and  promptness  and 
he  made  for  himself  a  creditable  record  as  a 
man  worthy  of  trust  and  confidence.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  were  devoted  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  lived  in  harmony 
with  their  professions  as  followers  of  that  de- 
nomination. Of  their  family  of  nine  children 
five  reached  years  of  maturity,  namely  :  W'il- 
liam  B. ;  Catherine,  who  is  the  wife  of  William 
Hatch,  of  Dallas,  Texas :  John  L. ;  James,  who 
is  now  a  resident  of  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois : 
and  Richard  A.,  who  is  living  in  Clinton,  this 
state. 

William  B.  Newell  was  a  youth  of  thirteen 
years  when  he  left  the  state  of  his  nativity 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois.  He 
continued  his  studies  in  the  schools  of  De- 
catur, completed  his  course  in  the  high  school 
and  when  he  put  aside  his  textbooks  to  learn 
the  more  difficult  lessons  in  the  school  of  ex- 
perience he  received  his  first  instruction  as  a 
salesman  in  a  grocery  store.  He  was  thus  em- 
ployed for  several  years,  after  which  he  learned 
telegraphy  and  was  then  in  the  service  of  the 
Wabash  &  Great  Western  Railroad  for  a 
period  of  seventeen  years,  occupying  various 
positions  at  Decatur  and  at  Danville,  Illinois. 
Mr.  Newell  next  entered  the  employ  of  Or- 
lando Powers,  a  boot  and  shoe  merchant  of 
Decatur,  with  whom  he  remained  for  two 
years,  when  he  became  manager  of  the  office  of 
the  \\\'stern  L^nion  Telegraph  Company  in  this 
city.  He  acted  in  that  capacity  for  thirteen 
years,  giving  entire  satisfaction  to  the  large 
corporation  which  he  represented,  but  on  the 
expiration  of  that  period  he  determined  to  once 
more  engage  in  trade  on  his  own  account  and 
embarked   in  the   "roccrv  business   under  the 


firm  style  of  Newell  Brothers.  He  was  thus 
in  partnership  for  four  years,  after  which  he 
sold  out  and  has  since  lived  retired. 

In  1867  ^^^-  Newell  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  McDaniel,  a  resident  of  Decatur 
and  a  daughter  of  Elizabeth  McDaniel,  who 
IS  residing  in  Macon,  Missouri.  Their  home 
has  been  blessed  with  five  children :  Clarence, 
who  is  now  living  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri ; 
Howard,  at  Decatur;  Arthur,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  grocery  business  in  this  city;  Paul,  of 
Lancaster,  Ohio;  and  Florence,  who  is  a  stu- 
dent in  the  Decatur  high  school.  The  family 
home  is  on  West  Wood  street.  Mr.  Newell 
is  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  church  and 
his  interest  has  been  in  entire  sympathy  with 
church  work  and  with  the  development  of  the 
city  along  lines  proving  of  good  to  the  general 
public.  His  business  career  is  without  a  stain 
and  at  all  times  he  has  been  faithful  to  the 
trust  reposed  in  him,  while  he  has  also  gained 
the  competence  that  now  enables  him  to  live 
retired. 


JAMES  T.  ^^•ARD. 
This  genial  and  affable  gentleman  is  well 
known  throughout  Illinois  and  has  a  particu- 
larly large  acquaintance  in  Chicago  and  in  St. 
Louis,  gained  through  the  conduct  of  his  busi- 
ness interests.  He  is  an  auctioneer  of  live 
stock  and  is  certainly  one  of  the  best  known 
men  in  this  line  of  business  in  the  central 
i\Iississippi  valley. 

Mr.  Ward  was  born  in  Christian  county, 
Illinois,  March  31.  1858.  his  parents  1;>eing 
Robert  and  Nancy  (Abernathy)  Ward,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Ohio,  the  father's 
liirlh  having  occurred  in  Ross  county,  while 
the  mother's  birth  occurred  in  Champaign 
county.  In  the  year  1847  tlicy  left  the  Buckeye 
state  and  removed  to  Christian  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  the  father  harl  a  tract  of  land  and 
engaged  in  general  farming  and  stock-raising. 
He   was   identified   with   atjricultiiral   interests 


PAST  AND  rRI-.SEXT  OF  .M.\CON  COUNTY. 


845 


ihcrc  iiiilil  187O,  wIk-ii  he  came  lo  Macon 
county,  where  lie  has  since  conlinued  lo  make 
his  home. 

The  boyhood  days  of  James  Ward  were 
spent  upon  the  home  farm  and  in  his  early 
\oiith  he  attended  the  district  schools,  while 
later  he  studied  at  Blue  Mound.  He  began 
earning  his  own  living  by  serving  as  a  clerk  in 
a  store  at  Blue  Mound,  being  there  employed 
for  five  years.  He  has  always,  however,  been 
fond  of  live  stock  and  at  the  end  of  that  time 
he  ])egan  buying  and  selling  horses,  continu- 
ing his  dealing  in  this  way  for  five  years.  In 
18S8  he  entered  u]X)n  his  work  as  an  auctioneer 
and  his  cajjahility  in  this  direction  soon  led  to 
demands  for  his  services  in  all  parts  of  the 
state.  He  has  confined  his  attention  exclu- 
sively to  stock  sales  and  more  especially  to  the 
sale  of  horses.  He  spends  a  part  of  his  time 
in  St.  Louis.  Missouri,  where  he  is  employed 
by  the  firm  of  Campbell  &  Reed,  extensive 
dealers  in  horses,  carrying  on  a  business  that 
perha|)s  exceeds  any  other  firm  in  the  central 
states.  In  that  cit\  .Mr.  Ward  has  made  a 
wonderful  record,  having  sold  as  high  as  seven 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  horses  in  a  single 
day — an  amount  of  business  exceeding  that 
of  any  other  auctioneer.  He  has  also  con- 
ducted many  of  the  large  sales  in  Chicago  and 
in  the  line  t)f  his  business  has  been  called  as 
far  cast  as  Buffalo,  New  York.  Constant  de- 
mands are  made  upon  his  time  so  that  he  has 
very  little  leisure,  indeed.  As  an  auctioneer 
he  sustains  a  wide  reinttation  and  in  this  line 
of  activity  has  gained  a  very  comfortal)le  com- 
petence. 

On  the  15th  of  October,  1885,  Mr.  Ward 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nellie  Riggs. 
of  Mason  City,  Illinois,  a  daughter  of  James 
H.  Kiggs.  They  now  have  one  son,  Robert 
Lyle  W'ard.  The  family  home  is  a  neat  and 
substantial  residence  at  No.  747  West  Prairie 
avenue,  Decatur.  Mr.  Ward  is  a  member  of 
the  WoodiTicn  of  .-Xmcrica,  is  a  gentleman  of 
fine  physi(|ue  and  splendid  personal  appear- 
ance, and  verv  cordial  and  affable  in  manner. 


CllARi.i:S  l.CDWiG, 
.-Mthough  Charles  Ludwig  resided  in  De- 
catur or  Macon  county  but  one  year  he  became 
well  knov.n  to  the  business  men  of  the  city 
and  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all. 
He  was  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  near  Spring- 
field, Sangamon  county,  on  the  6th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1862,  and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth Ludwig.  Throughout  life  his  father  has 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  is  now 
operating  a  farm  near  Roodhouse,  this  state. 
There  our  subject  was  reared  and  educated 
in  nuich  the  usual  manner  of  farmer  hoys,  at- 
tending the  country  schools  near  Roodhouse. 
On  the  com]3letion  of  his  education  he  as- 
sisted his  father  on  the  home  farm  until  he 
was  married,  December  27,  1893,  to  Miss  Fan- 
nie K.  Matthcv.'s.  who  was  also  born  in  Sanga- 
mon county,  a  daughter  of  William  Oliver 
and  Mary  E.  (Lamb)  Matthews.  Her  father 
followed  farming  in  Sangamon  couiUy  until 
1S07,  wiien  he  removed  to  Decatur  and  has 
since  lived  retired,  although  he  still  owns  his 
farm  in  Sangamon  county,  llis  present  home 
is  near  his  daughter  on  West  (ireen  street. 
Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife  were  l)orn  three 
children,  namely:  Opal  M.,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  three  months;  Leland  Earl  and  Lela 
Mearl,  twins,  residing  with  their  mother. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Ludwig  located  on  a 
farm  near  Roodhouse,  Illinois,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  general  farming  for  four  years,  and 
on  selling  his  place  in  November,  1898,  re- 
moved to  Decatur,  where  he  engaged  in  team- 
ing for  one  year.  In  .\ugust.  1899.  'ic  ^^' 
moved  to  Sangamon  county,  locating  on  a 
farm  eleven  miles  southeast  of  Springfield,  and 
to  the  cultivation  of  that  place  he  devoted  his 
time  and  energies  until  called  to  his  final  rest 
on  the  2d  of  November,  1901.  He  was  a 
very  industrious,  energetic  and  enterprising 
farmer  and  met  with  good  success  in  his  under- 
takings. As  be  was  upright  and  honorable  in 
all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men  he  had 
their  entire  confidence  and  respect  and  was 
held  in  liigh  regard  by  all  who  knew  him. 


846 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Fraternally  Mv.  Ludwig  was  a  member  of 
ihe  Modern  Woodmen  in  Sangamon  county, 
and  religiously  was  connected  with  the  Baptist 
church  of  Roodhousc,  to  which  his  estimable 
wife  also  belonged.  After  her  husband's  death 
she  returned  to  Decatur  and  purchased  her 
present  comfortable  home  at  1171  West  Green 
street.  She  also  owns  another  residence  at 
No.  1034  West  Green  street  and  has  other 
property.  During  her  short  residence  here 
she  has  made  many  warm  friends  and  is  well 
liked  by  all  who  have  the  pleasure  of  her 
acquaintance. 


WILLIAM  T.  DOWNING. 

Among  the  important  industries  of  Macon 
county  stock-raising  occupies  a  prominent 
place  and  it  is  to  this  occupation  that  William 
T.  Downing  now  devotes  his  energies,  being 
the  proprietor  of  the  Evergreen  Stock  Farm. 
His  beautiful  suburban  home  is  located  just 
outside  the  northern  limits  of  Decatur  and  has 
all  the  improvements  and  conveniences  of  the 
average  city  residence. 

Mr.  Downing  was  born  in  Circleville,  Ohio, 
August  17,  1854,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Mar- 
garet A.  (Dav^-son)  Downing.  The  father, 
who  was  a  contractor,  spent  his  early  life  in 
Ohio,  but  about  thirty-five  y^ears  ago  came  to 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  where  he  passed  his 
remaining  years,  dying  here  in  189 1,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six.  His  wife  did  not  long  sur- 
vive him.  The  Downings  were  originally  from 
Delaware. 

Our  subject  received  a  good  practical  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  and  early  mani- 
fested an  interest  in  stock-raising.  He  began 
the  business  on  his  own  account  at  the  age  of 
twenty-six  years,  though  he  had  previously 
carried  on  operations  along  that  line  in  con- 
nection with  his  father.  He  now  makes  a 
specialty  of  the  most  popular  standard  bred 
horses  and  has  been  very  successful  with  his 
racers,  these  being  his  pride  for  the  past 
twenty-five  years.     He  buys  and  sells  consid- 


erable stock  and  prosperity  has  attended  his 
efforts  thus  far  in  life,  making  him  quite  well- 
to-do.  In  business  affairs  he  is  prompt,  ener- 
getic and  notably  reliable  and  he  has  the  confi- 
dence and  respect  of  all  who  know  him.  As 
a  mere  boy  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
Wabash  Railroad  Company  and  held  the  posi- 
tions of  baggageman  and  conductor  before  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age,  but  since  that  time 
his  attention  has  been  wholly  devoted  to  his 
farming  and  stock-raising  interests.  His  home 
and  all  its  surroundings  are  modern  and  up-to- 
date  in  appointments  and  his  is  one  of  the 
finest  locations  in  Decatur  township.  Socially 
Mr.  Downing  is  an  honored  member  of  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

On  September  20,  1874,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  at  La  Clede  Hotel,  in  St.  Louis,  to 
Miss  Ida  Davis,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  and 
Susan  C.  B.  Davis,  of  Philadelphia,  and  to 
them  were  born  three  children,  who  are  still 
living :  Anna  Maude,  now  the  wife  of  John 
L.  Patton,  of  New  Orleans ;  Clifford  O.  and 
William  Pointelle.  They  lost  one  child,  Ellis, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years.  Mrs.  Down- 
ing, who  was  a  most  estimable  lady,  died 
February  13,  1899,  at  the  age  of  forty  years, 
and  her  death  was  deeply  mourned  by  many 
friends  as  well  as  her  immediate  family.  She 
was  a  loving  wife  and  tender  mother  and  was 
held  in  high  regard  by  all  who  knew  her. 

Her  mother,  Mrs.  Susan  C.  B.  Davis,  was 
one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Macon  county  and 
a  representative  of  an  old  and  honored  family. 
She  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1823,  and  died  in  Decatur  on  the  4th  of 
January,  1899.  Her  father,  Parmelas  Small- 
wood,  was  born  April  27,  1782,  near  Charles- 
town,  Jefferson  county.  West .  Virginia,  and 
served  as  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812.  Before 
leaving  his  native  state  he  was  married  June 
23,  1807,  to  Miss  Deborah  Brown,  who  was 
also  bom  near  Charlestown,  May  12,  1792. 
Later  they  removed  to  Lancaster  county,  Ohio,, 
where  Mr.  Smallwood  opened  up  a  new  farm, 
and  as  earlv  as  182s  he  came  to  Macon  county^ 


PAST  A\D  I'RESICXT  Ol'   MACON  COUNTY. 


841 


Illinois,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  ten  chil- 
dren, the  jonrnev  being  made  by  teams  from 
Ohio.  The  winter  after  their  arrival  was  spent 
at  Sugar  Grove,  and  from  there  they  removed 
to  a  farm  on  section  3,  Decatur  township, 
which  was  the  home  of  Mrs.  Davis  for  many 
years.  It  has  been  in  possession  of  the  family 
since  1826.  When  they  located  here  their 
nearest  neighbor  was  forty  miles  away.  Mr. 
Smallwood  built  a  hewed  long  cabin  and  in 
true  pioneer  style  began  life  in  the  west.  He 
did  his  trading  in  .Chicago,  St.  Louis  and 
Springfield,  where  he  bought  salt  at  one  dollar 
and  a  quarter  per  barrel  and  sold  his  wheat 
for  thirty  and  forty  cents  per  bushel.  When 
the  land  came  into  market  he  purchased  it 
from  the  government  and  upon  the  old  home- 
stead he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His 
death  occurred  in  1848  and  his  wafe  was  called 
to  her  final  rest  on  the  "th  of  November,  1873. 
Politically  he  was  an  active  supporter  of  the 
Whig  party.  He  was  one  of  the  few  public 
spirited  men  who  helped  to  build  up  Decatur, 
donating  ten  acres  to  the  city  which  lies  in 
the  heart  of  the  town. 

Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smallwood  were  born 
the  following  children :  Mrs.  Rachel  Murphy, 
deceased :  George,  who  was  a  soldier  of  the 
Black  Hawk  war  and  died  near  Clinton,  Illi- 
nois; John,  Samuel  and  James,  all  deceased; 
Daniel;  Amanda,  wife  of  William  Bennett; 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Roben,  of  Clinton,  Illinois; 
Douglas  and  Asberry,  both  deceased;  Mrs. 
Davis;  Joseph,  who  is  living  in  Decatur;  and 
Gideon,  who  has  also  passed  away. 

Mrs.  Davis  was  only  two  years  old  when 
the  family  located  in  Decatur  township.  In 
her  girlhood  she  learned  to  spin,  weave  and 
perform  such  other  duties  as  fell  to  the  lot 
of  the  girls  of  the  family  in  those  early  days, 
and  one  year  she  wove  and  d>'ed  over  two  hun- 
dred yards  of  cloth.  Her  education  was  ac- 
quired in  the  old-time  log  school  house  and 
with  the  family  she  experienced  all  the  hard- 
ships and  diflficulties  of  pioneer  life.  Having 
attained  womanhood  she  became  the  wife  of 


ilenjaniin  Da\is,  who  was  born  antl  reared  in 
I'hiladelphia.  His  father  was  engaged  in  the 
brick  and  real  estate  business  in  that  city  and 
there  he  remained  until  1841,  when  he  came 
west.  He  died  on  the  2d  of  January,  1861, 
when  not  yet  forty  years  of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  had  four  children: 
I'^liza  died  in  infancy.  Ida  A.,  now  deceased, 
was  the  wife  of  William  T.  Downing,  whose 
name  introduces  this  article.  Benjamin  A.,  the 
eldest  who  was  educated  in  the  Illinois  Nor- 
mal School  and  Mount  Zion  Academy,  was 
married  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  in  1879,  and  at 
his  death  left  two  children,  Edna  S.  and 
Louisa.  Anna  E.,  the  youngest  of  the  family, 
acquired  her  education  at  St.  Mary"s  Hall  of 
Burlington,  Iowa,  and  Cottage  Seminary  at 
Pottstown,  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Davis  was  a 
lady  of  many  excellencies  of  character,  which 
won  for  her  a  wide  circle  of  friends  and  gained 
tor  her  the  respect  of  all  with  whom  she  was 
acquainted. 


JAMES  HADWIN. 

During  his  early  years  James  Hadwin  was 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  in  his 
undertakings  met  with  excellent  success,  so 
that  he  is  now  enabled  to  live  a  retired  life  at 
his  home  in  Decatur,  surrounded  by  all  the 
comforts  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life.  He 
was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Illinois,  June  14, 
i860,  and  belongs  to  a  family  that  has  been 
actively  identified  with  the  development  of  this, 
state. 

His  father,  Thomas  Hadwin,  was  born  in 
the  south  of  England  in  181 2,  and  in  1843 
wedded  Miss  Mary  Atkinson,  also  a  native  of 
England,  born  in  Bland,  Yorkshire,  near  the 
boundary  of  Westmoreland,  November  12, 
1819.  The  year  of  their  marriage  they  came 
to  America  with  the  Atkinson  family  and  on 
landing  in  New  York  proceeded  at  once  to 
Ohio.  As  there  were  no  railroads  at  that  time 
a  steamboat  carried  them  to  Albanv,  whence 


848 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  iMACON  COUNTY. 


they  made  their  \va\  by  the  Erie  canal  to  Buf- 
falo, by  lake  to  Cleveland  and  by  canal  to 
IMassillon,  Stark  county,  Ohio,  where  they 
made  their  home  for  about  three  years.  In 
1846  they  came  to  Illinois,  this  journey  being 
made  by  wagon,  and  they  brought  a  flock  of 
sheep  with  them.  They  first  located  at  Hails 
Point,  Macon  county,  but  afterward  removed 
to  Toddspoint,  'Shelby  county,  where  Thomas 
Hadwin  died  in  January,  1887.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  buying  and  selling  sheep,  cattle  and 
other  live  stock  for  a  few  years,  and  then 
turned  his  attention  to  farming,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  follow  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  His  wife  still  survives  him  and  is  now 
residing  in  the  city  of  Shelbyville,  Illinois.  In 
their  family  were  the  following  children : 
John,  deceased :  Mrs.  Alary  Alice  Wilson,  a 
resident  of  Chicago ;  Mrs.  Sarah  Boone,  of 
South  Haven.  Kansas ;  Thomas,  who  is  living 
in  }iIissouri :  Ellen  and  Lou,  both  at  home  with 
their  mother  in  Shelbyville ;  William,  who  is 
living  in  the  state  of  Washington ;  David,  a 
resident  of  Assumption,  Illinois:  and  James, 
the  only  member  of  the  family  residing  in 
Macon  county. 

James  Hadwin  had  the  advantages  of  only 
a  common-school  education  and  when  not  in 
school  he  aided  his  father  in  the  operation  of 
the  home  farm  until  his  marriage.  It  was  on 
the  15th  of  November,  1887,  that  he  led  to  the 
marriage  altar  Miss  Mary  E.  Jackson,  also  a 
native  of  Shelby  county  and  a  daughter  of 
William  Henry  and  Mary  Ann  (Burk)  Jack- 
son, early  settlers  of  that  county,  where  the 
father  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death.  He 
was  born  in  Steubenville,  Ohio,  on  the  15th  of 
February.  1823,  and  came  with  his  father's 
family  to  Illinois  in  1840  making  his  home 
under  the  parental  roof  until  the  age  of  twenty- 
one.  In  September,  1849.  he  married  Mar- 
garet Jane  Waters,  who  died  on  the  8th  of 
March,  1852.  and  he  was  again  married  Au- 
gust 25,  1853.  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  IMary  Ann  Burk.  They  made  their  home 
in  Ridge  township,  Shelby  county,  where  he 


was  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  progressive 
and  substantial  agriculturists  of  the  com- 
munity, being  the  owner  of  eleven  hundred 
and  si.xty  acres  of  valuable  farming  land  in 
Ridge  and  Pickaway  townships.  He  had 
eleven  children,  two  by  the  first  wife  and  nine 
by  the  second,  namel_\- :  Thomas,  who  died 
March  24,  1864;  William  H.,  who  is  living  in 
Texas  ;  Robert,  who  is  now  in  Alaska ;  Samuel, 
who  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Ridge  township, 
Shelby  county ;  JMargaret  Jane,  a  resident  of 
Kansas ;  Lou,  who  lives  in  Christian  count)-, 
Illinois ;  Hester  Isabella,  who  makes  her  home 
in  Shelby  county;  Elizabeth,  a  resident  of 
Shelbyville,  Illinois ;  Andrew  K.,  a  resident  of 
Henton,  Shelby  county;  Charles,  \vlio  makes 
his  home  in  Shelbyville;  and  Mary  E.,  the 
wife  of  our  subject.  In  1892  Mr.  Jackson  re- 
tired from  farm  work  and  removed  to  Shelby- 
ville. where  he  lived  retired  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  February,  1901.  His  sec- 
ond wife  had  died  in  April,  1898. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Hadwin  located  on 
a  farm  in  his  native  county  and  continued  its 
cultivation  for  five  years,  after  which  he  re- 
moved to  Sumner  county,  Kansas,  and  there 
conducted  a  meat  market  for  about  si.x  months. 
.\s  the  Cherokee  strip  was  open  to  the  public 
about  this  time,  he  went  to  Oklahoma  and  was 
there  engaged  in  farming  for  three  years.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  he  returned  to  Shelby 
county,  Illinois,  and  purchased  a  farm,  which 
he  successfully  operated  for  some  time,  but 
owing  to  ill  health  he  finally  decided  to  give 
up  farming  and  on  the  loth  of  September, 
1902,  removed  to  Decatur,  where  he  has  since 
lived  retired,  though  he  still  owns  his  fine  farm 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Shelby 
county,  which  he  now  rents.  Besides  this 
property  he  owns  the  nice  residence  at  No. 
1089  West  Macon  street,  Decatur,  where  he 
and  his  wife  intend  to  make  their  future  home. 
In  business  affairs,  Mr.  Hadwin  is  prompt, 
energetic  and  reliable  and  to  these  qualities 
may  be  attributed  his  success  in  life.  His  po- 
litical support  is  given  the  men  and  measures 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


S49 


of  the  Republican  party,  ami  in  bis  social  rela- 
tions be  is  identified  witb  the  Masonic  Lodge 
at  I'indlay,  Illinois,  and  tbe  Knigbts  of-  Pythias 
Lodge  at  Sbelbyville.  Wherever  be  is  known 
he  is  held  in  high  regard  and  though  bis  resi- 
dence in  Decatur  has  been  of  short  duration 
he  has  already  made  many  warm  friends 
throughout  tbe  citv. 


CIL\RLES  S.  H  AX  KINS. 

Charles  S.  Ilankins  is  connected  witb  an 
enterprise  which  has  direct  and  important  bear- 
ing upon  tbe  majority  of  business  interests  of 
Decatur,  being  tbe  president  of  the  Macon 
County  Telephone  Company.  The  rapidity 
witb  which  work  can  be  executed  and  business 
plans  formed  is  an  important  factor  in  suc- 
cess. It  is  no  longer  necessary  to  wait  the 
transmission  of  a  message  by  mail,  for  mat- 
ters of  discussion  relative  to  business  can  to- 
dav  be  carried  on  over  tbe  telephone  lines  of 
the  country  and  thus  much  valuable  time  is 
saved.  There  is  perhaps  no  one  branch  of 
business  that  has  bad  so  great  an  effect  upon 
existing  conditions  as  has  tbe  introduction  of 
the  telephone,  and  Mr.  Hankins  is  now-  putting 
forth  every  effort  in  his  power  to  provide  the 
citizens  of  Decatur  and  tbe  surrounding  coun- 
try with  the  best  service  possible  in  this  regard. 

■.\  native  of  Ohio,  Charles  S.  Hankins  was 
born  in  the  vicinity  of  Reeseville,  Clinton 
county,  December  24,  1856.  His  parents  were 
Enoch  and  Susan  (McFadden)  Hankins. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the 
mother  of  West  \'irginia.  In  the  fall  of  1862 
the  parents  removed  from  Ohio  to  Macon 
county  and  settled  in  Friends  Creek  township 
upon  a  farm,  which  Mr.  Hankins  improved 
and  became  a  representative  citizen  of  that 
community.  He  died  about  the  close  of  the 
Civil  war.  in  1865.  His  wife,  who  still  sur- 
vives him,  is  yet  living  in  Decatur  and  has 
now  reached  the  age  of  ei,ghty-three  years. 
In  tbe  family  of  this  worthy  couple  were  nine 


children,  four  sons  and  five  daughters,  of 
whom  Charles  S.  is  the  seventh  in  order  of 
birth.  The  family  record  is  as  follows :  Mary 
1^..  the  wife  of  D.  M.  Adams;  Jennie,  the  wife 
of  Dr.  W.  IT.  Deal,  a  resident  of  Dresden, 
Missouri;  I'lorence  E..  the  wife  of  A.  Smick, 
of  Decatur;  ( Jrlandus  M.,  who  makes  his  home 
in  Monon,  Indiana,  where  be  follows  farming; 
Frank  L.,  deceased ;  Horten.sc  M.,  who  is  the 
wife  of  W.  E.  Collins  and  resides  in  St.  Louis, 
Missouri;  Charles  S.,  of  this  review;  Rose  M., 
who  is  now'  living  in  Carthage,  Missouri ;  and 
Walter,  who  has  passed  away. 

In  retros])ect  one  can  see  Charles  S.  Hankins 
as  a  farmer  boy,  assisting  in  tbe  labors  of 
field  and  meadow  through  tbe  summer  months, 
while  in  tbe  winttr  season  be  pursued  his  edu- 
cation in  tbe  district  school.  After  leaving 
school  he  entered  upon  his  business  career. 
Subsequently  be  entered  into  a  partnership  in 
the  real  estate  business  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Lewis  &  Ilankins  and  they  conducted 
many  imjjortant  realty  transfers,  continuing  in 
business  together  until  1891,  when  Mr. 
Ilankins  severed  this  relation  and  became  con- 
nected with  tbe  telephone  business  as  its  super- 
intendent. Soon  be  became  a  jnu'cbaser  of  the 
stock  and  in  1901  he  was  made  president  of 
tbe  company.  He  now  owns  the  greater  part 
of  the  stock  of  the  Macon  County  Telephone 
Company,  which  is  one  of  tbe  best  local  sys- 
tems in  this  part  of  the  state.  It  is  certainly 
a  necessary  and  important  factor  in  the  busi- 
ness operations  of  this  city.  Tbe  exchange  has 
had  a  remarkably  successful  growth  and  now 
has  in  operation  a  complete  telephone  system 
throughout  Decatur  and  IMacon  county  and 
also  telephone  connection  witb  two  hundred 
and  fifty  towns  in  central  Illinois.  They  have 
placed  about  one  thousand  phones  in  this  city 
and  vicinity  and  already  have  a  number  of 
farmer  lines  in  operation.  This  exchange  is 
equipped  with  a  new  twelve  hundred  phone 
caj)acity  Sterling  electric  switchboard.  The 
company  is  constantly  making  improvements 
in  their  equipments  and  during  the  year  igo2 


850 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


spent  twenty  thousand  dollars  in  underground 
conduit  system.  This  company  manufactures 
all  of  its  own  telephones  and  transmitters  and 
has  equipped  a  number  of  outside  exchanges, 
and  the  office,  which  is  located  in  the  Arcade 
building,  is  open  night  and  day  throughout  the 
entire  year.  Mr.  Hankins  is  the  active  head 
of  the  company  and  upon  him  devolves  the 
business  management. 

In  1888  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Hankins  and  Miss  Mary  B.  Gerber,  of  Ar- 
genta,  Macon  county,  Illinois,  a'  daughter  of 
Samuel  Gerber,  of  Argenta.  They  now  have 
one  son,  Orville  G.  Mr.  Hankins  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  city  council  for  two  years  and  in 
matters  pertaining  to  general  progress  and  im- 
provement he  has  always  been  public  spirited 
and  progressive,  co-operating  in  every  meas- 
ure for  the  general  good.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knight  of  Pythias  fraternity  and 
the  Woodmen  of  America.  His  prominence  in 
business  circles  comes  as  a  result  of  capability 
and  his  worth  is  uniformly  acknowledged.  His 
social,  genial  manner  has  gained  for  him  many 
friends  and  he  has  the  regard  of  young  and 
old,  rich  and  poor. 


JOSEPH  K.  CLIPSTON. 

Joseph  K.  Clipston,  a  well-to-do  agricultur- 
ist residing  on  section  14,  South  Macon  town- 
ship, is  a  typical  self-made  man  and  in  the 
following  record  of  his  career  there  is  much 
to  arouse  respect  and  esteem.  He  has  placed 
his  reliance  upon  industry  and  perseverance, 
and  by  making  the  most  of  circumstances, 
however  discouraging,  he  has  attained  success 
in  his  chosen  calling  and  has  acquired  a  com- 
fortable home  and  competence. 

Mr.  Clipston  was  born  in  England  in  1828, 
of  which  country  his  parents  were  life-long 
residents,  his  only  relative  in  this  country 
being  his  brother,  James  Clipston,  a  farmer 
living  near  Warrensburg,  Illinois.  On  his 
emigration   to    America   in    1851    our   subject 


lirst  settled  near  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  w'orked  in  the  mines  for  about  three 
years,  and  then  went  to  California,  where  he 
was  similarly  employed  for  two  years.  His 
wife  now  has  a  ring  made  from  gold  which 
he  mined  there. 

Returning  to  Pennsylvania,  Mr.  Clipston 
was  married  in  Morristown,  that  state,  Febru- 
ary 5,  1857,  to  Miss  Merthine  Francis,  a 
daughter  of  John  U.  and  Lydia  (Smith)  Fran- 
cis, who  were  of  Scotch  and  English  descent. 
Her  ancestors  for  several  generations  back 
were  residents  of  the  Keystone  state  and  lived 
near  Valley  Forge,  where  they  followed  farm- 
ing. Her  grandfather  Francis  was  a  great 
friend  of  George  Washington.  Unto  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Clipston  have  been  born  five  children,  as 
follows :  Charles  F.,  at  home ;  Katie,  wife  of 
John  E.  Winchell,  a  blacksmith  of  Moweaqua, 
Jennie,  wife  of  Charles  Slaughter,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  near  our  subject,  though 
across  the  line  in  Shelby  county ;  Grant  who 
married  Belle  Tolston  and  follows  farming 
in  Shelby  county ;  and  Elmer,  at  home. 

In  the  same  year  of  his  marriage  yh.  Clip- 
ston came  to  Illinois  and  settled  near  Mowe- 
aqua, in  Shelby  county,  where  he  bought  a 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  but  after  residing 
thereon  for  five  years,  he  sold  that  place  and 
engaged  in  operating  a  rented  farm  for  three 
years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm  on  section  14, 
South  Macon  township,  and  has  since  added 
to  his  property  until  his  landed  estate  now 
amounts  to  two  hundred  acres,  a  part  of  which 
is  in  Shelby  county.  He  has  transformed  the 
wild  land  into  well  cultivated  fields  and  has 
replaced  the  old  log  cabin,  which  was  stand- 
ing at  the  time  of  his  purchase,  by  a  good 
frame  residence.  Fie  has  also  erected  barns 
and  other  outbuildings,  until  he  now  has  a 
well  improved  and  valuable  farm  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  raises  full-blooded 
polled  Angus  cattle  and  Poland-China  hogs 
and  feeds  considerable  stock  for  market,  and 
he  is  also  interested  in  the  raising  and  breeding 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


SiJl 


of  fine  roadsters,  being  the  owner  of  a  valuable 
horse  from  the  Ilenry  Pickrell  stock.  As  a 
farmer  and  stock-raiser  he  has  met  with 
marked  success  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial men  of  his  community,  though  he 
came  to  the  new  world  empty-handed  and  has 
had  to  make  his  own  way  unaided.  He  is 
known  among  his  fellow  citizens  for  his  relia- 
bility in  all  trade  transactions  and  justly  merits 
their  conhdencc  and  regard.  He  was  christened 
in  the  Church  of  England,  to  which  his  pa- 
rents belonged,  but  his  wife  is  a  member  of 
the  Dunkard  church. 


JOSEPH  C.  \VILLL\MS. 

.\  quarter  of  a  century  covers  the  period  of 
Mr.  Williams'  residence  in  Decatur.  He  was 
born  in  Washington,  Indiana,  November  29, 
1839,  one  of  the  seventeen  children  of  Basil 
and  Nancy  Williams.  All  of  this  large  family 
are  nov/  deceased  with  the  exception  of  the 
subject  of  this  review.  The  father  died  in 
1 84 1,  when  his  son  Joseph  was  only  two  years 
of  age,  and  his  mother  passed  away  in  1865. 
They  were  natives  of  Kentucky,  reared  and 
married  there,  and  were  representatives  of 
early  pioneer  families  of  the  state.  Both  the 
paternal  and  the  maternal  grandfathers  were 
killed  by  the  Indians  in  the  early  days  of  Ken- 
tucky's development  ere  many  white  settlers 
had  penetrated  into  the  interior  of  the  state. 
Basil  Williams  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
1 81 2,  serving  under  Captain  Belt  and  Colonel 
Poag,  both  well  known  officers  at  that  time. 

In  1846  the  Williams  family  became  resi- 
dents of  Pike  county,  Illinois,  and  it  was  in 
the  "public  schools  there  that  Joseph  C.  W'il- 
liams  obtained  his  education.  During  the 
periods  of  vacation  he  assisted  his  mother  on 
the  home  farm  and  aided  in  the  arduous  task 
of  developing  a  new  tract  of  land.  The  coun- 
try was  very  wild  and  Mr.  Williams  remem- 
bers to  have  killed  many  a  wolf  and  deer 
shooting  these   from  his  own  dooryard.     He 


continued  to  assist  his  mother  in  the  operation 
of  the  home  farm,  until  after  the  inauguration 
of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  became  one  of  the 
Illinois  volunteers,  enlisting  in  the  Ninety- 
ninth  Regiment.  He  served  under  Second 
Lieutenant  John  Bossman,  First  Lieutenant 
B.  Cloudy  and  Captain  John  F.  Richards.  He 
left  home  on  the  2olh  of  August,  1862,  and 
returned  on  the  i2lh  of  August,  1865,  having 
served  for  almost  three  years,  during  which 
lime  he  jjarticipated  in  the  battles  of  Ilarts- 
ville,  ^lissouri,  Magnolia  Hill,  the  X'icksburg 
campaign  and  the  battles  of  Champion  Hill 
and  Black  River  Bridge.  He  was  several  times 
wounded  and  yet  carries  in  his  body  a  number 
of  rebel  balls.  He  was  severely  w-ounded  in  a 
steamboat  explosion  at  X'icksburg,  Missis- 
sippi, on  the  19th  of  August.  1863,  and  on 
several  occasions  narrowly  escaped  being 
captured.  He  thus  became  familiar  with  all 
the  phases  of  army  life,  with  its  hardships  and 
dangers,  but  never  faltered  in  the  performance 
of  his  duty  or  wavered  in  his  loyalty  to  the 
I'nion  cause. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Williams  returned  to  Pike 
county,  where  he  remained  until  1867,  working 
on  the  home  farm.  He  then  removed  to  Tay- 
lorville,  Illinois,  where  he  carried  on  agricul- 
tural pursuits  until  October,  1869,  and  then 
went  to  Clarksburg.  Moniteau  county,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  remained  from  October  until 
the  following  June.  He  was  very  successfully 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  but  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health  was  forced  to  leave  that 
place  and  take  up  bis  abode  in  Quincy,  Illi- 
nois. He  assisted  his  brother  in  getting  a 
start  in  the  grocery  business  there,  after  which 
he  located  elsewhere  in  Adams  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  engaged  in  farming  from  1870 
until  1875.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  came  to  Macon  county,  where  he  has  since 
lived.  For  a  short  time  he  engaged  in  farming 
for  Mr.  Woodcock,  of  Macon  county,  and  then 
came  to  the  city  of  Decatur,  where  he  entered 
the  employ  of  Mr.  Whitmer,  who  was  then  en- 
sraeed    in    the   manufacture   of   brick.      After 


852 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


serving  in  that  way  for  several  seasons  he  ac- 
cepted a  position  in  the  coffin  factory,  where 
he  continued  for  al)out  a  year,  while  later  he 
worked  in  the  furniture  factory  until  it  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  He  next  accepted  a  position 
in  the  grocery  store  of  Frank  Skelly,  with 
whom  he  worked  for  four  years,  when  he  be- 
gan in  the  grocery  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count on  East  Williams  street.  At  intervals 
for  several  years  he  followed  that  pursuit  and, 
having  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  his 
youth,  he  also  followed  that  pursuit  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  in  which  connection  he  has  been 
engaged  in  the  construction  of  some  of  the  best 
buildings  in  Decatur.  He  is  now  foreman  in 
the  carpentering  department  of  the  plant  of 
the  Sattley  Malleable  Iron  Company  of  De- 
catur, havmg  been  associated  with  this  com- 
pany for  four  years. 

On  the  2ist  of  July,  t86i.  Mr.  Williams 
wedded  Miss  Emily  Hall,  of  Pike  county.  Illi- 
nois, a  sister  of  J.  H.  Hall,  the  well  known 
clothing  merchant  doing  business  on  East 
Main  street  in  Decatur.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
\\'illiams  have  been  born  seven  children  who 
are  now  living,  and  they  also  lost  one  son, 
Albert  E.  Those  who  still  survive  are  Ida 
A'.,  the  wife  of  James  A.  Sine,  a  packing  and 
shipping  clerk  in  the  employ  of  the  Decatur 
Coffin  Conii)any ;  Walter  S.,  who  is  a  pas- 
senger conductor  on  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road and  resides  at  Clinton,  this  state;  Stella, 
the  wife  of  A.  G.  Hays,  a  farmer  living  near 
Decatur;  Maude,  the  wife  of  David  Hostetler; 
John  A.,  an  iron  molder  with  the  Sattley 
Malleable  Iron  Company;  and  Leona  V.,  who 
is  at  home. 

Mr.  Williams  became  one  of  the  first  mem- 
bers of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and 
takes  .great  delight  in  meeting  his  old  army 
comrades  and  in  recalling  the  experiences 
which  they  underwent  on  the  fields  of  battle 
in  the  south.  Mr.  Williams  and  his  family 
are  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  of  this  city.  He  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful   through   the   many  years  of  toil  and 


ialiiir  in  which  he  has  been  an  active  factor  in 
the  business  world  and  he  now  owns  and  occu- 
pies a  beautiful  home  at  No.  1140  East  Cleve- 
land avenue  in  Riverside,  the  beautiful  suburb 
of  Decatur. 


HARRY  RUTHRAUFF. 
Harr\-  Ruthraufif  is  well  known  in  business 
circles  in  Decatur,  where  for  eight  years  he 
has  filled  the  position  of  inspector  of  the  water 
works  of  the  city.  He  was  born  in  Franklin 
county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  2d  of  July,  1866, 
and  traces  his  ancestry  back  through  several 
generations.  His  paternal  great-grandparents 
were  Jonnes  and  IMargurett  (Ensminger) 
Ruthrauff.  The  grandfather,  William  Ruth- 
rauff,  was  born  August  23.  1822,  and  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Pensinger.  He  was  a  farmer 
by  occupation  and  in  1873  came  to  Illinois, 
settling  on  a  farm  two  miles  north  of  Illiopolis, 
in  Sangamon  county,  where  he  remained  until 
1877.  He  then  removed  to  what  was  known 
as  the  Silas  Packard  farm,  located  five  miles 
northeast  of  Decatur,  in  Macon  county.  Upon 
this  place  he  remained  until  almost  all  of  his 
children  were  married  and  in  1881  he  retired. 
for  he  had  attained  an  advanced  age  and  was 
physically  unable  to  attend  to  the  many  duties 
incident  to  the  cultivation  of  a  farm  of  that 
size.  Selling  the  property  he  and  his  wife 
went  to  the  home  of  their  daughter,  Mrs. 
William  Hicks,  who  at  that  time  lived  at  a 
place  called  Torrence  Mill,  on  the  South  Fork 
river,  in  Sangamon  county.  Mr.  Ruthraufif 
remained  with  his  daughter  until  the  death  of 
his  wife,  which  occurred  at  Breckenridge, 
Illinois.  December  5,  1870.  her  remains  being 
interred  at  South  Fork  church,  south  of  Roch- 
ester. Shortly  afterward  Mr.  RuthraufT  went 
to  the  home  of  his  son.  Alartin  V..  who  at  that 
time  lived  in  DeWitt  county,  Illinois,  and  who 
was  an  extensive  and  prosperous  farmer. 
There  the  father  had  a  good  home  and  enjoyed 
many  pleasant  Hays  in  his  declining  years. 
He  was  never  happier  than  when  assisting  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


853 


the  tkilics  of  ihc  farm,  for  he  thoroughl_v  en- 
joyed outdoor  Hfe.  In  1893  he  decided  to  go 
to  the  home  of  his  son  Andrew,  who  was  then 
Hving  at  Corbin,  Sumner  county,  Kansas. 
There  he  was  also  made  welcome  and  remained 
there  until  the  final  summons  came  on  the  5th 
of  April,  1894.  He  was  laid  to  rest  in  Prairie 
Lawn  cemetery  near  Corbin.  Unto  the  grand- 
parents of  our  subject,  William  and  Elizabeth 
RuthraufT,  were  born  twelve  children. 

Henry  Ruthrauff,  the  eldest  of  this  faniil\ , 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  Maryland. 
near  Lcilersburg,  January  2^.  1843  '""^'  o"  '^'^'^ 
2(1  of  January,  i860,  at  Waynesburg,  Franklin 
county,  Pennsylvania,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Piarbara  Snyder.  When  the  Civil  war  broke 
out  he  volunteered  for  service  in  the  Union 
army,  responding  to  President  Lincoln's  sec- 
ond call  for  soldiers  to  serve  for  nine  monllis. 
He  enlisted  in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-sixth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry and  the  first  engagement  in  which  he 
took  part  was  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run, 
under  General  Pope,  the  regiment  being  at- 
tached to  the  Fifth  Army  Corps.  The  second 
battle  in  which  he  was  engaged  was  at  An- 
tietam  and  there  he  was  with  the  Fifth  Cor])s 
under  General  Fitzporter.  He  was  wounded 
at  Maria  Hill,  December  13,  1862,  in  the  left 
ankle,  and  was  then  taken  to  Point  Lookout, 
on  the  1 6th  of  December.  There  were  sixteen 
thousand  wounded  soldiers  at  that  place. 
There  was  a  contagious  disease  among  the 
patients  and  as  the  doctors  carelessly  used  the 
same  sponges  on  different  patients  the  disease 
was  spread  and  Mr.  Ruthrauflf  contracted  it 
and  almost  lost  his  life  thereby.  There  was 
a  remonstrance  made  to  Governor  Curtin,  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  he  investigated  and  found 
that  the  treatment  of  the  soldiers  was  any- 
thing but  what  it  should  be.  He  immediately 
ordered  that  all  soldiers  from  Pennsylvania 
who  were  unfit  for  duty  in  thirty  days  be  sent 
to  Turner's  Lane  hospital  in  Philadelphia. 
Mr.  Ruthrauff  was  among  the  number  thus 
transferred  and  be  remained  in  the  latter  hos- 


pital until  ihe  expiration  of  his  nine  months' 
service,  which  was  in  April,  1863.  -At  that 
time  he  returned  home  and  worked  for  his 
father  at  cutting  wood,  receiving  thirty-three 
and  a  third  cents  per  cord.  He  felt  then  that 
he  had  done  his  share  to  aid  in  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  Union,  but  when  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg  occurred  and  Lee  made  his  raid 
through  i  VnnsyU  ania.  visiting  the  home  of 
William  Rutin-auff  and  there  robbing  him  or 
(loslroying  everything  he  had.  Henry  Ruth- 
raulT  decided  to  again  enter  the  arm\'.  lie  en- 
listed at  Chamljersburg,  I'cnnsxlvania,  in  Com- 
pany K.  'I'wenty-first  Regiment  of  Cavalry, 
and  went  into  camp  at  Chambersburg  for  three 
months.  The  regiment  was  then  ordered  to 
the  front  and  won  honor  by  its  valorous 
service.  It  was,  also  notable  on  account  of  its 
mounts,  four  companies  being  mounted  on  bay 
horses,  two  on  grays,  two  on  sorrels,  two  on 
blacks  and  two  on  iron  roans.  The  battalion 
to  which  Air.  Ruthrauff  belonged  was  drilled 
liy  Major  Gillis,  a  West  Point  graduate,  who 
was  believed  to  be  the  best  drillmaster  in  the 
country.  Mr.  Ruthrauff  was  in  the  First  Bat- 
talion of  the  Twenty-first  Pennsylvania  Cav- 
alry, commanded  by  Colonel  Boyd.  On  ar- 
riving at  Arlington  Heights  the  members  of 
the  regiment  were  ordered  to  give  np  their 
horses  and  were  then  given  muskets,  after 
which  they  proceeded  on  foot.  They  then  re- 
ported to  Grant  and  it  was  about  this  time 
when  the  battle  of  tlie  Wilderness  occurred, 
after  which  the  command  to  which  Mr.  Ruth- 
rauff belonged  proceeded  to  Richmond  and 
he  took  part  in  all  of  the  engagements  with 
his  regiment  up  to  the  time  of  the  surrender 
at  Appomattox.  In  November,  1864,  the  regi- 
ment was  remounted  and  sent  to  General 
Gregg's  command — the  second  division  of 
cavalry.  He  was  wounded  in  the  hand  in 
front  of  Petersburg  and  was  also  wounded  in 
the  hip  at  Poplar  Grove  church.  Shortly  after- 
ward they  went  into  winter  r|uarters  in  front 
of  Petersburg,  but  in  January  they  were  or- 
dered to  (lestrov  the  Weldon  Railroad.     This 


854 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


was  done  by  the  Fifth  Corps  of  Gregg's  Sec- 
ond Division  of  Cavalry,  who  demoHshed  the 
road  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  This  is 
known  in  history  as  General  Warren's  famotis 
raid,  the  soldiers  being  almost  continuously 
in  their  saddles  for  eleven  days  and  nights 
and  by  Mr.  Ruthrauff  this  was  considered  the 
most  severe  experience  which  he  had  through- 
out his  military  career.  The  battalion  to  which 
ho  belonged  also  acted  as  General  Sheridan's 
escort  at  Five  Forks.  The  war  having  ended 
and  the  flag  of  the  nation  having  been  vic- 
toriously planted  in  the  capital  of  the  southern 
-confederacy,  he  was  mtistered  out  of  service 
on  the  8th  of  July,  1865. 

Returning  to  the  north  Air.  Ruthrauf?  en- 
gaged in  farming  on  a  small  scale  at  his  old 
"nome  in  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  but 
not  being  very  successful  there  he  decided  to 
•come  to  the  west  and  in  1870  made  his  way  to 
Illinois,  locating  on  a  farm  in  Sangamon 
county,  near  Illiopolis.  Subsequently  he  re- 
moved to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  settling  on  a 
farm  about  five  miles  northeast  of  Decatur, 
and  he  continued  to  engage  in  agricultural 
ptirsuits  in  various  places  in  JNIacon  count}'  for 
several  years,  when  he  sold  out  and  embarked 
in  the  milling  business  at  Rochester,  Sanga- 
mon county.  He  also  conducted  a  similar  en- 
terprise at  Athens,  Menard  county,  but  did 
not  find  that  a  profitable  source  of  income  and, 
disposing  of  his  mill,  he  has  since  followed 
different  occupations. 

Harry  Ruthrauff,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  is  one  of  a  family  of  ten  children 
and  was  only  about  three  years  of  age  when 
his  parents  removed  to  Illinois.  He  was  for 
one  year  a  student  in  the  schools  of  Sangamon 
county  and  later  continued  his  studies  in  the 
McGee  school  in  Macon  county  and  in  Brush 
College,  thus  being  well  equipped  to  meet  the 
practical  and  responsible  duties  of  a  business 
career.  After  putting  aside  his  textbooks  he 
was  connected  with  agricultural  pursuits  for  a 
time  and  between  the  ages  of  seventeen  and 
twenty  years  he  was  engaged  in  coal  mining 


in  Athens,  Illinois.  He  also  spent  one  year  at 
Wellington,  Kansas,  where  he  was  employed 
in  a  lumberyard  and  on  the  expiration  of  that 
period  he  came  to  Decatur,  securing  work  at 
the  new  shaft  of  the  Decatur  Coal  Company. 
He  had  the  misfortune,  however,  to  break  his 
leg  and  was  then  given  the  position  of  night 
watchman  by  the  firm  of  Conklin,  Tait  &  Com- 
pany, whom  he  represented  in  that  capacity  for 
a  year.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in  general 
work  in  the  coal  mines  at  Athens,  Illinois,  and 
in  1888  he  again  came  to  Decatur,  where  he 
accepted  his  present  position,  being  inspector 
of  the  city  water  works,  having  supervision 
of  the  mains  and  plumbing.  For  eight  years 
he  has  served  in  this  capacity  in  a  most  ac- 
ceptable manner.  He  has  a  thorough  under- 
standing of  the  requirements  of  the  position 
and  is  well  qualified  to  act  in  this  capacity. 
All  the  pipe  work  for  the  new  Alteration  plant 
came  under  his  personal  supervision,  also  the 
new  mains  on  North  Main  street,  Green,  East 
Orchard  and  Wabash  streets.  Other  divisions 
to  the  water  system  have  been  made  under  his 
supervision,  including  the  extension  of  the 
lines  on  Eldorado  and  Broadway  to  Stone 
street  in  1902. 

In  1884  Mr.  Ruthrauff  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Helen  Skelley,  of  Decatur,  and 
unto  them  have  been  born  six  children :  Dolly 
M.,  Qifford  B.,  Bonnie  B.,  Teresa,  Mabel  and 
Helen.  Mr.  Ruthrauff  belongs  to  En  Ami 
Lodge,  No.  593,  K.  P.,  to  Easterly  Camp,  No. 
1626,  M.  W.  A.,  and  to  Lincoln  Tent,  No. 
1039,  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 


GEORGE  W.  KAYLOR. 
Among  the  most  pleasant  rural  homes  of 
Macon  county  is  that  of  George  W.  Kavlor  in 
Decatur  township,  the  culture  and  artistic 
taste  of  its  occupants  being  reflected  in  it? 
appointments,  while  a  gracious  hospitality 
adds  a  charm  to  its  material  comforts.  The 
owner  was  born  in  Decatur  township  on  tlie 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


855 


17th  of  ^larcli,  1858,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob 
and  Rachel  (Street)  Kaylor,  who  made  their 
home  here  for  many  years  and  were  num- 
bered among  the  highly  respected  citizens  of 
the  communily.  The  father  was  a  native  of 
Marjland,  born  April  16,  1818,  and  in  early 
life  went  to  Ohio,  where  he  married  Miss 
Rachel  Street,  who  was  born  in  that  state, 
Pebruary  22,  1817.  On  coming  to  Illinois 
they  first  located  in  Mechanicsburg,  and  from 
there  removed  to  Decatur  township,  Macon 
county.  In  1851  the  father  purchased  the 
farm  now  owned  b\'  our  subject  in  the  north- 
western part  of  that  township.  He  belonged 
to  a  long-lived  race  and  reached  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years,  dying  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1900,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  His  estimable  wife  survived  him  only 
a  short  time  and  passed  away  April  14,  1900. 
George  W.  Kaylor  was  educated  at  Sunny- 
side  school  and  his  early  life  was  spent  upon 
the  home  farm,  where  he  acquired  a  good 
practical  knowledge  of  the  occupation  to 
which  he  has  devoted  his  attention  since  reach- 
ing manhood.  His  is  one  of  the  model  farms 
of  Decatur  township,  containing  one  hun- 
dred and  six  acres  and  supplied  with  all  mod- 
ern conveniences  and  accessories.  For  the 
first  ten  years  of  his  business  career  he  rented 
the  farm  from  his  father  and  in  tlie  meantime 
bought  property  in  Decatur,  which  he  dis- 
posed of  in  1892  and  took  permanent  charge 
of  the  larm.  He  has  not  only  erected  good 
and  substantial  buildings  upon  the  place  but 
has  tiled  the  land,  removed  boulders  and 
otherwise  improved  it.  The  recent  improve- 
ments have  been  frequent  and  up-to-date,  in- 
cluding a  drive-well ;  forty-foot  Star  wind- 
mill, and  a  combined  horse  and  cow  barn, 
twenty  by  forty  feet,  with  an  addition,  four- 
teen by  forty  feet.  The  residence,  which  was 
built  in  1893,  is  undoubtedly  the  most  up-to- 
date  in  the  township,  containing  all  the  ^con- 
veniences of  a  city  home,  such  as  hot  water 
equipment,  compressed  air  tank,  etc.  The 
granarv.    iwmtv-six    bv    fortv    feet,    with    an 


elevator  attached,  the  power,  gasoline  engine 
with  oil-cooling  device  and  without  batteries, 
was  built  in  1903,  and  has  many  modern  iin- 
provements  that  are  the  result  of  the  invent- 
ive genius  of  Air.  Kaylor.  in  this  many  of 
his  original  ideas  have  been  carried  out  and 
perfected  in  a  manner  which  will  bring  satis- 
factory resiUts  not  only  to  himself  Init  to 
others  who  may  have  occasion  to  use  any  ap- 
pliance of  this  kind.  Mr.  Kaylor  is  a  man 
who  believes  in  up-to-date  methods  and  has 
made  progress  along  lines  which  are  yet  to 
yield  results  and  bring  his  inventions  in  touch 
with  the  business  world  for  its  advancement 
and  progress. 

On  the  22d  of  December,  1881,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  E.  Fisher, 
who  was  born  in  Sangamon  county,  Illinois, 
September  5,  1857,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Isabella  A.  (Bowen)  P^isher, 
botli  deceased,  the  former  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky and  the  latter  of  Sangamon  county,  Illi- 
nois. Mrs.  Kaylor  is  the  second  in  order  of 
l)irth  in  their  family  of  five  children,  the 
others  being  Mary  E.,  wife  of  D.  Morris,  of 
W  averly,  Illinois;  Catherine  E.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  twenty-four  years;  W.  Z.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Sangamon  county;  and  John  N..  who 
is  living  in  ¥A  Reno,  Oklahoma.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kaylor  have  one  child,  Sadie  15.,  born 
in    1886. 

In  national  politics  Mr.  Kaylor  votes  the 
Democratic  ticket,  but  at  local  elections,  where 
no  issue  is  involved,  he  supports  the  men 
whom  he  believes  best  qualified  for  office  re- 
gardless of  party  lines.  For  many  years  he 
has  been  school  director  of  his  district  and 
also  clerk  of  the  board.  He  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday-school  for  five  years 
and  has  held  all  the  offices  that  are  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which  he  be- 
longs. Socially  he  is  a  member  of  Chevalier 
Bayard  Lodge,  K.  P.,  and  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  and  was  camp  lecturer 
for  re-adjustment  in  1903.  He  is  a  worthy 
representative   of   that    class   of   citizens   who 


856 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lead  quiet,  industrious,  honest  and  useful 
lives  and  constitute  the  best  portion  of  a  com- 
munity. Wherever  he  is  known  he  is  held  in 
high  regard  and  is  certainly  deserving  of 
honorable  mention  in  the  history  of  his  native 
countv. 


ANTHONY  HECKLER. 

Since  1856  Anthony  Heckler  has  been  a  res- 
ident of  Decatur  and  for  many  years  was 
actively  identified  with  its  -industrial  and  bus- 
iness interests,  but  is  now  living  a  retired  life 
in  his  pleasant  home  at  No.  455  South  Broad- 
way. As  an  energetic,  industrious  man  he 
acquired  a  competence  during  the  years  of 
his  active  business  career  that  now  enables 
him  to  live  in  ease,  free  from  the  cares  and 
responsibilities  of  business  affairs. 

j\Ir.  Heckler  was  born  in  Wurtemljurg. 
(Germany,  on  the  nth  of  January,  1828.  a  son 
of  Anthony  and  Elizabeth  (.\ngele)  Heckler, 
who  spent  their  entire  lives  in  that  country. 
The  father  made  farming  his  life  occupation 
and  both  he  and  his  wife  died  in  their  native 
land.  They  had  two  children  to  come  to 
America,  these  being  Anthony  and  his  sister 
Mary,  now  the  widow  of  Charles  Walser  and 
a  resident  of  Decatur. 

Our  subject  acquired  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  land  and  worked 
on  a  farm  before  his  emigration  to  America. 
It  was  in  1854  that  be  crossed  the  broad  At- 
lantic  and    landed    in    New   York   citv.      For 


in  the  grocery  liusiness  for  six  years.  Selling 
out  in  1896.  he  has  since  lived  retired  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  well  earned  rest. 

.\fter  coming  to  Decatur  Mr.  Heckler  was 
married  in  i860  to  Miss  Grenesne  Haider,  also 
a  native  of  Germany,  of  which  country  her 
parents  were  life-long  residents  and  are  both 
now  deceased.  Unto  our  subject  and  his  wife 
were  born  six  children,  as  follows :  Elizabeth, 
now  the  wife  of  D.  Armbruster,  living  with 
her  parents ;  Edward,  a  resident  of  Chicago ; 
Teressa,  wife  of  Thomas  Vest,  who  makes 
his  home  in  Quincy,  Illinois :  Carrie,  wife  of 
Charles  Conway,  of  Decatur ;  Josie,  wife  of 
Louis  Meyers,  of  Decatur;  and  Anna,  wife 
of  Homer  Maxwell,  of  Little  Rock,  Arkansas. 
The  mother  of  these  children  is  now  an  in- 
valid. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Heckler  are  members 
of  the  German  Catholic  church  of  Decatur 
and  are  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who  know 
them.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  but  at 
local  elections  votes  for  the  man  whom  he  be- 
lieves best  qualified  for  office  regardless  of 
party  afifiliations.  He  has  never  cared  for  of- 
ficial honors,  having  preferred  to  give  his  en- 
tire time  and  attention  to  his  business  affairs, 
in  which  he  has  met  with  success.  Besides  his 
residence  property  he  still  owns  the  store 
building  which  he  erected  near  his  home.  In 
all  the  relations  of  life  he  has  been  found 
true  to  every  duty  that  has  devolved  upon 
him  and  he  well  merits  the  confidence  and 
respect  so  freely  accorded  bini  by  his  fellow 
citizens. 


in  the  Empire  state,  and  then  came  west,  lo- 
cating near  Monticello.  in  I'iatt  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  was  similarly  eni])loyed  fur  a 
short  time.  Ik  then  came  to  Decatur  and 
first  worked  as  a  laborer  for  old  Dr.  Johns, 
but  shortly  afterward  obtained  emplo\ment 
in  a  furniture  factory  and  continued  to  en- 
gage in  that  business  for  twenty  years. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  he  erected  a  store 
buildinij    near  bis  residence  and  was   eni;"a"ed 


DA\  ID  L.  EBERLY. 
David  L.  Eberly,  a  well  known  carriage 
trimmer  of  Decatur,  is  a  native  of  Illinois, 
born  in  Princeton,  .\ugust  11,  1856,  and  is  a 
son  of  Isaac  Eberly.  who  served  for  three 
years  in  the  Civil  war  and  laid  down  his  life 
on  the  altar  of  his  country,  dying  in  the  serv- 
ice.    V>y  trade  he  was  a  carpenter.     The  sub- 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


857 


ject  of  this  sketch  was  fducatcd  al  Ouincy, 
Illinois,  and  after  leaving  school  at  the  aye 
of  seventeen  years  learned  the  trade  of  car- 
riage trimming  in  that  city,  serving  an  ap- 
prenticeship in  the  carriage  shop  of  E.  M. 
Miller,  for  whom  he  worked  for  four  years 
and  a  half. 

About  1878  Mr.  Eherly  came  to  Decatur 
and  entered  the  employ  of  Wayne  Brothers, 
remaining  with  that  company  and  its  successor, 
the  Wayne  Sulkyette  and  Road  Cart  Com- 
pany, for  twenty-one  years.  In  1897  he  em- 
barked in  business  on  his  own  account,  trim- 
ming for  that  and  other  firms,  and  doing  all 
kinds  of  repair  work,  such  as  retrimming  bug- 
gies and  surreys,  putting  in  new  cushions  and 
side  curtains,  and  re-covering  old  buggies 
and  grocery  wagons.  He  has  Iniilt  up  a  splen- 
did trade  and  is  considered  one  of  the  best 
as  well  as  the  oldest  carriage  trimmer  in  the 
city. 

Mr.  Eherly  was  married  in  Decatur  in  1878 
to  Miss  Agnes  Wright,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Eliza  (Runkle)  Wright.  Iler  father  is 
deceased,  and  lu-r  nnulu-r  now  makes  her 
home  with  our  suliject,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
seven  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eberly  have  three 
children  living,  namely :  William,  who  is  a 
draftsman  for  the  Mueller  Manufacturing 
Company ;  Mabel  and  Emmett.  .Ml  are 
graduates  of  the  Decatur  high  school.  The 
oldest  son,  Clarence,  was  killed  in  a  railroad 
accident  while  going  on  a  hunting  expedition 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  just  six  months 
before  he  would  have  graduated  from  the 
high  school.  His  death  was  a  sad  blow  to  his 
parents  and  many  friends. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Eberly  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and 
both  he  anil  bis  wife  hold  membership  in  the 
First  Christian  church  of  Decatur  and  take 
an  active  part  in  its  work,  Mr.  Eberly  having 
been  a  member  of  the  church  board  for  three 
or  four  years.  They  are  held  in  high  regard 
hy  all  who  know  them  and  have  many  friends 
in  the  citv  where  [hv\   make  their  home. 


jullX    I-.   K E:\IMERLV. 

John  ]•".  Kemnierly  is  one  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  South  Macon  township,  his  home 
being  on  section  14.  The  possibilities  that 
America  offers  to  her  citizens  he  has  utilized, 
and  though  he  came  to  this  country  in  lim- 
ited circumstances  he  has  steadily  and  perse- 
\eringly  worked  bis  wa}'  upward,  leaving  the 
ranks  of  the  many  to  stand  among  the  suc- 
cessful  few. 

Mr.  Kemnierly 's  early  home  was  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic  for  he  was  born  in 
Germany,  January  8,  1829,  his  parents  being 
George  and  Kate  (Shoemaker)  Kemmerly, 
also  natives  of  that  country,  the  former  born 
in  1800,  the  latter  in  1804.  They  were  farm- 
ing people  and  continued  to  reside  in  the 
fatherland  ibrougboui  life.  Our  subject  has 
two  sisters  living  in  the  United  States :  Caro- 
lina, now  the  widow  of  Chris  Rissler  and  a 
resident  of  lndianai)i>|is,  Indiana;  and  Han- 
nah, widow  of  Frederick  Shempf  and  a  resi- 
dent of   Pana,    Illinois. 

In  the  common  schools  of  his  n;iiivc  land 
John  I'".  Kemmerly  ac(|uired  a  good  practical 
education,  and  there  he  grew  to  manhood. 
In  1850  he  entered  the  ( lerman  army,  with 
which  he  served  for  six  years,  and  was  then 
honorably  discharged.  The  following  year — 
1857 — he  came  to  America  and  was  first  eni- 
pli>\ed  on  a  farm  near  i'aris,  Ohio,  where 
he  worked  four  nionths.  .\t  the  end  of  that 
lime  he  went  to  Shelby  county.  Illinois,  where 
he  continued  to  work  as  a  farm  hand  for 
three  years,  and  then  engaged  in  farming  on 
his  own  account  ni)on  rented  land  in  tl'.at 
ciiunly  for  twenty-two  years.  He  was  at 
length  enabled  to  purchase  his  present  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  on  section  14, 
South  Macon  township,  this  county,  for  which 
he  gave  forty  dollars  per  acre,  and  he  has 
since  devoted  his  energies  to  its  development 
and  cultivation,  it  being  mostly  wild  and  un- 
nnproved  when  it  came  into  his  possession. 
.After  living  for  seventeen  years  in  a  little 
log   house     lu'    built     his   ])resent     substantial 


858 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


I'ranie  residence,  also  erected  barns  and  out- 
buildings, has  set  out  fruit  and  shade  trees, 
and  by  hard  work  has  converted  his  place  into 
one  of  the  most  desirable  farms  of  its  size 
in  the  localit)-.  In  early  life  he  used  the  sin- 
gle-shovel plow  and  other  primitive  farm  im- 
plements, but  now  has  the  most  modern  and 
best  improved  machinery  for  facilitating  farm 
work.  He  feeds  some  cattle  and  hogs  for 
market  and  also  raises  a  good  grade  of  horses. 
On  the  loth  of  August,  1857,  in  Richmond, 
Indiana,  I\Ir.  Kemmerly  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  jMagdaline  Colby,  a  daughter  of 
Frederick  and  Kate  (Kagle)  Colby,  and  nine 
children  blessed  their  union,  six  of  whom  are 
still  living,  namely :  John  F.,  who  is  engaged 
in  farming  near  Moweaqua ;  Lizzie,  wife  of 
Frank  Cox,  who  follows  farming  near  Shel- 
byville,  Illinois ;  Emma,  widow  of  Ernest 
Heise  and  a  resident  of  Pana,  Illinois ;  Henry, 
who  is  engaged  in  farming  on  the  home  place : 
Tillie,  also  at  home ;  and  Charlie,  who  is  now 
operating  a  rice  plantation  near  Colby,  Louisi- 
ana. The  parents  arc  both  members  of  the 
Lutheran  church  and  I\Ir.  Kemmerly  is  a  sup- 
porter of  the  Republican  party  and  its  prin- 
ciples. They  are  widely  known  and  their 
many  friends  and  acquaintances  hold  them 
in  the  highest  regard. 


HENRY  LUNN. 
Every  civilized  country  on  the  face  of  the 
globe  has  sent  representatives  to  Illinois,  yet 
to  no  people  does  she  owe  more  than  to  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race,  whose  business  activity 
and  adaptability  and  marked  enterprise  have 
made  them  valued  citizens  wherever  they  have 
carried  the  civilization  of  Great  Britain.  Mr. 
Lunn  is  a  representative  of  this  class,  his 
birth  having  occurred  in  Newark,  Notting- 
hamshire, England,  on  the  9th  of  April,  1841. 
His  parents,  William  and  Sarah  (Baker) 
Lunn,  were  also  natives  of  England,  and  the 
father  Ijccame  a  contractor  and  builder,    fol- 


lowing that  pursuit  throughout  his  active  bus- 
iness career.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  when 
about  seventy-six  years  of  age.  In  their  fam- 
ily were  seven  children :  Alfred,  who  is  now 
a  contractor  and  builder  of  Newark,  Eng- 
land ;  Ann,  the  wife  of  John  Porter,  who  took 
up  his  abode  in  Ohio  in  the  '50s  and  removed 
to  Kansas  before  its  admission  into  the  Lnion ; 
Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Frank  Hoyes, 
who  came  to  this  country  in  1869  and  after- 
ward located  in  Kansas,  becoming  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  conference 
there  and  now  residing  in  Topeka,  that  state ; 
Eliza,  the  deceased  wife  of  John  Lane,  an 
English  revenue  officer  for  the  British  govern- 
ment ;  George,  a  farmer  and  bricklayer,  of 
Kansas ;  and  Henry.  The  other  children  of 
the  family  died  in  infancv. 

In  the  public  schools  of  his  native  land 
Henry  Lunn  acquired  his  education  and  he 
mastered  his  trade  as  an  apprentice,  serving 
for  eight  years  under  his  father,  who  was 
then  the  superintendent  of  construction  for 
the  electrical  commission  of  England.  Hear- 
ing favorable  reports  concerning  the  new 
world  and  its  opportunities  he  resolved  to 
try  his  fortune  in  America  where  competition- 
was  less  and  advantages  more  quickly  se- 
cured. Crossing  the  Atlantic  in  1872  he  es- 
tablished his  home  in  Decatur  and  the  same 
year  took  out  naturalization  papers  intend- 
ing to  make  the  United  States  his  home 
country.  In  order  to  provide  for  a  liveli- 
hood he  began  contracting  and  building  in 
partnership  with  Henry  Bishop,  a  relation 
that  was  maintained  tnitil  1875,  when  the 
connection  was  dissolved  and  Mr.  Lunn  be- 
gan btisiness  for  himself.  During  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  since  that  period  he  has  been 
one  of  the  successful  contractors  of  this  city 
and  many  of  Decatur's  fine  residences  are  the 
visible  evidence  of  his  life  of  thrift  and  en- 
terprise and  of  his  excellent  handiwork.  He 
erected  the  Hill,  Cato  and  Shellabarger  resi- 
dences, the  Tait  factory  and  power  house, 
with    its   high    smoke    stack,    the   building   of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


859 


the  llaworlh  M ami  tact uriiiij  Company  and 
man\'  Inisincss  houses  of  the  city.  In  1889, 
however,  he  went  to  Spokane,  \\'ashiniflon. 
where  he  remained  until  1894  and  then  again 
came  to  Decatur.  At  that  time  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  his  two  sons,  Ernest  H. 
and  Thomas,  as  builders  and  contractors  and 
this  relation  was  continued  until  1903.  when 
the  partnership  was  dissolved.  Mr.  Lunn, 
however,  is  yet  actively  identified  with  build- 
ing interests  of  the  city  and  many  important 
contracts  are  annually  awarded  him.  show- 
ing his  high  standing  as  a  representative  of 
the  vocation  and  also  indicating  the  confi- 
dence and  trust  reposed  in  liini  by  the  gen- 
eral public. 

In  1866  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of 
Henry  Lunn  and  Miss  Emma  Dodson,  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  Dodson,  and  unto  them 
have  been  born  five  children :  Ernest  H. : 
Thomas;  I.ula,  the  wife  of  Frederick  Cod- 
ington, of  Lincoln,  Illinois:  ^Minnie  G. :  and 
Percy,  who  died  in  Spokane,  Washington. 
In  the  year  1875  Mr.  Lunn  was  converted 
to  the  Christian  faith  anil  has  since  been  a 
member  and  local  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  being  ordained  in  the  Co- 
lumbia river  conference  at  Moscow,  Idaho. 
While  in  the  northwest  he  held  charges,  thus 
preaching  the  gospel  in  connection  with  his 
daily  work  of  building.  He  is  an  earnest. 
energetic  laborer  in  the  Master's  vineyard 
and  through  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury has  put  forth  eflfective  effort  in  behalf 
of  the  church  and  the  extension  of  its  influ- 
ence. He  has  always  read  broadly,  thinks 
deeply  and  believes  in  keeping  abreast  with 
the  times.  In  carl\  life  he  gave  his  political 
support  to  the  Republican  party,  but  since 
the  death  of  President  Garfickl  he  has  voted 
with  the  rrohibition  party,  believing  the  tem- 
perance question  to  be  one  of  the  paramount 
issues  before  the  people.  He  stands  as  a 
representative  of  the  high  type  of  American 
manhood,    fearless    in    defense   of   his   honest 


convictions  and   lalioring  for   ideal  conditions 
concerning  the  welfare  of  the  race. 

Mr.  Lunn's  actions  have  during  his  life 
been  such  as  to  distinctively  entitle  him  to  a 
place  in  this  publication,  and  although  his 
career  has  not  been  filled  with  thrilling  inci- 
dents, jirobably  no  biography  published  in 
this  book  can  serve  as  a  better  illustration  to 
young  men  of  the  power  of  honesty  and  in- 
tegrity in  insuring  success. 


HENRY,  HAGAN. 

No  foreign  element  has  become  a  more  im- 
portant part  of  our  American  citizenship  than 
that  furnished  by  Germany.  The  cmigraiUs 
from  that  land  have  brought  with  them  to 
the  new  world  the  stability,  enterprise  and 
perseverance  characteristic  of  their  ])eople  and 
have  fused  these  c|ualities  with  the  progress- 
iveness  and  indomitable  spirit  of  the  west. 
Mr.  1  lagan  is  a  worthy  representative  of  this 
class.  He  came  to  .\merica  empty  handed, 
hoping  to  benefit  his  financial  condition,  and 
his  dreams  of  the  future  have  been  more 
than  realized. 

A  native  of  Germany,  Mr.  Hagan  was  born 
in  Hanover,  on  the  4th  of  April,  1830,  and 
is  a  son  of  Louis  and  Fredericka  (Milhousen) 
Hagan,  natives  of  the  same  province.  The 
father,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  died 
in  Germany  of  black  smallpox  when  our  sub- 
ject was  only  ten  years  old.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen  Henry  began  working  at  odd  jobs 
in  order  to  hel])  his  mother  in  the  support  of 
the  family.  She,  too,  died  in  Germany.  There 
were  only  two  children,  our  subject  and  a 
sister,  who  came  to  this  country  and  died  in 
Missouri. 

Henry  Hagan  continued  to  work  in  his  nn- 
tive  land  until  1852,  when  he  came  to  the 
United  States  and  on  landing  made  his  way 
direct  to  Decatur,  Illinois,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  26th  of  March,  that  year.  At  that 
time  nuich  of  the  citv  was  under  water  and 


860 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  AIACON  COUNTY. 


land  could  be  purchased  for  two  dollars  and 
a  half  per  acre.  During  the  half  century  that 
has  since  passed  all  this  has  been  changed 
and  Decatur  now  ranks  among  the  leading 
cities  of  the  state,  while  the  country  round 
about  is  valued  at  over  one  hundred  dollars 
per  acre. 

Mr.  Hagan  first  secured  a  position  in  the 
brickyard  and  afterwards  as  night  watchman 
in  the  furniture  factory  and  held  the  same 
for  seven  years.  Later  he  was  employed  in 
the  slaughter  house  for  some  time  and  next 
worked  for  the  city  as  a  laborer  on  the  street 
for  several  years  but  on  account  of  his  wife's 
health  he  finally  gave  up  work  and  is  now 
practically  living  retired,  though  he  does  some 
gardening  upon  vacant  lots  which  he  owns. 
He  has  a  nice  home  at  No.  606  East  Decatur 
street,  where  he  and  his  wife  now  reside  and 
owns  two  other  good  residences  on  South 
Broadway  besides  much  vacant  property,  all 
of  which  has  been  acquired  through  his  own 
industry  and  good  management. 

In  i860  Mr.  Hagan  was  married  in  Decatur 
to  Mrs.  Helena  (Gillis)  Kongs,  who  was 
born  in  Prussia.  Germany.  July  27,  1832,  and 
is  a  daughter  of  Michael  Gillis,  a  farmer  who 
died  in  that  country.  For  her  first  husband 
she  married  John  Kongs.  whose  death  oc- 
curred in  Salem.  Illinois.  Unto  our  subject 
and  his  wife  were  born  seven  children,  two 
of  whom  died  in  infancy  unnamed.  Augusta 
also  died  in  infancy  and  Josephine  died  at 
the  age  of  seven  years.  Those  still  living 
are  Helena,  who  is  now  in  the  employ  of  A. 
W.  Conklin,  of  Decatur:  Henry  C.,  who  mar- 
ried Katie  Higgins  and  is  a  machinist  of  De- 
catur; and  Johnnie  Louis,  who  is  employed 
in  a  planing  mill  in  Denver,  Colorado. 

Politically  ^Ir.  Hagan  is  a  stanch  supporter 
of  the  Republican  party  and  its  principles. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  German  .\id  Society 
of  Decatur  and  the  German  Lutheran  church, 
whiK-  his  wife  belongs  to  the  German  Catholic 
church  of  this  city.  Since  the  age  of  four-, 
teen  years  he  has  made  his  own  way  in  the 


world  unaided  and  he  deserves  great  credit 
for  the  success  that  he  has  achieved.  He  has 
many  friends  among  the  early  settlers  of  De- 
catur and  is  held  in  high  regard  by  all  who 
know    him. 


HEXRY  KREIDLER. 

Henry  Kreidler,  now  deceased,  became  a 
resident  of  Macon  county  when  but  nine  years 
of  age.  He  was  a  native  of  Kreidlersville, 
Northampton  county,  Pennsylvania,  born  on 
the  19th  of  December,  1855.  His  parents, 
Conrad  and  Elemina  (Hower)  Kreidler,  were 
also  natives  of  the  Keystone  state  and  in 
1864  they  left  Pennsylvania  and  removed  with 
their  family  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Blue  Mound  township,  where  Mr. 
Kreidler  inuxhased  a  farm.  He  then  gave 
his  attention  to  general  agricultural  pursuits 
and  stock-raising  and  as  the  years  passed 
placed  many  excellent  improvements  upon  his 
property,  which  became  a  valuable  and  desir- 
able farm.  He  and  his  wife  spent  their  re- 
maining days  on  the  old  homestead  and  were 
liighlv  res]5ected  people  of  the  community. 
Three  of  their  children  are  now  living,  name- 
1\- :  Mary,  who  resides  in  the  village  of  Blue 
]\Iound ;  Percy,  who  is  a  resident  of  Chi- 
cago :  and  Thomas,  who  is  living  in  Evans- 
yille,  Indiana. 

Henrv  Kreidler  obtained  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  Macon  county 
and  when  he  had  mastered  the  elementary 
branches  of  learning  he  attended  college  in 
W'adsworth,  Ohio,  and  received  an  excellent 
business  training,  well  qualifying  him  for  the 
responsible  duties  of  life.  He  then  returned 
to  Blue  ilound,  Macon  county,  and  was  mar- 
ried on  the  2 1  St  of  October,  1880,  to  Miss 
Mary  J.  Stare,  who  was  born  in  Decatur  and 
is  a  daughter  of  George  and  Barbara  (Bar- 
nett)  Stare.  ])ioneer  settlers  of  this  city,  a 
sketch  of  whom  is  given  elsewhere  in  this 
volume. 

After   his  marriage   Mr.    Kreidler   engaged 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  .MACON  COUNTY. 


861 


in  the  hardware  business  in  the  village  of 
Blue  IMound  for  six  years  and  then  removed 
to  Decatur,  where  he  was  first  employed  in  the 
Wabash  Railroad  shops.  Later  he  held 
a  position  in  iiachman  Drolhers'  furniture 
store  for  seven  years  and  then  en- 
gaged in  the  undertaking  business  with 
l-'rank  L.  Hill  for  about  a  year,  but  at 
the  end  of  that  lime  he  sold  his  interest  to 
his  partner  and  accepted  a  position  in 
the  furniture  store  of  Sanford  &  Wilson. 
-At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  connected 
with  the  15achman  Brothers  &  Martin  Com- 
pany, but  was  making  arrangements  to  re- 
move to  California. 

-Mr.  Kreidler  was  a  prominent  member  of 
Chevalier  Bayard  Lodge,  Xo.  i8y,  K.  I'.,  and 
as  prelate  he  opened  and  closed  the  meeting 
with  prayer  the  night  of  his  death,  Septem- 
ber 7,  1897.  He  seemed  in  his  usual  health 
when  he  started  for  lodge,  although  for  some 
time  he  had  suffered  from  heart  disease.  At 
the  close  of  the  meeting  about  ten  o'clock,  he 
left  the  hall  and  it  is  supposed  that  on  his  ar- 
rival home  he  started  for  the  stable  to  water 
his  horse,  which  was  his  custom.  His  wife, 
who  sat  up  waiting  for  him,  became  alarmed 
and  at  half  past  two  telephoned  to  police 
headquarters.  Several  officers  started  out  in 
search  for  him  and  two  hours  later  his  body 
was  found  in  the  yard  back  of  the  house. 
His  sudden  death  was  a  sad  blow  to  his  fam- 
ily and  many  friends  for  he  was  widely 
known  and  held  in  high  regard.  At  a  regu- 
lar convention  of  Chevalier  Bayar<l  Lodge 
held  Tuesday  evening,  September  14,  1897, 
the   following  resolutions   were  adopted : 

"Whereas,  It  has  pleased  the  Supreme 
Ruler  of  the  Universe  to  remove  from  our 
presence  our  Prelate  and  Uroilur  Knigln, 
i  knr\    Kreidler,  and 

■  \\  hereas,  we  feel  that  by  his  death  the 
lodge  has  lost  a  worthy  officer  and  true 
Knight  and  that  the  loss  to  the  lodge  is  an 
individual  loss  to  every  member,  for  we  knew 
him  as  a  true  friend,  who  was  always  honor- 


able and  courteous,  ever  striving  b)-  his  daily 
life  to  practice  the  highest  principles  of  our 
order  and  it  is  gratifying  to  remember  that 
one  of  his  last  acts  in  life  upon  the  evening 
of  his  death,  was  lo  close  the  lodge  with  a 
fervent  |)ra\er  that  on  the  last  great  day  we 
may  all  meet,  a  happy  and  united  brother- 
hood, to  share  the  blessings  of  life  eternal! 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  our  l.)rolher 
we  will  ever  be  reminded  of  the  uncertainty 
of  life  and  the  certainty  of  death  ;  and  while 
the  sun  of  life  will  set  and  cover  the  faults 
of  man,  the  morning  sun  will  rise  in  grander 
splendor  to  light  the  path  of  righteousness. 

"  Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  spread 
upon  our  records  and  a  copy  presented  lo  the 
family  of  our  deceased  brother." 

Eow.vKti    \\'n.so\, 
A.  H.  Cope, 
John  E.  King, 

Committee 

liesides  his  connection  with  the  Knights  of 
l\\thias.  Air.  Kreidler  was  also  a  member  of 
Decatur  Camp,  Xo.  144,  M.  W.  ,\.  In  early 
life  he  gave  his  allegiance  to  the  I  lemocracy 
and  later  because  of  his  strong  temperance 
principles  he  voted  with  the  Prohibition  party 
and  in  other  wa\s  did  everything  in  his  ]M)wer 
to  advance  the  cause  of  temperance  and  sup- 
press the  evils  incident  to  the  continuance  of 
the  li(|uor  traffic.  1  le  was  never  an  office 
seeker  nor  di<l  lie  hold  positions-  of  political 
preferment.  His  business  career  was  always 
commendable  because  of.  his  fidelity  to  the 
trust  reposed  in  him,  his  in<lefatigable  energy 
and  his  earnest  desire  to  please  his  patrons 
and  those  whom  he  represented.  .Mr.  Kreid- 
ler took  a  deep  and  helpful  interest  in  clnuTh 
work,  both  he  and  his  wife  holding  member- 
ship in  Grace  ^Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
of  which  he  was  serving  as  treasurer  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  He  was  also  a  teacher  in 
the  Sunday-school  and  he  gave  freely  and 
generously  of  his  time  and  means  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  cause  of  the  church  and  the 
e.xtension  of  its  influence.    Mrs.  Kreidler  takes 


8G2 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


on  active  interest  in  charitable  and  [ihilan- 
thropic  work  and  is  now  serving  as  secretary 
of  the  Anna  B.  Millikin  Home  for  old  ladies 
and  children,  and  as  state  superintendent  of 
the  railroad  department  of  the  Woman's 
Qiristian  Temperance  Union.  She  is  now 
living  with  her  mother,  Mrs.  Stare,  in  De- 
catur, and  both  are  well  known  ladies,  having 
many  ,warm  friends  because  of  their  many 
excellent  traits  of  heart  and  mind. 


BYRD  L.  DAVIS. 
Byrd  L.  Davis,  who  is  engaged  in  the  livery 
business  in  Decatur,  was  born  in  Macon 
county,  on  the  28th  of  June,  1869.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  Joseph  Davis,  was  a  native 
of  Kentucky  and  his  family  were  originally 
from  Virginia.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  this  state  and  one  of  the  founders  of  Ma- 
con county,  becoming  identified  with  business 
here  at  a  very  early  day  and  aiding  in  the 
work  of  reclaiming  the  district  for  the  pur- 
pose of  civilization.  He  became  well  known 
as  a  leading  trader  and  he  drove  mules  from 
Macon  count)^  to  Chicago,  trading  them  for 
wagons  which  he  brought  back  and  sold.  His 
son,  H.  W.  Davis,  the  father  of  our  subject, 
was  born  in  Macon  county,  here  spent  his 
youth  and  afterward  became  a  farmer,  stock- 
raiser  and  nurseryman,  carrying  on  these  pur- 
suits until  his  removal  to  Decatur  in  1879. 
In  this  city  he  established  a  livery  business, 
which  he  conducted  with  success .  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1896,  when  sixty- 
two  years  of  age.  His  widow  yet  makes  her 
home  in  Decatur.  II.  W.  Davis  belonged  to 
a  family  of  nine  children,  but  only  one  of 
the  number  is  now  living,  Mrs.  Lydia  Kizer, 
the  wife  of  John  Kizer,  of  Decatur.  One  of 
the  brothers,  John  Davis,  removed  to  Kansas 
in  1875  and  was  elected  to  congress  there, 
becoming  one  of  the  leading  and  eminent  citi- 
zens of  that  state.  He  died  there  in  the  year 
1900.  H.  W.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Samantha  Stickle,  a  daughter  of  John 


Stickle,  who  was  a  native  of  Penns_\lvania, 
and  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Illi- 
nois. In  political  affiliation  H.  W.  Davis  was 
a  Republican  and  took  an  active  part  in  sup- 
port of  the  organization  and  served  as  super- 
visor of  his  township. 

Byrd  L.  Davis  pursued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  ]\Iacon  county  during 
his  early  boyhood  and  when  a  young  boy  o£ 
ten  years  came  with  his  parents  to  Decatur. 
He  was  a  student  in  the  high  school  here  and 
he  entered  upon  his  life  work  as  a  farmer  in 
Champaign  coimty.  He  afterward  returned 
to  Decatur  where  -he  has  since  been  engaged 
in  the  livery  business,  being  first  located  at 
No.  564  North  Water  street.  He  afterward 
sold  his  stable  there  and  opened  another  at 
No.  140  East  Cerro  Gordo  street  and  in  i8q6 
he  took  charge  of  his  father's  livery  barn  at 
564  North  Water  street.  In  April,  1899.  l^^ 
removed  to  his  present  location  at  No.  140 
South  Main  street  and  here  he  is  conducting 
the  leading  livery  of  Decatur.  Besides  this 
barn  Mr.  Davis  has  two  other  barns  in  De- 
catur and  has  in  his  employ  an  average  of 
thirty-five  men.  In  July,  1903,  he  purchased 
the  undertaking  establishment  of  Peter  Perl 
&  Son,  which  is  now  being  conducted  under 
style  of  Hawkins,  Davis  &  Company.  Mr. 
Davis  has  rice  lands  in  Texas  and  mining 
properties  in  Gilpin  county,  Colorado.  He 
has  a  splendidly  equipped  establishment,  all 
of  his  carriages  being  rubber  tire  and  he  also 
has  a  number  of  automobiles.  He  not  only 
rents  these  and  the  carriages  in  the  establish- 
ment, but  also  does  a  transfer  business. 

In  1895  Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Bertha  Smart,  a  daughter  of  James 
Smart,  of  Shelbyville,  Illinois.  The  children 
of  this  marriage  are  Ethel  Ann,  Fleta  May, 
Josephine  and  Ilene.  Mrs.  Davis  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church.  Fraternally  our  siib- 
ject  is  connected  with  the  RTodern  Woodmen 
of  America.  In  politics  he  is  independent, 
voting  for  the  man  whom  he  believes  best 
qualified  for  office  regardless  of  party  lines. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


863 


DAVID   S.   SHELLABARGER. 

The  viewpoint  of  the  world  concerning  busi- 
ness has  materially  changed  in  the  past 
century.  At  one  time  the  man  of  promi- 
nence would  have  nothing  to  do  with  trade 
relations  and  derived  his  income  from  his 
landed  estates.  Today  the  most  distinguished 
men  of  all  nations  are  they  who  have  con- 
trolled the  veins  and  arteries  of  traffic  and 
each  community  points  with  pride  to  its  in- 
dustrial and  commercial  leaders,  realizing  that 
to  them  is  largely  due  the  prosperity  and  de- 
velopment of  every  locality.  For  forty-five 
years  Decatur  has  numbered  David  S.  Shella- 
barger  among  its  prominent  and  progressive 
citizens.  He  may  well  be  termed  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  city,  for  he  has  been  the  pro- 
moter of  one  of  its  leading  cnterjirises.  His 
connection  with  any  undertaking  insures  a 
prosperous  outcome  of  the  same,  for  it  is  in 
his  nature  to  carry  forward  to  successful  com- 
pletion whatever  he  is  associated  with.  He 
has  earned  for  himself  a  reputation  as  a  care- 
ful man  of  business  and  in  his  dealings  is 
known  for  his  prompt  and  honorable  methods. 

A  native  of  Cumberland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. ^Ir.  Shellalxirger  was  born  July  u, 
1837,  in  a  locality  which  had  been  the  home 
of  his  ancestors  through  several  generations, 
and  in  his  own  life  record  he  has  followed  the 
industrial  trend  of  the  family.  His  parents, 
David  and  Catherine  (Byerly)  Shellabarger, 
were  also  natives  of  Cumberland  county  and 
in  their  family  of  ten  children,  David  S.  was 
the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  The  family  home 
was  on  the  bank  of  the  Canadaquinctte  creek, 
about  eight  miles  above  Carlisle,  the  principal 
town  of  the  Cumberland  valley,  a  region  noted 
for  its  beauty  and  fertility.  There  on  the 
home  farm  David  S.  Shellabarger  spent  the 
days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  assisting  in 
the  labor  of  field  aiid  meadow,  while  in  the 
district  schools  he  mastered  the  branches  of 
English  learning  usually  taught  in  such  in- 
stitution. Reading,  experience  and  observa- 
tion,   however,    have    largely    broadened    his 


knc)wk(lge  since  he  left  the  schonlrooni  and 
he  is  today  a  man  of  broad  and  practical  gen- 
eral information.  He  worked  upon  the  home 
farm  until  his  nineteenth  year,  when  he  re- 
solved to  seek  business  opportunities  in  the 
west,  and  in  the  spring  of  1856  he  located  in 
Decatur,  where  he  soon  became  connected 
with  the  lumber  trade.  After  two  years,  how- 
ever, he  abandoned  the  lumber  business  in 
ortler  to  devote  his  energies  to  milling,  pur- 
chasing a  third  interest  in  a  small  mill,  which 
stood  on  the  i)rcscnt  site  of  the  Decatur  Mill- 
ing Company's  mill  and  which  was  afterward 
destroyed  by  fire.  Although  he  had  no  prac- 
tical experience  in  his  new  work  he  came  of  a 
family  of  millers  and  he  possessed  consider- 
able mechanical  ingenuity.  His  grandfather 
owned  a  mill  adjoining  the  farm  upon  which 
David  Shellabarger  was  reared  and  other 
members  of  the  family  had  followed  the  same 
pursuit.  For  five  years  after  becoming  con- 
nected with  milling,  business  was  carried  on 
under  the  name  of  Ilenkle,  Shellabarger  & 
Compan_\-  antl  in  1863  our  subject  disposed 
of  his  interest  in  that  enterprise  and  became 
half  owner  of  a  mill,  of  which  he  afterward 
became  sole  pro]M-ictor.  his  partners  being  I. 
Shellabarger  and  B.  Dillchunt.  the  firm  style 
of  I.  Shellabarger  &  Company  being  assumed. 
In  1869  the  firm  of  D.  S.  Shellabarger  & 
Company  was  formed  and  under  the  enter- 
prising and  liberal  management  instituted  by 
our  subject  and  his  business  associates,  their 
enterprise  grew  to  large  proportions.  Sev- 
eral times  the  original  plant  was  enlarged, 
and  in  1879  a  new  mill  was  built,  while  the 
old  mill  was  also  retained  as  a  feature  of  the 
business.  The  milling  interests  of  our  sub- 
ject became  one  of  the  leading  enterprises 
of  Decatur  and  the  business  was  the  largest 
of  the  kind  in  central  Illinois.  Mr.  Shella- 
barger also  owned  an  interest  in  a  mill  in 
Topeka,  Kansas,  and  another  in  Wichita, 
which  were  among  the  best  mills  in  the  Sun- 
flower state.  With  all  the  practical  details 
of  the  business  he  made  himself  thoroughly 


864 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


familiar  and  was  thus  qualified  to  supervise 
the  operative  departincnt  of  the  enterprise  as 
well  as  the  business  features  of  the  office. 
In  j\Iay,  1903,  he  disposed  of  his  milling-  in- 
terests to  the  American  Hominy  Company, 
of  which  he  was  formerly  a  director. 

Tn  1885  a  company  was  incorporated  as  the 
Shellabarger  Mill  &  Elevator  Company,  with 
a  capital  stock  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  with  D.  S.  Shellabarger  as  presi- 
dent :  W.  L.  Shellabarger,  secretary ;  F.  D. 
Shellabarger,  treasurer;  and  L.  C.  Shella- 
barger, superintendent.  Our  subject,  how- 
ever, has  not  confined  his  attention  or  limited 
his  energies  alone  to  one  line.  He  was  a  co- 
operant  factor  in  the  establishment  of  the 
street  car  system  of  Decatur,  which  super- 
seded the  old  horse-car  system,  but  sold  his 
interest  in  the  same  in  July,  1903.  He  is  the 
vice  president  of  the  National  Bank  of  De- 
catur; in  the  spring  of  1903  organized  the 
Decatur  Elevator  Company,  capitalized  at 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  of  which  he  is  presi- 
dent and  which  owns  elev.Htors  along  the 
lines  of  the  Wabash  and  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
roads. He  is  also  president  of  the  Manu- 
facturers' &  Consumers"  Coal  Company,  with 
mines  in  Decatur,  capitalized  at  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  He  has  aided  materially  in 
advancing  many  interests  of  the  city  which 
have  resulted  to  its  benefit  and  upbuilding, 
outside  of  his  individual  business  affairs. 

In  January,  1862,  occurred  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  Shellabarger  and  Miss  Anna  E.  Krone, 
a  native  of  this  city,  and  they  have  eight  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  four  daughters :  a  son 
who'  died  in  infancy ;  Adele,  the  wife  of  E. 
B.  Hillman,  a  resident  of  Peoria,  Illinois; 
William  L.,  secretary  of  the  Shellabarger 
Mill  &  Elevator  Company ;  David  S. ;  Charles 
Thatcher ;  Lucian  C,  who  is  superintendent 
of  the  mills;  Fred  D.,  who  is  the  treasurer  of 
the  company;  Maria,  the  wife  of  Andrew 
S.  Crawder.  a  real-estate  dealer  in  Spokane, 
Washington:  Grace,  the  wife  of  J.  F.  .Mien, 
of  Colorado  Springs.  Colorado ;  and  Corinne, 


at  home,  the  latter  a  graduate  of  the   Mount 
\  ernon  Seminary. 

I'rom  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
])arty  down  to  the  present  Mr.  Shellabarger 
has  been  an  advocate  of  its  principles  and 
when  age  gave  to  him  the  right  of  franchise 
he  cast  his  first  ballot  fol"  Abraham  Lincoln 
in  18O0.  Fie  believes  it  the  duty  of  a  true 
citizen  to  keep  well  informed  on  the  issues  of 
the  day  and  to  fill  capably  such  positions  to 
which  his  fellow  townsmen  shall  call  him,  and 
in  1869,  1870  and  1871  and  again  in  1880  he 
served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council  of 
Decatur.  In  1872  he  was  elected  mayor  antl 
his  administration  was  practical,  progressive 
and  resultant.  For  two  terms  he  represented 
Decatur  township  on  the  board  of  super- 
visors, and  for  twelve  years  was  a  member 
and  president  of  the  school  board.  For  many 
years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  for  more  than  a  decade 
was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  con- 
nected w  ith  Stapps  chapel,  now  Grace  church, 
of  which  he  was  one  of  the  founders  in  1867. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  continuous  activity 
in  which  has  been  accorded  due  recognition 
of  labor;  and  today  he  is  numbered  among 
the  substantial  citizens  of  his  county.  His 
interests  are  thoroughly  identified  with  those 
of  Decatur,  and  at  all  tiines  he  is  ready  to 
lend  his  aid  and  co-operation  to  an}'  move- 
ment calculated  to  benefit  this  section  of  the 
country  or  advance  its  development. 


JASPER  J.  PEDICORD. 
Jasper  J.  Pedicord  was  not  only  a  witness 
of  tile  etitire  business  development  of  Deca- 
tur Init  was  also  an  active  participant  in  its 
commercial  growth  and  expansion.  He  came 
to  Decatur  in  1838  when  the  city  was  but  a 
village,  having  no  railroad  communication 
with  other  ])arts  of  the  country.  Indeed,  it 
was  a  frontier  settlement,  but  Mr.  Pedicord 
recognized  its  possibilities  and,  improving  the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


S(!5 


a(Ivanta!;cs  here  ofl'crcil,  made  his  way  stead- 
ily upward  until  he  occupied  a  i)roniinent  posi- 
tion on  the  plane  of  artluence.  1  lis  labors,  too, 
were  of  the  greatest  henefit  in  the  develop- 
ment and  progress  of  the  town  fcir  he  was 
identiiied  witli  many  measures  for  the  gen- 
eral good  and  his  efforts  were  always  result- 
ant  factors  in  improvement. 

.Mr.  Pcdicord  was  born  in  Rockville,  Mont- 
gomery county,  Maryland,  on  the  8lh  of  .\'o- 
veml)er.  i8\^.  and  was  in  his  eighty-fourth 
year  when  called  from  this  life.  He  rejjre- 
sented  one  of  the  old  families  of  his  native 
-state.  His  parents,  Alkn  B.  and  Catherine 
(VVillett)  Pedicord.  were  ImiiIi  natives  of 
^^aryland  and  were  of  Scotch  lineage.  The 
father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  thus  jiro- 
viding  for  the  support  of  his  familv.  lie  sur- 
vived his  wife  for  man\-  years,  passing  awav 
in  1868  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventv-eight 
\ears.  Three  children  survived  him  at  that 
time:  Rebecca,  Marian  and  jasjier.  InU  all 
have  now  passed  away. 

Jasper  I'edicord  spent  the  first  tifteen  \ears 
of  his  life  in  the  county  of  his  n.uivity  and 
his  early  education  was  obtained  in  a  country 
school  such  as  was  common  at  that  time, 
while  later  he  continued  his  studies  in  the 
Rockville  .Academy.  \\'hen  a  youth  of  fifteen 
he  entered  upon  his  business  career  and  from 
tltat  time  forward  made  his  own  wav  in  the 
world,  earning  all  that  he  afterward  possessed 
and  enjoyed.  His  first  employment  was  as  a 
clerk  in  a  store  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and  he 
remained  in  that  city  for  five  years,  going 
thence  to  \"icksburg,  Mississippi,  where  he 
again  found  em|jloynient  in  mercantile  lines. 
He  had  occupied  the  latter  position  for  two 
years  when  in  1838  he  sought  a  home  in  Illi- 
nois, locating  in  the  city  of  Decatur,  where 
he  remained  continuously  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  more  than  sixty-one  years  later. 
Not  afraid  to  cope  with  the  difficulties  of  the 
task  incident  to  the  establishment  of  business 
enterprises  u|)on  the  frontier  he  put  forth  bis 
best    efforts   to   win    success    for   himself   and 


also  to    [iromote   public   progress    and     pros- 
perity.    His  first  step  after  reaching  Decatur 
was   to  become   a   landholder   for  be   entered 
one    hundred    and    si.xty    acres    northwest    of 
the   city.      .\'ot   long   after   this   he   became   a 
factor    in    commercial    life    by    the    establish- 
ment  of  a    general   mercantile   store    in   part- 
nership   with    Henry    Prather.      The   business 
conditions  of  this  part  of  the  cmmtrv  at  that 
time  may  be  imagined  liy  the  fact  that  New 
Orleans  was  the  market  for  the  produce  raised 
in   this  locality  and    Mr.    Pedicord   made    fre- 
Huent  trips  down  the  river  in  flat  boats,  carry- 
ing pork-,  flour  and  corn  to  the  Crescent  Citv 
to   I'Nciiange   for   cash   or  other   commodities. 
It  required  nearly  tlirec  months  to  make  the 
round   trip.      .\  little   mercantile  store  of   the 
tirni  of  I'edicord  iS:   Prather  was  opened  in  a 
log  cabin  which  stood  on  the  northwest  corner 
of  tile  old  s(iuare.  hut  -Mr.  Pedicord  kept  apace 
with  the  growth  of  th.e  city  and  development 
of  its  interests  and  its  progress,  his  place  of 
business   ever   lieing   in    accord   wath    its   sur- 
roundings.    In  1849  when  his  partner  wished 
to  go  to  California   I\Ir.    Pedicord   purchased 
his  interest  in  the  business  and  afterward  en- 
tered   into   jiartnership    relations   with    Hosea 
J.  Armstrong.     He,  too,  after  two  years  went 
to  California  and  Mr.  Pedicord  was  once  more 
alone  in  business.     In  1853  be  joined  Lowber 
Ihirrows    in    business   and    this    relation    was 
maintained    up   to   the    death   of   our   subject. 
They  established  a  bank  under  the  firm  sl\le 
of  Pedicord,  Burrows  &  Company  and  the  in- 
stitution at  once  took  rank  witli   the  leading 
financial  concerns  of  this  i)ari  of  the  cotnitx'. 
They  carried  on  a  general  hanking  and   ex- 
change   business    and    their    ])atronage    grew 
continuously  because  of  the  excellent  Iiusiness 
])oiicy      whicli      they      inaugm-aled     .-nid      llie 
straightforward    nu'thods   they    had    ever    fol- 
lowed in  dealing  with  the  general  public.    The 
co-operation  of  .Mr.   Pedicord  was  also  given 
to  many  other  business  enterprises.      He  be- 
came largely  interested  in  the  Decatur  Furni- 
ture Coni])any  and   was  elected  its  president. 


866 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


He  was  also  a  director  in  tlie  Decatur  Gas 
Light  &  Coke  Company  and  in  the  Decatur 
Agricultural  Works.  His  business  judgment 
was  sound  and  reliable  and  his  energy  and 
keen  foresight  proved  important  factors  in  the 
successful  control  of  many  interests  here. 

On  the  30th  of  July,  1842,  Mr.  Pedicord 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Adamson,  the 
widow  of  John  A.  Adamson  and  a  daughter 
of  Jacob  and  Isabella  (Watson)  Oglesby.  Her 
mother  was  a  sister  of  Governor  Oglesby. 
Five  children  were  born  unto  Mr.  and  ^Irs. 
Pedicord :  Woodford  W.,  Isabelle,  Emaline 
W..  Richard  O.  and  \"alette  O.,  and  the  fam- 
ily circle  remained  unbroken  until  the  death 
of  the  husband  and  father. 

In  his  social  relations  Mr.  Pedicord  was  a 
Mason,  belonging  to  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  became  one  of  the  char- 
ter members  of  Macon  Chapter,  No.  21,  R. 
A.  M.,  and  his  life  was  in  consistent  harmony 
with  the  teachings  and  tenets  of  the  craft. 
During  the  early  years  of  his  residence  in 
Decatur  he  became  a  charter  member  of 
Stapps  Chapel,  an  organization  of  the  Meth- 
odist denomination,  and  later  he  was  for 
man\'  years  a  member  of  the  Grace  ^Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  long  served  as 
a  trustee.  This  church  was  organized  in  one 
of  the  big  rooms  of  the  bank  conducted  by 
the  firm  of  Pedicord,  Burrows  &  Company. 
To  church  work  he  contributed  generously 
and  his  personal  efforts  were  always  felt  for 
good  in  the  development  of  the  church  and 
its  work. 

In  his  early  manhood  he  was  an  advocate 
of  the  Democratic  principles  put  forth  by  An- 
drew Jackson  and  he  continued  to  vote  with 
the  party  until  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil 
war.  Being  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  Union 
cause  and  an  opponent  of  slavery  he  joined 
the  ranks  of  the  party  formed  to  prevent  the 
further  extension  of  slavery  into  the  north 
and  was  allied  therewith  up  to  the  time  of  his 
demise.  Political  honors  and  emoluments 
were    never    souarht    bv   him.   but   his    fellow 


citizens  recognized  his  fitness  for  office  and 
his  fidelity  in  public  affairs  and  elected  him 
to  a  number  of  positions  of  public  trust  and 
responsibility.  Twice  he  served  as  mayor  of 
the  city  and  his  administration  of  municipal 
affairs  was  most  creditable  and  satisfactory 
to  the  public,  winning  him  high  encomiums. 
He  never  ceased  to  take  an  active  interest 
in  political  affairs  and  his  commodious  home 
at  No.  226  North  Franklin  street  was  long 
the  headquarters  for  visiting  statesmen  from 
Illinois  and  other  sections  of  the  country. 
In  manner  he  was  most  genial  and  cordial 
and  he  had  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  appre- 
ciating a  joke  on  himself  as  well  as  upon 
some  one  else.  Truly  he  may  be  called  one 
of  the  builders  of  Decatur  for  he  came  to  this 
city  when  it  was  but  a  cluster  of  log  cabins 
and  no  business  man  here  contributed  more 
liberally  toward  enterprises  tending  to  im- 
prove and  develop  the  city  than  did  Jasper 
Pedicord.  He  died  on  the  27th  of  July.  1899, 
and  yet  the  force  of  his  character  is  still  felt 
in  commercial  circles  and  will  be  a  factor 
here  as  long  as  the  institutions  which  he 
established  are  representatives  of  the  business 
life  of  this  city.  Every  interest  for  the  social, 
intellectual  and  moral  welfare  of  Decatur  also 
elicited  his  attention  and  hearty  co-operation. 
He  was  a  man  of  broad  mind,  generous  heart, 
kindly  and  sj'mpathetic  and  his  friends  were 
legion. 


WILLIAM  H.  STARR. 

In  1856,  Joseph  G.  Starr  removed  with  his 
family  from  Pennsylvania  to  Decatur,  Illinois, 
and  started  a  harness  shop  on  the  southwest 
corner  of  the  Old  Square,  now  known  as 
Lincoln  Square.  In  1869  he  admitted  his  son, 
William  H.  Starr,  to  partnership.  After  hav- 
ing spent  a  life  of  industry  and  usefulness, 
he  died,  leaving  a  widow  and  three  sons. 
^^'illiam  H.,  Joseph  S.  and  Harry  C. 

L^pon  the  death  of  the  father,  the  manage- 
ment of  the  business  passed  to  William   H. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTV. 


867 


Starr,  \vlu>  cxlciuk-<l  its  ticld.  In  nnkr  lu 
more  properly  care  for  increasing  business  and 
to  retain  the  prestige  of  the  name  of  J.  G. 
Starr  &  Son,  the  firm  was  incorporated  in 
iS()i  inider  the  name  of  J.  G.  Starr  &  Son 
Harness  Company,  since  which  time  its  busi- 
ness has  grown  with  vigor  and  exi^anded 
until  its  field  is  now  virtually  limited  only  by 
the  confines  of  the  United   States. 

|.  (j.  Starr  was  a  man  who  practiced  the 
])rinciples  of  integrity  and  truth.  William  II. 
Starr  has  followed  his  precepts  and  has  great- 
Iv  increased  the  business  heritage  from  his 
father.  He  has  consistently  manufactured 
liarness  on  the  principle  of  honesty  and  has 
truthfully  represented  them  to  be  just  what 
they  are.  On  these  principles  he  has  created 
and  developed  a  mail  order  harness  business, 
whose  patrons  are  dealers  in  every  state,  from 
New  England  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The 
retail  business  is  still  conducted  by  Mr.  Starr 
in  the  same  location  where  it  was  established 
by  his  father  forty-seven  years  ago.  In  addi- 
tion to  his  large  trade  interests,  Mr.  Starr  is 
at  present  vice  president  of  the  Citizens  Na- 
tional Bank. 

William  H.  Starr  is  a  man  of  public  spirit 
and  has  been  identified  with  various  industries 
which  have  done  much  to  promote  the  ma- 
terial interests  of  Decatur  and  Macon  county, 
lie  has  also  taken  an  active  interest  in  the 
moral  and  social  welfare  of  the  community 
and  has  done  much  which  contributed  to  bet- 
ter civil  government  in  city  and  county  af- 
fairs. While  he  is  a  man  of  positive  char- 
acter, he  is  withal  afTable  and  accessible.  He 
is  true  to  his  friends  and  bears  in  his  daily 
life  an  exemplification  of  the  truly  good  citi- 
zen. 


DOUGLAS  D.  HILL. 
Douglas  D.   Hill   is  prominently  known   in 
both  legal   and   political  circles.     It  is  a  no- 
table fact  in  the  world's  history  that  the  law- 
ver  has  been  more  prominent  in  public  affairs 


than  the  representali\es  of  any  other  class  of 
business.  The  reason  for  this  is  evident  and 
needs  no  exi)Ianation  for  the  qualities  which 
fit  him  for  the  i)ractice  of  law  also  prepare  him 
for  duties  which  lie  outside  the  strict  path  of 
his  profession.  The  readiness  of  resource 
and  keen  analytical  powers  which  are  essen- 
tial elements  of  the  successful  legal  practi- 
tioner also  go  far  toward  accomplishing  a 
given  purpose  in  other  walks  of  life. 

Douglas  D.  Hill,  now  successfull\-  practic- 
ing in  Decatur,  is  a  son  of  John  W.  and 
I'rances  J.  (Barlow)  Hill,  both  of  whom 
were  natives  of  Crawford  county,  Illinois. 
The  Hill  family  was  established  in  this  state 
in  early  pioneer  days.  In  fact,  this  was  a 
great  unbroken  territory  when  John  Hill  pen- 
etrated into  the  state,  arriving  in  the  year 
1799.  He  was  the  great-grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  review.  William  Hill,  the 
grandfather,  became  a  resident  of  Crawford 
county,  Illinois,  in  1801.  He  married  Miss 
Eve  Biggs  and  amid  the  scenes  of  frontier 
life  they  reared  their  family,  while  in  the 
work  of  public  progress  and  improvement 
they  took  an  active  and  helpful  part.  John 
W.  Hill  was  reared  to  manhood  in  the  old 
homestead  and  assisted  in  the  arduous  task 
of  developing  new  land.  After  arriving  at 
years  of  maturity  he  wedded  Miss  Frances  J. 
Barlow,  a  daughter  of  Jesse  Barlow,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  Crawford  county,  his  birth 
having  there  occurred  on  the  1st  of  February, 
1792.  He  became  a  physician  as  well  as  pio- 
neer farmer  and  lived  a  life  of  great  useful- 
ness in  thai  early  comnninity,  his  efforts  prov- 
ing of  nuich  benefit  to  his  fellow  men  in  the 
alleviation  of  human  suffering.  He  married 
Miss  Jane  Marshall,  a  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Jane  Marshall.  The  former  was  a  relative 
of  Chief  Justice  John  Marshall,  who  was  so 
long  at  the  head  of  the  entire  judiciary  of  the 
United  States  and  whose  ancestors  were 
among  the  first  settlers  of  Virginia.  The 
father  of  our  subject  is  still  living,  but  the 
mother  passed  away  in   1897. 


868 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Douglas  n.  Hill  was  reared  in  the  usual 
manner  of  farmer  boys.  He  worked  in  the 
fields  from  the  lime  of  early  spring  planting 
mitil  after  ero])s  were  harvested  in  the  late 
autumn.  He  then  found  opportunity  to  at- 
tend the  district  school  through  the  cold 
months  of  the  winter  season  when  his  aid  was 
not  needed  upon  the  home  fariu.  In  his  nine- 
teenth year  he  began  teaching  and  followed 
that  profession  for  two  years.  He  then  went 
to  \alparaiso.  Indiana,  where  he  attended  the 
Indiana  Normal  school  for  a  year  and  later 
he  resumed  teaching  which  he  followed,  how- 
ever, merely  as  an  initiative  step  to  other  pro- 
fessional labor.  He  devoted  his  leisure  hours 
to  the  reading  of  law  at  Robinson.  Illinois, 
and  subsequently  he  continued  his  legal  stud- 
ies under  th.e  direction  of  H.  E.  Callaher  and 
afterward  with  the  Hon.  A.  H.  Jones,  who  is 
now  serving  as  state  food  commissioner  under 
Governor  Yates.  When  he  had  largely  mas- 
tered the  principles  of  jurisprudence  and  be- 
came familiar  with  everything  pertaining 
thereto  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1886 
in  Springfield,  Illinois,  successfully  passing 
an  examination  before  the  supreme  court.  He 
then  formed  a  partnership  with  John  C.  Max- 
well, of  Robinson.  Illinois,  which  connection 
was  continuefl  for  six  years,  when  Mr.  Hill 
was  elected  city  attorney  and  served  for  two 
vears.  In  1892  he  came  to  Decatur  and  has 
since  practiced  in  all  of  the  courts  here.  He 
has  gained  a  large  and  distinctively  represent- 
ative clientage  and  his  capabilities  are  widely 
acknowledged  by  the  profession  as  well  as  by 
the  public.  He  prepares  his  cases  with  great 
thoroughness  and  .skill  and  in  the  presenta- 
tion of  a  case  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  position.  He  has  won  many 
verdicts  favorable  to  his  clients  and  well 
merits  the  large  amount  of  business  which  is 
annually  given  him. 

On  Christmas  day  in  1889  Mr.  Hill  was 
happily  married  to  Miss  Delia  Kurtz,  of  Rob- 
inson, Illinois,  a  daughter  of  A.  E.  and  Mar- 
garet fSponsler)   Kurtz.     Mrs.  Hill  was  born 


in  Craw-ford  county  and  b\  her  marriage  has 
liecome  the  mother  of  two  children :  June 
.Marie  and  Lyle  Kurtz.  In  his  political  views 
Mr.  Hill  is  a  Democrat  and  in  i8y8  he  w^as  a 
candidate  on  that  ticket  for  the  position  of 
county  judge  against  William  C.  Hammer.  He 
takes  great  interest  in  local,  county  and  state 
])olitics  and  exercises  considerable  influence 
in  iiolitical  circles.  He  makes  a  close  study 
of  the  ((uestions  and  issues  of  the  da\'  and 
his  laliors  in  behalf  of  Democracy  have  not 
been  without  lienelicia!  result.  In  matters  of 
citizenship  he  is  public  spirhed  and  progres- 
sive, co-operating  along  many  lines  pertaining 
to  the  general  progress  and  improvement. 


WILLI  A  AI    C.    ARMSTRONG. 

In  viewing  the  mass  of  mankind  in  the 
varied  occupations  of  life,  the  conclusion  is 
forced  upon  the  observer  that  in  the  vast  ma- 
jority of  cases  men  have  sought  employment 
not  in  the  line  of  their  peculiar  fitness  but  in 
those  fields  where  caprice  or  circumstances 
have  placed  them,  and  thus  have  ccuuc  the 
large  numlier  of  failures  among  those  who 
enter  commercial  and  professional  circles. 
Nature  certainly  intended  that  Mr.  .Armstrong 
should  enter  a  field  of  commercial  activity  for 
he  has  displayed  marked  aptitude  in  his  work 
in  this  direction,  being  able  to  plan  and  to 
perform  and  determined  in  the  execution  of 
ideas  concerning  his  own  business  interests. 
He  is  now  the  general  manager  of  the  Decatur 
Coal  Company  and  the  success  of  this  enter- 
prise may  be  attributable  in  large  measure 
to  his  labors. 

Mr.  .Armstrong  came  to  Illinois  from  Ten- 
nessee. He  was  born  near  Knoxville,  on  the 
17th  of  July,  1843,  his  parents  being  \M1- 
liam  and  Hettie  (King)  Armstrong,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Mrginia,  and  the  latter  of 
Tennessee.  -After  their  marriage  they  settled 
near  what  was  then  the  village  of  Knox- 
ville  and   the    tather  became   connected   with 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


869 


mcrclianclisiiig  and  also  with  farming.  In 
the  city  of  his  liirili  the  son  spent  his  hoyhood 
days  and  acquired  his  early  education.  When 
quite  young  he  came  to  Greene  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  for  a  time  continued  his  studies  in 
the  schools  of  Carrollton.  lie  made  his  home. 
however,  upon  his  father's  farm  until 
eighteen  years  of  age,  hut  not  wishing  to  fol- 
low the  plow  as  a  life  work  he  resolved  to 
connect  himself  w'ith  some  industrial  or  com- 
mercial line  in  the  city  of  Decatur.  Accord- 
ingly he  sought  employment  here  and  be- 
came a  clerk  in  the  store  of  Roberts  Brothers, 
with  whom  he  remained  for  seven  years,  be- 
ing one  of  the  trusted  employes  of  that  house. 
In  fact,  such  was  the  confidence  reposed  in 
him  and  the  good  will  extended  to  him  by 
his  employers  that  at  the  end  of  seven  years 
he  was  admitted  to  a  partnership  under  the 
firm  style  of  Roberts  &  Armstrong  and 
this  firm  was  one  of  the  leading  busi- 
ness concerns  of  Decatur  for  a  number 
of      years.  At      length,      however,      Mr. 

Armstrong  bought  out  his  ]iartner  and 
eight  years  later  he  disposed  of  his  interest 
to  E.  A.  West.  On  disposing  of  this  enter- 
prise he  turned  his  attention  to  the  coal  busi- 
ness and  became  a  partner  in  the  Decatur 
Coal  Company.  This  coni])any  owns  three 
mines,  one  being  in  the  city,  one  at  its  north- 
ern boundary  and  the  third  near  Decatur.  In 
1883  the  Decatur  Coal  Company  was  incor- 
porated W'ith  O.  B.  Gorin  as  secretary  and 
treasurer  and  Mr.  .Armstrong  as  general  man- 
ager. The  mines  arc  profitably  w-orked.  the 
latest  improved  machinery  is  used  in  the  pros- 
ecution of  this  business  and  there  are  also 
good  shipping  facilities  which  enable  the 
product  to  be  readily  placed  upon  the  market. 
During  the  winter  months  the  output  of  these 
mines  is  very  extensive  and  the  control  of  the 
business  devolving  upon  him,  Mr.  Armstrong 
shows  that  he  is  a  man  of  resource  in  business 
affairs,  of  keen  insight  into  situations  and  of 
strong  determination  in  carrying  forward  to 
successful  completion  whatever  he  undertakes. 


In  1873  Mr.  .\rnislrong  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Ida  (iorin,  a  sister  of  his  part- 
ner, n.  B.  Gorin.  They  now  have  four  chil- 
dren :  William  J.,  who  is  with  his  father  in 
the  coal  office:  Ida  E.,  the  wife  of  L.  F. 
I"imk,  of  Bloomington,  Illinois;.  Florence, 
who  is  now  a  student  in  an  eastern  college; 
and  Eleanor,  at  home.  In  Masonic  circles 
Mr.  Armstrong  is  ])rominent  and  popular  and 
is  now  a  worthy  exemplar  of  Ionic  Lodge, 
Xo.  312.  .\.  ]'.  &  .\.  M,:  Macon  Chapter, 
\'o.  21,  R.  A.  M.:  and  lieaumanoir  Com- 
mandery,  X.  9,  K.  T.  He  has  gained  a  dis- 
tinguished position  in  connection  with  the  im- 
portant industries  of  the  county  and  his  ef- 
forts have  been  so  discerningly  directed 
along  well  defined  lines  of  labor  that  he  has 
accomplished  the  most  desirable  results.  A 
man  of  distinct  and  forceful  individuality,  of 
broad  mentality  and  mature  judgment,  he  has 
left  and  is  leaving  his  impress  upon  the  in- 
dustrial W'orld.  For  twenty  years  he  has  been 
an  imjjortant  factor  in  the  development  of  the 
natural  resources  of  this  portion  of  the  state 
and  his  efforts  have  been  of  value  in  promot- 
ing the  general  welfare  and  jirosperity  nf  the 
citv  in   which  he  makes  his  home. 


SIT.LR-AX  BURGESS. 
Sullivan  llurgess  was  born  Jinie  6,  1828, 
in  Concord,  Massachusetts,  and  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  town. 
Having  a  taste  and  desire  to  learn  mathematics 
he  made  rapid  progress  with  that  study,  grad- 
uating at  the  head  of  his  class  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years.  When  eighteen  years  of  a.gc 
he  left  his  home  in  Concord  and  went  to 
Wilkesbarre.  and  accepted  a  position  as  a 
clerk  in  the  dry  goods  house  of  his  brother- 
in-law.  Two  years  later  he  was  offered  an 
opportunity  to  join  an  engineering  corps  on 
the  \'ermont  Central  Railroad,  which  he 
eagerly  embraced,  it  being  more  suited  to 
his  inclinations,  the  line  being  from  \\^indsor. 


S70 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


\'ermont,  to  IJurlington  on  Lake  Champlain. 
That  engagement  being  completed  he  then 
went  to  Canada  to  engage  in  the  construction 
of  a  railroad  from  Lake  Champlain  to  the  St. 
Lawrence  river  opposite  Montreal,  and  as- 
sisted in  the  preliminary  survey  for  the  great 
Victoria  bridge  at  that  point.  In  the  fall  of 
1852  he  left  Canada  for  Illinois,  to  engage  as 
assistant  engineer  on  the  Wabash  Railroad 
and  located  the  line  between  Springfield  and 
Decatur  during  that  fall  and  winter.  He  re- 
mained on  this  portion  of  the  road  during  its 
construction,  as  resident  engineer,  making  his 
headquarters  at  Decatur,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1854  he  extended  the  survey  of  the  Wabash 
east  from  Decatur  to  Tolono.  After  the  com- 
pletion of  the  extension  to  Tolono  he  entered 
into  partnership  with  the  late  C.  A.  Tuttle 
in  1856,  as  land  agents  and  real  estate  dealers 
in  Decatur,  their  office  fronting  Lincoln 
Square  in  the  space  now  occupied  by  Mer- 
chant street.  That  year  the  city  of  Decatur 
was  organized  and  he  was  appointed  city  en- 
gineer, which  office  he  has  occupied  at  differ- 
ent intervals  up  to  the  present.  Mr.  Burgess 
was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Strobeck, 
of  Potsdam,  North  Carolina,  in  1857. 

In  April,  1861,  he  was  engaged  on  the 
survey  of  a  railroad  from  Decatur  to  Cham- 
paign, but  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion 
suspended  all  railroad  building.  He  then  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  Stafford  cultivator 
and  in  the  fall  of  1863,  the  cultivator  having 
taken  the  first  premium  at  the  State  Fair 
held  in  Decatur  that  year,  he  was  largely  in- 
strumental in  inducing  parties  to  come  from 
Pekin  to  Decatur  and  erect  the  shop  (now 
owned  by  Chambers,  Bering  and  Ouinlan)  for 
the  purpose  of  manufacturing  the  Stafford 
cultivator.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
First  National  Bank  and  a  member  of  the 
first  board  of  directors.  In  1867  Tuttle  & 
Burgess  commenced  the  survev  of  Decatur  & 
East  St.  Louis  railroad,  now  St.  Louis  division 
of  the  Vv'abash  road  and  located  the  line  the 
entire  length  and  liad  charsje  of  its  construction 


from  Decatur  to  Taylorville.  After  the  com- 
pletion of  that  road  he  made  a  survey  in  the 
spring  of  1870  from  Decatur  to  Chicago, 
nearh'  an  air  line,  also  re-surveyed  the  same 
line  in  spring  of  1871.  The  building  of  this 
road  was  defeated  by  the  intrigue  and  treach- 
ery of  its  false  friends.  He  was  also  engaged 
in  the  winter  of  1 870  and  1871  with  the  Chi- 
cago, Burlington  &  Quincy  in  the  extension 
of  their  lines  west  of  Mendota.  In  the  fall 
of  1873  ^^  went  to  Kansas  City  and  located 
a  line  of  railroad  east  through  Independence 
in  the  direction  of  Booneville,  Missouri,  but 
the  financial  panic  which  swept  the  country 
in  that  year  indefinitely  postponed  all  railroad 
operations. 

In  the  spring  of  1874  Mr.  Burgess  was 
elected  city  engineer  and  superintendent  of 
water  works  at  Decatur,  which  position  he 
occupied  vtntil  1880.  In  1881  he  located  the 
line  of  road  from  Springfield  to  Mississippi 
river,  by  way  of  Jerseyville  and  remained  on 
that  line  until  completed.  He  made  a  survey 
in  1883  and  1884  for  Wabash  Railroad  Com- 
pany from  Danville  to  the  Kankakee  river  by 
way  of  Oilman  and  Custer  Park,  also  a  sur- 
vey the  same  winter  from  a  i^oint  a  few  miles 
north  of  Jersey  Landing  down  the  left  bank 
to  the  .Mississippi  river  down  to  Alton,  the 
most  difficult  survey  he  ever  made.  The  road 
has  since  been  built  on  the  same  line  he  ran. 
In  the  fall  of  1884  he  visited  California  for  the 
benefit  of  his  health,  going  by  way  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railroad  to  Portland,  from 
thence  down  the  Columbia  river  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, spending  two  months  in  the  vicinity  of 
San  Jose.  He  was  so  well  pleased  with  the 
country  there,  he  came  back  with  the  intention 
of  moving  there  as  soon  as  he  could  make  ar- 
rangements to  do  so.  In  the  spring  of  1887 
he  was  engaged  with  the  Jacksonville  & 
Southeastern  Railroad  Company  in  the  ex- 
tension of  their  line  from  Centralia  to  Mount 
Vernon.  His  health  failing  him,  he  accepted 
the  appointment  of  city  engineer  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1887,  which  position  he  occupied  until 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


871 


l8y7.  Mr.  lUiri^css  was  uiarrii.'d  ihc  second 
time  to  Sarah  jane  Brown  of  Abington, 
Massacluisetts,  on  October  30,  i860.  Two 
children  were  born  to  them,  a  daughter,  now 
Mrs.  J.  R.  1  huvorih.  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
and  a  son,  Silas  X.  who  is  in  California,  near 
Los  Angeles. 


\\ll.Ll.\.\l     1..    IIA.MMlCk. 

For  almost  a  half  century  Judge  Ihun- 
nier  made  his  home  in  Decatiu'  and  the  emi- 
nent place  which  he  held  in  the  iniblic  regard 
is  indicatctl  l.iy  the  l;iet  thai  he  was  never  a 
candidate  for  any  ofiice  to  which  he  was  not 
elected  and  yet  he  held  many  positions  of 
public  trust  and  for  eight  years  was  judge  of 
Macon  county.  He  won  prominence  as  a 
member  of  the  bar  and  stood  as  a  stanch 
defender  of  law  and  order  and  the  character- 
istics of  his  manhood  were  marked.  He  gave 
unfaltering  allegiance  to  any  cause  which  he 
believed  to  be  right  and  was  a  co-operant  fac- 
tor in  many  measures  for  the  general  good.  He 
desired  strongly  to  see  marked  advancement 
made  by  the  state  along  material,  intellectual 
and  moral  lines  and  as  a  citizen  was  most 
publie-spiritetl  and  progressive. 

judge  Hammer  was  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
his  liirlh  having  occurred  in  the  village  of 
Winehesler.  Clark  county,  on  the  2d  of  No- 
vember. 1817.  His  ])arents  were  Frederick 
and  I'".li/'.;i!ieth  (\\'ebh)  i  lanimer.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  John  ]  lammer,  was  an 
early  settler  of  New  Jersey  and  married  a 
Miss  Warner,  who  was  also  born  in  that  state. 
Subsequently  they  removed  to  Kentucky  and 
were  numbered  among  its  pioneer  settlers. 
Frederick  Hammer  was  born  in  New  Jersey 
in  1794  and  with  his  parents  went  to  the 
Blue  Grass  state,  whence  in  1827,  following 
his  marriage,  he  removed  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Christian  county,  where  he  and  his  wife 
spent  their   remaining  days. 

The  Judge  began  his  education  in  llie  ])ul)- 
lic  schools  of  his   native   state,  his   instructor 


being  a  private  intor.  W  ilh  his  parents  he 
came  to  Illinois,  the  journey  being  made  in 
a  wagon  ilrawn  by  o.x  teams.  The  family 
home  was  established  in  Christian  count)  and 
later  judge  Hammer  engaged  in  teaching 
school  in  that  and  in  Shelby  counties,  fol- 
lowing the  profession  with  marked  success 
for  ten  years.  He  luul  the  aliilily  to  impart 
clearly  and  readily  to  others  the  knowletlge 
that  he  had  gained  and  his  work  as  an  in- 
structor was  most  gratifying  to  the  p;Urons  of 
the  schools  with  which  he  was  comiecteil. 
During  the  summer  months  his  attention  was 
given  to  farm  work. 

In  December,  1854,  he  arrived  in  Decatur 
and  continued  to  make  his  home  in  this  city 
up  to  the  time  of  his  ileath,  covering  almost 
a  half  century.  1  lere  he  was  first  identified 
with  commercial  pursuits,  forming  a  partner- 
ship with  R.  A.  Newell  under  the  firm  name 
of  Newell  &  Hammer.  They  established  a 
grocery  store  which  they  conducted  for  eight 
years  and  also  the  Judge  was  later  associated 
with  financial  circles  of  the  city  as  a  ])rivate 
hanker,  belonging  to  the  firm  of  Smith,  Ham- 
mer &  Company.  They  maintained  that  bank 
for  eight  years,  Iml  tliroiij^h  nnich  of  his  active 
life  Judge  Hammer  was  in  public  office  and 
his  career  as  an  official  was  one  most  com- 
inenilabk.  lie  never  faltered  in  the  f;iithful 
])erformance  of  duty,  but  conscientiously  put 
forth  every  effort  for  the  public  welfare  and 
over  the  record  of  his  official  career  there  falls 
no  shadow  of  wrong.  1  le  was  first  called  to 
oftice  in  1843,  when  he  was  elected  constable 
in  Christian  county,  acting  in  that  capacity 
for  three  years.  JM-om  1846  until  1854  he 
was  sheriff  of  the  same  county  and  in  185O, 
following  his  removal  to  Decatur,  he  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace  of  this  city  and 
thus  served  until  i860.  In  the  latter  year 
he  was  chosen  circuit  clerk  of  Macon  county 
and  filled  the  office  for  eight  years,  while 
from  1865  until  1874  he  was  a  member  of 
and  i)resident  of  the  board  of  education.  In 
i86y  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city  and  his 


872 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


administration,  covering  two  years,  proved 
most  acceptable  to  his  fellow  citizens,  be- 
cause of  its  business-like  character.  He  was 
not  only  practical  but  also  progressive  and  yet 
he  favored  no  needless  expenditure  of  money, 
managing  the  affairs  of  the  city  as  he  did  his 
personal  interests,  with  the  purpose  of  ob- 
taining maximum  result  at  minimum  cost. 
In  1888  he  was  again  chosen  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Decatur  and  occupied  that  position 
until  1894,  when  he  was  elected  county  judge. 
For  eight  years  lie  served  upon  the  bench 
and  his  decisions  were  strictly  fair  and  im- 
partial. He  was  not  a  lawyer  and  yet  he 
gained  a  broad  and  comprehensive  knowledge 
of  the  principles  of  the  law  in  the  years  of  hi.s 
former  connection  with  justice  courts  and 
while  serving  in  other  offices.  A  prominent 
attorney  of  ^lacon  county  bar  said  he  never 
knew  of  any  court  in  which  so  few  of  the 
decisions  were  reversed  by  higher  tribunals 
than  in  ]Macon  county  vmder  the  administra- 
tion of  Judge  Hammer.  He  brought  to  the 
bench  an  innate  sense  of  justice  and  love  of 
the  right.  His  mind  was  strong  and  well 
balanced  and  his  marked  intellectuality  en- 
abled him  to  thoroughly  understand  a  sit- 
uation and  to  bring  to  bear  upon  the  point 
in  litigation  the  law  applicable  thereto.  At 
the  time  of  his  retirement  from  office  on  the 
1st  of  December,  1902.  he  was  perhaps  one 
of  the  oldest  jurists  in  years  in  the  state. 

In  1853  Judge  Hammer  had  been  imited 
in  marriage  to  Aliss  Isabell  M.  East,  of  Tay- 
lorville.  also  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Priscilla  East.  Eight  children  have  been  born 
of  this  union,  of  whom  four  are  living,  name- 
ly :  \\'iniam  .A.,  who  is  paying  teller  in  the 
Millikin  National  Bank:  Harold  C,  of  De- 
catur: Ruth,  the  wife  of  J.  Elmer  Groves  of 
this  city:  and  Eva.  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Clark, 
a   resident  of  LaPayette,   Indiana. 

The  Judge  was  a  prominent  Mason,  having 
become  a  member  of  the  order  in  1856  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death  he  held  membership 
in  Macon  Lodge,  No.  8.  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and 


also  in  Macon  Chapter  and  Beaumanoir  Coni- 
mandery.  He  likewise  belonged  to  the  Odd 
Fellows'  lodge  in  this  city.  He  was  member 
of  the  first  .school  board  of  Decatur  and  was 
ever  active  in  educational  work,  putting  forth 
every  effort  in  his  power  to  advance  the 
standard  of  the  schools  and  render  the  course 
of  instruction  more  effective  as  a  preparation 
for  life's  practical  and  responsible  duties.  -\f- 
ter  his  retirement  from  office  he  enjoyed  a 
well  earned  rest  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  May  20.  1903.  His  remains 
were  interred  with  the  ceremonies  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  and  deep  and  sincere  sorrow 
was  manifested  throughout  the  city,  for  Judge 
Hammer  was  held  in  the  highest  regard  by 
all  who  knew  him.  His  official  service  was 
characterized  by  unfaltering  fidelity  and  thus 
he  received  the  commendation  of  the  opposi- 
tion party  as  well  as  the  supporters  of  the 
Republican  party.  His  honorable  life  record 
gained  him  high  encomiums  and  he  left  the 
impress  of  his  individuality  for  good  upon 
Decatur  and  ^lacon  countv. 


CHARLES    C.    RANDOLPH. 

Charles  C.  Randolph  is  one  of  the  large 
landowners  of  Macon  county  and  is  the  senior 
member  of  the  firm  of  C.  C.  &  N.  W.  Ran- 
dolph, dealers  in  city  and  farm  property  in 
Decatur.  They  also  loan  money  and  handle 
large  amounts  of  land  in  Missouri,  Arkansas, 
Oklahoma  and  Texas. 

Throughout  his  entire  life  Charles  C.  Ran- 
dolph has  been  a  resident  of  Illinois  and  has 
alwa\s  been  imbued  with  the  progressive  spirit 
which  has  been  the  dominant  factor  in  the  up- 
building and  development  of  this  state.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Logan  county  near  Lincoln, 
the  family  home  being  on  a  farm  in  that  lo- 
cality. His  father,  John  Randolph,  was  a  na- 
tive of  \'irginia  and  came  to  Illinois  m  pio- 
neer times,  settling  in  this  state  in  1829.  Here 
he  became  an   e.xtensive  landowner,  entering 


PAST  AND  I'RESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


873 


thousands  of  acres  from  the  goveninient,  a 
part  of  wliicli  he  improved.  I le  was  an  iiilcl- 
hgcnt  and  progressive  agriculturist,  following 
advanced  methods  of  farming  and  as  a  worthy 
pioneer  he  well  deserves  mention  in  the  an- 
nals of  the  state  because  of  the  helpful  ])art 
which  he  took  in  reclaiming  the  district  for 
the  purposes  of  civilization.  He  had  a  wide 
acquaintance  and  was  a  man  imi\ersally  re- 
spected for  his  many  excellent  trails  of  char- 
acter. His  business  integrity  stood  as  one  of 
the  strongest  elements  in  his  career  and  made 
him  well  worthy  of  the  trust  imposed  in  him. 
His  death  occurred  in  Logan  county  about 
1900.  but  his  widow  is  living  on  the  home- 
stead there.  She  bore  the  maiden  name  of 
Wafgaret  Wallace  and  w-as  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky. \]y  her  marriage  she  had  several  chil- 
dren, including  DeW'itt.  Charles  C.  and  .Mar- 
tin W. 

As  a  farm  boy  Charles  C.  Kandnlph  was 
reared.  He  obtained  a  good  common-school 
education  and  assisted  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  fields  on  the  old  home  ])lace  until  he  at- 
tained his  majority,  wlun  he  l)egan  farming 
and  stock-dealing  on  his  own  account.  He 
made  a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  hogs  and 
cattle  and  annually  his  sales  brought  to  him 
a  very  desirable  financial  return.  As  his  cap- 
ital increased  he  made  judicious  investments 
from  time  to  time  and  is  now  the  possessor 
of  a  very  extensive  and  valuable  farm,  ag- 
gregating twelve  hundred  acres  of  rich  land 
under  a  high,  state  of  cultivation.  .  Most  of 
this  is  al-so  imderlaid  with  a  good  vein  of 
coal  and  ])art  of  the  land  is  situated  in  Logan 
county  and  the  remainder  in  Macon  coimty. 
Mr.  Randolph  continued  to  reside  upon  his 
farm  until  i8y6,  when  he  took  up  his  abode 
in  Decatur,  where  he  opened  an  office  and 
began  dealing  in  real  estate  and  also  in  loan- 
ing money.  He  handles  not  only  city  and 
farm  property  in  this  locality,  but  also  deals 
in  southern  and  western  lands.  He  has  thor- 
oughly informed  himself  concerning  realty 
values    here    and    is    thus    enabled    to    make 


judicious  investmeiUs  and  profitable  sales.  In 
1902  Jie  associated  himself  with  his  brother 
X.  W.  imder  the  firm  name  of  C.  C.  &  \.  W  . 
Randolph.  He  rents  his  farm  lands  in  Logan 
and  Macon  counties  so  that  he  has  opportunity 
to  devote  much  time  to  his  real  estate  opera- 
tions both  here  and  in  the  south. 

Jn  August,  1897,  Mr.  Randolph  was  joined 
in  wedlock  to  Miss  Soi)liia  llutchinson,  of 
this  ciiunty,  a  daughter  of  Jesse  Hutchinson. 
Mr.  Randolph  is  a  man  to  whom^the  most  en- 
vious caimot  grudge  his  success,  so  well  has 
he  earned  it.  He  is  kind  in  manner  anil  ap- 
proachable and  every  comer  has  a  claim  upon 
his  courteous  attention.  There  has  been  noth- 
ing sensational  in  his  career,  every  step  has 
been  thoughtfully  and  deliberately  made  and 
every  advance  has  been  at  the  cost  of  earnest 
labor.  He  stands  to-day  in  his  mature  years 
a  strong  man — strong  in  the  consciousness  of 
a  well  spent  life,  strong  to  plan  and  perform, 
strong  in  his  honor  and  his  good  name  and  a 
worthy  exam])le  for  young  men  to  pattern 
after. 


A.  J.  STONER.  M.  D. 
In  the  death  of  the  honored  subject  of  this 
memoir  not  only  Decatur  but  the  I'rairie  state 
as  well  hist  one  of  her  best  and  most  valued 
citizens — a  man  sincere,  upright,  just  and 
conscientious  in  word  and  deed.  His  life  was 
a  btiSN'  and  useful  one  and  extensive  pro- 
fessional ]jursiiiis  claimed  his  attention,  yet 
his  career  was  not  that  of  one  intent  on 
monev-making  or  of  self-aggrandizement,  hut 
was  ever  dominated  by  the  noble  desire  to 
aid  and  uplift  his  fellow  men  and  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  city,  state  and  nation. 
.\  complete  record  of  what  he  accomplished 
for  the  city,  of  the  good  deeds  he  performed 
and  of  the  kindly  sympathy  which  he  invari- 
ably extended  to  others  could  not  be  compiled, 
for  he  was  modest  and  unostentatious  in  all 
his  acts,  guided  not  by  the  hope  of  recogni- 


874 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


lion  and  praise,  but  by  an  honorable  purpose 
and  noble  duty. 

Dr.  Stoner  was  born  on  the  2d  of  August, 
1824,  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  when  but  a 
boy  came  to  Illinois.  Here  he  lived  in  the 
family  of  Dr.  Sutphan,  of  Perry,  who  was 
one  of  the  pioneer  physicians  of  the  state  and 
it  was  while  surrounded  with  the  influences 
of  that  home  that  Dr.  Stoner  became  deeply 
interested  in  the  science  of  medicine.  Form- 
ing a  determination  to  make  its  practice  his 
life  work  while  yet  a  youth  he  studied  in  the 
office  and  under  the  direction  of  his  friend 
and  benefactor.  Dr.  Sutphan.  Subsequently 
he  entered  the  Jefferson  Medical  College  of 
Philadelphia.  Pennsylvania,  in  which  he  was 
graduated  and  then  became  a  student  in  the 
College  of  JNIedicine  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
in  which  he  also  completed  the  course. 

Dr.  Stoner  entered  upon  his  professional 
career  in  Chambersbiirg,  Illinois,  where  he 
opened  an  office  and  soon  gained  some 
patrons.  Afterward,  however,  he  removed 
to  Mount  Sterling,  Illinois,  where  he  remained 
until  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he 
severed  his  business  relations  there  and  re- 
moved to  Decatur,  his  remaining  days  being 
passed  in  this  city.  In  1866  he  established 
a  drug  store  at  the  corner  of  South  Park  and 
State  streets.  It  was  long  one  of  the  old 
land  marks  in  the  business  district  of  Deca- 
tur and  a  liberal  patronage  was  continually 
accorded  to  its  proprietor  who  was  widely 
and  prominently  known  in  business  circles. 
His  methods  commended  him  to  the  public 
confidence  and  he  won  favor  by  reason  of  his 
genial  nature  and  obliging  disposition.  For 
a  number  of  years  the  management  of  the 
drug  business  was  intrusted  to  the  late  Cap- 
tain W.  J.  Brown.  For  many  years  Dr. 
Stoner  continued  in  the  active  practice  of 
his  chosen  calling  and  kept  in  touch  with  the 
advancement  made  in  the  science  of  medicine. 
He  studied  long  and  carried  his  researches 
far  and  wide  into  the  fields  of  medical  knowl- 


edge so  that  his  efforts  were  most  effective- 
and  helpful  in  the  alleviation  of  human  suf- 
fering. In  many  a  household  he  was  known 
as  the  loved  family  physician  and  after  he  re- 
tired from  the  more  active  practice  of  his 
calling  he  was  accorded  a  large  office  and 
consultation  practice.  At  one  time  his  patron- 
age extended  through  central  Illinois  and  it 
is  probable  that  no  physician  in  Decatur  was 
ever  more  widely  known.  The  weather  was 
never  too  inclement  for  him  to  respond  to  the 
call  of  the  sick  and  suffering  and  he  often- 
times took  long  rides  to  visit  patients  when 
he  knew  that  no  pecuniary  reward  could  be 
expected.  He  continued  as  owner  of  the  drug 
store  until  abotit  five  years  prior  to  his  death, 
when  he  retired  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son.  Dr.  Fred  Stoner. 

The  Doctor  was  a  man  of  strong,  forceful 
spirit,  of  great  benevolence  and  of  kindliness. 
He  contributed  to  various  enterprises  of  a 
charitable  character  and  yet  he  never  sought 
the  praise  of  his  fellow  men  or  their  recogni- 
tion. He  gave  freely  and  without  display. 
In  l.ioth  his  professional  and  business  career 
he  was  very  successful  and  the  poor  and 
needy  shared  generously  with  him  of  his 
means.  He  was  a  man  of  untiring  energy 
and  zeal  and  his  long  life  which  ended  No- 
vember 13,  1901,  was  without  a  blemish,  for 
his  character  was  always  honorable  and  up- 
right, and  thus  his  memory  is  cherished  by 
all  who  knew  him. 

Dr.  Fred  Stoner.  a  son  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Stoner, 
was  educated  in  the  pulilic  schools  of  De- 
catur. He  afterward  became  manager  of  the 
drug  store,  which  was  conducted  under  the 
firm  style  of  A.  J.  Stoner  &  Son  from  1887 
until  1890.  His  professional  knowledge  was 
gained  as  a  student  in  Rush  Medical  College 
of  Chicago  and  in  the  University  of  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee,  spending  the  years  between 
1890  and  i8()6  as  a  student  in  these  institu- 
tions. He  then  practiced  medicine  in  Deca- 
tur  and    also    managed    the    drug    store   until 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


875 


selling  his  intcrcsl  to  the  prcseiii  tirm  of  A.  J. 
Stoncr  &  Son  in  1899.  He  is  now  practic- 
ing medicine  in  this  citv  and  vicinitv. 


FRAXK  A.  CKADi;. 

Tile  business  career  is  one  which  illustrates 
the  power  of  industry  and  perseverance  in  the 
active  affairs  of  life.  Every  step  that  he  has 
made  has  been  premeditated  and  then  sanc- 
tioned by  mature  judgment;  it  has  contrib- 
uted its  share  to  the  sum  of  prosperitv  which 
has  attended  his  efforts  as  a  coal  dealer. 

Mr.  Crahb  was  born  in  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, on  the  22d  of  January,  1869,  and  comes 
of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  His  ancestors  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  city  of 
Springfield.  His  great-grandfather,  Elijah 
Isle,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  capital 
city,  living  there  when  it  was  but  a  mere  ham- 
let and  taking  an  active  part  in  its  develop- 
ment and  progress.  He  gave  the  land  upon 
which  the  Wabash  Railroad  shops  were  built 
and  also  gave  the  right  of  way  to  the  Chi- 
cago &  Alton  Railroad.  He  was  thus  closely 
connected  with  the  industrial  development  of 
the  city.  Janius  D.  Crabb,  the  father  of  our 
subject,  was  a  native  of  Ohio  and  came  thence 
to  Illinois,  establishing  his  home  in  Litch- 
field when  seventeen  years  of  age.  About  the 
time  of  the  close  of  the  Civil  war  he  began 
operating  coal  mines  and  for  many  years  was 
connected  with  the  Litchfield  Mining  Com- 
pany, doing  an  important  work  in  the  devel- 
opment of  the  coal  resources  of  the  state.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sallie  Loose, 
also  a  native  of  Ohio  and  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
Loose,  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  Spring- 
field, who  in  an  early  day  was  the  owner  of 
the  land  upon  which  the  governor's  mansion 
now  stands. 

Frank  A.  Crabb.  whose  name  introduces 
this  record,  obtained  his  early  education  in 
the  ward  schools  of  St.  Louis  and  afterward 
attended    the    hi"h    school    in    which    he   was 


graduated  with  the  class  of  1890.  Later  he 
pursued  a  three  jears'  course  in  Smith's 
Academy  and  then  entered  upon  his  business 
career  in  the  employ  of  the  Staunton  Coal 
Company  at  Staunton,  Illinois,  being  assigned 
to  duty  in  the  boiler-room,  where  he  remained 
for  three  years  dating  from  1897.  He 
equip])ed  the  electric  elevator  plant  for  use 
and  afterward  passed  an  examination  where- 
h\-  he  won  a  certificate  as  a  hoisting  engineer. 
He  then  had  charge  of  the  Stone  Coal  Com- 
pany at  St.  Louis  as  its  superintendent,  acting 
in  that  capacity  until  the  plant  was  sold.  His 
father  then  removed  to  Litchfield,  Illinois, 
while  the  son  came  to  Decatur,  arriving  in 
this  city  on  the  13th  of  February,  1901.  He 
then  purchased  the  business  of  the  Nives  & 
Koons  Coal  Company,  which  he  has  since  con- 
ducted on  his  own  account.  He  does  a  large 
retail  business  in  the  sale  of  anthracite  and 
cannel  coal,  Indiana  block  coke  and  also  bi- 
tuminous coal.  He  is  agent  for  the  Spring- 
field Coal  Company  and  also  the  Litchfield 
Power  Company  and  through  his  business 
connections  has  become  an  important  factor 
in  the  development  of  the  coal  resources  of 
the  state,  his  work  being  of  an  important 
character  that  contributes  not  alone  to  his 
prosperity,  but  also  to  the  advancement  of 
business  activity  in  this  section  of  the  state. 
Mr.  Crabb  is  also  the  owner  of  the  Glen 
Echo  Stock  farm,  which  is  situated  one  mile 
north  of  Decatur  and  is  devoted  to  the  breed- 
ing and  raising  of  fine  horses. 

In  1900  Mr.  Crabb  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Blanche  Davis,  a  daughter  of  David 
and  Blanche  (Keating)  Davis.  They  now 
have  one  daughter,  Sallie  Margaret.  Mr. 
Crabb  is  quite  prominent  socially  and  belongs 
to  the  Benevolent.  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
to  W.  C.  Roe  Camp,  No.  7201,  M.  W.  A.,  and 
to  the  Decatur  and  Country  Clubs.  In  his 
political  views  he  is  a  Republican.  A  young 
man  of  unusual  business  ability,  of  progressive 
ideas  and  unfaltering  energy,  he  has  gained 
for  himself  a  i)rominent  place  in  the  business 


4> 


876 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


world  and  has  also  thruugh  his  genial  man- 
ner and  unfailing  courtesy  become  a  popular 
citizen  of  Decatur  and  one  who  has  gained 
many  friends. 


HEXRY  L.  ARCHER. 

Since  1862  Henry  L.  Archer  has  been  a 
resident  of  Decatur  and  for  over  a  third  of 
a  century  he  was  identified  with  the  business 
interests  of  the  city,  but  is  now  living  a  re- 
tired life  in  his  pleasant  home  at  1021  East 
Cantrell  street.  -He  was  born  in  Oldham 
county.  Kentucky,  on  the  20th  of  February, 
1845.  a  son  of  Thomas  L.  and  Amelia  Archer, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Blue  Grass 
.state,  where  they  continued  to  reside  until 
their  removal  to  Decatur  in  1862.  Owing  to 
ill  health  the  father  lived  retired  during  his 
stay  here  and  after  going  to  Moultrie  county, 
Illinois,  in  1870.  He  died  in  that  county  while 
his  wife  passed  away  in  Chicago.  They  were 
the  parents  of  four  children  who  are  still  liv- 
ing, namely :  Henry  L. ;  Isaac,  who  is  em- 
ployed in  the  Union  Iron  Works  of  Decatur ; 
Samuel,  a  farmer  of  Edgar  county,  Illinois ; 
and  Mrs.  C.  F.  Reynolds,  who  is  living  in 
Chicago. 

Henry  L.  Archer  pursued  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  state.  In  1856, 
at  the  age  of  eleven  years,  he  first  came  to 
Illinois,  and  settled  in  Moultrie  county,  where 
he  worked  at  odd  jobs  for  two  years.  At 
the  end  of  that  time  he  returned  to  Kentucky 
and  made  his  home  with  his  parents  until 
the  removal  of  the  family  to  Decatur  in  1862. 
Here  his  father  and  brother-in-law  purchased 
a  saloon,  which  our  subject  assisted  in  carry- 
ing on  until  about  the  close  of  the  Civil  war, 
when  he  enlisted  on  the  17th  of  February, 
1865,  as  orderlv  sergeant  in  Company  I,  One 
Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Illinois  \'olunteer  In- 
fantry, under  Captain  Walter  Barnes  and 
Colonel  Keener.  The  company  was  in  no 
engagements  as  the  fighting  was  all  ahead  of 
them.      Thev    went    first    to    Louisville.    Ken- 


tucky, ilicn  on  to  .\ashville,  Tennessee,  Sa- 
vannah and  .\tlanta,  Georgia.  At  the  last 
named  place  Mr.  .Archer  was  discharged  on 
the  i6th  of  January,  1866.  Returning  to 
Decatur  he  purchased  a  dray  line  and  en- 
gaged in  the  dray  and  transfer  business  for 
several  years  or  until  i8(j6.  During  that  year 
he  purchased  the  Brunswick  Hotel  saloon, 
which  he  conducted  for  eighteen  months  and 
then  sold  otit  in  1898  on  account  of  ill  health 
and  has  since  lived  retired,  having  in  the 
meantime  accumulated  sufficient  capital  to 
enable  him  to  lay  aside  all  business  cares  and 
spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  ease  and 
quiet. 

On  the  30th  of  January,  1870,  Mr.  Archer 
married  Miss  Aurella  Chilcote,  of  this  county. 
Her  father,  Robert  Chilcote,  was  an  early 
settler  of  Macon  county,  and  is  now  living 
retired  in  Decatur.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Archer 
have  one  child.  Bonnie  Hazel.  The  wife  and 
mother  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
of  Decatur  and  is  a  most  estimable  lady. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Archer  is  connected  with  the 
Grand  Arm\-  Post  of  Decatur,  and  politically 
is  identified  with  the  Republican  party.  He 
has  never  cared  for  official  honors  but  has 
always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  public  af- 
fairs and  is  as  true  to  his  duties  of  citizenship 
in  days  of  peace  as  in  time  of  war.  He  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  and  in  the  city 
where  he  has  made  his  home  for  over  forty 
years  he  has  a  host  of  warm  friends  who  es- 
teem him  highly. 


ECKHARDT  C.  STEIN. 
Eckhardt  C.  Stein,  the  president  and  man- 
ager of  the  Decatur  Model  Laundry  Com- 
pany, was  born  in  Waterloo,  Waterloo  coun- 
ty, Ontario.  October  4.  1858,  and  is  a  son 
of  Henry  and  Christine  (Wegfahrt)  Stein, 
who  were  natives  of  Germany.  The  father 
was  a  bricklayer  by  trade  and  he  and  his 
wife   are   now    residing   in     Berlin,     Ontario. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


877 


lU-nry  Stein  left  the  fatlierland  when  a  yunng 
man,  althoutjh  his  i)arents  reniaineil  in  Ger- 
many. Crossin.t;'  the  .\tlantic  to  the  new 
worUl  he  took  np  his  abode  in  Canada,  wliere 
he  lias  since  remained.  L'nto  him  and  his 
wife  have  been  born  five  children,  of  whom 
Eckhardt  C.  is  the  eklest.  The  nthers  are 
Christian,  William,  ^lartha,  and  Annie,  de- 
ceased. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  Eck- 
hardt C.  Stein  we  present  to  our  readers  the 
life  record  of  one  who  is  well  kndwn  in  De- 
catur, because  of  his  activity  and  honorable 
business  interests  here.  Having  acquired  bis 
education  in  {hv  ])ul)lic  schools  of  his  native 
country  he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  ac- 
count when  twenty-one  years  of  age.  first 
being  employed  as  a  ))ainter  by  the  firm  of 
Hoffman  &  Company,  furniture  dealers  and 
manufacturers  of  lierlin.  ( )ntario.  He  con- 
tinued with  thai  Imuse  for  three  and  a  half 
years  and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the 
firm  of  Reiner  &  Stein,  millers  of  Wellesly. 
Ontario,  with  whom  he  was  associated  for 
six  years.  The  junior  partner  in  this  enter- 
prise was  Eckhardt  Stein,  an  uncle  of  our 
subject.  On  severing  bis  connection  with 
that  house  Mr.  Stein  of  this  review  was  em- 
ployed by  the  Commercial  Milling  Company 
of  Detroit,  Michigan,  for  a  year,  after  which 
he  returned  to  the  employ  of  Reiner  &  Stein, 
with  whom  he  continued  for  a  number  of 
years  longer.  Desiring  to  try  his  fortune  in 
the  northwest,  however,  he  removed  to  Spo- 
kane Falls,  Washington,  and  s])ent  one  year 
in  the  Echo  Mills  of  that  place.  In  i88(;  he 
came  to  Illinois,  locating  in  Decatur,  where 
he  has  since  made  his  home.  Here  he  was 
first  employed  in  the  Decatur  h'urniture  I'ac- 
tory,  for  rjne  \ear,  and  then  became  asso- 
ciated with  W.  Lewis  in  the  feed  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  Lewis  &  .Stein.  This 
relationship  was  mainlaint-d  for  one  vear. 
when  together  with  W  M.  lirookshier  he 
purchased  the  Decatur  Steam  Laundry.  That 
partnership  was  maintained  for  a  few  months. 


after  which  .Mr.  liruokshier  sold  his  interest 
to  Harry  E.  Ehrman,  who  was  Mr.  Stein's 
partner  for  a  time,  but  the  latter  sold  out. to 
Mr.  IChrman.  He  afterward  continued  as 
manager  of  the  plant  for  a  while.  1  le  then 
hiiughi  a  launtlry  with  John  H.  Rainey  as 
:in  associate  jwrtner  and  conducted  this  busi- 
ness for  three  and  a  half  years.  F.  H.  Whit- 
mer.  who  about  this  time  purchased  the  De- 
catur Steam  Laundry,  entered  into  business 
relations  with  Mr.  Stein  and  Rainey  and  the 
two  plants  were  consolidated  under  the  name 
of  the  Decatur  Model  Laundry  Company  in 
1898.  The  company  was  composed  of  Mr. 
Stein.  1".  II.  Whitmer  and  John  H.  Rainey, 
the  suliject  of  this  review-  being  the  president 
and  manager,  which  positions  he  has  ever 
most  acceptably  filled  since  1899.  His  present 
partners  in  the  enterprise  arc  Lulu  Whitmer, 
who  IS  the  vice  president  of  the  company, 
while  I'rank  II.  Whitiuer  is  the  secretary 
and   treasurer. 

In  1887  Mr.  .Stein  was  miited  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Magdelena  I'retus,  who  resided  near 
.Vrgcnta  in  this  county.  The\-  have  four 
children:  Martin,  Emelie.  I'.ertha  and 
Lauda.  Canada  has  furnished  to  the  I'nited 
States  many  bright,  enter])rising  voung  men 
who  have  left  that  country  to  enter  the  busi- 
ness circles  of  the  Republic  with  its  more 
l)rogressive  methods,  livelier  competition  and 
advancement  more  quickly  secured,  .\mong 
this  number  is  Mr.  Stein.  He  sought  wider 
fields  in  which  to  give  full  scoj^e  to  his  am- 
bition and  his  activity — his  dominant  qual- 
ities, lie  found  the  npportunities  he  sought 
in  the  freedom  and  appreciation  of  the  grow- 
ing middle  jiortion  of  the  United  States. 
Though  horn  across  the  bonier  he  is  thor- 
oughly American  in  thought  and  feeling  and 
is  patriotic  and  sincere  in  his  love  for  the 
stars  and  strii)es. 


JAMES  E.  OSBORNE. 
There    is    no    rule    for    achieving    success. 
1  he  man   who  can   rise  from  the   ranks  to  a 


878 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


position  of  einiiiencc  is  he  who  can  see  and 
utilize  the  opportunities  that  surround  his 
path.  The  essential  conditions  of  human  life 
are  ever  the  same,  the  surroundings  of  in- 
dividuals differ  but  slightly;  and,  when  one 
man  passes  another  on  the  highway  to  reach 
the  goal  of  prosperity  before  others  who  per- 
haps started  out  before  him,  it  is  because  he 
has  the  power  to  use  advantages  which  proba- 
bly encompass  the  whole  human  race. 

To-day  among  the  prominent  men  of  the 
entire  west  stands  James  E.  Osborne,  and 
his  name  at  once  brings  to  mind  one  of  the 
important  industries  of  the  country — the  de- 
velopment of  the  oil  resources.  Mr.  Osborne 
was  born  at  Greens  Fork,  Wayne  county,  In- 
diana, on  the  7th  of  September,  i860,  and  is 
a  son  of  Cyrus  and  Hannah  A.  (Murphy) 
Osborne.  The  paternal  grandfather  was  Al- 
mire  Osborne,  a  native  of  New  York,  while 
the  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject  was 
born  in  Ohio,  whence  he  removed  to  Indi- 
ana, spending  his  last  days  in  West  Lebanon, 
that  state.  Cyrus  Osborne  was  born  in  New 
York  and  became  a  stockdealer  of  Indiana, 
where  he  carried  on  business  for  a  time,  later 
removing  to  Decatur  to  make  his  home  with 
his  son,  James  E.  He  died  January  28,  1903, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years  and  his 
widow,  now  surviving,  is  a  member  of  the 
family  of  our  subject.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cyrus  Osborne  were  born  eight  children,  of 
whom  James  E.  Osborne  was  the  sixth  in 
order  of  birth.  Those  now  living  are  M.  L., 
a  resident  of  Indianapolis ;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
W.  P.  Kanode;  and  Zora,  the  wife  of  E.  F. 
Pannell. 

The  fourth  surviving  member  of  the  fam- 
ily is  Mr.  Osborne,  whose  name  introduces 
this  record.  He  was  reared  upon  the  home 
farm  and  attended  the  public  schools.  In  his 
early  youth  he  learned  telegraphy,  but  not 
finding  that  a  congenial  occupation  he  came 
to  Decatur  in  October,  1890,  and  here  ac- 
cepted a  position  as  a  clerk  in  the  sheriff's 
office.     He  was  afterward  employed  in  a  cler- 


ical capacity  in  the  office  of  the  recorder  and 
in  1 89 1  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Pacific 
E.xpress  Company.  He  has  since  been  agent 
for  the  company  in  Decatur  and  has  assumed 
other  responsibilities  at  various  points  for  the 
company.  Mr.  Osborne,  however,  has  made 
his  wealth  through  speculation.  He  began 
dealing  in  real  estate  and,  finding  that  it 
pro\ed  profitable,  he  laid  out  an  addition  to 
Decatur  in  which  he  realized  five  thousand 
dollars,  this  forming  the  nucleus  of  his  pres- 
ent extensive  capital.  Believing  that  he  might 
profit  by  operations  in  Chicago  real  estate  he 
also  began  purchasing  property  there  and  now 
enjoys  a  good  income  from  two  or  three  flat 
buildings  in  that  city,  together  with  dozens 
of  properties  in  Decatur.  When  Te.xas  oil 
began  attracting  the  attention  of  the  public 
Mr.  Osborne  was  informed  by  a  friend  that 
if  he  would  come  to  the  Lone  Star  state  he 
might  have  the  opportunity  of  a  lifetime 
there.  Proceeding  southward  he  investigated 
the  condition  of  the  oil  fields  and  at  length 
purchased  more  than  two  thousand  acres  of 
land  just  across  the  Louisiana  line  from  the 
Beaumont  field,  on  what  is  known  as  the 
Jennings  property.  He  purchased  a  portion 
of  this  at  a  very  low  figure,  but  for  about 
seven  acres  he  paid  two  thousand  dollars  per 
acre.  Mr.  Osborne  and  his  friends  then  or- 
ganized a  company,  our  subject  being  the 
prime  mover  in  the  establishment  of  what  is 
now  the  Southern  Oil  Company,  of  Jennings, 
Louisiana.  This  was  formed  in  1901.  E.  F. 
Rawson  is  president  of  the  company  with 
Mr.  Osborne  as  president  of  the  board  of 
directors  and  the  business  manager  of  the 
enterprise.  Contracts  for  four  wells  were  let, 
but  the  first  proved  "dry"  and  the  second  was 
not  a  success,  but  the  third  known  as  the 
Jennings  Gusher  has  won  fame  for  the  South- 
ern Company  and  brought  wealth  to  its  mem- 
bers. Ninety  thousand  barrels  of  oil  have 
flowed  from  the  Jennings  well  No.  3,  in  a 
test  run  of  one  day  and  the  first  output  ol 
the  company   was  seventy-five  thousand   bar- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


879 


rels  per  day.  There  are  now  five  wells  in 
operation,  and  the  quality  of  oil  produced 
is  better  than  that  secured  from  the  Beaumont 
field.  Mr.  Osborne,  who  retains  some  of  his 
original  land  holdings,  was  offered  forty  thou- 
sand dollars  an  acre  for  four  acres  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  gusher.  He  refused  to 
sell,  however,  although  by  proper  manipula- 
tion he  might  have  realized  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  from  a  few  acres  of  ground. 
He  is  also  the  originator  of  the  Northern  Oil 
Company  in  the  same  field.  This  was  or- 
ganized in  1902  and  has  an  output  from  four 
wells  of  twenty-four  hundred  barrels  of  oil 
per  day.  He  -also  organized  the  Columbia 
Oil  Company  and  is  now  one  of  the  best 
known  oil  men,  operating  in  Texas  and  Lou- 
isiana fields.  1  fc  has,  however,  not  confined 
liis  attention  entirely  to  this  one  line,  but  has 
made  judicious  investments  in  other  prop- 
erties. Tie  is  the  president  of  the  Star  Gold 
Mining  Company  at  Cripple  Creek,  Colorado, 
which  was  organized  in  1903.  Recently  he 
lias  made  a  purchase  of  forty-three  acres  of 
land  at  Yellville,  Arkansas,  and  has  laid  it 
out  into  lots,  which  is  known  as  the  Osborne 
addition  to  that  city.  He  has  unusual  powers 
as  a  business  manager  of  tact  and  discrimina- 
tion. The  successful  speculator  is  not  he  who 
places  his  money  carelessly  in  any  investment 
which  on  the  face  seems  to  promise  good  re- 
turns, but  he  who  studies  closely  the  situa- 
tions, keeps  in  touch  with  the  progress  and 
thoroughly  understands  the  investments 
which  he  makes.  Such  a  man  is  Mr.  Osborne 
and  his  success  therefore  is  richly  merited 
.and  has  been  capably  won. 


SAMUEL  T.  WEBB. 
Samuel  T.  Webb  became  a  resident  of 
Macon  county  in  1873  and  continued  to  re- 
side within  its  borders  until  his  life's  labors 
were  ended  in  death.  The  salient  features 
in  his  career  and  his  strong  traits  of  char- 


acter were  such  as  made  him  a  leading  and 
highly^  respected  citizen  of  his  community 
and  it  was  therefore  with  the  deepest  re- 
gret that  his  many  friends  learned  of  his 
demise.  He  was  a  native  of  Fairfield  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  born  on  the  27th  of  July,  1834, 
his  parents  being  Garrett  and  Verlinda 
( llright)  Webb,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Ohio.  His  father  engaged  in  farming  in 
Fairfield  county  during  the  greater  part  of 
his  life  and  both  he  and  his  wife  passed 
away  there. 

Samuel  T.  Webb  was  the  only  one  of 
the  family  that  ever  came  to  Macon  county. 
He  pursued  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  hi.s  native  county  and  was  reared 
on  the  old  family  homestead,  early  gaining 
accurate  knowledge  of  farming  methods  and 
of  agricultural  life  in  all  of  its  departments. 
He  was  married  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio, 
to  Miss  Harriet  Wilson,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  Fairfield  county  on  the  16th  of 
ATarch,  1837,  and  who  was  a  daughter  of 
David  and  Elizabeth  (Bobst)  Wilson,  the 
former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter 
of  Philadelphia.  Removing  to  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  her  father  was  there  engaged 
in  farming  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war,  when  he  removed  to  Morgan  county, 
Missouri,  there  making  his  home  for  a  few 
years.  He  afterward  lived  with  his  chil- 
dren until  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest. 
Throughout  his  active  business  career  his 
attention  was  devoted  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb 
was  blessed  with  a  family  of  ten  children, 
of  whom  six  are  now  living.  Clinton  and 
Crcighton  were  twins  and  the  former  now 
resides  in  the  village  of  Macon,  Illinois, 
where  he  is  engaged  in  general  merchan- 
dise and  in  the  drug  business,  being  a  prom- 
inent and  enterprising  man  of  that  town. 
Creighton  is  a  salesman  in  the  store  of 
James  W.  Race,  of  Decatur.  Francis  is  a 
traveling  salesman,  also  residing  in  Decatur. 
Charles   vet   makes   his    home    in    this   city. 


880 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


Burton  is  employed  by  the  firm  of  Linn  & 
Scriig:gs  of  Decatur.  Clara  May  is  at  home 
with  her  niolher.  Those  who  have  passed 
away  are  Robert,  James,  Mary,  Lillian  and 
one  that  died  in   infancy. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  Samuel  T. 
Webb  took  up  his  abode  upon  a  farm  in 
Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  where  he  resided  un- 
til 1873,  when  he  removed  to  the  middle 
west,  establishing  his  home  in  Macon 
county,  Illinois.  Here  he  leased  a  farm 
situated  about  two  and  a  half  miles  east 
of  the  village  of  Macon  in  Macon  township 
and'  at  once  began  its  improvement  and 
cultivation.  He  was  engaged  in  general 
farming  there  for  several  years,  but  when 
his  health  became  impaired  he  removed  to 
the  village  of  Macon,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death.  He  passed  away  May  30,  1889, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years,  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him.  His  widow  later  re- 
moved to  Decatur  and  purchased  her  pres- 
ent home  at  Xo.  274  West  Wood  street, 
where  she  and  her  daughter  now  reside. 
Mr.  \\'ebb  was  a  ver}'  successful  farmer 
careful  in  all  his  business  undertakings,  sys- 
tematic in  his  work  and  energetic  and  en- 
terprising. As  the  years  passed  by  he  har- 
vested good  crops  and  found  a  ready  sale 
iipim  tlie  market  for  his  products,  thus  an- 
nually adding  to  his  income.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  were  Methodists  in  religious  faith 
and  she  now  holds  membership  in  the  First 
ivlethodist  Episcopal  church  in  Decatur.  In 
his  political  views  he  was  an  earnest  Re- 
publican, but  never  sought  or  held  office, 
preferring  to  give  his  time  and  attention 
to  his  business  affairs.  In  everything  re- 
lating to  the  general  welfare  he  was  pro- 
gressive and  took  a  deep  interest  in  move- 
ments for  the  public  good.  His  life  was 
(|uictly  passed  and  yet  his  history  contains 
many  lessons  that  arc  worthy  of  emula- 
tion for  he  was  ever  upright  and  honorable 
and  lived  at  peace  with  his  fellow  men. 


ANDREW  J.  DLXSTON. 

.\ndrew  J.  Dunston  was  born  April  9,  1852, 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  the  third  in  a  family  of 
twelve  children,  nine  of  whom  are  now  living. 
His  father,  George  Dunston,  was  of  English 
lineage,  and  was  born  on  the  2d  of  March, 
1818,  in  Lincolnshire,  England.  He  was  a 
youth  of  twelve  years  when,  in  1830,  he 
crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  land- 
ing in  Canada.  He  afterward  made  his  home 
in  [Michigan,  subsequently  lived  in  Ohio  and 
in  1856  became  a  resident  of  Illinois.  By  oc- 
cupation he  was  a  farmer,  following  that  voca- 
tion throughout  his  business  career.  He  was 
quite  successful  as  an  agriculturist.  In  1869 
he  removed  to  Carleton,  Missouri,  where  he 
spent  his  remaining  days,  his  death  there  oc- 
curring June  7,  1889,  while  his  wife  died  on 
the  30th  of  July.  1874.  He  wedded  Mary 
Jane  Grimes,  who  was  of  Irish  extraction,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  the  following 
named :  Jacob  and  Harriet,  now  deceased ; 
Andrew  J . ;  Emily  ;  Frank  ;  Horace  Greeley  ; 
Fannie  ;  George  ;  Harvey  ;  Laura  ;  Olive  ;  and 
Sarah,  who  has  likewise  passed  away. 

Aftdrew  J.  Dunston  of  this  review  obtained 
his  early  education  in  one  of  the  primitive 
log  schoolhouses  of  Illinois  known  as  the  old 
Green  school,  in  .\dams  county,  this  state.  He 
put  aside  his  text  books  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
years  and  began  earning  his  own  living  by 
working  as  a  farm  hand,  in  which  capacity  he 
was  employed  for  two  years.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of 
horse-shoeing  under  Edward  Cassiday,  of 
Ouincv,  Illinois,  servmg  for  a  term  of  three 
years.  In  1872  he  came  t(.)  Macdu  county, 
settling  in  Decatur,  where  he  worked  for 
others  for  two  years  and  then  in  1874  opened 
a  shop  of  his  own  on  North  Jackson  street. 
In  1882  he  bought  a  lot  and  built  a  shop  at 
Xo.  336  East  Prairie  street,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  business  until  1892,  when  he  re- 
moved to  136  South  Franklin  street,  building 
there  his  present  shop.  Here  he  has  remained 
continuouslv    since   and  he   is   the  only   shoer 


p.. of  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


881 


of  race  horses  in  Decatur.  He  has  followed 
this  branch  of  the  business  since  1874  and  has 
received  a  hberal  patronage,  doing  this  im- 
portant work  in  a  most  capable  manner. 

On  the  26th  of  July,  1876.  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
Dunston  and  Miss  Martha  Crowfoot,  a  native 
of  South  Bend,  Indiana.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren :  (ieorge  W.  and  Frank  G.  The  former 
married  Helen  Schroeder,  a  native  of  Decatur, 
and  they  have  a  daughter,  Sarah  Jane  Dun- 
ston. George  Dunston  holds  a  responsible 
business  position  in  connection  with  the 
Standard  Oil  Company.  He  possesses  su- 
perior musical  talent  and  ability,  having 
studied  under  Francis  Fi.sher  Powers  and 
George  Ellis-Holmes  and  was  graduated  with 
Signor  Marescalchi.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the 
high  school  of  Decatur  and  other  institutions 
and  is  a  gentleman  of  scholarly  attainments. 
He  is  also  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  vo- 
calists in  Decatur,  and  his  musical  talent  ren- 
ders him  a  favorite  in  social  circles,  where  he 
contributes  much  to  the  general  enjoyment. 
The  younger  son  is  a  partner  of  his  father, 
carrying  on  business  under  the  firm  style  of 
A.  J.  Dunston  &  Son.  He  married  Miss 
Myrtle  Hogue,  August  27,  1903,  of  Mattoon, 
Illinois. 

Mr.  Dunston  of  this  review  owns  a  ]jleasant 
residence  at  No.  304  East  Wood  street.  In 
politics  he  is-  independent  and  has  never 
sought  or  desired  office,  llis  entire  attention 
has  been  given  to  his  business  affairs  and  his 
capability  in  the  line  of  his  pursuit  has  re- 
sulted in  bringing  to  him  a  very  desirable 
competence. 


JOHN  W.  FLETCHER. 
Tohn  W.  Fletcher,  who  is  engaged  in  tlie 
dairy  business,  was  born  in  Giristian  county, 
Illinois,  near  the  town  of  McmiU  Auburn,  De- 
cemlier  2.  1847,  his  parents  being  Griffin  T. 
and  Martha  (Churchill)  Fletcher.  His  pa- 
ternal   grandfather    was    James     I'ktcher.     a 


nalive   of    Kcntuck\-,   and   his    last    days   were 
spent    in    Decatur.      Griffin     T.    I'lelcher    was 
i)orn  in  Mount  Sterling,  Kentucky,  and  at  an 
earlv  period  in  the  develoi)nient  and  improve- 
ment  of   Illinois  came   lo   ihis   stale.      He  en- 
teretl  one  huntlred  and  si.xty  acres  of  land  from 
the   government   in   Christian   county   in    1831 
and    there   improved   a   farm,   ujion    which   he 
made  his  home  until  1855.     In  that  year  he  re- 
moved to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
becatne   the   owner  of   l\)ur   hundred  acres  of 
land,    which    he    cultivated    successfully    until 
1 87 J.     1  hat  year  witnessed  his  arrival  in  De- 
catur township,  Macon  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  spent  his  remaining  days.    While  at  Mount 
.\uburn,  in  company  with  A.  D.  Northcutt,  he 
])urcliascd  and  sold  stock,  both  cattle  and  hogs, 
driving  thcni  in  large  ntnnbers  lo  the  St.  Louis 
market.      This  was  at  an  early  day  before  the 
advent  of  the  railroads  and  Abraham  Lincoln 
assisted  these  gentlemen  in  <lriving  their  slock- 
on  three  different  trii)s.      In  his  farming  and 
stock-dealing  operations   .\lr.    l-'letcher  became 
very  jirosperous.  securing  a  good  jM-ofit  as  the 
result  of  his  investmenls  and   labors.     In  his 
political  affairs  he   was  an  earnest   Democrat 
and  he  belonged  to  the  .Masonic  fraternity.    He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  in 
which  he  took  a  very  active  ])art.     He  served 
for  some  years  as  one  of  its  elders  and  his  hue 
voice  made  him  a  valued  addition  lo  the  mu- 
sical circles  of  the  church.     He  was  united  in 
marriage  on  the   lOth  of  June.    1833,  lo  Miss 
Martha     Churchill,     a      daughter     of     John 
Churchill,  who  was  born   in   Maysville,   Ken- 
tucky, and  at   an   early   day  came  to   Illinois, 
settling  in   Sangamon  county,  whence  he  re- 
moved    to     Macon     county     in     1872.       Mr. 
I'lelcher.  who  was  born  in   1810,  passed  away 
.September  6.   1883.  and    his  wife  died  on  the 
2(1  of  January,  1896.     They  were  the  parents 
of   llie    following  named   children:     Thomas, 
.Mary.  Jane.  Rhoda   E..  David  C.  James  L., 
John  W..  Willis.  .\bel  1'.  and  Martha  Joseph- 
ine.     Ihomas.  Willis  and   Jane  are  now  de- 
ceased. 


882 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


L'pon  the  home  farm  under  the  parental  roof 
John  W.  Fletcher  spent  the  days  of  his  boy- 
hood. His  educational  privileges  were  some- 
what limited  because  of  the  primitive  condition 
of  the  schools  of  that  time  and  because  his 
services  were  needed  upon  the  home  farm.  He 
was  married  in  Knox  county,  Illinois,  and  then 
engaged  in  farming  from  1872  until  1882.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to 
Decatur,  where  lie  turned  his  attention  to  the 
dairy  business  and  is  now  the  oldest  repre- 
sentative of  this  line  of  activity  in  the  city. 
He  started  upon  his  business  career  without 
capital,  but  now  has  a  comfortable  home  in 
the  midst  of  attractive  surroundings  and  he 
takes  a  just  pride  in  keeping  up  his  place  in 
every  particular.  His  has  been  a  strenuous 
life  and  his  diligence  and  enterprise  have 
formed  the  foundation  of  his  very  desirable 
success. 

On  the  nth  of  May,  1870.  Air.  Fletcher  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Clevenger, 
a  daughter  of  David  and  Eliza  (Taylor)  Clev- 
enger. Her  father  was  born  in  Ohio  near 
Circleville  and  was  a  miller  by  trade.  In  1853 
he  removed  with  his  family  to  Bureau  county, 
Illinois,  at  which  time  Mrs.  Fletcher  was  about 
six  months  old.  In  that  county  he  resided  for 
eight  years  and  then  went  to  Knox  county, 
this  state,  establishing  his  home  in  Abingdon. 
He  died  June  7,  1866,  at  the  age  of  forty-nine 
years.  His  religious  faith  was  that  of  the 
Christian  church  and  his  political  belief  was 
in  accord  with  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party.  He  had  good  knowledge  of  general 
business  and  was  a  broad  reader,  gaining  ex- 
tended information  of  many  subjects.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Eliza  Ann  Taylor  on  the  15th  of 
March,  1842.  She  was  born  in  Pennsylvania 
and  in  her  early  girlhood  days  went  with  her 
parents,  William  and  Betsey  Taylor,  to  Ohio 
and  afterward  removed  to  Knox  county,  Illi- 
nois. Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fletcher  were  bom 
five  children :  Daisy,  who  is  the  wife  of  E.  S. 
Grav ;  Theron  W. ;  Estella,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years ;  Griffin  Taylor :  and 


.Minnie  E.,  the  widow  of  Dr.  J.  E.  Ludea,  of 
Crowley,  Louisiana. 

Mr.  Fletcher  holds  membership  relations 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  iVmerica  and 
with  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  was  made  a 
Mason  in  1894  and  is  a  member  of  Macon 
Lodge,  No.  8,  of  Decatur,  while  his  wife  and 
daughter  Estella  belong  to  Chapter  No.  iii, 
Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  belongs  to  the 
Christian  church  and  has  led  a  life  that  has 
reflected  credit  upon  the  church  and  secret 
societies  which  he  represents.  His  business 
relations  have  been  all  that  is  honorable  be- 
tween his  fellow  men  and  himself  and  the  suc- 
cess he  has  achieved  is  attributable  entirely  to 
his  own  eftorts,  for  without  financial  aid  at 
the  beginning  of  his  career  he  has  worked 
his  way  upward  to  the  plane  of  affluence. 


WASHINGTON  S.  SMITH. 

Washington  S.  Smith,  a  well  known  grain 
dealer  of  Mount  Zion,  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Bath  county,  Kentucky,  September  2"].  1850, 
and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Frances 
(Stoner)  Smith,  who  were  natives  of  Mrginia 
and  Kentucky,  respectively.  It  was  in  1857 
that  the  family  came  to  Illinois  and  located 
in  Decatur.  The  parents  removed  to  Mount 
Zion  in  1890,  and  there  the  father  died  in  De- 
cember, 1901,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty- 
three  years,  and  the  mother  passed  away  in 
June,  1902,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine.  They 
had  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are  still  living, 
namely  :  Wheeden  C,  a  resident  of  Decatur ; 
Mary  E.,  wife  of  Robert  N.  Henderson ;  ]\Ii- 
nerva  M.,  wife  of  E.  O.  Humphrey,  of  Chi- 
cago; Washington  S.,  of  this  sketch;  Maria 
R.,  of  Decatur ;  Nannie  S.,  wife  of  O.  M. 
Scott,  of  South  Wheatland  township,  Macon 
county ;  Anna  R.,  wife  of  H.  N.  Greene,  of  La 
Place,  Illinois ;  and  J.  Davis,  of  Decatur. 

Washington  .S.  Smith  had  but  limited  educa- 
tional advantages  during  his  boyhood,  attend- 
ing the  subscription  schools  for  only  a  short 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COU.SlTY. 


883 


time,  but  his  training  at  farm  work  was  not 
so  meager.  He  remained  under  the  parental 
roof  until  1881,  when  he  commenced  operating 
a  farm  and  was  engaged  in  farming  and  stock- 
raising  exclusively  until  July,  1900,  when  he 
purchased  the  grain  business  of  J.  A.  Roney, 
of  Hervey  City,  Illinois.  A  year  later  he  pur- 
chased of  George  B.  Spitler  of  Mount  Zion 
a  grain  elevator  and  coal  business  and  at  the 
end  of  another  year  acquired  through  pur- 
chase the  elevator  and  grain  business  of 
George  E.  Davidson  at  Prairie  Hall,  Illinois, 
so  that  he  is  now  the  owner  of  three  good 
elevators  in  Macon  county  and  is  one  of  its 
largest  grain  dealers.  Mr.  Smith  handles  both 
corn  and  oats  and  ships  his  grain  to  Chicago, 
Detroit,  Indianapolis,  Terre  Haute  and  many 
southern  points. 

In  1881  Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Gertrude  Ulery,  a  daughter  of  Eli  and 
Mary  Ulery,  and  to  them  have  been  born  four 
children,  as  follows :  Gladys,  Sidney  M.,  Guy 
U.  and  Paul  S.  Socially  Mr.  Smith  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Mount  Zion  Lodge,  No.  300,  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  with  which  he  has  been  connected  since 
1880,  and  he  affiliates  with  the  Democratic 
party.  In  former  years  he  took  quite  an  active 
and  prominent  part  in  political  aflfairs ;  was  a 
member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  from  1885 
until  i8qo  and  chairman  of  that  important 
body  in  1889  and  1890.  In  the  fall  of  the 
latter  year  he  was  elected  to  the  general  as- 
sembly and  re-elected  in  1892.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  of  office  he  concluded  to  retire 
from  active  politics  and  give  his  entire  time 
to  his  business  interests,  which  he  finds  much 
more  congenial  to  his  tastes  than  politics. 


JAMES  D.  VAN  GUNDY. 
James  D.  Van  Gundy  is  a  retired  farmer  re- 
siding at  No.  995  West  Marietta  street  in  De- 
catur. He  was  born  in  Scott  county,  Illinois, 
on  the  26th  of  September,  1855,  a  son  of  John 
and  Sarah    (Scobey)   Van  Gundy,  who  were 


also  natives  of  Scott  county,  where  the  father 
carried  on  farming  until  1873,  -^^  which  time 
he  removed  to  Macon  county,  purchasing  a 
farm  in  Milam  township.  There  he  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits  until  1896,  when  he 
removed  to  Decatur  and  has  since  lived  a  re- 
tired life  save  that  he  has  some  financial  in- 
terests and  is  now  the  vice  president  of  the 
Macon  County  Telephone  Company.  He  is  a 
prominent  and  well  known  citizen  of  Decatur 
and  with  his  family  resides  at  No.  1357  North 
Water  street.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \'an  Gundy 
were  born  nine  children,  of  whom  seven  are 
now  living. 

At  the  usual  age  James  D.  Van  Gundy  be- 
gan his  education  as  a  student  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  county  and  when  he  had 
mastered  the  branches  of  learning  therein 
taught  he  put  aside  his  text  books  and  turned 
his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits  in  Scott 
county.  As  a  companion  and  helpmate  for  the 
journey  of  life  he  chose  Miss  Frances  E. 
Cowle,  their  marriage  being  celebrated  in  Shel- 
by county,  Illinois.  The  lady  is  a  native  of 
Madison  county,  this  state,  born  on  the  12th 
of  September,  1853,  and  is  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  and  Rosa  Anna  (Fanning)  Cowle,  the 
former  born  on  the  Isle  of  Man,  while  the 
latter  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  For  a 
number  of  years  they  resided  in  Madison  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  the  father  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  in  1865  they  removed  to  Shelby  coun- 
ty, this  state,  where  Mr.  Cowle  carried  on 
agricultural  pursuits  until  his  death.  His  wife 
also  died  in  the  same  county. 

AhcT  his  marriage  Mr.  Van  Gundy  engaged 
in  farming  in  Shelby  county  for  a  year  and 
then  removed  to  Moweaqua,  Illinois,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  tile  for 
a  year.  He  next  took  up  his  abode  in  Kansas, 
where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for 
one  year.  On  the  expiration  of  one  year  he 
returned  to  his  native  state  and  settled  in 
Milam  township,  Macon  county,  purchasing 
a  tract  of  land  in  section  13.  With  character- 
istic energy  he  began  its  cultivation  and  de- 


884 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


velopment  and  contiiiiu'd  there  to  engage  in 
general  farming  until  1903,  when  he  removed 
to  the  city  of  Decatur  in  order  that  he  might 
live  a  retired  life  here.  He  still  owns,  how- 
ever, a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  of  valuable 
land  in  Milam  township  and  the  rental  there- 
from brings  him  a  good  income.  He  is  also 
the  owner  of  a  nice  residence  at  No.  995  West 
Marietta  street,  where  he  and  his  family  are 
living.  Unto  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Gundy  have 
been  born  two  children:  Charles  E.,  who  is 
employed  b}-  the  Weare  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany of  Decatur;  and  Florence  Lillian,  at 
home.  The  Van  Gundy  family  is  a  prominent 
and  well  known  one  in  Macon  county  and  the 
subject  of  this  review  has  a  wide  acquaintance 
and  the  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been 
brought  in  contact.  In  politics  he  has  always 
been  a  Democrat,  but  has  never  sought  or  de- 
sired office,  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and 
energies  to  his  business  affairs,  in  which  he 
has  met  with  creditable  success. 


RUDOLPH  H.  SCHROEDER. 

Rudolph  H.  Schroeder,  now  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock-raising  on  section  15,  IlHni 
township,  was  born  on  the  3d  of  May,  1856, 
in  Milford,  Massachusetts,  about  twenty  miles 
from  Boston,  and  is  a  son  of  Rudolph  Max 
and  Mary  (Hagely)  Schroeder.  During  his 
boyhood  he  accompanied  his  parents  on  their 
removal  to  Monroe,  Wisconsin,  where  the 
father  conducted  the  first  shoe  shop  in  the 
place.  There  our  subject  attended  school  until 
twelve  years  of  age,  working  in  a  pop  factory 
at  fifty  cents  per  day  during  his  vacations, 
and  while  in  school  taking  care  of  a  drayman's 
horses,  wagon  and  barn,  for  which  service 
he  received  two  dollars  and  a  half  per  week. 
After  leaving  school  he  served  a  three  years' 
apprenticeship  to  the  tinner's  trade  with  Ja- 
cob Schuler  and  was  given  three  dollars  per 
week. 

Leaving    Monroe    in    1870    Mr.    Schroeder 


came  with  the  family  to  Macon  county,  Illinois, 
and  his  father  erected  the  first  house  in  the 
jjresent  town  of  Warrensburg  and  to  him  was 
delivered  the  first  goods  over  what  is  now 
the  Peoria,  Decatur  &  Evansville  Railroad, 
which  had  just  been  built.  Our  subject  en- 
tered the  employ  of  A.  T.  Little,  who  was  then 
conducting  a  hardware  and  tin  shop  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  park  in  Decatur,  and 
was  given  ten  dollars  at  the  end  of  the  first 
week  although  there  was  no  stipulated  salary. 
Later  he  worked  by  the  piece  and  made  as 
high  as  eighteen  dollars  per  week.  While  in 
that  employ  he  manufactured  twenty-two  thou- 
sand patented  fire  kindlers.  During  the  panic 
of  1871  he  lost  his  position  and  returned  to 
his  father's  home  in  Warrensbm-g,  where  he 
worked  at  anything  he  could  find  to  do,  re- 
ceiving from  one  dollar  and  a  half  to  two  dol- 
lars per  day.  For  a  time  he  assisted  his  father 
in  his  harness  shop,  and  in  1873  took  charge 
of  his  father's  farm  one  mile  north  of  War- 
rensburg but  continued  to  live  in  town  and 
work  in  the  shop  at  night.  In  the  spring  of 
1881  he  was  made  overseer  of  a  three  hundred 
and  twenty-acre  farm  and  boarded  with 
Charles  H.  Faith,  one  and  a  quarter  miles  from 
Warrensburg,  for  two  years.  During  the  dull 
season  on  the  farm  he  worked  at  the  carpen- 
ter's trade  for  J.  M.  Keefer,  of  Warrensburg, 
and  continued  to  follow  that  occupation  until 
1886.  About  this  time  he  purchased  five  lots 
in  the  village,  but  during  his  wife's  illness 
came  very  near  losing  his  property  but  man- 
aged to  save  it  and  built  thereon  a  nice  resi- 
dence, now  occupied  b}"  C.  J.  Tucker.  Mr. 
Schroeder  conducted  a  restaurant  in  \\^arrens- 
burg  for  a  time  and  after  his  father's  death 
had  charge  of  the  harness  shop  until 
his  brother  Will  took  possession.  He  then 
embarked  in  the  tin  manufacturing  business 
and  afterward  added  hardware  to  his  stock, 
building  the  north  end  of  the  shop  now  occu- 
pied by  his  brother  Will.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Ed  White  &  Company,  and  when 
the  firm  failed  he  assumed  a  part  of  the  debts 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  MACON  COUNTY. 


885 


^nd  carried  on  the  business  alone.  He  covered 
with  corrugated  iron  the  elevator  of  William 
Ritchie  and  also  the  one  that  was  burned  be- 
longing to  \'ictor  Dewein,  on  the  site  of  the 
present  elevator  of  Faith  &  Dewein.  He  also 
put  a  tin  roof  on  the  last  named,  soldering  it 
all  at  night  and  doing  the  entire  job  alone. 
Subsequently  he  was  a  member  of  the  tirni  of 
Schroeder  Brothers  and  since  selling  out  busi- 
ness has  been  conducted  under  the  name 
of  Fred  E.  Schroeder. 

For  the  past  five  seasons  our  subject  has 
lived  in  Illini  township  on  the  farm  belonging 
to  Francis  W'inslow,  of  Decatur,  and  has  en- 
gaged in  general  farming,  operating  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-seven  acres  of  land  with  the 
assistance  of  his  sons.  He  keeps  a  good  grade 
of  stock,  including  fifteen  horses  and  colts, 
a  number  of  cows,  hogs  and  sheep.  He 
began  the  sheep  industry  with  twenty-three 
ewes  but  now  has  thirty  and  has  raised  fifty- 
seven  lambs.  He  sells  the  latter  wdien  they 
are  about  three  months  old.  During  his  five 
years'  experience  he  has  lost  only  five  sheep 
and  he  derives  a  good  income  from  his  wool. 

On  the  26th  of  July,  1882,  Mr.  Schroeder 
married  Miss  Alpha  Retta  Akers,  a  daughter 
of  O'Neill  and  Eliza  Jane  Akers.  She  was 
born,  reared  and  educated  in  Woodsfield,  Mon- 
roe county,  Ohio,  and  in  1881  came  to  War- 
rensburg  to  live  with  her  aunt,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Dempsey.  Our  subject  and  his  wife  have 
seven  children:     Manzy,  born  April  3.   1883; 


Earl,  Februar}-,  1885;  Emmett,  March  1, 
1S87;  Charley,  September  26,  1889;  Carrie, 
December  26,  1893;  Max,  July  26,  1896;  and 
Catherine,  December  31,  1900.  She  was  born 
in  one  century  and  dressed  for  the  first  time 
in  the  next. 

Mr.  Schroeder  is  prominently  identified  with 
several  civic  societies.  In  1880  he  became  a 
charter  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge, 
.\o.  600,  of  Forsythe,  and  now  belongs  to  De- 
catur Encampment,  No.  37,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  De- 
catur Canton,  No.  19,  Patriarchs  Militant.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
Ainerica,  the  Ro}al  Neighbors,  the  Ridgley 
I  'rotective  Association  and  the  Rebekahs,  hav- 
ing been  a  member  of  the  Sovereign  grand 
lodge  of  the  last  named  order  for  fifftcen 
years.  Flis  wife  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Neighbors  and  Rebekahs  and  takes  quite 
an  active  and  jjrominent  part  in  the  work  of 
the  latter  organization.  She  has  taken  the 
Chevalier  and  Uniform  degrees  of  the  Patri- 
arch Militant,  and  is  now  serving  her  eleventh 
year  as  noble  grand  and  captain.  She  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of 
Warrensburg  and  like  her  husband  is  highly 
respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who  know  her. 
Mr.  Schroeder  was  reared  a  Democrat  and 
affiliated  with  that  party  for  some  time,  but 
for  the  past  ten  years  has  voted  the  Repub- 
lican ticket.  For  thirteen  years  he  has  ef- 
ficiently filled  the  office  of  constable  and  has 
served  as  bailiiT  under  three  ditTerent  sheriffs. 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBArw 

977  35eP26e  coos 

PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  THE  CITY  OF  DECATUR 


30112  025393924 


